The Big Dipper and how it created a huge piece of Wearside entertainment history
One and a quarter miles long and 100 feet high
Thrill seekers had a big piece of news to celebrate in Sunderland 71 years ago this week.
The Big Dipper had just been completed at Seaburn funfair and it was ready to be unveiled in time for the 1955 tourist season.
It was a construction marvel and the Sunderland Echo report of the time explained more.
“The £75,000 big dipper, which can be seen in the background was opened at Seaburn Fun Fair on Saturday in time for the beginning of the holiday season.
“One and a quarter miles long and 100 feet high, it is the only one of its kind along the East Coast as far as Yarmouth. It is similar, but bigger, than the one in Battersea Festival Gardens and was built entirely by local labour.”
Well done to the workers of Sunderland for a tremendous effort.
The Echo added in 1955: “Visitors to the resort could enjoy all the fun of the fair, complete with a helter skelter, as well as trips on the miniature railway, a round of golf or a boating lake jaunt.”
There was other big news coming out of Sunderland that year. A fire had destroyed the Joplings store and a new building was on the way to replace it.
New baths were installed at Adventure Colliery in West Rainton and Sunderland was getting used to a new era without trams on the streets.
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