Re: more playland oddities

05/11/03 - posted by Warren Crandall

Greetings. Noahs Ark was an early style fun house/crazy house. The entire structure rocked back and forth and the people inside tried making their way through it. Inside it had early animated figures depicting Noah and his family and the "Flood" as you tried to make your way throught it.
Most of the old parks had them. There are only two that survive today. One in in the U.S. and the other is at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in England. See www.laffinthedark.com for an entire history history of the Noah's Ark's and the company that built them. The Racing Derby was just as explained elsewhere. That thing was super fast! They were staples of older amusement parks. Unfortunately only two originals survive today. One in the U.S. and the other is at Blackpoole in England. Playlands Racing Derby was parted out at the auction and the horses are in private collections today. They are different than a regular carousel horse. One of Playlands Racing Derby horses was recently auctioned off on e-bay and I happen to have a photo of it for anybody who is intrested. Just e-mail me-warren1001@earthlink.net