It was once London’s most beloved funfair, but a horrific rollercoaster tragedy resulted in the death of 5 children and grievous injuries to 13 others — sealing the theme park’s fate forever.
A beloved funfair which operated for over two decades was forced to close its doors forever after a tragic incident resulted in the death of five children and seriously injured 13 others coupled with a decline in popularity — but its memories live on in the hearts of thousands.
London’s most loved theme park
In the heart of London, the small theme park was originally conceived as a temporary post-war attraction designed to showcase British creativity and achievements, as part of the larger Festival of Britain held in 1951. However, its unexpected popularity resulted in the funfair sticking around for 23 glorious years before tragedy struck.
The Battersea Park Funfair was a beloved attraction in London, featuring thrilling rides like roller coasters, swings, and roundabouts.
Some of the most beloved ride attractions over its 23-year history were The Boomerang, The Haunted Goldmine, The Bubble Bounce, John Crowle’s Gallopers, Harry Gray’s Swirl & Chairs, J. Ling’s Moon Rocket, Botton’s Dive Bomber, The Paratrooper, Octopus and the pièce de résistance — the Big Dipper.
Scores of visitors walked through the Battersea Park Funfair’s doors for over two decades and came out with memories that lasted a lifetime.
A Facebook group called ‘Battersea Park Fun Fair 1951 to 1977’ is dedicated entirely to people reminiscing about their time at the funfair, with hundreds sharing fond memories of the mini theme park.
One person recalled, “I lived two minutes from the park went there nearly every night after school,” while another visitor nostalgically shared, “Time does not erode the memory of the sounds & smells Battersea Funfair.”
For one individual, the funfair holds a very 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 said, “Lovely days wish I could go back to those days,” while another former visitor reminisced, “Spent young teenage days there, and always something to do. Great memories.”
World’s deadliest rollercoaster accident
On the fateful Tuesday afternoon of May 30, 1972, the Battersea Park Funfair became the tragic site of the world’s deadliest rollercoaster accident till date.
The funfair’s biggest attraction, a wooden rollercoaster train called the Big Dipper, came off its tracks, killing five children and grievously injuring 13 others.
The John Collins Big Dipper rollercoaster had started operating in the funfair in 1951 when the mini theme park first opened its doors as part of the Festival of Britain.
A train that was being hoisted to the start of the ride reportedly broke loose from its haulage rope, and at the same time, the emergency rollback brake of the ride also failed. This caused the train ride’s carriages to roll backwards towards the station.
While the brakeman put his best efforts in trying to stop the train and prevent a disaster, it unfortunately gathered speed and the back carriage jumped the rails, crashing through a barrier. Two other carriages crashed on top of it.
One child, whose sister was one of the five youngsters who tragically died in the accident, suffered life-changing injuries.
A fire had damaged the Big Dipper in 1970, and the funfair had replaced the parts with second-hand stock which was more than 50 years old. The entire structure, including the emergency pedestrian walkway, was in an unsafe and rotting condition. This reportedly became the horrific cause of the death of one victim, who had survived the initial impact, as she fell through the handrail to her death.
A report taken after the crash found 51 faults in the ride, and the engineer and ride manager were subsequently tried for, and acquitted of, manslaughter in 1973.
Carolyn Adamczyk, one of the people on the ride during the horrific accident, 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 eventually replaced with a modern steel rollercoaster called The Cyclone, however, the theme park’s popularity saw a massive dip after the fatal incident.
Closure and current status
The horrific Big Dipper rollercoaster accident, coupled with a decline in the funfair’s popularity, were perceived to be the eventual cause behind the closure of the Battersea Park Funfair on September 22, 1974.
Plans were also reportedly in place for a European Disneyland to potentially be constructed in Battersea Park, which further contributed to the decision to shut down and clear out the funfair site.
The funfair’s site was levelled and it became a spot for exhibitions and travelling fairs, eventually becoming Evolution London as it’s known now — a popular purpose-built event venue.
