Deejay Denzel Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 So strictly speaking the sports halls were partly below ground level as I suspected and the cave was below them? Interesting stuff anyway? Would love to see/have a copy of those plans but I'm assuming they're only on paper and not a soft copy? Correct sir, going on the gradient of king Edward rd going passed summerland, the depth below road level varies from end to end. Originally the whole downstairs was one big area, if you think of the area the 2 5-a-side pitches covered, it went back a 3rd more to the cliff face, after the fire the squash courts were built on this other area and still a void behind that which housed the buildingsprinkler system water tank and pressurisation equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desperate Dan Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I never saw that photo, I had a few Jars the other night so can't really remember. Is it the same one? Impressive plans though, would love to see the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Superb! Cheers for those. Please sir - can I have some more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deejay Denzel Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Superb! Cheers for those. Please sir - can I have some more? I'll scan the rest of the plans in and get in touch with you when i'm done Cret. Dan, lay off the JD's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Much obliged mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
???? Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I believe there's alot of structure below ground level which they still have to break up then fill in the hole. The cave nightclub was the only below ground level area. They cut into it and back filled before they started cutting the roof down, they needed to do this so they could get the machinery closer without it caving in. Are you sure? There was a drive in entrance at the side at road level that went downhill for starters. Also, bear in mind that when you went through the side entrance to the cave you went in at road level, down one flight of stairs to the cloakroom/bogs level, then down a rather long flight of stairs to get down to the cave itself so I can't see how that's the only level as it didn't exactly have super high ceilings or anything. I'd have thought the sports halls were below ground level partly but hard to tell with going upstairs then back downstairs again to get to them. That said though the entrance where you went in for the sports halls was at road level and had a stairway that also went downwards just inside the entrance so there would obviously have been something down there too. As far as I can remember (I worked there when it first opened) the Cave disco was situated in what used to be the Derby Castle swimming pool. This is at a lower level than what used to be a fairground, which in turn, is just below road level. The toilets that were passed on the way down the stairs into the Cave, were actually built on the roadway leading into Summerland and the toilet roof was accessed from this roadway also. I have seen Summerland staff peering into the ladies toilets through the roof fans, and was told that I would be amazed at how many women shared the cubicle with a friend. There used to be a full sized `Waltzer` under wraps on the roadway, but it was never used, pity. Great place to work, but the wages were crap and the then manager (Remo Berterelli) was a first class t**t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deejay Denzel Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Below are 5 out of the 8 original plans I have. I will post the other 2 up tomorrow or over the weekend. ??? was right about the toilets butting out into the service area although to get above the toilets you had to go through a maintenance door insde the nightclub which was between the mens and ladies toilets. Although this door was meant for access to the tolet cisterns, you could in fact climb up above the toilets ceilings and look down. I only found this out after the place had closed down as this door was always locked during service. The plans clearly show the door through from what was recently the sports hall into the nightclub just by the ladies toilet (plan S3) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideways Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Summerland RIP what should have been so great but wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Summerland was great for its short life in its intended form. Two main problems, as I recall, were the extensive use of Oraglass (probably got the spelling wrong) and the locking/chaining of fire doors to stop people getting in without paying admission. I do, very clearly, remember the night it went up as it was my Dad's birthday so we watched a James Bond film in the Crescent cinema. When we came out there was absolute pandemonium on the prom and looking to the left we could see why; Summerland was just a red brick with smoke billowing across the bay. An awful time, not least because the phone lines were so jammed that you couldn't make a local call so no one knew who may have been in there or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 It must have been a horrific time. Cheers for those plan scans though - they're superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Some photos of Summerland and the demolition (I'll post them in batches because uploading all at once seems to mess up the order) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Damn flood control Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
???? Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 The fire exits that led out to the MER workshops were chained shut on the instructions of the manager`Bertarelli`, although he was not the manager at the time of the fire. He got really upset about the few kids that used to sneak in via the fire exits every day. The huge glass doors that led from Summerland onto the swimming pool viewing area were also locked. I believe this was on the instructions of the pool operators (Douglas Corporation) and not the operators of Summerland (Trusthouse Forte). One night after closing, the night watchman for the main building found a young lad (maybe eight or nine years old) hiding behind a curtain close to the viewing area doors. It transpired that he had got onto the boat in Liverpool without paying, found his way to Summerland and then entered the building, also without paying. All Bertarelli wanted to know was, how the hell he got into Summerland for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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