CGM
TS Member
Normally, I wouldn't post a trip report for this kind of event but there was a very special ride there that I didn't know existed prior to today and that is so unexpectedly thrilling that it simply has to be shared. As such, it gets a special review!
Pickering Traction Engine Rally is an annual meeting held at Pickering Show ground, just along the road from Flamingoland. The event, as you might expect mainly consists of many traction engines in various shapes and sizes. Most of them were under steam and each one was accompanied by its surly looking owner glowering at you from their camping chair.
It was amazing to see just how many showman's engines were present, most of them original and still proudly emblazoned with the names of long-gone rides that they would have once powered and carted about the country. It's incredible to think that what survives today is only a fraction of what once existed.
As well as the engines, there was quite a substantial modern fair which we didn't really visit but notable rides there were Oxygen, a KMG Speed, Over the Top and Superbowl. Other than that, it was your standard UK Fair lineup with a Twister, Waltzer, Miami, Tagada ect.
Much more interesting than this was the steam fair which had a large collection of vintage rides and more steam organs than you could shake a stick at. This gave the event a very RCT style soundtrack and we heard all sorts of tunes throughout the day. The carousel's organ even played a rendition of Gangnam Style which must mean there's someone out there producing punch card arrangements of modern pop songs.
The undoubted highlight of the day though was the Steam Yachts. You may have thought that Huss invented the swinging ship, I Know I did, but apparently the idea for a powered swinging ship style ride first came about in the 1880s. This particular example dates from 1900 and is one of many built by Savages, a steam engine manufacturer.
Just upon a glance, it's obvious that this is a ride from a different era. It is lavishly decorated with ornate wood carvings and beautiful hand-painted designs. Two bulky gondolas hang from a spindly wooden A-frame, each one with a canvas roof and safety netting surrounding the riders (for very good reasons as it turns out). Between the gondolas sits the the steam engine that powers all aspects of the ride and on the presentation side, the ride's organ, advertising the ride to passers by. It looks fantastic and puts the presentation of many modern rides to shame.
As we climbed the steps and boarded the ride, it became apparent that there are no restraints at all, just a series of wooden benches with backrests across the width of the gondola. After clambering over a set, we reached our bench and as soon as everyone was seated, we were warned that this would be the last ride of the day and so it would be "extra high". After a sharp whistle from the engine, we were off, making small, brisk swings back and forth.
At this point, my sister pointed out that the ride op was stood just to our left by the steam engine. He was hand-operating a switch on the steam cylinder to change the direction of the swing. Upon overhearing us as we swung past, the ride op took note of us and asked "Oh, have you never been on this before?" as if it were the strangest thing in the world, "Well put your feet on the bench in front and wrap your arms round your backrest or else you'll tumble out."
After digesting that comment I looked around the gondola and it was clear that we were the only two people on the ride who had sat on the seats as if they were normal benches. Everyone around us, presumably the regulars had adopted the 'hold on for your life' riding position that he recommended. Call me fussy, but I would have preferred to know this rather key bit of safety information before the ride started moving. But anyway, we held on and the ride began to pick up speed.
As the swings became larger, they were accompanied by a loud whoosh of steam and a creak of the wooden structure. It quickly became apparent that the ride op wasn't joking when he said we could fall out of our seats as the gondola reached an increasingly ridiculous angle with each swing. Soon, we found ourselves staring almost vertically down 20ft or so at the riders opposing us.
As if this weren't enough, the ride had more to offer and now the top of each swing was delivering a kick of Victorian era, steam-powered airtime! With lap bars, this would probably be a pretty thrilling ride but when you are the only thing preventing yourself from leaving your seat, the experience gets a great deal more intense. Add to this the sounds of the ride, the smoke from the engine and the smell of hot oil and you get an experience that no modern ride can hope to recreate.
After a while, the magnitude of the swings decreased and the ride settled down to an eventual halt. We unwrapped our now aching arms from our seats and clambered out of the gondola.
I can honestly say that despite its age, its small size and non-threatening appearance, Steam Yachts is one of the most thrilling and intense flat rides I've been on. It's worlds away from the triple lock restraints and precision engineering of modern day flats. It produces its thrills not through powerful forces and disorientating movements but through the impression that you are clinging onto something for dear life whilst it tries to throw you off. It's at least as thrilling as any KMG afterburner.
More importantly than that, it's a window into the world of turn of the century attractions and it provides a little slice of what it might have been like to visit Blackpool or one of the Coney Island parks in their heyday. It makes me very excited about the idea of a permanent heritage park at Dreamland.
Pictures:
A row of showman's engines, once the workhorses of British fairs.
The modern fair at the event.
The steam fair
Harry Lee's Steam Yachts
The sign may say that it's the world's only example but after a bit of investigation, I discovered that there's two others touring the UK, one steam powered and one fitted with electric motors. There's also a mini version of the ride at Hollycombe Steam Museum.
http://youtu.be/zp76RTbqqLk
This video is not of the Steam Yachts that I rode but of the Carter's version which is about 20 years younger. It does however show just how high the gondolas can swing and goes on to show details of the mechanism and engine.
