Happy Caterpiller

Happy Caterpiller in 2014

Paul Hart (UK)
Location	Travelling, UK
Status	Operating since June 2005

Fun Land
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Towyn, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2022

South Parade Pier
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2019

Clarence Pier
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2018

Blackpool South Pier
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2017

Dreamland Margate
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Margate, Kent, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	April 2016 to 2016

Funder Park
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Dawlish, Devon, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2015

Southport Pleasureland
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Southport, Merseyside, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2010

Southport Pleasureland
Name	Happy Caterpiller
Location	Southport, Merseyside, England, UK
Owner	Paul Hart
Operated	During 2008

Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Name	Big Apple
Location	Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK
Coordinates	53°47′24″N 3°03′20″W / 53.789969°N 3.055525°W / 53.789969; -3.055525
Operated	September 2003 to 2004
Replaced by	Alpine Rallye

Frontierland Family Theme Park
Name	Rattler
Location	Morecambe, Lancashire, England, UK
Operated	1991 to 2000

Gateshead Garden Festival
Location	Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England, UK
Operated	May 1990 to October 1990

Statistics

Manufacturer

Pinfari

Product

Big Apple MB28

Type

Steel - Kiddie

Track layout

Wacky Worm (Big Apple)

Riders per train

24

Propulsion

Chain lift hill

Inversions

0

Happy Caterpiller is a steel kiddie roller coaster built by Italian manufacturer Pinfari currently owned by UK showman Paul Hart.

History

The ride originally operated during 1990 at the Gateshead Garden Festival. The ride was then relocated to Frontierland Family Theme Park, where it opened as Rattler in 1991.^[1] It closed with the rest of the park in 2000. The ride was stored in a storage site near the park after closure.

The ride resurfaced and reopened in 2003 at sister park Blackpool Pleasure Beach, where it was called Big Apple.

While being unpacked at the storage site near Frontierland to be rebuilt at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the ride's fake 30 feet apple element was reported to be missing from the ride. The park started a "search" for the big apple feature, but it was never found.^[2]

It only operated briefly until it closed in 2004. It was located within the perimeter of the Avalanche. After operating at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the ride was sold to UK showman Paul Hart in June 2005.

In 2008 the ride operated at Southport Pleasureland as Happy Caterpillar.^[3] It returned to the park for one season in 2010.

In 2015, it operated at Funder Park, opening on May 23. During 2016, this roller coaster operated at Dreamland Margate and in 2017, it operated on the South Pier at Blackpool, on the spot now occupied by Crazy Coaster. In May 2018 it was setup at Clarence Pier on the spot previously occupied by Skyways. In 2019, it was setup at South Parade Pier. In 2022 the coaster operated at Fun Land in Wales.

Design

Yellow track with green supports. The train has been repainted multiple times. Up to 2018 it was painted yellow and red, with yellow and later with blue spots on the side. In 2018, the colour was changed to red, orange and green.