1930s Dodgem Car from New Brighton on Merseyside
Designed to look like an early MG race car from the 1930s a large fleet of these ‘cars’ were used on a concrete race track at the New Brighton Fairground, near Wallasey on Merseyside.
| Key Facts | |
|---|---|
| Year of manufacture | 1930s |
| Engine | Stuart Turner marine type single cylinder engine |
| Body | Sheet steel over steel frame |
| Built by | Unknown |
| Location in museum | Downstairs in main hall underneath aeroplanes |
Interesting Fact
New Brighton Fairground was founded in the mid nineteenth century, following on from Brighton’s success, and soon the workers from Liverpool and Lancashire’s Industrial towns were flocking there. Like all good seaside resorts there was a tower (taller than Blackpool’s) a ballroom, pier, promenade, lido -out door swimming pool with diving boards - and of course, the fairground.
Before the well known electric powered ‘Bumper Cars’ came to popularity these sturdy, well built cars were driven around a track, watched over by attendants who would stand on the running board mounted brake to bring the car to a stop if your time was up or you were misbehaving.
The Museum bought this example in 1990 and restored it soon after. 3 examples had been saved from the farm building where they had been stored after being taken out of use in the 1960s. Powered by a Stuart Turner marine type single cylinder engine, the top speed was just 5mph.
If you have any further information on this Dodgem car or period photographs of its type, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please share your memories in the section below.
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