I was in a group of about 50 members of Club Pleasure Beach and we got to ride Traumatizer (now relocated to Blackpool as Infusion) and the Cyclone wooden roller coaster (which was later demolished).

Also included in the tour was a Q&A session with one of the parks directors and a look into the workshops located behind the cyclone and finally a tour of the ghost train with the lights on.

These are the pictures taken at this event.

Scary looking head

This stunt jumps up when the cars go past.

Im not sure what this is, it looks like an old rag.

Behind one of the stunts.

From the front end.

Opening coffin, a dark ride default stunt 

An open coffin.

Walking into the ride.

Generally walking around.

Activated as the car goes past, it drops down.

Workshops located behind the Cyclone.

A decision will be made later in the year to draw up a masterplan to take the activities forward. Heres the full text from the BBC.

Developer Urban Splash has been chosen for the multimillion pound regeneration of Southport seafront.

The stretch of land, known as Southport Marine Park, includes the site of the now closed Pleasureland amusement park.

Sefton Council said it was impressed by Urban Splash’s idea to create a quality, eco-friendly development in the historic Merseyside resort.

A consultation will take place later this year to help devise a detailed masterplan for the site.

Urban Splash has won more than 200 industry awards and is currently working on major schemes across the north west of England.

‘New attraction’

Tony Corfield, Sefton Council’s head of tourism, said: “We are delighted to have an opportunity to work with Urban Splash who have an international reputation for delivering the levels of design and quality we are determined to achieve.

“During their impressive submissions, Urban Splash has vowed to create a distinctive new attraction featuring a wide range of activities.

“The company is also keen to work with the local community to produce a quality, eco-friendly development which includes exemplary architecture and embraces our reputation as England’s Classic Resort.”

The Pleasureland fairground opened in 1913 but was forced to close in 2006 due to falling visitor numbers.

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Infusion was brought to Blackpool late last year after the Blackpools sister park Southport Pleasureland closed down. The attractoion was known as Traumatizer when it was based in Southport.

Infusion sits on the site of the old Log flume at Pleasure Beach.

As most of you who read this blog know I have 2 kids and when we visit the Pleasure Beach we are usually thinking about heading home at around 4pm, to make sure we can get them home at a reasonable hour. This weekend was the perfect time to have a look at this coaster, it was about 8:30-9:00pm and all the pictures were took without flash using what light was available and a few slow shutter speeds. I hope you like the pictures.

The main fountains in the centre of the lake.

Bottom of the first drop.

Looks really quick

Looking towards the brake section.

The first drop.

Pepsi Max Big One in the background.

Related Articles.
Behind the scenes, Infusion Blackpool

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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

Ever since Southport Pleasureland closed back on Septmber 5th 2006 the fun house has stayed open honouring parties and bookings that were made when the park was in operation.

Unfortunately this all came to an end on the 31st March 2007 when the fun house held its final party.

As a member of Club Pleasure Beach I was invited to the final ever party in the fun house, it was an invite I couldnt afford to turn down having visited the park and fun house for as long as I can remember.

I dont recall many early memories of the fun house apart from the social mixer, joy wheel and the rotating barrel, I dont even think I walked around the interior completely until a few years ago, but I must have as a nosey child.

It was arranged so that the club and a number of guests including former pleasureland staff would have the fun house to ourselves between 6pm and 9pm on the Saturday evening, in total about 50 people attended the event.

Ok heres a few pictures and a quick tour of the fun house.

The Joywheel.

The Joywheel is a huge spining wheel. the idea is to sit as central as possible to avoid being span off into the soft cushioning. Obviously its alot more difficult than it looks or sounds and a skilled operator can have you off and in a heap in seconds.

My 2 kids, the older one was the final one to stay on the Joy wheel that evening. Anyone on the wheel to long is encouraged to put their hands on their heads, its not long before they are joining the rest of the riders in a heap.

Social Mixer.

This is a great ride, everyone sits around the edge of ride and then its starts to spin. Gravity soon takes over and you become stuck against the wall, a game they play is trying to get someone to touch the centre of the mixer.

Rotating Barrel.

