East Coast Mariner
TS Member
I found myself in Portsmouth for the first time in a while, gliding past the wide lawns of Southsea. With a few hours to spare before I caught the Isle of Wight ferry, I headed to Clarence Pier. At the token booth I paid £25 for the Super Saver Bag. You get 50 tokens for this, which I felt was the best deal on the day.
01)MadMouse by East Coastering, on Flickr
First up, I tried Mad Mouse, the SBF Visa Cyclon MX49 (their take on the Zyklon/Galaxi). One big drop and two other decent ones, as well as a helix. I thought it was great fun - just the right thrill level for a seaside coaster.
02)TidalTwist by East Coastering, on Flickr
Next, I sampled Tidal Wave, an SBF Visa MX612. This is quite interesting, because it’s like a spinning version of a Wacky Worm, rather than the more typical, figure-eight MX608. The thrill level was certainly more than a Wacky Worm, although I think the back-to-back spinning coasters just aren’t for me.
03)RunawayTrain by East Coastering, on Flickr
There was one coaster left - the Güven Amusement Rides Factory Runaway Train. The young lad operating the ride asked me if I was riding it for the cred! When I told him I was, we had a good laugh about it. There were actually some laterals to it though!
Gallopers by East Coastering, on Flickr
The only other ride I had time for was the classic Gallopers, on which I rode upon a green-saddled cockerel. This was actually a really good ride - a real asset to the park. I was also tempted to ride the Twister, and even the Canyon River Log Flume looked inviting, but I just didn’t have time.
CanyonRiver by East Coastering, on Flickr
I have always found Clarence Pier a good place to visit. The staff are friendly and it’s just a hassle-free amusement park. It does what it says on the tin, and I find the token system very versatile. I probably wouldn’t ride the two smaller coasters again, but Mad Mouse is good fun, and I think the park potentially has room for something else of a similar size on the eastern side of the pier. Clarence Pier is a classic seaside amusement park, and exactly the type of place I hope continues for a long time.
01)MadMouse by East Coastering, on FlickrFirst up, I tried Mad Mouse, the SBF Visa Cyclon MX49 (their take on the Zyklon/Galaxi). One big drop and two other decent ones, as well as a helix. I thought it was great fun - just the right thrill level for a seaside coaster.
02)TidalTwist by East Coastering, on FlickrNext, I sampled Tidal Wave, an SBF Visa MX612. This is quite interesting, because it’s like a spinning version of a Wacky Worm, rather than the more typical, figure-eight MX608. The thrill level was certainly more than a Wacky Worm, although I think the back-to-back spinning coasters just aren’t for me.
03)RunawayTrain by East Coastering, on FlickrThere was one coaster left - the Güven Amusement Rides Factory Runaway Train. The young lad operating the ride asked me if I was riding it for the cred! When I told him I was, we had a good laugh about it. There were actually some laterals to it though!
Gallopers by East Coastering, on FlickrThe only other ride I had time for was the classic Gallopers, on which I rode upon a green-saddled cockerel. This was actually a really good ride - a real asset to the park. I was also tempted to ride the Twister, and even the Canyon River Log Flume looked inviting, but I just didn’t have time.
CanyonRiver by East Coastering, on FlickrI have always found Clarence Pier a good place to visit. The staff are friendly and it’s just a hassle-free amusement park. It does what it says on the tin, and I find the token system very versatile. I probably wouldn’t ride the two smaller coasters again, but Mad Mouse is good fun, and I think the park potentially has room for something else of a similar size on the eastern side of the pier. Clarence Pier is a classic seaside amusement park, and exactly the type of place I hope continues for a long time.
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