WikiWirral yrs online 24/7 365 days a year.
Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics76,352
Posts1,033,280
Members14,560
Most Online16,551
Feb 2nd, 2024
Who's Online Now
14 members (ArranGirl13, 3 invisible), 7,530 guests, and 650 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters
sunnyside 45,164
MattLFC 22,315
Mark 21,269
granny 17,788
_Ste_ 16,345
Newest Members
Kalena1962, rattus, Lisrush, Emotecreative, ArranGirl13
14,560 Registered Users
New General Forums
New Wirral History
Tall Brick Chimneys
by diggingdeeper - 16th Mar 2024 11:56am
D.I.Y. / Building Shop
by mharford91 - 3rd Mar 2024 8:53pm
1970's Murder in Central Park, Wallasey
by cutespam - 4th Aug 2018 10:28am
Old Hall in Higher Bebington
by Rhoobarb - 25th May 2010 5:55pm
Oleo Works
by Ducko - 14th May 2008 3:09pm
Top Posters(30 Days)
granny 14
casper 13
bri445 4
Topic Replies
Facial recognition coming in supermarkets?
by diggingdeeper - 27th Mar 2024 3:50pm
Bolts at Bebington Road
by diggingdeeper - 27th Mar 2024 2:33am
Hot Spot Chippie Broadway
by Excoriator - 26th Mar 2024 7:57pm
Tall Brick Chimneys
by diggingdeeper - 26th Mar 2024 5:43pm
Lost river (Well, brook really)
by diggingdeeper - 26th Mar 2024 3:09am
Old Hall in Higher Bebington
by diggingdeeper - 24th Mar 2024 5:58pm
Netflix 3 Body Problem.
by BultacoAstro - 22nd Mar 2024 8:04am
Wisper electric bike. 36v .
by Dilly - 21st Mar 2024 7:36pm
This is Elvis
by GingerTom - 21st Mar 2024 9:27am
March
M T W T F S S
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Top Likes Received (30 Days)
Kylix 1
cools 1
Top Likes Received
bert1 14
Mark 4
granny 3
casper 3
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 760
Norton Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 760
The Wall of Death in the Tower Grounds, New Brighton, were closed down in 1959. It seems that the attraction was dismantled and re-assembled at a fun fair on the south coast.
I've not used the word 'ride' here, because it was something that you climbed up to watch - you didn't go for a ride in or on it. Two or three motorcycles would work their way up the walls of a barrel like structure, lined with wooden planks, until gravity caused them to be riding horizontally.
Aparrently, there are still two 'Wall of Death' shows operating and touring in the UK. One of them is the one filmed for the BBC station i.d seen between some programmes. (They will be displaying their riding skills at Stafford Classic Bike Show this coming weekend.)

Now, when I was young, I was taken to see the Wall of Death at New Brighton. I remember all the steps that surrounded the 'barrel' where the bikes rode - and I also remember how the whole structure swayed in a circular motion as the bikes ran around inside.

I have this mental picture that, in the news the following day, it was reported that the wall of death had collasped!
Am I right or am I wrong? Was this the end of the Wall of Death or is there another ending?

Google Ads
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 887
Wise One
Offline
Wise One
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 887
Don't remember it collapsing but could have done. Had large cables holding it all together. Think it was there later than 1959 though or at least it came back.

Think it was taken to South Africa not the south coast but that might have just been during the winter?

People used to throw money in appreciation and lots of it got lodged between the planking. We used to go there early mornings and look for the cash.

Possibly gravity is the wrong word you are using because that would mean they fell down. What's the word I am looking for?

P
Pinzgauer
Unregistered
Pinzgauer
Unregistered
P
Centrifugal force ??

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,627
Likes: 14
Wiki Veteran
Offline
Wiki Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,627
Likes: 14


God help us,
Come yourself,
Don't send Jesus,
This is no place for children.


Bertieone.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 32
Newbeee
Offline
Newbeee
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 32

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 887
Wise One
Offline
Wise One
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 887
Originally Posted by Pinzgauer
Centrifugal force ??


That's him!

Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,631
Forum Master
Offline
Forum Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,631
Originally Posted by Helles
Originally Posted by Pinzgauer
Centrifugal force ??


That's him!


I thought it was centripetal force ?

I remember (many) years ago doing the math for this, it became incredibly complicated and about all I can remember now is that the Indian Scouts were the best bikes for doing it with (some of the others fell off the wall)

Going to dig out old math books now.

Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,390
Forum Addict
Offline
Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,390
I remember it too, especially the movement of the whole structure when the bikes were in motion. Neither to I remember it collapsing. As far as I know the whole thing was sold.

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 267
Addict
Offline
Addict
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 267
Ive seen the wall of death at stafford many times (see pic)and probably again this weekend, But i also remember the guy who built Pollards pub in Willaston restored an old wall of death around 30 odd years ago now and opened it up behind the pub one sunday afternoon for a free display/ test after the pub closed... i guess it could have been the old one from new brighton.

Attached Images
wallod.jpg (83.31 KB, 246 downloads)
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,515
Forum Addict
Offline
Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,515
They had a glamorous lady rider called Astrid Johansen. If she is still alive she would be about 77. She was in school with my mother.


See you in cyberspace!
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 17
Newbeee
Offline
Newbeee
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 17
The noise was deafening and a bit frightening for younger kids.

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,346
Forum Master
Offline
Forum Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,346
Theres a guy up in Capenhurst with a wall of death! Sill there in his garden up to few years ago, and he uses it


IF IT HAS A HOSE THEN IM YOUR MAN

BETTER TO BURN OUT THAN FADE AWAY!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 440
Smartchild
Offline
Smartchild
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 440
Not the New Brighton one but I remember going to Blackpool Tower circus as a child and they had a "spherical cage of death" - I bet it had a better name than that though!

It was a huge metal mesh ball which hung from the ceiling of the circus and the motoribikes (I remeber up to 3 at the same time in there) used to do a similar thing and zoom round the circumferance of it faster and faster so they were horizontal. They also used to go round the opposite way so they were like looping the loop going upside down and sometimes the bikes would do "crossing" like the Red Arrows.

As someone else said the noise was terrifiying (it was indoors) and as a 7 or 8 year old I was convinced there was going to be an appalling crash!

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 5
Beginner
Offline
Beginner
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 5
Peter Catchpole was a rider on the wall of death, he lived in Rake Lane. If you Google his name you will get more information.

Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 38
Newbeee
Offline
Newbeee
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 38
the guy that owned it in new brighton used to own the row of victorian houses just past the car sales leading up from the prom, my nephew had a flat there only about 15 years ago and used to live there rent free, the reason being, the wall of death is still operating, or was then, in europe mostly , my nephew Andy used to ride for them, and when he came back , used to give me a hand fitting carpets, dont know if the owner is still alive i`ll have to ask .

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Mod 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Random Wirral Images

Click to View Topic.
Newest Topics
Facial recognition coming in supermarkets?
by Excoriator - 27th Mar 2024 10:52am
Hot Spot Chippie Broadway
by Excoriator - 26th Mar 2024 7:57pm
Bolts at Bebington Road
by Excoriator - 23rd Mar 2024 9:48am
Netflix 3 Body Problem.
by BultacoAstro - 22nd Mar 2024 8:04am
Tall Brick Chimneys
by diggingdeeper - 16th Mar 2024 11:56am
For Sale & Free
Wisper electric bike. 36v .
by Dilly - 21st Mar 2024 7:36pm
This is Elvis
by GingerTom - 17th Mar 2024 2:37pm
Member Spotlight
Dilly
Dilly
wallasey
Posts: 8,973
Joined: July 2011
Today's Birthdays
There are no members with birthdays on this day.
New Wirral Info
Facial recognition coming in supermarkets?
by Excoriator - 27th Mar 2024 10:52am
Hot Spot Chippie Broadway
by Excoriator - 26th Mar 2024 7:57pm
Bolts at Bebington Road
by Excoriator - 23rd Mar 2024 9:48am
Get your Money Tree ready
by keef666 - 22nd Mar 2023 12:27pm
Restaurant/pub with outdoor seating - Bromborough
by CarterUSM - 7th Aug 2020 7:59pm
News : New Topics
Gaza
by diggingdeeper - 29th Oct 2023 9:28am
Lost river (Well, brook really)
by Excoriator - 10th Sep 2019 8:50am
New Enthusiast Forums
Netflix 3 Body Problem.
by BultacoAstro - 22nd Mar 2024 8:04am
Xbox
by TudorBlue - 3rd Mar 2024 8:48pm
Wiper mechanism needed
by Peter0787 - 20th Feb 2024 4:07pm
Popular Topics(Views)
5,067,809 WIKI WALK CHAT
4,013,695 Spotted!
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5