This is great fun to watch, you get everything from kids trying to run through it to grown ups ending up in a heap on the base of it. Anyone who is tall can do a handstand in the barrel and it looks quite cool, been a 5ft 4inch shorty its something I didnt consider.

As you would expect from a fun house there are all sorts of moving floors, shaky steps, slides, bouncy castle and other stunts to make you feel uneasy on your feet.

Wobbly steps.

looking down from the top.

The view from the top of the steps.

At the top of the fun house there was some other activities and a small soft play area for the children.

Walking further around the top of the funhouse towards the slide.

The top of the slide.

Wobbly planks move back and forward.

a nice view of the joy wheel from the top of the fun house.

Back down to ground level they had a inflatable castle that made the trip over from frontierland.

I havent a clue what this is , i think you roll coins round it.

A wooden Maze, similar to whats installed in Noahs Ark at blackpool.

They also held a charity auction with various club members picking up some items and merchandise, I got a pleasureland fleece for £5.

Various ride signs and pictures from the ghost train.

Overall we had a great night with some great company, Id like to thank everyone invovled in arranging this and wish the pleasureland staff the best of luck.

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

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The offical news came through yesterday that the land which was the former Pleasureland site has been handed over to Sefton council for redevelopment. As it was my closest park and probably one I visited most as a child ive decided to dig out some pictures from the last season so anyone that hadnt visited for some time can see the park in full swing.

Before we get to the pictures, lets just have a quick look back at the events since closure.

Ive took quite alot of pictures of pleasureland since the closure, most have been published on other sites and a couple made it to First drop issue 76 the publication of the European Coaster club, some have made their way as far as the states and will be used in a ACE (american coaster enthusiasts) newsletter thats coming up shortly.

If you look back 7 months or so to the 5th September 2006 when the park offically closed the only headlines we have seen since have been bad ones. They started with the protests as soon as the park closed a couple of protestors climbed up the cyclone to protest about the closure, I even took the trip to Southport to take a look, by the time I had arrived the rain had started and they had climbed down, it did make local radio and TV news though.

The same protestors then came back even stronger when it was revealed the cyclone was getting cut up by chainsaws, they tried to play on the fact that the cyclone had a group of protected newts under its structure, sadly nothing came of this and the subsequent attempt at making the structure listed.

Following on from this a couple of urban explorers from 28dayslater.co.uk evaded security on a number of occasions to get pictures from such places as the traumatizer lift hill and the ghost train, I dont agree with breaking into theme parks but the pictures were stunning. If you havent seen them i suggest you take a look.

Traumatizer was moved to Blackpool and will shortly open as infusion, the track has been painted blue and it does look nice in its new position been dwarfed by the giant pepsi max big one, right next to the big dipper.

The Cyclone demolition saddened quite a few enthusiasts me included, the pictures of the track bent, twisted and cut up quickly spread over the internet and finally the ride was flattened by bull dozers and giant nibblers.

Some of the rides have moved on since, chaos up to Lightwater Valley, the galleon to M&D’s in Scotland and the space shot to Loudon Castle.

The fun house closed its doors for the final time last weekend, I was lucky enough to be invited to a party organised by Club Pleasure Beach, the event was fantastic fun with 50 enthusiasts and some staff in attendance. More of this to follow at a later point, i have a load of interior pictures ill publish shortly.

Ok then onto 2006 and the final year of Pleasureland.

The Cyclone.

who could forget the bent lift hill

The Galleon.

The Space shot.

ready for loading.

A piece of theming around the kids car ride.

Kids car ride.

The Carousel.

The interior of the caterpillar ride.

The Chewits Log Flume.

Log flume showing the skyride station.

My daughter the only one mad enough on a cold day.

Kiddie coaster.

Traumatizer.

Skyride and views of the park in general.

Anyone reading from the NSPCC, she wanted to go on it

And finally.

to read more about the history of pleasureland, i strongly recommend reading pleasureland memories by Stephen Copnall.

If you want to use any photographs on this blog please get in touch via email paul@ridemad.com or through the contact form im quite happy to share and have high resolution copies of everything used, to see the complete ride mad gallery with over 4,000 additional park photographs visit the Ridemad Gallery

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