Skegness Amusement Ride Bites the Dust
Date: 1961
Big Dipper goes to make way for Wild Mouse
Photo: Figure 8 amusement ride.
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.
THE WILD MOUSE. The mouse when it was erected on the roof of the Jungle ride on Botton brothers fairground. It was a brilliant ride at that time as it was high and fast. Some years later when I was employed on the fair ground I got to work the mouse once or twice and learned to ride it standing up with no hands holding on, a practice fair lads used to do on most rides in those days, as you had to take the fares as the ride was in progress. Not so with the mouse though as the punters paid for a ticket which they handed you before getting on the ride. But now with health and safety plus insurance that practice is not allowed today. Every fair lad wanted to work the mouse as was a good bird puller lol and great ride to work on. It stuck around for quite some years until it was replaced with the less thrilling and more gentle ride that is in its place today on Botton brothers, but do miss seeing it there now when I go for a walk on the park.
Robert, you must have known my uncle – Vern Smith. I think they also called him Vick or Titch. I seem to remember he was one of the men who helped build the ride. He also was on the dogems. Although he’s well into his seventies, he only recently retired from the amusement park.
Could Robert or Pamela ( above ) please let me know ( if you can remember ) what the scenic car ride at the side of Bottons, Skeggy, between circa 1968-1970’s was called.
It was the one with american-type cars that were two-tone coloured.
I’d be VERY grateful for ANY info you may have on this once great ride! ( Here comes the bridge!!!!)
Yours respectfully,
Andy A