Pickering Traction Engine Rally is an annual meeting held at Pickering Show ground, just along the road from Flamingoland. The event, as you might expect mainly consists of many traction engines in various shapes and sizes. Most of them were under steam and each one was accompanied by its surly looking owner glowering at you from their camping chair.
It was amazing to see just how many showman's engines were present, most of them original and still proudly emblazoned with the names of long-gone rides that they would have once powered and carted about the country. It's incredible to think that what survives today is only a fraction of what once existed.
As well as the engines, there was quite a substantial modern fair which we didn't really visit but notable rides there were Oxygen, a KMG Speed, Over the Top and Superbowl. Other than that, it was your standard UK Fair lineup with a Twister, Waltzer, Miami, Tagada ect.
Much more interesting than this was the steam fair which had a large collection of vintage rides and more steam organs than you could shake a stick at. This gave the event a very RCT style soundtrack and we heard all sorts of tunes throughout the day. The carousel's organ even played a rendition of Gangnam Style which must mean there's someone out there producing punch card arrangements of modern pop songs.
The undoubted highlight of the day though was the Steam Yachts. You may have thought that Huss invented the swinging ship, I Know I did, but apparently the idea for a powered swinging ship style ride first came about in the 1880s. This particular example dates from 1900 and is one of many built by Savages, a steam engine manufacturer.
Just upon a glance, it's obvious that this is a ride from a different era. It is lavishly decorated with ornate wood carvings and beautiful hand-painted designs. Two bulky gondolas hang from a spindly wooden A-frame, each one with a canvas roof and safety netting surrounding the riders (for very good reasons as it turns out). Between the gondolas sits the the steam engine that powers all aspects of the ride and on the presentation side, the ride's organ, advertising the ride to passers by. It looks fantastic and puts the presentation of many modern rides to shame.
As we climbed the steps and boarded the ride, it became apparent that there are no restraints at all, just a series of wooden benches with backrests across the width of the gondola. After clambering over a set, we reached our bench and as soon as everyone was seated, we were warned that this would be the last ride of the day and so it would be "extra high". After a sharp whistle from the engine, we were off, making small, brisk swings back and forth.
At this point, my sister pointed out that the ride op was stood just to our left by the steam engine. He was hand-operating a switch on the steam cylinder to change the direction of the swing. Upon overhearing us as we swung past, the ride op took note of us and asked "Oh, have you never been on this before?" as if it were the strangest thing in the world, "Well put your feet on the bench in front and wrap your arms round your backrest or else you'll tumble out."
After digesting that comment I looked around the gondola and it was clear that we were the only two people on the ride who had sat on the seats as if they were normal benches. Everyone around us, presumably the regulars had adopted the 'hold on for your life' riding position that he recommended. Call me fussy, but I would have preferred to know this rather key bit of safety information before the ride started moving. But anyway, we held on and the ride began to pick up speed.
As the swings became larger, they were accompanied by a loud whoosh of steam and a creak of the wooden structure. It quickly became apparent that the ride op wasn't joking when he said we could fall out of our seats as the gondola reached an increasingly ridiculous angle with each swing. Soon, we found ourselves staring almost vertically down 20ft or so at the riders opposing us.
As if this weren't enough, the ride had more to offer and now the top of each swing was delivering a kick of Victorian era, steam-powered airtime! With lap bars, this would probably be a pretty thrilling ride but when you are the only thing preventing yourself from leaving your seat, the experience gets a great deal more intense. Add to this the sounds of the ride, the smoke from the engine and the smell of hot oil and you get an experience that no modern ride can hope to recreate.
After a while, the magnitude of the swings decreased and the ride settled down to an eventual halt. We unwrapped our now aching arms from our seats and clambered out of the gondola.
I can honestly say that despite its age, its small size and non-threatening appearance, Steam Yachts is one of the most thrilling and intense flat rides I've been on. It's worlds away from the triple lock restraints and precision engineering of modern day flats. It produces its thrills not through powerful forces and disorientating movements but through the impression that you are clinging onto something for dear life whilst it tries to throw you off. It's at least as thrilling as any KMG afterburner.
More importantly than that, it's a window into the world of turn of the century attractions and it provides a little slice of what it might have been like to visit Blackpool or one of the Coney Island parks in their heyday. It makes me very excited about the idea of a permanent heritage park at Dreamland.
Pictures:
A row of showman's engines, once the workhorses of British fairs.
The modern fair at the event.
The steam fair
Harry Lee's Steam Yachts
The sign may say that it's the world's only example but after a bit of investigation, I discovered that there's two others touring the UK, one steam powered and one fitted with electric motors. There's also a mini version of the ride at Hollycombe Steam Museum.
http://youtu.be/zp76RTbqqLk
This video is not of the Steam Yachts that I rode but of the Carter's version which is about 20 years younger. It does however show just how high the gondolas can swing and goes on to show details of the mechanism and engine.
