Skegness Magazine

This picture, which was taken in the 1920’s, shows on the right, the Mountain Slide, next to the figure eight, which was about the same height as the astroglide which we have in Skegness today, and worked on the same principle.
The customers came down the Mountain Slide on mats and a dip in the middle shot them into the air.

It was built with wood and steel plates, by Mr Bill Westray, who is in the picture with his son, Jimmy, Mr Sid (Friday) Rowley and M r Cecil Blades.
Mrs Mona Sharpe of 33 Algitha Road, Skegness, daughter of Mr Westray, said: “We used to climb up as kids waxing the slide. When you slid down it a fellow at the bottom shouted ‘catch’ and collared hold of you. If he didn’t, you finished up in the middle of the sandy road. They shut him down in the bank holiday because, so many finished in the road.”
On the left is Mr Westray’s, Tarzan Glide. People slid down the wire, hanging from handles, and ended up in a bag of straw at the other end or, if they let go, in a safety net beneath.
These were both part of Thompsons Pleasureland, off North Parade, which was opened in 1923.