Nostalgia

I was watching a programme on Satellite T.V. It is called PBS America. It isn't a popular channel but sometimes has something of interest. Well to me anyway.
 This programme was about Funfairs in the USA. Old fashioned ones that is.
 They are all static funfairs therefore can have the old fashioned big dippers. Also though were rides that I could recall when I was just a youngster. Moonrocket to name one.
 We had at Grantham what was called Mid-Lent Fair. It was as it said is held in  the middle of Lent so sometimes it would be held in early March. I have been there when it has snowed. However I digress.
 The fair would arrive late Saturday night then it was all hands to the helm. The workmen worked like trojans all Sunday erecting everything from the Steam Boats to the local stalls. On Monday the fair was officially opened on Monday at Noon by the Mayor who traditionally had a ride on the dodgems. On Wednesday evening after the fair was closed, dismantling started and by Thursday evening everything had gone.
 Back to the nostalgia. Besides the moonrocket there was the whip. a sort of waltzer but they were individual contraptions on level ground. You could brake the speed to make it whip round. I'm not very good at explaining things. Moonrocket was the fastest ride of the whole fair, closely followed by Noah's Ark. Whereas Noah's Ark was an undulating ride Moonrocket was always built on an angle so was tilted at an angle of about 15 degrees. Popeye was going anticlockwise at a gentle speed of about 15mph and when the speed  of the ride reached it's climax, in the evening the lights would be turned off for a few seconds. Scary at the time but very tame for the kids of today. One year the caterpillar came, this was on the PBS, it was that that reminded me of some of the rides. The caterpillar was a level roundabout, not going at huge speeds but as it went round a canvas hood came over and covered the whole ride. Hence the caterpillar. I only ever saw it once, I guess it was too tame in those days to generate some excitement. It must have been some to years ago since I saw that ride. What memories.
 There was a Noah's Ark on some of the funfairs  and they seemed to be very popular with the general public.
 I guess that the film was taken a few years ago, unfortunately I didn't catch the year. Sky 166 is the place to find the programme.
 Here is a little teaser.
 "The quick brown Fox jumped over the lazy Dogs".
 Answer the next time.  More soon.