So we were delighted when Dr Alan Meades of Canterbury Christ Church University
contacted us earlier this year to say that he believed he had made a significant find of
rare and unusual videogame cabinets deep within the Dreamland vaults. Dr Meades
has now catalogued and assessed the collection and is presenting an exhibition of the
lost cabinets in the Dreamland Visitor & Learning Arcade at weekends.
IT'S A HIT!
The Visitor & Learning Arcade has proved to be a tremendous hit with locals and
visitors to Margate - we've welcomed over 25,000 visitors since we opened on 25th
May. We even have our regulars who drop in to catch the latest film showing in the
bijou cinema, people who previously worked at Dreamland, the curios and folk
bringing to us their archive photographs, memorabilia and memories.
Now showing in the Arcade is our short documentary film , Dreaming of
Dreamland, an affectionate portrait of Dreamland, Margate and our seaside heritage as
told by the local community. The film takes the view on an exciting journey through
Dreamland's chequered past, present and future.
FROM THE ARCHIVE ... ALL ABOARD THE CATERPILLAR!
MEMORIES OF A DREAMLAND ICON
One of Dreamland's most memorable rides, the Caterpillar was first introduced to the
park in 1922, and became a favourite with generations of visitors until the early 1980s.
John Henry Iles bought the sole European rights for the ride the previous year, and it
was therefore forever associated with Dreamland. For many years, Iles operated
Caterpillar rides at a number of British and European amusement parks, each under
individual operating tenders.
Over the years, countless thousands of people were whirled around a sixty-foot
diameter undulating track at increasing speed. At the peak of the ride, participants
were plunged into darkness by a continuous, tent-like covering, to the accompaniment
of a wailing Klaxon. Moments later, the cover would be pulled back and a blast of
compressed air would be blown under each individual rider, much to the merriment of
bystanders.
The Dreamland archive possesses an original paper order from the Caterpillar
Company in the U.S. for the purchase of the original Dreamland Caterpillar. There
were similar Caterpillar rides at Barry Island, Southport and Battersea Pleasure
Gardens.
If you have any memories of the Caterpillar or Dreamland we would love to hear
your stories and see any photographs to build up the Dreamland archive. Email us at
arcade@dreamlandmargate.co.uk or pop down to the arcade and speak to our staff.
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