|
|
#155156 - 7th May 2007 10:16pm
New Brighton Tower
|
BMW Joe
Wiki Veteran
Registered: 30th Apr 2006
Posts: 8635
Loc: Birkenhead
|
Everyone knows about the Blackpool Tower, but few people know that New Brighton too had a similar tower which was infact taller.
The New Brighton Tower was taller than its cousin, standing it 172.8 metres and a massive success when first opened. The Blackpool Tower stands at a mere 158 metres compared to it.
Work started on its construction on 22 June 1896. The tower, which weighed 1,000 tons, was completed in 1900.
During the construction of the Tower six workmen were killed and another seriously injured either though falls or accidents. On completion the Tower was the highest building in the country.
Soon after the Tower was opened a young man threw himself off the balcony to be the first suicide from the building.
It sat in sumptious gardens with an enormous 2000 capacity ballroom at its base. Four lifts took the sightseers to the top of the structure at a cost of 6d offering views of as far as the Isle of Man, Manchester and Mount Snowdon.
Unlike the Blackpool Tower it had a lavish gothic base, as if sat ontop of a stately home.
It remained popular until World War One, the nation stopped partying so much and the tower was shut-down temporarily.
Sadly during the shut-down period the metalwork was neglected and it got rusty so with the war over in 1919 it failed to be suitable for public use.
Faced with a massive bill for restoring it the owners instead decided to pull it down and rely on income from the ballroom and gardens. It was dismantled between 1919 and 1921.
The ballroom lasted as a top concert venue until fire gutted it in 1969, shortly after the Beatles played there.
Other than the ballroom and the gardens, New Brighton Tower had a lot more to offer including:
The 'Old English Fairground' - Featuring the Himalayan Switchback Railway, Water Chute and a Lion House.
The Theatre - The theatre could hold 3,500 people, with the world's largest stage measuring 45 feet wide and 72 feet deep.
The Athletic Ground - To the rear of the Tower Building, with football pitch in the centre. It had a cycle track around it, where Cycle Championships were staged, the World Cycling Championship was held on the Tower Track in 1922. Motor bike racing was also staged on the track.
American Roller Skating Rink
An Open Market and Shops
Private Police Force - Consisting of 15 men to parade around the Tower and it's grounds to keep order.
The Tower Also had it's own football club - New Brighton Tower Football Club - Founded in October 1896 and battled for a place in the First Division of the Football League in the 1898/99 season. In those days there were 16 teams in the English League, which consisted of first and second divisions only.
Attachments
Description:
_________________________
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#158326 - 12th Jun 2007 8:16pm
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: Mark]
|
MattLFC
Wiki Master
Registered: 14th Aug 2004
Posts: 16161
Loc: Moreton/E.Port
|
Lol i was nit picking, ya know me 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#167298 - 22nd Aug 2007 3:10pm
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: MattLFC]
|
SoundLad
Are You SoNutz?
Forum Addict
Registered: 22nd Aug 2007
Posts: 1499
Loc: Birkenhead
|
It would be nice for New Brighton to be revived i.e. Make a huge Amusement park.. Yes we have the Wirral show but there is 3 HUGE fields which could accomodate a New Tower, Fairground and etc why on earth dont the council do something about it those fields are massive and they are being used for nothing only once a year so one on earth are the DIPS allowed to just be used once a year.. New Brighton used to be a Fun place to go when i was a kid the Indoor fair was fairly all right and the Adventure Playground to.. Know look at it.. The only decent place around the North West now is blackpool with Southport shut down so i recon they should revive the Town. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#167306 - 22nd Aug 2007 3:34pm
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: SoundLad]
|
WADDI
Forum Master
Registered: 11th Jul 2004
Posts: 2742
Loc: Wallasey
|
To the best of my knowledge the dips are classed as reclaimed land, created by dumping loads of sand there (to create storm protection), therefore no permanant structure can be built there, there is still tower grounds tho.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#167307 - 22nd Aug 2007 3:36pm
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: WADDI]
|
SoundLad
Are You SoNutz?
Forum Addict
Registered: 22nd Aug 2007
Posts: 1499
Loc: Birkenhead
|
aye shame like cause the dips are huge...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#167308 - 22nd Aug 2007 3:42pm
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: WADDI]
|
WADDI
Forum Master
Registered: 11th Jul 2004
Posts: 2742
Loc: Wallasey
|
Also, Pleasureland Southport is open again, under new ownership, its only travelling fair style rides at the moment but atleast its something.
http://www.newpleasureland.co.uk/
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#167313 - 22nd Aug 2007 4:57pm
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: WADDI]
|
SoundLad
Are You SoNutz?
Forum Addict
Registered: 22nd Aug 2007
Posts: 1499
Loc: Birkenhead
|
Oh nice at least Southport has something decent at least thats the only thing decent there pleasure land apart from the Ice Cream shop on Lord Street heh! 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#215996 - 14th Mar 2008 8:19am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: jonno40]
|
MattLFC
Wiki Master
Registered: 14th Aug 2004
Posts: 16161
Loc: Moreton/E.Port
|
Cheers for clearing that up matey, ive always wondered where the exact location was, I had a feeling I would be wrong.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#215997 - 14th Mar 2008 8:19am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: MattLFC]
|
jonno40
Veteran
Registered: 7th Jan 2008
Posts: 669
Loc: wirral/bidston
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#216058 - 14th Mar 2008 10:37am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: Izzy]
|
MattLFC
Wiki Master
Registered: 14th Aug 2004
Posts: 16161
Loc: Moreton/E.Port
|
Yes, New Brighton was every bit as popular as Blackpool in its heyday.
Having said that though, its a sad state of affairs in general for the entire UK seaside resort market. They have practically all gone into a fatal decline.
I always remember Granada Tonight filming at Blackpool in 2006, blazing hot sun in the middle of summer, and hardly any fooker about. Tis a sign of the times im afraid, not just New Brighton.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#216067 - 14th Mar 2008 10:41am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: Izzy]
|
Auditastic
Veteran
Registered: 16th Oct 2007
Posts: 688
Loc: wirral
|
mmmm...classy! 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#218435 - 25th Mar 2008 10:00am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: corsa_dave]
|
Snodvan
Enthusiast
Registered: 19th Mar 2008
Posts: 131
Loc: Wallasey Village
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#218443 - 25th Mar 2008 11:40am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: Snodvan]
|
jordan
Newbeee
Registered: 29th Sep 2007
Posts: 35
Loc: Home: Wirral, Uni: London
|
Second to last pic looks like either the small park next to Riverside School, outside Guinie Gap baths or outside the town hall.
On second thoughts as the tide breaker at Egromont is no where near that old i doubt thats correct.The thing streching out into the sea must be the old pier which would make this picture around Egromont Ferry. Wow saying that now i think that pier could well be the old ferry pier at Egromont and the picture be where i first though in Seacombe :s
_________________________
T'ant se val d'on venim!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#218446 - 25th Mar 2008 11:47am
Re: New Brighton Tower
[Re: jordan]
|
Mark
Wiki Master
Registered: 9th Nov 2003
Posts: 14761
Loc: Wirral
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: BMW Joe, chriskay, jonno40
|
