Once one of London’s most adored funfairs, a fatal rollercoaster accident — killing five children and seriously injuring 13 others — marked the beginning of its end.
A cherished funfair which ran for more than two decades was compelled to shut down permanently following a devastating incident that claimed the lives of five youngsters and left 13 others with serious injuries, alongside falling visitor numbers – but its legacy endures in the memories of thousands.
London’s most adored theme park
In the heart of London, the mini theme park was initially planned as a short-term post-war attraction intended to highlight British innovation and accomplishments, forming part of the wider Festival of Britain staged in 1951. Nevertheless, its remarkable success meant the funfair remained open for 23 wonderful years until disaster occurred.
The Battersea Park Funfair was a treasured destination in London, boasting exciting rides including roller coasters, swings, and roundabouts.
Among the most popular ride attractions throughout its 23-year existence were The Boomerang, The Haunted Goldmine, The Bubble Bounce, John Crowle’s Gallopers, Harry Gray’s Swirl and Chairs, J. Ling’s Moon Rocket, Botton’s Dive Bomber, The Paratrooper, Octopus and the crowning glory – the Big Dipper, reports MyLondon.
Countless visitors passed through the Battersea Park Funfair’s entrance over more than twenty years and departed with memories that would last forever.
A Facebook community named ‘Battersea Park Fun Fair 1951 to 1977’ is devoted exclusively to individuals recalling their experiences at the funfair, with hundreds posting affectionate memories of the miniature theme park.
One person remembered:”I lived two minutes from the park went there nearly every night after school,” while another visitor fondly shared, “Time does not erode the memory of the sounds and smells Battersea Funfair.”
For one person, the funfair occupies a particularly special place in their life: “This is where my mum and dad first met. My dad had just come over from Ireland, and was working at the fair. My dad was 16 and my mum was 15 and they are still together now 57 years later.”
While another person shared: “Just thinking about the place always cheers me up.”
One Facebook user commented, “Lovely days wish I could go back to those days,” while another former visitor reflected, “Spent young teenage days there, and always something to do. Great memories.”
World’s deadliest rollercoaster accident
On the tragic Tuesday afternoon of May 30, 1972, Battersea Park Funfair became the heartbreaking scene of the world’s deadliest rollercoaster accident to date.
The funfair’s star attraction, a wooden rollercoaster train known as the Big Dipper, derailed, claiming the lives of five children and seriously injuring 13 others.
The John Collins Big Dipper rollercoaster had begun operating at the funfair in 1951 when the miniature theme park first launched as part of the Festival of Britain.
A train being lifted to the ride’s starting point reportedly broke free from its haulage rope, while simultaneously, the ride’s emergency rollback brake malfunctioned. This resulted in the train’s carriages rolling backwards in the direction of the station.
Despite the brakeman’s determined attempts to halt the train and avert catastrophe, it regrettably gained momentum and the rear carriage derailed, smashing through a barrier. Two additional carriages piled on top of it.
One child, whose sister was amongst the five youngsters who tragically perished in the incident, sustained life-altering injuries.
Fire had ravaged the Big Dipper in 1970, and the funfair had substituted the components with second-hand equipment exceeding 50 years old. The complete structure, including the emergency pedestrian walkway, was in an unsafe and rotting state.
This reportedly became the horrific cause of death for one victim, who had survived the original impact, but then plunged through the handrail to her death.
An investigation conducted following the crash identified 51 defects in the ride, and the engineer and ride manager were later prosecuted for, and acquitted of, manslaughter in 1973.
Carolyn Adamczyk, one of those on the ride during the horrific incident, told The Independent: “As soon as we started shooting backwards everything went into slow motion. I turned around and saw the brake man desperately trying to put the brake on but it wasn’t working.
“Most of the carriages didn’t go around the bend, one detached and went off the side through a wooden hoarding. People were groaning and hanging over the edge. It was awful.”
The Big Dipper was subsequently replaced by a modern steel rollercoaster known as The Cyclone, yet the theme park’s fortunes took a dramatic downturn following the deadly incident.
Closure and current status
The devastating Big Dipper rollercoaster tragedy, combined with a steady decline in the funfair’s appeal, are widely regarded as the key factors behind the permanent closure of Battersea Park Funfair on September 22, 1974.
There were also reported plans for a European Disneyland to potentially be built at Battersea Park, which further influenced the decision to shut down and clear the funfair site.
The grounds were subsequently levelled, transforming into a space for exhibitions and travelling fairs before eventually becoming Evolution London – now a thriving, purpose-built events venue.
