A review of the 2013 funfair season around the North East & Yorkshire
FEBRUARY 2013
First fair of my season saw a trip down the A19/A1 to Castleford which was hosting 2 funfairs during the 1/2 term school holidays. Pictured Garry Evans Tango Afterburner outside Xscape
The same day I also took in International Funfairs presenation on Elland Road Car Parks in Leeds
MARCH 2013
My first fair fix of 2013 in the North East took me to the outskirts of Bishop Auckland where J.Murphy & Son were open on a new site next to Sainbury's & KFC.
Same weekend Keith Turner & Sons could be found in Thornley for their first fair of the season
J.Murphy & Son could be found next on Teesside at Thornaby Sports & Leisure Club
A.S. Crow & Sons open in Middlesbrough's Stewart Park on a new site for the Easter Holidays - their first of many appearances in the park in 2013
Jamie Clark brings all four of his adult attractions to Durham's Sands for Easter
A new venture for M&C Funfairs see them open on Benton Retail Park Car Park, Possibly Stanley Reeves Jnr's only North East fun fair in 2013 with Atmos Fear?
Easter saw Tyneside's Largest funfair of the season with Keith Turner bringing Spanish City back to Whitley Bay's Links for 11 days
Easter saw Bradford host 2 funfairs - above W.Marshall's presentation around the footpath of Lister Park due to heavy snow when the fair pulled on
Easter saw Marshall Waddington & Sons arrive for their first fair at Forster Square of 2013
APRIL
G.R. Tucker opened at The Cricketers Arms In Seacroft 4th - 8th April
MAY
Northallerton's May Fair saw the return of a Freak Out with Jamie Clark occupying the end position
May Day Bank Holiday the sun shone which resulted in a busy Seaton Carew where K.Turner & Sons could be found open during the bank holiday weekend
May Day Bank Holiday saw Noble's pay their first visit of the year to Seaham for one of their many £1 entry gets you £1 a ride fairs
Noble's then made the short journey to Washington where on purchase of a wristband rides could once again be had for just £1
Another £1 fair for the North East, but this time in Ashington presented by Peter Richardson
The difference a day makes! Heavy prolonged rain flooded parts of Stewart Park resulting in the fair not even getting open. Come Sunday blue sky and sunshine as A.S. Crow & Sons finally got open on their return to Middlesbrough's largest park
Gala Day in Sherburn-In-Elmet where Terry Atha was lessee, the second of nine fairs taken in on this day!
Another Football Ground fun fair for International Funfairs - Barnsley FC. This was a return visit after heavy snowfall ruined any chance of decent custom earlier in the year
Arthur Tuby & Sons presentation in Darfield
A chance to catch up with George Rowland Tucker at Thurnscoe, and see his new very smart looking Sizzler Twister
Next stop Mirfield where Watson's Amusements were open on the Showground - a rare site on the modern funfair a Rock-o-Plane and Big Wheel open together
Carnival Day in Pudsey where just the fair was left open by the time I arrived
Another washout, this time Keith Turner's presentation at Walker Park Festival
Middlesbrough's annual fair on Clairville Common sees Waddington's Waltzer make it's one and only appearance of the season open in the North East
Robert Cooper returns to Hartlepool Marina for the Whitsun Bank Holiday
Whitsun Bank Holiday saw J.Murphy & Son open in Richmond's Market Place. A surprise arrival this year Robinson's Dodgems filling in for the lessee's
Jameson & Evans present their first of two fairs on Harrogate's Stray which saw the return of a set of Gallopers
Scott Pullen returned to Roundhay Park for Leeds Holiday funfair with an impressive line-up of attractions. International Funfairs and Albert J Evans would also open here at various points of the season
My first sighting of Storey's Waltzer since it's re-build at a funfair on the outskirts of Heckmondwike
Mega Value Fun Park returned to Lupset, Wakefeld £4.99 entrance fee got you upto 3 hours of unlimited free rides
James Finnie presented Seaside Comes To Peel Park with Punch & Judy Shows and a Giant Sand Pit
Another funfairathon with W.Marshall's presentation at Saltaire the last of eight fairs visited in one day
William H Clark makes the short journey from Bedlington to Seghill for The Gala
Keith Turner & Sons open at East Lea Playing Fields for Cramlington Carnival
JUNE
Noble's return to one of many fairs in the city of Sunderland this time on North Moor for another popular £1 fair
In 2012 Middlesbrough's Mela was moved to the town centre due to Albert Park being unsuitable due to soft ground. The Mela returned to Centre Square in 2013 with Crow's funfair added to the entertainment on offer with rides built up on Albert Road next to the Mela site
Noble's made their first visit of the season to Chester-le-Street's Riverside Park, what would usually be the final stop off before heading for Newcastle's Town Moor
Just down the road from Chester-le-Street Robert Cooper could be found open at Sacriston
W.Crow & Son make the short journey from Middlesbrough to the Market Town of Guisborough on King George V Playing Fields
