Skegness Amusement Ride Bites the Dust

Written by Angela Gooch on February 2nd, 2008 in Tourist Attractions, Town evolution.

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Date: 1961

Big Dipper goes to make way for Wild Mouse

Photo: Figure 8 amusement ride built in 1931

Figure 8 Skegness Butlins amusement park ride to be demolished after 30 years

SKEGNESS skyline recently lost one of its most famous landmarks —the Big Dipper in Butlin’s Number One Amusement Park, which has been dismantled during the last three weeks to make way for a new switch-back which will be operating for the start of next season.

For thousands of holidaymakers who flock to the resort every year, the big blue Figure Eight, towering above the park and the beach, is, together with the Clock Tower, one of the things that they most associate with Skegness.
Built in the fun-loving days of 1931, the Big Dipper was one of the biggest attractions in the Park this season—its 30th anniversary year.
Built mainly of wood, work on dismantling the structure started at the beginning of November. Ten men helped pull it down and they say that the Big Dipper presented no difficulties of any kind.
`WILD MOUSE’
A new amusement is to be built on the same site and will be ready for the season’s start at Easter. The American amusement, it is entitled “Wild Mouse.” It will give the same thrills as the Big Dipper and passengers will be conveyed in eight cars.
A spokesman for Butlins Amusements said the new attraction would have the same height as the Big Dipper and that the cars would go around at a “fairly fast” pace.
The Skegness park will be only the fourth in the country to have a “Wild Mouse.” Others are at Portsmouth, Southend and Clacton.
Meanwhile Skegnessians this winter will have to be content with a skyline showing the Big Dipper in the number two park, the Clock Tower — and the Gasometer.