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JOE LING’S MOONROCKET

This is one of around fourteen Moonrocket rides built by R J Lakin & Co of Streatham, in conjunction with Maxwells of Musselborough, and delivered in April 1938. The ride, though based in Yorkshire, travelled extensively, appearing at fairs as far apart as London and Newcastle.

The ride was approximately 52’ diameter, although actually an ellipse in plan. It consisted of a circle of cars, inclined at a steep angle. Thus the rear gates were very high, and there were many stays to keep the ride stable, as seen above. 

The four wheel centre had two motors: a 25hp main drive motor, which drove the cheese wheel, and a smaller 5hp motor which turned the centre cone. The cheese wheel held 20 girders, which in turn carried 20 platforms.

The rocket cars were one to each section, each seating four people: two in each of two compartments. Two opposing platforms had no rocket car, carrying instead a tail and nose cone, thus dividing the rocket cars into two long rocket ships, as can be seen in this photograph.

The Moonrocket was noted for being a very fast ride: the circle of cars rotating at 12rpm, inside of which the counter-rotating centre dome turned at around 6rpm, giving an illusion of great speed. Like many of the Moonrocket rides, a Popeye figure figure astride a small rocket was mounted on the centre dome – this can also be seen in the photograph below. The Popeye from the Ling Rocket can be seen on display within the Museum.

Because of the revolving centre, there was no centre pole or central support, and the roof had to be constructed Dodgem-style, with three large principals supporting the normal rafters and stays.

 On the Ling Rocket a large illuminated “Sunburst” was hung from the main principal, with an archway either side, through which Popeye passed as he revolved on the centre dome. The Sunburst has survived with the ride, and it is hoped to have it on display later this year.

In common with most of the other Maxwell/Lakin Rockets, it was delivered with two box trucks – one for the cars, one for the scenery – and two flat trucks for the bottom, as well as the centre. It is thought that the centres were the first to be built by Maxwells on pneumatics.

During the War one of the flat trucks and its load was destroyed by fire, and a new set of gates was constructed by Hursts of Retford. The Popeye figure was also damaged, and recarved by Sid Wright – see the photograph left.

The machine continued to travel with Joe’s son John Ling until 1962, after which the loads were laid up in their yard at Burn, near Selby. They remained there, heavily overgrown, until 1978, when the ride was purchased by enthusiast Philip Knightbridge, and removed to Stratford on Avon under the guidance of Michael Smith.

Philip Knightbridge started restoration of the ride, but the incomplete project was acquired by the Fairground Heritage Trust in 1994.

The ride is one of only two to have survived; the other remaining “Rocket” having been extensively modernised in the 1950’s, with swing-out cars. The Ling machine is the only one to have remained in its original configuration.

Since acquisition by the Trust, the original cars have been lost, although fortunately the nose cones and tail pieces remain. However, most of the remainder of the ride has survived, with some outstanding artwork by Edwin Hall. It is now in storage at Dingles, awaiting extensive restoration. It is envisaged this will be a very major project, but the ride is an outstandingly important piece of fairground history.

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