Yarm Gala takes place on the town's High Street
With the cancellation of the Hoppings Noble's & Turner's put on 'The North East's Largest Fun Fair' at Herrington Country Park. This was no replacement for the Hoppings but featured thrill rides such as Spinning Coaster, Log Flume, Stargate, Shake Off, Bungee and Star Flyer - rides not seen open very often at North East fairs
Jamie Clark presented The Great Toon Fair which also took place during the period when the Hoppings would have been on at Newcastle's Nuns Moor. Making a very rare appearance out of Yorkshire was Terry Atha's Hell-Blazer Waltzer and this was the only North East fair in 2013 where Graham Sedgewick's Rock Rage could be found
Horsforth Gala saw Samantha Holland's Sizzler Twist make a rare appearance in Yorkshire
Marshall Waddington & Sons return to Middleton Park
George Rowland Tucker presented the funfair at Deighton Carnival (Huddersfield)
James Finnie presents a funfair on Bradford Moor
JULY
Gala Day at Spennymoor in Jubilee Park
Jamie Clark's funfair for Shiremoor Treat
The rides start to arrive for Wallsend Carnival
Scott Pullen 'brings Scarborough to Hull' with Donkey Rides, Punch & Judy and a Giant Sand Pit
The fair is in place for Durham Miners Gala 'Big Meeting'
Marshall Waddington & Sons open on the Gala Field at Hunslet (Leeds)
Gala Day at Springhead Park, Rothwell
Barmby Moor Feast - smallest fair I've seen at this location
A.S. Crow & Sons take their machines to the Seaside resort of Saltburn for the Duck Race
J.Murphy & Son return to Bishop Auckland with a few changes to the March fair held at the same location
The start of the School Summer Holidays so that can only mean one thing - Hornsea Carnival
Keith Turner opened at Ingleby Barwick Carnival
Robert Cooper returns to Hartlepool Marina for Lifeboat Fun Weekend
W.Crow & Son open over the road from Stockton Weekender on Dairy Car Park
Sunderland Air Show brings the crowds flocking to Wearside in their hundreds of thousands
Seaham Carnival was once again held over 3 days
AUGUST
Billed as 'Teesside's largest funfair' 2013 saw several changes to the line-up of attractions
All the fun of the fair returned to Redcar High Street
New location for the modern funfair at Pickering Traction Rally
Gala weekend saw the fair return to Keighley
International Funfairs opened in Huddersfield's Greenhead Park
Also open in Huddersfield Mega Value Fun Park on Cambridge Road Car Park where £4.99 got you unlimited rides for upto 3 hours
George Rowland Tucker returned to Thornhill Lees (Nr Dewsbury) for the annual Gala
The final fair of seven visited that day, a new venture for International Funfairs in Millenium Square, Leeds - City Beach
Terry Atha made the short journey from Pickering to the seaside town of Filey for party on the pitch
One of the busiest one day fairs in the Country - Whitby Regatta
Keith Turner & Sons presented the funfair at Ferryhill Gala
Noble's returned to Chester-le-Street's Riverside Park for August Bank Holiday
'The Newcastle Fair' opened at the bottom (Exhibition Park end) of the city's town moor
A new August Bank Holiday fair came to Middlesbrough's Albert Park presented by W.Crow & Son
First of seven fairs visited in one day as the fair returned to Harrogate's Stray for it's second visit of the season
Albert J Evans brought his World of Fun to Soldiers Field, Roundhay Park
Potternewton Park hosted Leeds Caribbean Carnival over two days
James Finnie presented an August Bank Holiday funfair in Bradford's Lister Park
W.Marshall's presented an August Bank Holiday funfair in Brighouse's Wellholme Park which had Characters at the fair on the 25th along with a ginat sandpit to keep the children entertained
The Showmens Guild Yorkshire Section presented a new August Bank Holiday fair in Huddersfield's Greenhead Park where International Funfairs had not long since been open
August Bank Holiday saw Newcastle host it's Mela in Exhibition Park just a stone's throw away from where The Newcastle Fair had just been held
Peterlee Show signals the end of the School Summer Holidays and the start of the 'back-end' part of the season
SEPTEMBER
Robert Cooper presented the funfair at Thornaby Show
Albert Evans returned to Hull with his 'World of Fun' in the City's East Park after opening in West Park in August
Keith Turner opened on Teesside for Billingham Carnival
Possibly North Yorkshire's largest funfair spanning the length of the High Street at Stokesley
Another new fair for Middlesbrough saw the town host 'Middlesbrough Live' which included a funfair in Centre Square with Richmond's Waltzer making a rare outing in the North East
OCTOBER
The East Coast's biggest funfair opened on William Street Coach Park in Scarborough
Start of October on Wearside can mean only one thing - Houghton Feast
The UK's largest travelling funfair came to Hull's Walton Street
Percival's Waltzer made possibly it's first appearance in the North East at Yarm Fair
All change in 2013 on the rides front at Bridlington's Hilderthorpe Coach Park
NOVEMBER
Stockton fireworks saw a crowd of over 50,000 attend this year's event
