Pleasure Beach History 1909 - 1928

John Henry Iles (1871 – 1951) grew up in Bristol and started his working life as a timber merchant, although he became a true entrepreneur. He had a passionate love of brass band music, and whilst his brass band was on tour in America in 1906, he saw one of Thompon's scenic railways operating at Coney Island in New York. He immediately realised the potential for such rides back home, and he visited Thompson’s New York office and bought the rights to build such rides in Britain. He opened Britain’s first scenic railway in Blackpool in 1907.

Iles' brass band, Besses o' th' Barn, on their World Tour in 1907. Iles is centre, in the white hat.

Charles Blake Cochran (1872 – 1951) was an actor at 17. He attempted to pursue an acting career in America but returned to Britain in 1902 unsuccessful, and found he was better at promoting theatre and revues than acting. Consequently, he went on to produce theatre, but he was well-travelled and became aware of the developing interest in amusement rides in Britain and how lucrative such business was.

Charles Blake Cochran.

On 9 March 1909, Yarmouth Town Council met at the Town Hall for its monthly meeting, during which they read a letter and telegram that Cochran had prepared, which applied to lease an area of sand dunes 600ft long and 120ft wide south of Nelson Gardens to install a scenic railway and side shows. Rent of £650 in advance and for each year was offered, together with payment of all rates and taxes. The Council’s Beach Committee recommended a lease of five years, and in addition to the terms Cochran had set out, they decided there was to be no other attractions, kiosks, stalls, refreshments, or music, and the site could not trade on Sundays.

The Council had previously received a similar application from someone else, but their offer of a lease on the required site for a rent of £500 and similar terms had been declined. This time, Cochran was happy to accept the terms and contracts between his Yarmouth Beach Amusements Ltd. company, Iles of the L. A. Thompson Scenic Railway (Yarmouth) Ltd. company and the Council were exchanged on 20 May 1909.

Construction of the Scenic Railway began in June. It was built to the design of William Alexander Napier, an architect for the L. A. Thompson Scenic Railway Company. Timber and labour were sourced locally and over 160 men worked on the ride’s construction. Another attraction, the Katzen Jammer Castle, which was a funhouse style attraction, was built alongside the Scenic Railway. The site was named Sands of Mirth and opened on 24 July 1909, the date of completion of the Scenic Railway having slipped by only one week. At 7pm that day, the ticket office was opened, and a queue of visitors formed to pay their fare. Cochran and his wife were passengers on the first train, and they were joined by a local alderman and clergyman.

Scenic Railway under construction on the sands of South Beach.

The Sands of Mirth shortly before opening. The Scenic Railway is nearly complete and the Katzen Jammer Castle stands alongside.

The Scenic Railway in 1909. 

Advertisement for the Sands of Mirth from Eastern Daily Press newspaper, 2 August 1909.

The design of the ride was typical of scenic railways of the time and featured two long loops of track, each with a lift hill provided with a steel cable for hauling the trains to the top, on a superstructure of pitch pine. It occupied a space around 600ft by 110ft, and the track reached a height of approximately 40ft. The Scenic Railway at Margate's Dreamland amusement park, which was also installed by Iles and opened in 1920, has a very similar design and is still in operation today. Trains were formed of three cars linked together with a brakeman riding the train to check its speed where necessary and to stop it in the platform. Like many scenic railways, the ride was to be clad in plaster sculpted to resemble mountainous terrain, however there was not enough time to fully decorate the ride before the main tourist season, and the scenery was not completed until the following year. This consisted of plaster rendered to resemble mountainous terrain and other scenes, along with over 3000 light bulbs.

A new attraction, the River Caves, opened on 2 July 1910, providing the second of the two side shows permitted by the lease. It consisted of a gently inclined water course snaking its way around and under the structure of the Scenic Railway. A paddle wheel was used to lift water to the top of the incline, while a chain lift was used to haul the boats up from ground level. The ride made use of nearly 70,000 gallons of sea water. Elements of the Scenic Railway theming were used to good effect to provide caves and other scenic elements through which the water course river was sent, with the boats taking their passengers on an adventurous journey. River Caves were popular attractions of the period, although few examples remain today.

Yarmouth Beach Amusements Ltd applied to install another ride as an additional attraction in 1910. Initially, they wanted to install a ride called Merry Widow Waltzer, before changing plans to ask for permission to install a joy wheel instead. The Council did not approve either, resolving to stick to the terms of the lease permitting only two side shows, although they offered to approve Joy Wheel as a replacement. In the end, the Katzen Jammer Castle was demolished to make way for Joy Wheel, which opened in 1912. Joy wheels were popular attractions at the time and consisted of a wooden disk at the centre of an enclosure. Riders would sit on the disk, which rotated at increasing speed until everyone had slid off. Their popularity was relatively short-lived, although a few examples remain today in travelling fairs and versions may be seen at science fairs or museums to demonstrate principles of physics.

Pleasure Beach in 1912, showing the Scenic Railway and Joy Wheel lit up.

A train waits in the station for riders.

The name Pleasure Beach was first used to refer to the site in May 1912, appearing in an Eastern Daily Press advertisement on 24 May 1912, and throughout the rest of the month.

Advertisement from Eastern Daily Press newspaper dated 24 May 1912, showing the name Pleasure Beach in use for the first time.

