Exciting leisure centres

[Blue Jam]

Dangerous theme parks, a good little turn for the thread to take. My primary school's theme park of choice for school trips was Camelot. I was wondering what happened to it as it's a name I haven't heard for a while and it looks like there have been a few nasty accidents there too, including a 12-year-old boy falling off this. It looks like it's going to be knocked down so houses can be built on the site and I'm struggling to feel even a twinge of sadness at that news.

My school's second favourite was Gulliver's World which was half-built and crap when I went. I'm amazed it's still open as I've heard nothing about that one for years either. I was amused to note that they now have a dinosaur-themed world with a "Carousel of Evolution"- imagine that in the Bible Belt, it'd get smashed up in front of loads of crying children. I just did an image search and it looks somewhat crapper than it sounds.

Where was the theme park where someone got decapitated on the log flume? I could have sworn it was Barry Island but I can't find a link *shudder*

[BlodwynPig]

Don't know about decapitation, but this:

[Jerzy Bondov]

Don't know about decapitation, but this:

This happened at Flamingo Land, where I once thought I was going to die. Not on the log flume though, on some spinning ride thing. The pods were crashing into the barriers, and I'm sure it was going much higher than it had been when I was watching it from the ground and thinking 'I bet that's fun and safe'. After we got off the ride was closed for the rest of the day. 'Fucking hell,' said my uncle. Flamingo Land is amazing.

[BlodwynPig]

Flamingo Land - is that where they have "The Rat"?

[Blumf]

I saw the Chuckle Brothers filming at Flamingo Land once, truly a place of death.

[Mr Eggs]

Dangerous theme parks, a good little turn for the thread to take. My primary school's theme park of choice for school trips was Camelot. I was wondering what happened to it as it's a name I haven't heard for a while and it looks like there have been a few nasty accidents there too, including a 12-year-old boy falling off this. It looks like it's going to be knocked down so houses can be built on the site and I'm struggling to feel even a twinge of sadness at that news.

My school's second favourite was Gulliver's World which was half-built and crap when I went. I'm amazed it's still open as I've heard nothing about that one for years either. I was amused to note that they now have a dinosaur-themed world with a "Carousel of Evolution"- imagine that in the Bible Belt, it'd get smashed up in front of loads of crying children. I just did an image search and it looks somewhat crapper than it sounds.

Where was the theme park where someone got decapitated on the log flume? I could have sworn it was Barry Island but I can't find a link *shudder*

Gulliver's World kills people: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/3880305.stm

[sick as a pike]

days of trying to learn swimming with a school group whilst wearing pyjamas so as to be weighed down.  Awful, awful times.  I imagine the arrangement was the standard for most cities, but in the late 80s to early 90s there was an excitement as new fangled places were coming into existence and were a surprise for everyone.

When do you suppose the New Addington facilities were built?  Was it new in the 70s?

Sorry I didn't see this before- I've just noticed your kind award of a karma point, which has inflamed my monstrous vanity and brought me back to the thread like a prancing goose.
This is the 'best' photo I can find, and it looks pretty 70s to me.


And I'd forgotten about also not learning to swim at school.  My primary school had its own pool, odd since it was lacking in most other facilities.  Every Thursday, while Edward Heath battled the Unions and terrorists hijacked stuff, I stood, arms folded and not swimming, in Biggin Hill.  Most times the caretaker had failed in his ongoing struggle with the pool heating system, so it was as cold as Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.  I've not seen my testicles since.  The school's gone as well, there's a Waitrose on the site now.  A few years ago, seized by a Proustian desire to re-experience history, I stood where I reckoned the pool had been, now under the bakery aisle.  I can't say I felt the hand of history on my shoulder, though I did feel the hand of security asking me why I was standing there, miserably, arms folded, wearing trunks*.  I told him I was hoping to buy a Madeleine, but that the shelves were empty.
Never go back.


*May not be true.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Flamingo Land - is that where they have "The Rat"?

Nah, there's many more than one.

