Ejection Seat

Fancy getting bounced around like a ball bearing in an aerosol can? Or fired into the air on a giant rubber band? Well, Pleasure Beach marketed just such an opportunity in the form of their Ejection Seat ride, which operated at the park between 1998 and 2005. 

Riders of Ejection Seat were catapulted 150ft into the air as the cage in which they rode tumbled at the end of the elasticated ropes. Credit: Stuart Moss.

The Ejection Seat (also Ejector Seat) was the original reverse bungee experience, patented by Gravity Works in 1993. The portable model, which was the one which operated at Pleasure Beach, consists of two 120ft (36m) tall telescopic towers, supported by guide wires. One or two riders are strapped tightly into the seats of a small cage. Two elasticated ropes are connected at one end to the cage and at the other to a steel cable. The cables are drawn over the tops of the towers, stretching the elasticated rope. Once fully stretched, the operator releases a latch holding the cage down, launching the cage skyward. The ride experience is short but intense. Forces of up to 4g are felt as the cage accelerates to 60mph (95kph) in less than two seconds, to a height of 150ft (45m), tumbling wildly as it bounces up and down to the sound of the frame clanging in the background. Follow this link (YouTube) for a video of this ride model in operation at Wisconsin Dells.

Schematic of the ride layout. The model featured is a slightly smaller version of the one installed at Pleasure Beach, although the appearance is very simialr. Credit: Gravity Works.

The Ejection Seat was installed at Pleasure Beach Gardens at a cost of £150,000, and opened on Monday 15 June 1998. Albert Jones, Managing Director of Pleasure Beach at the time, who has never been keen on heights, said after riding it "I've done it now and given everyone confidence. I would even do it again - it's just amazing." Albert was followed by Vicky Caslin, who was the first paying customer. Riders had to be 48 inches tall to the shoulder, not have any broken bones or be pregnant to ride. They also had to sign a disclaimer, accepting the risks associated with riding, and pay £16.50 each (making this the costliest ride to ever operate a Pleasure Beach). Ejection Seat thrilled over 4000 riders in its first year, all of whom received a souvenir certificate and car sticker. This includes two local police officers, who raised £300 for the Jay Jones Charity for Sick Children in doing so.

This graphic featured in promotions for the ride and on the certificate that each rider received.

The Ejection Seat at Pleasure Beach in 1998. The cage has just been released and is approaching the highest point it can reach, 150ft off the ground. Credit: Stuart Moss.

The ride was to be taken down between October and March each year, so as not to impose on the seafront view outside of the summer season. This proved rather awkward, and costly too, with hire of the necessary crane, and the Council agreed this would not be required from 2001. When the ride was closed, the elasticated cables were removed, and the steel cables connected directly to the cage, which was then 'parked' around 1/3 the height of the towers to prevent it being interfered with when not in use.

Such rides were novel in Britain at the time, and crowds regularly gathered in the Gardens to watch the ride. It was certainly a landmark for the park and a draw for crowds along the seafront. The price to ride was reduced to £11.50 per person in 2002. Nevertheless, the ride entertained significantly more spectators than riders. It perhaps may have proven more popular had it been sited in the main park, although space limitations and likely objections from residents meant this was not feasible. The ride closed at the end of the 2005 season. 

Nearly two decades later, on 14 July 2017, Sling Shot opened on Great Yarmouth's seafront Marine Parade. Located near to the Sea Life Centre on the site of the former Amazonia Reptile House, this 145ft (45m) tall ride fires riders nearly 200ft (60m) into the air. Whilst the principle is similar to Ejection Seat, the ride operates in a different way as it uses a spring box, rather than elasticated rope, to fire the cage into the air. The ride has proven popular and it has returned to Great Yarmouth's seafront each summer season since, to once again allow visitors to experience what it's like to be bounced around like a ball bearing in an aerosol can. 
 

Sling Shot opened on 14 July 2017. The ride principle is the same as Ejection Seat, but uses newer technology in the form of a spring box, which is situation at the base of the left tower. There's no giant elastic bands here! This image shows the ride in August 2021.