Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Beer Wagon


Clacton-on-Sea, August 1996

Manufactured by Cogan of Italy in the mid-1990s, this ride was a less popular variation of the Ranch Cogan.  It consists of two palomino horses pulling a beer wagon.


Clacton Pier, September 2017.  This ride has been on Clacton Pier since my childhood.  It still played its original music, but unfortunately this is very hard to hear in this video.

Monday, August 3, 2026

Disney Babies Carousel

 Manufactured by Elektro Mobiltechnik of Germany, the Disney Babies Carousel features Baby Mickey and Minnie Mouse and was one of their earliest Disney designs, released in the mid-1990s.  These were a common sight at Woolworths at the time, but have sadly become much rarer in recent years.

There are at least two versions of this ride.  The first had Mickey and Minnie sitting on building blocks with Disney characters depicted on the side, while the later model has the babies on identical seats to the child riders.  The seats themselves also changed shape.


Barry Island Pleasure Park, June 2019.  Unfortunately, this unit was mute.

The ride originally played the same tune heard on EMT's Pocahontas Carousel and Merkur Gaming's Modhesh rides.

Merkur Gaming

  Ride Releases

Unknown - Mickey Mouse Car

Sunday, August 2, 2026

GeWeTe

 Ride Releases

Unknown - Mickey Mouse Car

Mickey Mouse Car

 Manufactured by Elektro Mobiltechnik of Germany, this was one of the earliest in their wide range of Disney kiddie rides, released in the mid-1990s.


Skegness Pleasure Beach, June 2017.  This unit had been refurbished with a Stamar timer.

There are several versions of this ride.  The first is the one shown in the video above, on the high long EMT base.  I have fond memories of these in Woolworths clothing departments in the 1990s.  I seem to recall them playing the same music heard on the EMT Pocahontas carousel and Modhesh rides but can't be certain.

The second version was released on a smaller EMT base around 2002, meaning the coin slot had to be moved into the wheel arch of the car.  This version was distributed in the UK by Northern Leisure Kiddy Rides.


Happyland Amusements, Bournemouth, September 2020

Later versions were made by GeWeTe/Merkur Gaming.

Most of these seem to play either the "Mickey Mouse March" or "It's a Small World" when in motion.  There is a push button inside for a car horn sound effect.

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Nessy


1990s Whittaker Brothers Leaflet

Manufactured by Whittaker Brothers, Nessy was released in the mid-1990s.  Sharing a similar style to many other Whittaker rides of the time, Nessy had a cut-out in her back with space for two riders...and a steering wheel on each side.  Yes, no monster would be complete without vehicle parts inside.  I'm sure somebody is happily driving the real Monster around under the calm waters of Loch Ness...

2002 Whittaker Brothers Leaflet

The ride played "Dinosaurs Dinosaurs" when in motion.  I have a hazy childhood memory of the first one of these I ever saw playing "You'll Never Find a Nessie In The Zoo" from The Family-Ness, but I find it hard to believe that would have been the case due to copyright.  Maybe I was just singing it in my head.  However, my mum also remembers this!  If anybody else has memories of these rides playing that tune, please let me know and help us clear up the mystery!

It also had two sound effect buttons which made "dinosaur" sound effects when pushed, a roar and a chirpy little squeak!

Pensarn Pleasure Beach, May 2017

As with many Whittaker Brothers rides, Nessy underwent the colour makeover around the turn of the 21st century to bring her up to more modern standards!  No longer did monsters just have vehicle parts inside them, now they wore fashionable shirts with bone patterning!

Fairworld Amusements, Cleethorpes, June 2017.  While most Nessy rides were yellow, this one is a rarer blue version.  I couldn't resist filming her, even though I already have more than one Nessy filmed.  She was in pretty good condition to be fair, and the guy who worked in the arcade was lovely about me filming the rides, so it was a win-win situation!

According to old Whittaker Brothers promotional material, the ride measures 64" x 32" x 71".

Blackpool Zoo, October 2023.  Like most of the rides at Blackpool Zoo, I'm unsure if this Nessy has been refurbished or if this is original paintwork for a later release that I haven't come across before.  This one wears traditional Scottish tartan!  He also plays different music, "If You Saw a Dinosaur"...  I've never heard a Nessy play this song before but it certainly sounds like  original Whittaker Brothers music.  Still not "You'll Never Find a Nessie In The Zoo" though!

LeisureTech

 Ride Releases

1991 - Hey Diddle Diddle