</predictable>

[Goldentony]

Dangerous theme parks, a good little turn for the thread to take. My primary school's theme park of choice for school trips was Camelot. I was wondering what happened to it as it's a name I haven't heard for a while and it looks like there have been a few nasty accidents there too, including a 12-year-old boy falling off this. It looks like it's going to be knocked down so houses can be built on the site and I'm struggling to feel even a twinge of sadness at that news.

My school's second favourite was Gulliver's World which was half-built and crap when I went. I'm amazed it's still open as I've heard nothing about that one for years either. I was amused to note that they now have a dinosaur-themed world with a "Carousel of Evolution"- imagine that in the Bible Belt, it'd get smashed up in front of loads of crying children. I just did an image search and it looks somewhat crapper than it sounds.

Where was the theme park where someone got decapitated on the log flume? I could have sworn it was Barry Island but I can't find a link *shudder*

Went to Camelot twice, once with the school and Gulliver's World about 1000 times with both the school and my family when I was growing up. I remember the last time we went to Gulliver's World it was just as everyone in the class/year was becoming old enough to discover their desire to dangerously fire themselves around rickety roller coaster tracks. Thus, a problem arises, because at the time Gulliver's World was built exclusively for kids who had absolutely no sense of danger and as far as I know it might still be like that.

As we were going they were in the middle of building their first rollercoaster which was made of wood and a far cry from the types of rollercoasters you'd get at more adult parks like THE TRAUMERTIZER and THE FUCKING HELL. It wasn't a great trip, and the year after we ended up in Camelot which as far as I can remember was bobbins because there was nae fucking maze. I'd watched an episode of Sooty & Co. where there was a fucking maze. Get there - NO MAZE.

Sooty - Liar

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It's a good kind of maze that you can't even find your way into.

[Mr Eggs]

It wasn't a great trip, and the year after we ended up in Camelot which as far as I can remember was bobbins because there was nae fucking maze. I'd watched an episode of Sooty & Co. where there was a fucking maze. Get there - NO MAZE.

Fuck the maze. When I went there with the cubs (Cub scouts,not bear or tiger) in the mid eighties, it boasted a terrifying high-as-fuck rope scramble net thingy that had NO safety features. You could happily push kids over the side and watch them plummet.

Also, I believe the dump had old railway carriages lying around that people could use to eat their butties in. Can someone please confirm this? It's so SHIT that I think my mind is playing tricks.

Exciting leisure centre: Howe Bridge in Leigh,Lancs. Cockroaches to die for.

[Lt. Organphalia]

I too, remember the Rhyl Sun Centre fondly. We went there in 1981, on my only visit to the UK.

My great aunt went hoarse for a month afterwards [nb]due to the warm, moist atmosphere ?[/nb].

[Vinnie01]

Another Leisure I have been in 1989 at 1st was Windsor Leisure Pool now Leisure Centre since 1997.

That has 3 Water Slides 2 Large ones and 1 Baby one.

This pool has a Wave machine which has up to 6 patterns as I have been in the Plantroom of this wave machine before and saw the machine.

Here is a Picture of the Leisure Pool standing above the wave machine.

http://www.directenquiries.com/images/generallocations_3/2097/800/o2097-0005765.jpg


Its always been a Good Pool

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Somebody once looked at pipes that carried various water and sewage needs around the place, and thought (silently, so nobody would steal his great idea) "wouldn't mind travelling through one of them".  He made upwards of £20,000 from that patent I am sure.  Well the laugh is on him because leisure centre flumes do not contain sewage.  Not enough for his kinks, anyway.

[shiftwork2]

I remember this nostalgia thread very fondly.

[Replies From View]

I remember this nostalgia thread very fondly.

I'm planning to one day start a thread about it.

[Beagle 2]

The only thing not made entierly out of misery and grime in Doncaster, The Dome



Been ages since I've used a water slide, think I'd get wedged in one now.

They also have a two-level ice rink, I hate ice skating :(

Donny Dome was ace! Apart from the bit where you had to go outside and wait for your dad to come and pick you up and some rough boys would spit at you. It had a bit where you went outside, and it could be raining, but you'd be all toasty in the heated water and the jets would blow you around. I remember the Grumbleweeds used to constantly be playing there. Not in the water, the Grumbleweeds can't breathe underwater.

