The History of the Ghost Train
Ghost trains and funhouses have been scaring people for generations, and they are a fun-filled addition to any fairground or local funfair event. But where did this spooky funfair ride come from, and how has it become a perennial carnival favourite?
The first proper ghost train ride was designed right here in the UK by British architect Joseph Emberton in 1930, and it was very similar to ghost trains that you find in fairgrounds and amusement parks today. This first ghost train was made out of a boxcar on a single rail, and it took passengers on a long route past scary visuals and spooky characters.
Boxcars had been used on rollercoaster-style fairground rides long before this time, but Emberton was the first to think of adding a spooky horror theme to the ride.
Emberton got the idea for this amazing ride from 'pretzel rides' over in the USA. These rides were named after the Pretzel Company, and they took passengers on magical journeys in the dark, showing images of faraway places and exotic destinations.
In the UK, the Pretzel Company was not well-known and so Emberton named his ride after a popular play by the same name.
Emberton created this ghost train ride as an entertainment addition to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and since then other amusement parks and fairgrounds have built their own version of this scary ghost train. Dreamland in Margate introduced a similar ride, as did Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth and Pleasureland in Southport.
In 1936, Blackpool Pleasure Beach commissioned Joseph Emberton to create an even more impressive ghost train for the amusement park. This new creation had a huge frontage and a rollercoaster-type rail instead of the simple single rail that was part of the original ghost train invention.
In the 1940s and 1950s, ghost trains became very popular with the masses, and they made up a large part of travelling fairs during this time. However, original ghost trains required a large team of people to construct them and take them down again, and by the 1970s, travelling fairs wanted to invest in rides that were easier to construct at each location.
The modern ghost train is very similar to that ride Joseph Emberton first envisioned, with a few modern technological tweaks to delight and entertain young and old at fairgrounds across the UK!
At We Are Tricycle, we have a wide range of amazing fairground rides for hire, including spooky ghost trains, funhouses, traditional fairground rides and modern thrill rides. Our ghost trains are the perfect addition to corporate events, birthday parties, local festivals and family-friendly events of all shapes and sizes.
Find out more about our fantastic ghost trains for hire at your next event or fun local fairground via our website, or contact us to book one of our fairground rides or funfair stalls for your next big celebration.