Earlier that year, Yarmouth Beach Amusements Ltd. applied for permission to install a miniature railway to run from the site along South Beach to the harbour mouth, and with terminus stations at each end. Whilst merit in this idea was seen by some, others were concerned there were already too many amusements operating in the area and more would be undesirable. Accusations were made the company had canvassed members of the Council for approval, which did not go down well, and the application was refused. The site continued to operate at a modest level until the outbreak of World War I.

Relations between Cochran’s and Iles’ companies soured quickly. Yarmouth Beach Amusements Ltd. had initially been paying rates to the Council as necessary, but soon stopped doing so; informing the L. A Thompson Scenic Railway (Yarmouth) Ltd. company it was their responsibility, and referring to a loop-hole in the contract. Iles’ company, intending only to involve themselves in providing the ride rather than operating the site, was naturally unhappy about this. Both companies appeared in court in July 1912 in dispute as to who was liable to pay the rates. However, the matter was not decided at that time, and in fact the dispute would rumble on for many years. It was finally settled in November 1917 when the council accepted £500 from Yarmouth Beach Amusements Ltd. in settlement of its claim for outstanding rates and offered to award a new five-year lease for the Scenic Railway and side shows after the war had ended. The new lease was taken up by Iles, rather than Cochran, whose involvement with Pleasure Beach ended. Cochran continued to produce popular revues and musicals throughout the 1920s and 30s and was knighted for his services to theatre in 1948.

Preparations to reopen the site after the war took a severe blow on 19 April 1919 when a fire engulfed the Scenic Railway. A fire had nearly broken out in 1913 when the ride was the victim of an arson attack. However, the alarm had been raised quickly that time and no damage had been caused. Unfortunately, that was not the case this time, and the fire had smouldered unnoticed before taking hold. Despite the efforts of the local fire brigade, the engine room, which housed the motor and mechanism to haul the trains up the lift hills, was destroyed along with a large section of superstructure in the middle of the ride. A large quantity of new wood, destined to be used for repairing the ride ahead of the new season, had been saved though and this was put to good use as efforts to repair the ride immediately got underway. Work for local men to assist with the reconstruction of the ride was offered in the local newspaper and the ride was quickly rebuilt and reopened at the beginning of August.

Fire ravaging the Scenic Railway on 19 April 1919.

Another view of the fire and crowd of onlookers.

The repaired Scenic Railway in 1920. For context, the road to the left is South Beach Parade and the road joining from the left, near top, is Dickens Avenue.

A new attraction, Over the Falls opened the following year on 10 July 1920. In July 1923, Iles offered the Council £1250 per year for a seven-year extension to his lease and for additional ground for more attractions. The Council agreed to extend the lease, although by only five years until the end of the 1928 season but provided additional ground along South Beach to Main Cross Road, which encompasses the main site still used today.

More attractions and rides were added in 1925. Cresta Run Ltd installed a Noah’s Ark attraction and game stalls. Jack & Jill, Davidson’s Ride, The Whip and a Water Chute, for which a lease of four years was granted by the Council, were also installed. The Water Chute was large and rivalled the size of the Scenic Railway, occupying a space 500ft by 60ft. It was a simple attraction though, consisting of a pool at the bottom of a slope down which small boats carrying a few people would slide. The boats had to be the winched to the top of the slope for each ride.

The updated Joy Wheel on the left, Over the Falls on the right and the Scenic Railway in the background in this view from 1920.

Pleasure Beach in 1924, showing the Joy Wheel, Over The Falls and Scenic Railway.

View of the Pleasure Beach and along Marine Parade from the Scenic Railway, also from 1924.

The Noah's Ark attraction in 1925.

In 1927, the Council started to consider what to do with the site after Iles’ lease expired the following year. At the time, the site was leased piecemeal – a large portion to Iles’ for his Scenic Railway and side shows, some of which he sublet to various tenant ride operators, and areas which the Council leased to stall and kiosk holders themselves. In April 1928, Iles made an offer to the Council to keep the Scenic Railway at the original price of £650 per month, give up the two associated side shows but gain control of the overall site, collecting the rent from sub-tenants of which he would retain a portion. The Council was not keen on the offer, feeling it was rather more lucrative for Iles than for them. His offer was rejected, and tenders invited for lease of the whole site.

The south end of the Pleasure Beach in May 1928. The southern turnarounds of the Scenic Railway are on the right, and a variety of rides are further south. The Water Chute is out of shot to the left.

So keen on not accepting Iles’ offer were the Council that they considered for a time managing the site themselves. Various tenants of the Pleasure Beach, concerned they may be asked to vacate their site if control were handed to just one person, wanted to form their own company to tender and offered the council around £4000 rent each year. Another offer was received. Pat Collins, a showman from Walsall, submitted his offer for the site at £3500 per year. Iles’ felt his offer had been misunderstood by the Council and there was even suggestion he operate the site on behalf of the Council for a fee. In the end, despite consternation from some members of the committee and suggestions the site be put up for auction to the highest bidder, the Council accepted Collins’ offer as the most suitable. The Scenic Railway was removed at the end of the 1928 season when Iles' lease expired. So, ended 20 years of his involvement with Pleasure Beach.