a fairground life (manufacturing)

Manufacturing

A few years after getting married (89 or so) my wife and I decided to branch out a little. The old Paratrooper was knocking out a living but it was time to acquire another tool. We decided on a juvenile ride. It had to be fold up and towable to keep the work load down. I had seen several juvenile rides like this and I also thought I could make one myself. It would be cheaper than buying and it would be to my own spec. So we organised a bank loan and space in the engineers premises that made the old twist fold up for us. I like drawing and using several pads, had everything planned, scaled, measured and quantified for the job. I searched numerous suppliers for the cheapest steel, running gear, axles, motors, lights and other assorted items to produce the ride. I also invested in a new chopsaw to cut the box section. I started with a pile of steel on the shed floor. Woking about 8 hrs a day and with some help from my dad,brother and BK the ride was almost finished (4 weeks) for starting out. It was a juvenile waltzer type ride, 16ft dia platform with a 2ft step around it and a fold up top. The ride was driven by a 1hp motor attached to a brand new gearbox that I found in a scrap yard. We started out but the ride was still awaiting the cars before it would be ready. So we made them at nights in our amusement arcade after the fair closing. The ride worked well at first but the 1hp motor was not strong enough and soon burnt out (at a 1 day gaff within the first 30 mins) so I changed it to a 2hp. No more problems after that except it was harder to run and needed a big generator (no nipping off to a gala with a petrol Honda). The ride went in the AECC the next year when it was painted "Ninja Turtles".  A couple of years later and I sold that ride to my father. I borrowed more money and built another juvenile ride. This time I rented my own premises close to where we were wintered. This next ride was to be a juvenile lifting paratrooper (AKA skydiver). I had seen examples of this ride, but knew I could make a lighter, easier one. So 10 weeks later (Dec-Feb 91-92ish) I had produced the ride. The axles stayed in and the ride was 100% fold up with nothing having to be removed for transporting. I even learned how to make fibreglass moulds and produce glitter impregnated, single piece car skins in multiple colours. The first fair out was Kirkcaldy Links, right in the middle of the fair on good toba. The first day was a stormer for business, but the drive let me down- again. This time the mounting brackets on the cast gearbox broke off. The ride never opened again and we lost the gaff. I decided right away to put on a hydraulic drive. I wanted to do that in the first place but I couldn't do it within my original budget. No option, I borrowed more cash and ordered the items (well over £1200 at the time). At the next fair I fitted the drive in a couple of days. That was the end of the problems and the wee ride worked a charm from then on. I had an idea- sell the wee skydiver and with the profits produce two more. So I advertised the ride for sale in August. If I had ten I could have sold them all and the first chap to come and view it , bought it and drove it back to Cornwall. This was easy I thought and made plans for production. I borrowed more cash, invested in a new bench drill and from November to January I produced another two wee skydivers. I improved the pack up, ride decor, drive and hydraulic systems etc. The fibre glassing was hard work, I made 25 car skins, 16 hoods, 25 footrests and 25 seats in total plus 4 domes and 8 centre panels. Nine of these cars were to be fitted to a juvenile twist another showman was making. ( I was so good at the glitter impregnated fibre glassing by now, that the supplier of the materials was sending their clients to me for information on how to do it!!!)The GRP work was hard, the resin burned skin, the dust particles from cutting irritated your breathing and the fumes made your eyes water. When I smell it now it brings back vivid memories. The two MkII's sat side by side in the yard gleaming. I was cock sure I would sell easily,  so I advertised and advertised and advertised.No sales but I did get a call from a chap who wanted to be my agent and sell them for me down south. I declined the offer, maybe it was a mistake, who knows. By June my father in law was travelling the second ride to help make the repayments while we were looking after the other. It was a struggle to keep up the repayments but we managed until I finally got an order for another ride. Then we sold one wee skydiver in late October (relief). It went down south also. A Scottish showman had commissioned me to build a new juvenile for him, a set of fold up chair o planes. This I started in mid August and did a little work at every fair we attended until they were finished in November. The drive motor never failed on this, it was a Dodgem car motor so as to run on a 110v DC supply. This ride also had glitter impregnated rounding boards and centre panels. 

Again we wanted to move on, so we advertised the Paratrooper for sale this time and kept the remaining wee skydiver. No interest at all, I couldn't give it away. It was clean and tidy but old hat. Time to build again. So ALL the experience of making the juveniles and working on the twist went to making the old Para into what it is today. That was way back in the early 90's. That was the end of the manufacturing for a few years until I built a stall in Cyprus 99 and a fold up track for "r"s set of coin operated bikes in 2000 (code named project X by Blakey).  I have completed a few other projects. Like most Showmen, I've always been good with my hands. Needs must. I eventually sold the last wee skydiver in Oct 07 to an Irishman. This was to make way for the DZ.   How easy it was with the DZ--just buy it and switch it on!! 

The photo is a copy of one of my advertising info sheets. The wee rides are still in operation in England and Ireland. I sometimes see them in the background of photos in the worlds fair. One has had a new round floor fitted and all them GRP glittering cars, hoods and panels I slaved to make were painted over bright yellow, Aaargh!!!