Mechanical Memories Magazine

Dreamland Memories
By Jerry Chatten ton
Isn't it funny, how as we get older we can't remember what happened half an hour
ago, and yet we can remember with crystal clarity and infinite detail events of our
childhood, when perhaps half a century or more has since passed. In my case, it's
probably just as well, because these days I have seldom ever done anything interesting
half an hour ago, and yet I do have some wonderful memories from my childhood.
Among my fondest memories are trips to the seaside, none more than my first
ever trip to Margate. I guess it would have been in the early to mid 1960s, and having
already been told about Dreamland by my parents, my expectations and excitement
were understandably high. We arrived mid morning, allowing plenty of time for sand-
castle building, followed by lunch on the beach. It was then off to Dreamland, and an
afternoon of sheer delight.
The entrance to Dreamland was at the bottom of a short sloping road, running
between the cinema and the Coxswains pub. As you walked through the main
building, you passed various rock stalls, the cafe and Galleon bar on the comer. Then,
as you emerged into daylight, you would be greeted by the sound of scenic railway
trains thundering overhead. This was a truly magical experience for a small boy,
which seemed never ending on that first visit.
Page4