The "Baby Dolphin" is another ride which is still a bit of a mystery to me and has caused me many a headache over the years! I may well end up editing this post later on, as I'm sure there are errors, but these are my beliefs at the time of writing.
So here goes... According to an article in The Coin Slot, dated May 9th 1970, Wright Alarm Systems Ltd. of Great Yarmouth made a "Baby Dolphin" ride. Also listed as part of their range is a "Dolphin"...presumably these were two separate models but I have no idea what the differences were (possibly size?)
A ride under this name was located at Joyland in Great Yarmouth in the 1960s, as seen in the photo and video below.
"Baby Dolphin" (alongside "Giddy Up Trigger") - Joyland, Great Yarmouth, 1960s
"Baby Dolphin" (sadly mostly out of shot) in action - Joyland, Great Yarmouth, 1960s
So one would presume this was the Wright Alarm System machine, right? Well, this is where it all gets a bit confusing. The article in The Coin Slot claims that the company was founded in 1968, they originally made fruit machines and began making a range of five fibreglass kiddie rides (Baby Dolphin included) slightly later. No mention of "Giddy Up Trigger" - the horse seen above, who one would presume is made by the same company judging by the identical coin post. Also, my gut instinct says that the ride above is made mainly from wood? Although having never seen it in person, this is pure guesswork. Not sure of the year of the photo/video, but I feel they may be slightly earlier than 1968/69.
Never mind though, it's all about to get even more confusing! In 1967-1968, Baron Automatics were distributing two kiddie rides; a "Baby Dolphin" and "Concorde" (which was another ride mentioned in the Wright Alarm Systems article). However, how could they be selling these rides in 1967...if the company wasn't even founded until a year later, and didn't begin manufacturing kiddie rides for a while after that?
Baron Automatics were the main distributors for Rollite in their early days so it would make sense that these rides could have been Rollite's earliest designs...however, Rollite themselves said their first ride was the Flying Saucer, which wasn't released until the end of 1968!
Baron Automatics Advert - The Coin Slot, November 1967
The "Baby Dolphin" being distributed by Baron was not the same as one seen at Joyland above...it was a smaller fibreglass model, on a shaped "wave-style" base.
Baron Automatics Advert - The Coin Slot, January 1968
Coincidentally (or not), Joyland also had one of these in the 1970s. In fact, this dolphin can still be seen as part of the decor inside their Neptune's Kingdom ride.
Neptune's Kingdom (POV), Joyland, Great Yarmouth, June 2021
Joyland, Great Yarmouth, 1976 - Photo courtesy of John Frosdick
Note the "Lifeboat" ride which is just visible next to the Baby Dolphin above. This ride is clearly on the same base as the original "Baby Dolphin" at Joyland. I have seen a photograph of another of these Lifeboats in Lowestoft, supposedly taken in 1965...which again throws out the theory of Wright Alarm Systems, if indeed they did not start making kiddie rides until post-1968.
In conclusion, I still don't have a clue about either of these "Baby Dolphin" rides! My current feeling is that the Wright family were probably responsible for both rides in some way. It just seems too much of a coincidence to have two rides named "Baby Dolphin" both showing up in old photos taken in and around Great Yarmouth...where a company were claiming to be manufacturing a ride under that name, even if the dates don't quite add up. Maybe they had a previous company before Wright Alarm Systems specifically for manufacturing kiddie rides and only began making rides under THAT name post-1968? Who knows?
If anybody has further information, I would love to hear from you and finally clear up this headache once and for all!
So here goes... According to an article in The Coin Slot, dated May 9th 1970, Wright Alarm Systems Ltd. of Great Yarmouth made a "Baby Dolphin" ride. Also listed as part of their range is a "Dolphin"...presumably these were two separate models but I have no idea what the differences were (possibly size?)
A ride under this name was located at Joyland in Great Yarmouth in the 1960s, as seen in the photo and video below.
"Baby Dolphin" (alongside "Giddy Up Trigger") - Joyland, Great Yarmouth, 1960s
"Baby Dolphin" (sadly mostly out of shot) in action - Joyland, Great Yarmouth, 1960s
Never mind though, it's all about to get even more confusing! In 1967-1968, Baron Automatics were distributing two kiddie rides; a "Baby Dolphin" and "Concorde" (which was another ride mentioned in the Wright Alarm Systems article). However, how could they be selling these rides in 1967...if the company wasn't even founded until a year later, and didn't begin manufacturing kiddie rides for a while after that?
Baron Automatics were the main distributors for Rollite in their early days so it would make sense that these rides could have been Rollite's earliest designs...however, Rollite themselves said their first ride was the Flying Saucer, which wasn't released until the end of 1968!
Baron Automatics Advert - The Coin Slot, November 1967
The "Baby Dolphin" being distributed by Baron was not the same as one seen at Joyland above...it was a smaller fibreglass model, on a shaped "wave-style" base.
Baron Automatics Advert - The Coin Slot, January 1968
Coincidentally (or not), Joyland also had one of these in the 1970s. In fact, this dolphin can still be seen as part of the decor inside their Neptune's Kingdom ride.
Neptune's Kingdom (POV), Joyland, Great Yarmouth, June 2021
Joyland, Great Yarmouth, 1976 - Photo courtesy of John Frosdick
Note the "Lifeboat" ride which is just visible next to the Baby Dolphin above. This ride is clearly on the same base as the original "Baby Dolphin" at Joyland. I have seen a photograph of another of these Lifeboats in Lowestoft, supposedly taken in 1965...which again throws out the theory of Wright Alarm Systems, if indeed they did not start making kiddie rides until post-1968.
In conclusion, I still don't have a clue about either of these "Baby Dolphin" rides! My current feeling is that the Wright family were probably responsible for both rides in some way. It just seems too much of a coincidence to have two rides named "Baby Dolphin" both showing up in old photos taken in and around Great Yarmouth...where a company were claiming to be manufacturing a ride under that name, even if the dates don't quite add up. Maybe they had a previous company before Wright Alarm Systems specifically for manufacturing kiddie rides and only began making rides under THAT name post-1968? Who knows?
If anybody has further information, I would love to hear from you and finally clear up this headache once and for all!
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