Close-up of a carousel horse in Cardiff Bay
This summer the “beach” and funfair has returned to Cardiff Bay’s Oval Basin – also known as Roald Dahl Plass. I looked in on it as I returned to the office from lunch one day last week. It seems to attract families and there is a small enclosed pool like a mini lido on the seaward side of the funfair. I’m not sure I saw a lot of sand, which would in any case have had to be shipped in for the event.
Entrance to the Cardiff Bay Beach
The big wheel has been there all summer – I blogged about it here.
The fair itself was small and surrounded by a frail wicker fence – these pictures were taken looking over the fence, even though there was no charge to enter. I just didn’t want to get sucked in.
There was a time when I would have begged to go. As a child with two much older brothers I felt left out when they walked to the annual fair in the next village. Of course they didn’t want me slowing them down as they were no doubt looking out for potential girlfriends.
One night they did take me along and I recall the fair was in a big field between the villages and it felt wild and metallic and noisy, a little bit threatening. I was probably grumpy and disappointed. I never win anything.
The fair is in the Oval Basin, Roald Dahl Plass
A closer look at the bright lights
No idea what happens in here…
…a house of fun…
something to do with pirates?
Shooting gallery
The shooting gallery seems to have slim pickings – the prizes look like bars of chocolate, packets of sweets or brightly-coloured plastic bottles of “pop”.
Cuddly toys as prizes
All I ever wanted from a funfair was for some lovely boy to win me a cuddly toy. In later years, when I was at college, someone did win me something, but as he wasn’t my boyfriend and was never going to be, it didn’t really count.
Scenic railway
The scenic railway was on a small scale – nothing like the huge roller coaster I recall at Barry Island when I was a child – I was never allowed to have a ride on that, either.
Norman Sayers and Son Present Popular Welsh Galloping Horses – this is not an American-style carousel in which the horses turn anti-clockwise, but a British ride, running clockwise
All lit up
bright horses
Another form of seating
The carousel has been operating next to the Pier Head Building all summer – this was taken in May
As I turned away from the carousel to walk back to County Hall, it started to rain – a heavy squall I didn’t acknowledge until it was too late for my umbrella to do much good. Everyone else scuttled to shelter under the broad frontage of the Wales Millennium Centre but I just got soaking wet.
You may also be interested in my blog post about Carousel Horses – an illusion of freedom, which has lovely pictures, although some of the source links have vanished as I wrote this post in 2010…
More pretty carousel horses this way…
The Squirrelbasket 
I always think of fun-fairs as being empty of joy – no idea why. I remember the Scenic Railway in Barry; it was very rickety even in the fifties when I went there and I think it was built mostly of wood.
I wonder if the carousel is the same one that was always in fairs in South Wales?
I think I agree on the lack of joy. Perhaps a poignancy.
Lovely that someone else remembers the scenic railway – I recall it as grey and it looked like it was made from papier-mĂ¢chĂ©!
Did they have health and safety in those days?
All the best đŸ™‚
Perhaps the negatives hanging over from childhood could be knocked away if you had a really good day out at a good fairground. It’s expensive to go on lots of rides so I imagine many of us associate them with our parents being very hesitant and the disappointing word ‘No’! That and being highly supervised. But if you could set off with the intention of going on some good rides and eat candifloss and have a really good laugh, maybe the atmosphere would seem transformed.
I love traditional roundabouts with horses. The dragon carriages on this one are lovely.
I admit I was tempted the other day to have a ride on the carousel one lunch hour. Yet still there would be poignancy…
I’m not sure there are any good funfairs any more, but maybe I’m a cynic.
But I am so glad your recovery seems to be proceeding so well đŸ™‚
Great photos Pat (we weren’t that far away from you on holiday in Wales last week at the Mumbles).
The fair was overwhelming for me as a child and a teen and to be honest, when we took our own children too. Sensory overload! Now we live across the road from where the fair is twice a year which has given me a different perspective as fair goers always park over our dropped kerb and the mess that’s left behind for council workers to clear up is awful. Raw sewerage too being emptied in the woods (making the dogs and wildlife ill). There are better places to hold the fair (not residential) but I guess not so much footfall. The council told us a couple of years ago that they weren’t going to renew the 10 year license. Which they obviously have … I don’t mean to sound negative. I know it’s only twice a year but it does have impact on residents.
Ick – surely the permit should at least have an effective solution for raw sewage? Also an issue in parts of South Africa sadly
Sorry to hear it’s also an issue in parts of South Africa Diana. This year the local authority have checked re: sewerage. I imagine they receive a good percentage for renting the land with little outlay…
Were they always like this? Gypsies, tramps and thieves…
As I now work for the council I was fascinated by your response. It’s the sort of thing we get complaints about all the time.
Hope the weather wasn’t too bad in the Mumbles. Have a good summer (what’s left of it) đŸ™‚
You can guarantee the police helicopter is out when the fair is here …
The weather wasn’t too bad! Last day today before starting in my new setting. Butterflies …
Thanks x
A few days late – but I hope the new year has started well for you đŸ™‚