a fairground life

yeah, the young uns have it easier now, no doubt about it. I remember the old paratrooper when it was the upright. Everything was on the back of the eight wheeler and needed carried off. It was two a man build up of around 7 hours depending on the space available for raising the pole. It started by chucking two 3ft by 8in sleepers on the ground for the base plate of the pole to sit on. Next the cover over the lorry had to be untied and rolled over. Then the cross irons supports removed. The jig arm and block and tackle were slipped onto the top of the pole. Next the PTO was engaged and the pole shoved upright by a ram. At this we removed the heavy tram starter from the pole and placed it nearby.The legs were attached next, using a 24v DC chain hoist attached to a small gib arm permanently attached to the pole. Three legs were dragged out on the hoist and lowered down to ground level. Then man handled into position to put in the two securing pins. Now the fun part-balancing the whole lot on three legs while we removed the connecting hinge pin and ram from the lorry. Drove the lorry out the way before attaching the last leg at the rear. I tell you now we nearly come unstuck a few times! If it had ever toppled backwards!!?? Now up went the ladder and the four supports put in to connect the top of the pole to the outer ends of the legs. Out with the tram jack and level it all off. Now position the lorry at the front of the pole ready to put the arms up. Build up the tail board to walk on, drop the shaft and put the belts on ready for the lorry to produce the 110v DC. Now my muscle time, one man slid the arm out and connected the rope. I pulled the arm up on the block n tackle, tied it at the bottom, climbed up the ladder to the top. The other man jiggled the arm into position while I put in the top pin and R clip. Climbing down I removed the rope and turned the ride to the next arm on a hit one miss one basis. Now repeat that another 9 times and the arms were up. After that I climbed up and removed the block n tackle and lowered the jib arm down on a rope. That same rope was used to pull up the centre running light box and then the top flash (stainless cover in lights). Drop down the rope and climb half way down the arm (all without the thought or inclination of a safety harness). He passed up an intermediate bar and I connected it between the arms. Next I stood on this while the ride was turned 36 degrees to the next section. clinging on with my knees we repeated this 9 times and all the centre braces were in. At this I moved onto the back of the lorry with him. The cowhorns were a good two man lift that had to be carried from their racks halfway up the lorry.They were connected between the ends of the arms, hit one miss one until the last one that had to be prised into position. The top of the ride was taking shape now. Next the 20 cross stays were connected between the arms and tightened with threaded tensioners. Ten lamp batons slid up the arms and were pinned at the bottom. The hood were heavy and the dome shape forced you to carry them at a 70 degree angle or they toppled over. They were about 7 ft in diameter and the breadth of the platform was only 8ft, so 6 inches at each side was the only footing while we danced them into position. And it was a dance, swing the hood to position correctly an attached shock absorber,drop it low under the dropper (attached to the middle of the cowhorn) nudge the dropper with the hood to swing it into the right position, at the same time lift the hood to engage the dropper into the slot. Raise it up fully on, slip in the secondary safety wire rope, slide the hood forward, line up the pin holes and insert two pins and R clips. Its sounds cumbersome,but we did it in one smooth movement.Hood lamp baton was fitted next.9 times later and the top was up. Now we had to move the lorry out the front of the ride and put it out the way at the rear of the ride. This meant putting the prop shaft back on so we could drive it.The loading platform was built up under the arms now. Drop the shaft again ready to produce power to put on the car droppers (called bananas due to their curved shape) attached to the droppers was the other end of the safety rope and shock absorber on the hood.Next the ten cars were attached, all carried from the back of the lorry. Top done we erected the perimeter fence and front head boards, no easy task on tarmac as they had to be staked down.Then paybox, spotlighting, speakers and centre ring of lights. Test run the whole lot and tighten the packing under the pole and legs. We spent a while wiping of the greasy hand prints that were acquired from man handling every single nut, bolt,pin or component. This I did from the age of 14 to 24 when I finally said to Mrs Showman-"I'm sick of being last pulled down" as the fold ups were abundant now and it was time to make a move.Though, even all of that was easier no doubt than shifting an old "scenic ride" or similar, they look really heavy. Any way the long and short of it is I can build three rides now as quick as building up the old para.

2 pictures of the same machine at the same place taken about 10 years apart, that BK on the ladder. The newer look was when I started to dabble in fibreglass.