East Coast Mariner
TS Member
When I went to college, in the 1990s, there was a group of students from Harwich. They used to complain that the place was boring, and “it didn’t even have a McDonald’s”. Well, I can confirm that Harwich now does indeed have a McDonald’s (and a Burger King), so I hope that’s fixed the problem for them.
Personally, I was here for more mechanical matters.
01)Pier by East Coastering, on Flickr
From here, you can get a ferry to the Netherlands and Efteling, but my intention was to go somewhere more exciting - Felixstowe. In 2021, the Essex resort of Clacton-on-Sea became somewhat famous for having two (very similar) big wheels. The Pier one is still there, but the Pavilion’s only lasted for that year. It has always been my suspicion that it found a new home in Felixstowe, but I didn’t know for sure. I had spectacularly failed to find it last time (as it was pre-Summer), so I thought I would try a different approach. Parking near the Quay, I headed to Ha’penny Pier, and waited.
The boat came in and I took my seat. Off we set through Harwich Harbour, and across the green water. Soon, the huge container port at Felixstowe came into view, and we arrived at Landguard Fort. I climbed up the beach, the small stones shifting under my boots. Then, I walked around the fort and past the sand dunes. A long path unfurled in front of me that led to Felixstowe. And, in the distance, I could already see what I was looking for.
The Big Wheel.
02)TheView by East Coastering, on Flickr
Named “The View”, this wheel operates on the seafront throughout the summer. Seeing it in real life, at last, I am as sure as I can be that it is indeed the one from Clacton Pavilion. It’s an impressive sight, towering over the promenade. However, it was closed today.
03)Mannings by East Coastering, on Flickr
There is something nearby, though, that is well worth checking out - Manning’s Amusement Park. Though not truly still an active amusement park, this place has a rich history. I looked at the grand building and the space to the left of it, which has often been the site of a large roller coaster:
04)CrazyHouse by East Coastering, on Flickr
Nowadays, there is no coaster, unfortunately, whilst the rear of the plot houses shipping containers used as retail units. However, there are still a few things to see. The Crazy House funhouse, for one, has never been demolished, and still stands to this day. There is also some sort of sideshow unit with race cars and “Nutcracker” or “Redcoat” soldiers. Apparently, it is not the only ex-Butlins to have this, so perhaps it’s the latter. Clearly, there is a considerable amount of respect for the place’s heritage, and If you are an amusement park buff, it’s well worth checking out.
05)Redcoats by East Coastering, on Flickr
The main building itself houses an arcade, which is actually very good, and so I spent a while in there. There are a couple of others adjacent too, all following the tickets-for-prizes model that works so well nowdays.
06)TheView by East Coastering, on Flickr
There is a lot to do in the resort of Felixstowe, and so I had a quick jog up to the other small amusement park, Ocean Boulevard. It looked quite good, but it would have to wait for another time. Personally, I had a ferry to catch. I wanted to get back to Harwich before it became too late in the day, and so I started the walk back to Landguard Fort. Once there, I waited for the ferry on the stony beach and weighed up the day’s adventure.
07)Ferry by East Coastering, on Flickr
Felixstowe is quickly becoming one of my favourite resorts. It wasn’t so long ago that it was really quite faded, but now it is full of attractions - gardens, a pier, arcades and even a few rides. Whether Manning’s will ever become a true amusement park again is questionable, but considering the place seems to be thriving, there is hope. The View is an impressive piece of ride hardware on its own, but will it ever be joined by anything else? For me, I can only hope to see the day when a coaster rises into the air once again at this fantastic little seaside resort in Suffolk.
20)PavilionWheel by East Coastering, on Flickr
Above: the wheel at Clacton in 2021.
Personally, I was here for more mechanical matters.
