A THRILLING side-show ride will return to Barry Island - for a limited time.
The Wall of Death ride first appeared at Barry Island in the 1930s, featuring a silo- or barrel-shaped wooden cylinder inside which motorcyclists – or mini automobile drivers – travel along the vertical wall, performing stunts.
The audience watches from the top of the drum, with riders held in place by centrifugal force and friction.
Described as “the most thrilling show you will see in your lifetime” the Wall of Death was set to return to Barry Island in 2020, but the Covid pandemic but this on hold.
But, now the Wall of Death is set to return to Barry Island, with daily shows from Friday May 13 to Sunday May 22.
It will be brought to Barry Island by the Ken Fox troupe who have toured, along with their 20-foot vertical wall, since the 1920s and “will thrill and delight you with their stunts, skills and tricks”.
The troupe will be at Barry Island's Pleasure Park between 10am and 5pm, providing some entertainment along with the fairground rides and games already based there.
When the Wall of Death first came to Barry in the 1930s it was brought by Tornado Smith, who rode around in a car with a lion on it.
This was followed by Frank Todd's German Wall of Death, which was based in Barry for a number of years in the 1950s.
You can read more on the history of the Wall of Death, and people’s memories of seeing it in Barry, here.
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