a fairground life

Sunday Morning.

Well it had to happen sometime, after 25 years none of the crew could make the pull down. So it looked like "r" and I would have to pull the three rides down ourselves. I left early to go and pick up a repair from the engineers out at Ayrshire then out to the Mall for opening. It was quiet all afternoon and as normal we finished at 6 pm. Luckily "r" had got one of his uni pals out to give him a hand. So he and the "new blood" did the skydiver while I finished the show off with "m". Next I moved onto the Miami. At 9:30 pm I left with the skydiver to take it to Clackmannanshire. This left "r" & co to pull the Dropzone down. It was a smooth run out and just before 11pm the skydiver was at the next fair. The ground seemed hard as I walked across to find the pegs (fairs are usually set by the lessee before hand and the plots marked with wooden pegs hammered in). Soon afterward I had drove across the park, around the already erected waltzer and positioned it just forward of the plot. I did want to move the show lorry to make it easier to manoeuvre but it would not start!! Jumping out the cab I said to my wife in a fit of temper-"that's it,new batteries tomorrow!" At that another showman appeared and with him driving and me guiding, the ride was set on the plot without too much fuss. Back to Glasgow and picked up the DZ to take it to the yard. Passed "r" going the other way on the M8. As I was leaving he called to say the motorway was closed and I would have to go through the city. I took the DZ back to the yard. The lorry didn't boil so I guess it is the weight difference, probably the radiator is choked. The suspension seemed ok so I wonder if the extra pressure from the other unit had cleared a blockage???? Time will tell. 1 am and into bed.

Monday

A lay in and up after 10 am. I got up and went for the new batteries and 25 lts of TFR. £199.10 later they were in the boot of the jeep. Back to the yard to get the Hobby trailer ready for moving. We left after 1 pm. When we arrived on site the trailer was set and the domestic power tapped on. The showmen had this power supply put in during the late 80s (I think 86). Before this I can remember everyone running small generators. They all had to be off for 11:30 pm to avoid disturbing the houses. The park was pitch black at nights. No late night telly back then anyway.

      We fitted the new batteries to the show and it was set on its plot. "r" and I got stuck into the skydiver and it was erected for 7 pm. It was a lovely day, last year it rained for two days solid while building up.

Then back to the Mall to get the Miami where it had sat all day by it's self. It was just getting dark as we moved it off the plot. Using the TFR we washed up the oil stain from the burst we had last week. It was back in the yard for 10 pm. 

The Clyde runs along the back of the fair at the Mall. There are usually a few large ships up and down. The picture doesn't really show just how large this battleship is. I'm not very good with flags ( Union Jack prime example) but I'm sure this one was Spanish (2 red stripes with 1 yellow in the middle plus insignia in middle).