Twister (Southport Pleasureland)

Twister

Southport Pleasureland Location Southport, Merseyside, England, UK Status Operating since 2013 Rider height 120 cm unaccompanied
Loudoun Castle Name Rodeo Rider Location Galston, Scotland, UK Operated 2004 to 2010 Grove Land (loan) Name Rodeo Rider Location St. Clears, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK Operated 2001 to 2003 Loudoun Castle (loan) Name Rodeo Rider Location Galston, Scotland, UK Operated 1997 to 1998 Replaced by Swing Around Pleasurewood Hills (loan) Name Calypso Waltzer Location Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, UK Operated 1985 to 1994 Dreamland Margate Name Calypso Location Margate, Kent, England, UK Operated 1983 to 1984 unknown Location Netherlands Operated 1977 to 1982
Statistics
Manufacturer	Emmo Kreekel
Product	Calypso
Capacity	24 per cycle
Height	5 metres
HELP

Twister is a Twist ride currently located at Southport Pleasureland in Southport, Merseyside, England, UK. It has operated at the park since 2013, following its purchase from the defunct Loudoun Castle.

At Southport Pleasureland in 2015

History

The ride was built by Dutch showman Emmo Kreekel, who produced a number of the machines during the 1970s. Although technically a Twist ride by definition, the aesthetics of the ride more matched Calypso rides which were popular in mainland Europe at the time.

Following a number of years operation in the Netherlands, the ride arrived at Dreamland Margate with the Bembom Brothers in 1983, their second season at the park. For the couple of seasons this machine operated here it was alongside a sister machine from the same manufacturer, as the Bembom Brothers attempted to quickly fill the park with rides.

For the 1985 season the ride moved to Pleasurewood Hills as one of many rides the Bembom Brothers would loan to the park. It retained the simplistic colour scheme and hoods over the passenger cars that it had at Dreamland Margate. It appeared under various names such as Calypso Twist, Calypso and Calypso Waltzer on advertising material over its decade at the park. The ride left the park at the end of the 1994 season.

The ride’s next known location was at Loudoun Castle in Galston, Scotland. The park had only opened in 1995, and rented a number of attractions from Bembom Rides to help fill up the park. It operated at the park from 1997 and was known as Rodeo Rider, and joined the Waveswinger from Pleasurewood Hills, and Thunder Loop Express and Black Pearl from Dreamland Margate. Rodeo Rider's stay at the park was a short 2 seasons as the park owners sold-up at the end of 1998 to showman Raymond Codona, and all of the machines rented from Bembom Rides were returned to them.

Another relatively short venture known as Grove Land in St. Clears, Wales would be the next stop for the ride. As with Loudoun Castle, the park looked to expand its ride selection by renting a number of machines from Bembom Rides. This time the Rodeo Rider was joined by Sky Rider (a HUSS Enterprise, previously on loan at Pleasurewood Hills and Ocean Beach Fun Fair) and the Thunderbolt roller coaster, which Bembom Rides had purchased from Flamingo Land and refurbished. The ride left Grove Land at the end of the 2003 season.

At Loudoun Castle in 2008

In 2004 a return to Loudoun Castle was next for the Rodeo Rider. However, this time the park was owned by the Bembom family, rather than the ride being on loan to another operator. It remained an attraction at the park right up until the park’s closure at the end of the 2010 season. It remained in situ following the closure, awaiting a buyer. Finally in 2013 it was purchased for use at Southport Pleasureland and given a re-theme.

External Links

• Images of the ride - National Fairground & Circus Archive