[The Duck Man]

Hemel Hempstead has a fantastic swimming centre called Aquasplash, which seems a lot like that Swindon one, but apparently less arrogantly boastful, seeing as this is the official website:

Hey, Aquasplash! I loved that place, and missed it when we moved to the south coast.

It's a testament to the youthfulness of my grandparents that my grandfather willingly came in with me in his mid-seventies, and I have fond memories of him dropping through the hole of "Plughole" and experiencing the 10-foot-drop into the plunge pool below.

Poole as Splashdown, which I've only visited a couple of times, once in quite in a big group the summer after we finished our first year at Uni. In the summer they extend their ring-ride out into the open air, and we went down in one big chain, to the chagrin on the lifeguards. There's also a bit on that ride where I think it's near impossible not to smash your exposed coccyx on the top of a slope.

[Blumf]

Not in the water, the Grumbleweeds can't breathe underwater.

It was a sad day when we found that out the hard way.

[Noodle Lizard]

Every leisure centre (well, we're basically talking about pools) in the UK is faintly depressing and gritty.

Seen some great ones elsewhere, though.  Like what they did with part of the Olympic stadium after Beijing 2008: 

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It was a sad day when we found that out the hard way.

Are you sure they died because of not being able to breathe underwater?  This was the conclusion reached when they tried to populate the North Sea, when actually those ones all died because of the pollution.

[Absorb the anus burn]

Looks like the set for Avatar 2

[Vinnie01]

Hey all

               After reading the review regarding Swindon Leisure Centre, I should be going there soon as I am visiting swindon. I probley most likely look at it better as well as having a look at the wave machine plant room there too, due to interests I have with them.

Another Leisure Centre I do know very well this was my 1st Wave machine pool I ever been in to is the North Herts Leisure Centre

http://www.sdsystems96.co.uk/images/DSCF1169.jpg

http://www.north-herts.gov.uk/northhertsleisurecentreswim_1_.jpg

I don't know to add pictures so I use URLS instead.

This has 1 water slide that ends up in to a Mini Pool and Wave Machine that has 2 blowers but uses one blower at the moment so therefore waves will start on 1 side of the pool and span across. I always liked this pool. also they are considering upgrading the wave machine as it is nearly 40 years old.

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I don't know to add pictures so I use URLS instead.

You can click on the little picture of Mona Lisa when you compose a post (or simply add img in square brackets to start the picture link, /img in square brackets to end it).





If you click to "quote" this post, you'll see the format.


Take some photos of the wave machine and pool if you can!  If it's the Swindon Oasis, it's been some 20 years since I was last inside, when it was quite new!  Although isn't it illegal to go around a swimming pool with a camera nowadays?  Probably.

[Zetetic]

You can click on the little picture of Mona Lisa when you compose a post.

Most people don't know that the Mona Lisa is actually that small.

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Most people don't know that the Mona Lisa is actually that small.

That's true; when I say "little" I really mean "life-sized".  Except most people wouldn't even know.

[thenoise]

I miss SEDGEMOOR SPLASH of Bridgewater


Also - in contrast to whoever it was earlier - I wish to point out that Quaywest of Torbay was(is?) great:

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was(is?)

This is a thread in which all of the past is now.

[Mr Eggs]

The past is a constant reminder of how the future is never.......Hmmm.....Ah...Fuck it.

I WANT TO SEE BRITAIN (Or the worlds) SHITTEST LESIURE CENTRES

SHITTEst,mind.

[Vinnie01]

Take some photos of the wave machine and pool if you can!  If it's the Swindon Oasis, it's been some 20 years since I was last inside, when it was quite new!  Although isn't it illegal to go around a swimming pool with a camera nowadays?  Probably.

I have filmed the Wave Machine in Action at this Pool from the Machine room and the Poolside.

As for Photography normally a Form is required to be signed  for photography on pool side which usually want to know the purpose of photography  the plant room photography was ok.

Also I was taking pictures of the wave machine plenum chamber at this pool the life guards said providing there is no people

This wave machine is nearly 40 years old and not often you will see pipes behind the bars. Normally in order to take pictures of the pool the pool needs to be empty.