Amusement parks, theme parks, ride photography

Rhyl Ocean Beach – 2007

April 6th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

Rhyl Ocean beach fun fair has been rumoured to close for the last few years and everytime we think the fair is going to be flattened it bounces back for another season. Last season was no different the fair was a bit of a mess and the majority of rides outdated. To back this up news articles around the time were claiming the fun fair is no longer viable and the Ocean beach fun fair isnt part of the towns redevelopment plans.

Low and behold I write an article on my memories of the fun fair and they announce its open for the 2007 season. Typical :-)

Ok so have things changed much in 2007 ?. For me my last visit in 2006 after the park closed for the season was surely the nail in the coffin for this fair, looking at the state of the fair and surrounding area you would have thought there is no way the fair will open again EVER.

But miracles do happen and an email from a local resident to the owner of the magic eye
website confirmed they were putting in rides for 2007. Further digging confirmed the park would be open for the easter holidays.

So whats left ?

The jet stream coaster

is still up and running, the last time I visited ocean beach during open season the ride had stalled and 3 operators (1 stood in the car and 2 acting as anti rollback devices) were stood on the track trying to push the car round.

I arrived today to here some clattering of steel and shouting to discover the ride had stalled again. They were working on this for most of the day, they seem to have lots of trouble with it.

As we were leaving it seemed to be going round on its own, I dont know if it was the ops or the paying public but people were riding it.

The pepsi looping coaster.

This was running fine all day and seemed to be taking a regular amount of customers

The terminator ride.

Open all day.

The Ski Jump.

Im not sure if this was open or not, I didnt see any ops about.

Ghost Train.

A very old ghost train, the ride had its frontage taken off when I visited last time. The frontage and signs are now back.

Its nice to see this was back and running well, they have introduced string and tennis balls this year to add to the scar factor. Its a classic, as a fan of dark rides its great ;-)

The Waltzers.

Open in the same location as last season, for an old ride it looks fantastic.

The Dodgems.

The Star wars ride.

The go Karts.

The Water chute.

This wasnt open today, I dont know if they have plans for opening or not, im sure it will open at some point nothing seems to have changed since last season with this ride. I recently wrote an article on the chute if you want to see it close up. Rhyls Water Chute I know the words “closed for the final time” need to be removed. ;-)

The twister.

Now im not a wimp but this thing made me feel sick, ive ridden hundreds of these in the past but I have never experienced the amount of G I got on this today, I could feel my face getting stretched. Even worse my 6yr old next to me was laughing away, perhaps at 37 im too old.

If anyone else rides it please give me some feedback.

Juvenille rides and general views of the park.

In all we had a good day in Rhyl today, had a nice meal in the centre of town and spent £20 on rides. The atmosphere in the fair was pretty good and I think most people would come away feeling they had a good time. On the downside the fair is looking a bit rough the amount of open space doesnt help. Perhaps they could invite Carol Smiley around for a make over.

If you want to use any photographs on this blog please get in touch paul@ridemad.com im quite happy to share and have high resolution copies of everything used, to see the complete gallery visit the Ridemad Gallery

Thanks for Reading.

There Are 9 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by david houghton on 26 July 2008:

    it looks just as good as it did in the 80s when i worked on the jet stream ride still used to stall then.The park was owned by trust house forte then.I was only 20 when i worked on the park at that time and it was the best years of my life it was 4years from 1982 to 1986 always on the jet stream ride.

  2. Comment by craig on 31 July 2008:

    is still open

  3. Comment by LUCY on 14 February 2009:

    I Loved This Fair Used To Go THere When I Was Little About 5 I Still WEnt But The Last Time I Went On Holiday I Had Gone Lov Yoo Ryhl Fair

    xxxx

  4. Comment by sharon tandy on 11 March 2009:

    been hear ever since i can remember rhyl aint the same neva will be unless the fair comes back so bring THE BABY BACK LOVE IT MISS IT !!!!!!!!!!

  5. Comment by Heatbroken on 13 October 2009:

    I was brought up on the fair ground,I was on J.J.Butterworth’s ground.We were all one big family,They were great days,we worked har and played hard.At the age of 14 ,I could be working from 9am until 11 pm ,no I was not made to do that it was by choice,it was where I wanted to be and at least I was not getting into trouble ,so my familt had no worries there.
    I went to Rhyl the other week.I walked up and down the front in and out of all the arcades,thinking of all the good times I had there and watching the people who still go there enjoying themselves.Then a quite plump,blond young girl came up to me and asked me “Have you lost something?” I said no.then she said “Well your on camara you have been in here quite a few times today”? Now forgive me if i’m wrong,but I thonght thats what you were ment to do !!!! I was very upset over this and if this is the way everyone is treared,well thats why people don’t go there any more,One thing is for sure.I for one will never go in MR B’s again.
    So sory Rhyl I miss you so much and all the fun of the fair has gone

  6. Comment by M055Y on 11 February 2010:

    Has this fair been closed and demolished now?

  7. Comment by Admin on 11 February 2010:

    Yes completely demolished.

  8. Comment by Mike Ekkis on 3 May 2010:

    From comments i posted on the BBC site 2005.

    From the age of two to the age of nineteen I was transported annually, by my parents, from Sheffield to “Sunny Rhyl” for our holidays. Our accommodation was a self-catering flat on John Street. Some 52 years later, with young children of my own, I visit Rhyl most years even if it’s only for a day trip. My parents, now aged seventy plus, have taken holidays exclusively at Rhyl all their adult life. My fondest memories are of clean sand, paddling/boating pools, fishing off the harbour wall and the “Punch and Judy” show, by the Clock Tower. Ultimately, the “Fun Fair” situated by the Marine Lake has a place in my heart that will stay with me for the rest of my days. Having purchased a bag of doughnuts from the archway entrance to the seafront amusement park we would walk down the side-road stalls to the entrance of the Marine Lake amusement park. My namesake “Michael” the Atlantic class steam engine along with John and Joan used to be my favourite ride of all rides! When my computer is first switched on for work each morning, my desktop has a picture of two of the trains waiting in the station, steaming and ready to go! This was taken from a postcard dating back to 1963. When I look at this picture now I can still conjure up the smell of cinders, steam and smoke! It is nice to see the preservation society hard at work with Joan still running round the lake Spring to Autumn, however I have seen the plans for the proposed new station and personally feel a little disappointed that the buildings will be somewhat ultra modern in design. Call me old-fashioned but surely steam locomotion is from a bygone era and perhaps a more nostalgic approach might have been better.

  9. Comment by Admin on 3 May 2010:

    Thanks for sharing the memories Mike, I really appreciate it.

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