Mechanical Memories Magazine

This wonderful find (which has spent the last several decades as a pond liner) is under
safe keeping at my friend's barn awaiting the time when it can be returned to its
original purpose!"
Physical works update
Work to the Dreamland Cinema building is being carried out by Coombs (Canterbury)
Ltd on behalf of Thanet District Council. The work started in May 2011 , after a series
of Urgent Works Notices were served on the owners of the building earlier that year.
To date, the contractors have been re-pointing the building and carrying out structural
repairs to the steel frame and concrete, and to the doors and windows.
Most of the roof coverings and some of the roof structure has also had to be
replaced, due to its poor condition. The work is expected to be completed by spring
2012 and is being paid for by money that the council received in 2009 from the Sea
Change Fund through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Other work undertaken included the restoration of Dreamland' s iconic
illuminated sign on the 80ft Cinema fin. Each letter was taken down, stripped cleaned
and re-lamped before being re-installed and switched on for the season' s festivities.
Previously the lights operated on a circuit of five bulbs, so when a bulb expired 4
others would automatically cut out at the same time. The restoration work provided an
opportunity to test alternatives including LED bulbs, which although dispensing of the
five bulb circuit system problem have a very short life span, so there will be further
investigation into what will work best for Dreamland.
Nick Laister
Chairman, The Dreamland Trust
Jan Leandro (Audience Development Officer)
www.dreamlandmargate.com
www.savedreamland.co.uk
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