Dodgems

The Stoehrer brothers patented the first ride that we would recognise as dodgems in December 1920. However, Victor Levand, who worked for General Motors, could also stake a claim in their development. The first versions were not particularly robust, with cars made of tin and readily-available materials. They often needed repairing during a daily service. The Stoehrer brothers persevered though and subsequently improved versions caught the attention of cousins Joseph and Robert Lusse. Their company, Lusse Brothers, manufactured components for roller coasters, and they put their engineering shop to good use producing new dodgem car prototypes. These featured rack and pinion front-wheel steering, which made the cars more enjoyable to drive and gave riders more control over who they bumped. Their Lusse Autoscooter dodgems became popular in the US throughout the 1920s, although dodgems didn’t arrive in the UK until 1928.

Water Dodgems
Not long after dodgems arrived in the UK, the concept was applied to small boats on water. The boats, often handsomely crafted from wood, were usually large enough for two people. Steel mesh was hung over either natural or man-made lakes, through which the boats collected current via a pole-mounted shoe. Many amusement parks installed a water dodgems during the 30s, including at Clacton, Margate and Skegness. Pat Collins acquired a set built by Orton & Spooner, which the Collins’ exhibited at Olympia in 1931. This was installed at Pleasure Beach the following year, and it occupied a large space in the centre of the park. This was Pleasure Beach’s first dodgem ride, and it’s likely the ride operated at the park until it was closed following the outbreak of World War II.

I haven't been able to find close-up images of the original Water Dodgems, although they feature in this 1933 tourism video (footage starts 2:47), from which the still below is taken. 

Water Dodgems at Pleasure Beach in 1933.

Pleasure Beach would be home to at least one other set of Water Dodgems, owned by Reubin Wilson (Albert Botton’s brother-in-law). The images below show a Water Dodgems at the park in 1959, which may be Wilson’s model. 

This image from 1959 prominently features the helter skelter (slip). The structure with the 'windows' and Botton Bros sign houses the Water Dodgems.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield. 

Boats of the Water Dodgems ride shown above, also taken in 1959.

The First Dodgems 

John Collins, lessee of Pleasure Beach at the time, sublet the park to Botton Brothers ahead of the 1954 season. Botton Brothers had established their business in 1942, providing rides and attractions at fairs across London, and they had access to many and varied rides. They installed a dodgems at Pleasure Beach when they arrived in 1954, and this was the park's first dodgem car ride. This dodgems was built by Supercar, and previously operated by showman Wallis. It was at Pleasure Beach for possibly every season until the end of 1968. Ownership then passed to Billy Mayne, and subsequently Kay and Monty Hammond. Incidentally, Monty Hammond formed Sonacase Ltd, now known as Amusement Ride Manufacturers (ARM), which as Sonacase built the Twister ride that has operated at Pleasure Beach since 2000. 

Pleasure Beach's first dodgem car ride at the park in 1954.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

The same set of dodgems at Pleasure Beach in 1965. Compare this image to the one showing the Water Dodgems, which shows these rides both operated on the same site when the photos were taken. Both rides operated at the park at the same time, so one or both were moved from time to time. 
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

Other Dodgems

Botton Brothers installed a set of dodgems south of the Scenic Railway in 1972. This set was built by A. P. E. of Spain, and operated at the park for three seasons. It then went to Stourport-on-Severn's Riverside Amusement Park (now Treasure Island), before going to Knowsley Safari Park, where it operated until 1998 before being scrapped. 

The A.P.E. dodgems was removed to make way for a set of dodgems that Botton Brothers had owned since at least 1950 (the ride itself dates to at least 1944), which they had operated at travelling fairs around London, and then at Battersea Fun Fair from its opening in 1951 until its closure in 1974. This dodgems, built by Supercar, operated at Pleasure Beach until the end of the 1979 season. The ride is still in operation with showman James Bates. 

The last set of portable dodgems opened in 1981. This was a set built for showman Norman Wallis. It operated at the park until 1987, before going on to Butlin's Bognor Regis where it operated until 2012.

A. P. E. dodgems at Pleasure Beach in 1973.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

Botton Brothers Supercar dodgems at Pleasure Beach in 1978, occupying the space between the Water Chute and Slides.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

The same set of dodgems at Mitcham Fair in 1950.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield. 

Originally built for showman Norman Wallis, this is the last set of portable dodgems to operate at Pleasure Beach. This photo is from 1981.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

This is the same set of dodgems in 1982. Super Loops is the tall ride standing in the background, next to the slide. The Cake Walk is the attraction to the right. 
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

Dodgems Today

Botton Brothers’ request to the Corporation to allow catering at Pleasure Beach was finally accepted ahead of the 1969 season. Albert Botton’s vision of a first-floor restaurant met the Corporation’s requirement that the catering outlet be accessible only from within Pleasure Beach to reduce competition with sea front outlets. This provided a large area underneath, which was put to good use as a permanent dodgem track. Local contractor E. Moore & Son of Lichfield Road, Great Yarmouth was employed for construction. The Ocean Restaurant and Dodgems opened in 1969.

The Ocean Restaurant, recently opened in this photo from 1969, and Dodgems below.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield. 

Dodgems in 1978.
Reproduced with permission of the University of Sheffield.

The Restaurant is now the General Office for the park, but Dodgems still operates today, and has outlasted the various portable dodgems installed over the years. The large track, some 3000 sq. ft. (280 sq. m), is home to twenty dodgem cars. The cars running today, Majestic Rides' Ninja bumper cars are not original, but arrived in 1997.

Following the success of The Simpsons in the early 90s, the main characters were used on information boards such as 'no head on bumping' and 'one way round'. Whilst safety fences have since been added to the front of the track, many features are original, including the orange signage around the perimeter. New signage was installed in 2021 as replacement for The Simpsons, which features Pleasure Beach characters such as Leo the Lion, a Snail, the Giants which have stood near the entrance to the Snails ride, and a clown that used to feature on the park entrance sign until 1959. 

Dodgems continues to be a popular ride during opening season. During winter, it also serves as a shelter for ride components to protect them from the elements. 

Dodgems in 2008. Credit Lordspudz.

Components from various rides including Formula 1, Bonanza, Raft Ride, Watlzers and Evolution take shelter on the Dodgems track during winter 2014. Credit: Peter Middleton.

The Simpsons safety signs. Credit: Stuart Moss. 

Various Pleasure Beach characters seen riding dodgems. This is new artwork installed on Dodgems at Pleasure Beach for 2021. Credit: Pleasure & Leisure Corporation Ltd.