Fun of the Fair

Blackpool pleasurebeach is celebrating its oldest ride. The Maxim Flying Machine (The Flyers) is 110 years old this year and still going.

I remember looking at it and thinking I would never be brave enough to go on that. What fairground rides do you remember? What was your favourite? Can you remember the fairgrounds locally. Boggart Old Clough and Daisynook both held around Easter spring to mind, they were there when I was a child and are still going now. And who remembers the Fairground and zoo at Belle Vue in Manchester? I think I only went once before it all shut down. I went on the Caterpillar and hated it but I was probably only about 4 or 5. According to my husband there was a water flume ride there too.

Closer to home though everyone must remember the roundabout on Oldham's Tommyfield market. I just looked it up on google and sad to see that Vera who owned and operated the ride died in 2010. It was also very saddening to read that when she became too ill to run it she arranged to sell it on but vandals set fire to it and burned it down before she had chance to make a sale. So sad after all those years. She operated the roundabout from the age of 12! You can read the full story of Vera Smith here bit.ly/1vBHD6W