01)Pier by East Coastering, on FlickrFrom here, you can get a ferry to the Netherlands and Efteling, but my intention was to go somewhere more exciting - Felixstowe. In 2021, the Essex resort of Clacton-on-Sea became somewhat famous for having two (very similar) big wheels. The Pier one is still there, but the Pavilion’s only lasted for that year. It has always been my suspicion that it found a new home in Felixstowe, but I didn’t know for sure. I had spectacularly failed to find it last time (as it was pre-Summer), so I thought I would try a different approach. Parking near the Quay, I headed to Ha’penny Pier, and waited.
The boat came in and I took my seat. Off we set through Harwich Harbour, and across the green water. Soon, the huge container port at Felixstowe came into view, and we arrived at Landguard Fort. I climbed up the beach, the small stones shifting under my boots. Then, I walked around the fort and past the sand dunes. A long path unfurled in front of me that led to Felixstowe. And, in the distance, I could already see what I was looking for.
The Big Wheel.
02)TheView by East Coastering, on FlickrNamed “The View”, this wheel operates on the seafront throughout the summer. Seeing it in real life, at last, I am as sure as I can be that it is indeed the one from Clacton Pavilion. It’s an impressive sight, towering over the promenade. However, it was closed today.
03)Mannings by East Coastering, on FlickrThere is something nearby, though, that is well worth checking out - Manning’s Amusement Park. Though not truly still an active amusement park, this place has a rich history. I looked at the grand building and the space to the left of it, which has often been the site of a large roller coaster:
- The first was either called Thriller or Big Dipper, depending on the source. It was there from 1932 until it was scrapped in 1976. This was a side-friction coaster, of the type that was very typical at seasides, but from pictures it appears more special than most. It looked on a par with Clacton’s Steel Stella.
- Thriller/Big Dipper was replaced in 1977 by Mad Mouse. It was built by Maxwell and, depending on the source, was either a wooden coaster or hybrid. It lasted until 1982, when it was moved to Southport Pleasureland and operated for two more seasons.
- Mad Mouse was replaced in 1983 by a Schwarzkopf Wildcat 45m, which lasted until 1986. It moved to Lightwater Valley and opened in 1987 as The Rat Ride. I did visit the park when they had the Rat, but had no idea of its heritage.
04)CrazyHouse by East Coastering, on FlickrNowadays, there is no coaster, unfortunately, whilst the rear of the plot houses shipping containers used as retail units. However, there are still a few things to see. The Crazy House funhouse, for one, has never been demolished, and still stands to this day. There is also some sort of sideshow unit with race cars and “Nutcracker” or “Redcoat” soldiers. Apparently, it is not the only ex-Butlins to have this, so perhaps it’s the latter. Clearly, there is a considerable amount of respect for the place’s heritage, and If you are an amusement park buff, it’s well worth checking out.
05)Redcoats by East Coastering, on FlickrThe main building itself houses an arcade, which is actually very good, and so I spent a while in there. There are a couple of others adjacent too, all following the tickets-for-prizes model that works so well nowdays.
06)TheView by East Coastering, on FlickrThere is a lot to do in the resort of Felixstowe, and so I had a quick jog up to the other small amusement park, Ocean Boulevard. It looked quite good, but it would have to wait for another time. Personally, I had a ferry to catch. I wanted to get back to Harwich before it became too late in the day, and so I started the walk back to Landguard Fort. Once there, I waited for the ferry on the stony beach and weighed up the day’s adventure.
07)Ferry by East Coastering, on FlickrFelixstowe is quickly becoming one of my favourite resorts. It wasn’t so long ago that it was really quite faded, but now it is full of attractions - gardens, a pier, arcades and even a few rides. Whether Manning’s will ever become a true amusement park again is questionable, but considering the place seems to be thriving, there is hope. The View is an impressive piece of ride hardware on its own, but will it ever be joined by anything else? For me, I can only hope to see the day when a coaster rises into the air once again at this fantastic little seaside resort in Suffolk.
20)PavilionWheel by East Coastering, on FlickrAbove: the wheel at Clacton in 2021.