The Battersea Park Funfair Big Dipper Accident

[onthebusesfan]

Hello Everyone does anyone remember this event ?

Two years after a fire hit the ride, a major fatal accident occurred on 30 May 1972. A train being hoisted up to the start of the ride broke loose from its haulage rope, and the rollback brake failed, causing the cart to roll backwards towards the station. In spite of the efforts of the brakeman the train gathered speed and the back carriage jumped the rails and crashed through a barrier with the other two carriages crashing on top of it. Five children were killed, and thirteen others injured in the accident..

[Richard1978]

Re: The Battersea Park Funfair Big Dipper Accident

I'm too young to remember it but I remember it was mentioned in the news when there was that accident at Alton Towers a few years ago.

[beccabear67]

I don't remember it, would've been four or so and not really watching news yet, but I did see a story about one of the survivors in the news much later in the wake of Alton...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-10302238.html

[Andyjh64]

Hi a bit late to the party here, but yes I remember this tragedy very vivdly. I was only 8 at the time but I can clearly remember the horrific aftermath being described on the front pages of the newspapers the next day. I lived in London, but never managed to make it to Battersea Funfair, and it closed two years later anyway, partly as a result of the disaster. A manager and an engineer at the park were charged with manslaughter, but subsequently acquitted. Cover-up maybe? For many years, pretty much until the internet became a thing, all memory of it seemed to have been buried, and for a long time I'd started to wonder if I imagined the whole thing. These days, you can find a lot more information on it, and film footage on Youtube etc, but in answer to your question, yes, I do remember it very well.