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ALF SCOTTS’ WALTZER

Scotts’ Wonder Waltzer was one of a batch built by the Musselburgh firm of George Maxwell & Sons in the mid-1950’s. It was delivered new to Alf Scott in 1955, who travelled it around Lancashire, Cumbria, and West Yorkshire. The ride was always immaculate. After the untimely death of Alf Scott, his widow Elizabeth continued to travel the ride, eventually remarrying, and the waltzer then became Charlie Jameson’s. It then passed to Richard Cubbins in 1990, and is now travelled by James Holland, who acquired it in 1996. The dance band and dance theme décor was the work of Sid Farmer: probably his finest. The Waltzer was rebuilt some years ago, and the original décor dispensed with. Dingles Steam Village have on show the drum from above the paybox, a shutter, and the two front false pillars. The remaining shutters and the front boards are in store pending conservation.

	The ride when new in the mid-50’s.
	Front view of the ride in the early 1980’s, before modernisation. Below: a close up of the dance band scene on the front.

The two front pillars featuring Teddy boy and girl dancers.

	Back view of the ride, showing the dancing scenes on the rounding boards, and the shutters with the individual Waltz themes.
Right: A close up of the rounding boards, showing the 1950’s dancing theme. Below: close ups of the shutters, showing the individual Waltz themes.

Victory Waltz	Lucky Waltz
Blue Danube Waltz	Skaters’ Waltz
Anniversary Waltz	Bridal Waltz
Merry Widow Waltz	Tenessee Waltz
Flirtation Waltz	Waltz Vienna

Above: Two views of the paybox: surely one of the most elaborate ever painted? Right & below: The paybox with centre drum above: the drum is now part of the Fairground Art collection at Dingles Steam Village
Below: the two different car designs featured on the ride.

	Left & above: the centre drum now in Dingles.
Right: the Kentucky Waltz shutter with the two front pillars on display at Dingles. The “Girls Love This” lettered gag card is by Duffields of Colchester, and is from the Bert Stock’s Langwheels Coronation Speedway.

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