Enterprise
Quick Facts
Manufacturer(s): Huss, Schwarzkopf, Bakker (all imported)
Debut year: 1979
First UK produced: 1 machine only in 1981
Last UK produced: see above
Total UK number: approx 16
Summary: Modern machine indicative of the fierce competition between European
manufacturers working to satisfy the rising expectation of German fairgoers.
Centrifugal force pushes the cars outwards from their hinged top, as the
ride lifts to vertical the cars go through a complete loop. An exciting
ride due to the relative freedom of movement of the passengers.
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list
The development of the Enterprise ride represented an
example of the close competition between German manufacturing giants Schwarzkopf
and Huss. This competitiveness meant that German fairs in the late 1970s
began to include some highly significant major rides as these two companies
locked horns to produce the biggest and the best – continuing such
competition with popular German rides such as the Breakdance and Polyp
(Monster’s Revenge). The spiralling dynamic between these two companies
also meant that many of the rides produced were too large to be considered
as a viable travelling option on the UK fairs. Consequently the first
investment of Enterprise rides to the UK was through our new found love
for theme parks that mushroomed in the early 1980s.
The general lineage on the Enterprise is traced back
through the 'Skylab' ride developed by Dutch manufacturer Bakker in the
1960s. The Skylab had the format of a 'Looping Carousel', a circular arrangement
of cars spun at a speed great enough to produce a high centrifugal force
such that a loop was performed as the ride tilted to vertical. The early
Skylab rides were constructed with 14 cars each holding 2 passengers in
a 2-abreast fashion, making the whole ride have a smaller diameter and
a the cars have a stockier appearance. As is commonly the case with UK
imports, the order in which the machines arrived in the UK does not map
directly back onto the order in which the machines were introduced, so
a couple of Skylabs had a brief sojourn on the UK fairs in the 1980s and
1990s.
The Skylab in flight at Newcastle.
The Enterprise as we know it was developed in 1972,
when a German showman approached Anton Schwarzkopf with a need for a much
larger self-supporting looping ride. No satisfactory agreement was reached,
but Schwarzkopf ran with the idea himself and set out to find a showman
willing to take on a prototype. The design promised a 20 metre diameter,
16 cars carrying 2 passengers, and a previously unmatched looping height
of 18 metres generated by speeds between 14 and 17 rpm. An agreement was
reached with the Tolisch family, and the ride premiered in 1973, utilising
the unique name ‘Enterprise’ which quickly became commonplace.
The naming of the ride and the tie-in with the popular television series
was not entirely coincidental – the cars had been designed to resemble
aspects of the Starship Enterprise, and the swanky upward folding doors
had been modelled on the prestigious Mercedes 300 SL roadster. Another
characteristic of the Schwarzkopf design was the ‘inverted L’
shaped lifting mechanism. This ambitious prototype also included a few
extras that proved impractical, including back-flash light tunnels and
an extra spinning frame of lights to create an illusion of greater speed.
The ride proved an instant success and Schwarzkopf were
ready to supply following the 12 month exclusivity deal granted to the
Tolisch family. However, Huss had quickly announced the introduction of
their 16 car machine at the Hamburg Interschau in 1975. Things were hotting
up. It was, however, the second Schwarzkopf Enterprise, developed for
showman Beuermann, that fashioned the direction of Schwarzkopf’s
ambitions. Beuermann opened the ride at Munich Oktoberfest and gave the
design maximum publicity to the many visiting representatives from theme
parks. Such park operators required a larger capacity, so Schwarzkopf
developed a 21 car version utilising a more compact car that in effect
generated the same footprint as the prototype 16 car version. The 1/3
increase in seating capacity was offset against the comfort and swanky
design of the previous cars, and this new version became a flagship ride
for Schwarzkopf.
Huss entered the Enterprise scene in 1975, with a carefully
thought out 20 car machine. The Huss model developed a different lifting
mechanism and added sliding doors to the cars. Heavy promotion and good
finance packages meant that the Huss model became a rapid hit, outstripping
the sales on the already popular Schwarzkopf models. Huss even went one
step further by producing the giant Skylab in 1979, an Enterprise that
featured 15 larger capacity cars (each holding 4 people) and a looping
height of 30 metres.
Enterprise rides in the UK are not prolific, and the
fact that many have been stationed in parks makes them difficult to keep
track of. It would appear that Blackpool Pleasure Beach were the first
investors taking a Huss ride in 1979, with Barry Island, Porthcawl and
Alton Towers following suit. Other Huss machines came and went through
various parks, whilst it appears our only Schwarzkopf ride was operated
by the prolific Bembom Brothers at Margate.
Futuristic detailing on Lightwater Valley's Enterprise.
Rhyl, 1986 - a typical Huss machine.
Mitchells of Skegness, who run the pier and manufacture
juvenile rides, developed their own Enterprise in 1980. The story
goes that the first attempt proved unsuccessful, and the ride never
made it into action, however the second version spent many years
on the pier before moving on to a travelling life. This Enterprise
is an 18 car version, and was famously modified for Billy Wright
to produce the unique ‘Millennium’ – an Enterprise
with outward facing ‘dangly-feet’ cars.
As a footnote to this brief history it is instructive
to note in the World's fair 11/06/1977 of the intention of show
family Franklin announcing their intention to build a 12-car version
of the famous German Enterprise ride. It was around this time that
Franklins had built Lifting Paratroopers, but it is unknown as to
whether an Enterprise was attempted.
Mitchell's self-built machine on its debut at Skegness Pier.
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