Hello again; As more and more people learn about me and the website I have started receiving requests to help locate specific pieces of equipment. Some of these requests come from people who found me by searching the internet for people who help buy and sell amusement rides, games, inflatables, attractions, food concession machines, etc. Others have come to me because they saw where I have sold an item like the one they are looking for.
Today I’m writing about my progress so far in helping a lady from the United Kingdom to find a double decker carousel for a project they are working on. She saw the post about how I had successfully sold a Bertazzon double decker carousel, and she said they were hoping to find one just like it. Naturally, these kinds of carousels don’t come along every day, so I had to tell her sadly I don’t have one or know of one for sale. I did promise to make every effort to help find her one.
So first, I posted about having a buyer for such a carousel on Face Book, Linked In, Twitter, etc. I also mentioned needing the carousel in my regular weekly emails and directly contacted anyone I knew who had ever sold a ride like they are looking for. And I have had several replies so far, but I still haven’t found exactly what they are hoping for.
The first reply came from a showman in England who offered a ride called the figure eight formula. Not being familiar with every ride ever made I thought it could be a carousel. He sent me the photos and ride details, and I forwarded them to my buyer. I received a polite reply telling me this wasn’t what they were looking for and asked if I still wanted to help them find a carousel. I wasn’t sure what had happened until I showed the photos to my brother Patrick. You see not every one knows this, but I am almost totally blind. I have to get help reviewing and editing photos. However, in this case I was worried about the time difference. I didn’t want to make my client wait a whole day to get the information. So, it turns out the ride wasn’t a carousel but instead is a mini himalaya type ride with race cars. So, first I sent an email to the buyer and explained what had happened. I apologized for the mistake and told them I would be happy to keep looking for them. Next, I contacted the owner of the figure eight and told him the bad news. He agreed to have me list his ride in hopes of finding a buyer for it. So, I did. Here is the description of his ride.
It really is a beautiful children’s ride. It was built in 1998 by a company from Spain called Irosa. The owner has listed it for 95,000 Pounds Sterling or best reasonable offer. The owner tells me there would be no VAT, or value added tax, on this item. It rides 28 kids per load, and it takes up a space of 42 feet by 22 feet. It requires 20 KW or KVA of electricity to operate and takes only 90 minutes to set up and 60 minutes to take down. It can be seen operating in Coventry England for the next four weeks.
The only negative is that his pictures don’t properly show the ride. I have asked him to take some pictures from the inside of the ride so people can see just how great his ride is. I will post them if and when I receive them.
So, my next reply came from my contact at the factory in Hungary. She told me that they didn’t have a big carousel, but they had a package of three kiddie rides that included a small merry-go-round. They would be willing to separate it from the package. I knew this wouldn’t satisfy my buyer, but I showed it to them anyway. And then I asked about listing these rides on the website. The lady from Hungary said of course.
There are three exceptional kiddie rides with a truck to haul them for 59,000 euros. Included are a carousel, a train, and a swing ride.
The carousel is 8 meters, or about 27 feet, in diameter with a height of 5 meters, or about 17 feet. It can haul 25 kids per load, and it runs on 15 amps of three phase electricity.
The train is 16 meters, or about 53 feet, long by 7 meters, or about 23 feet, deep. It can handle 14 children at a time, and it runs on 10 amps of single phase electricity. And the swing ride has a diameter of 4 meters, or about 14 feet, with a height of 3 meters, or about 10 feet. It rides up to 16 kids per load, and it runs on 10 amps of three phase electricity.
The truck included is a 1997 Mercedes Actros. It has air breaks on all axles and is in excellent mechanical condition.
The seller has also told me that if you like the looney tunes coaster could be added to this package for a total price of 99,000 euros. You can Click this link to see the rest of the photos of the looney tunes coaster along with its complete details. She also tells me that The coaster and all three rides can be transported with a single truck. All of these items are located in Hungary and available immediately. The buyer will be responsible for picking them up or paying for their transportation. Considering the constant worries about fuel prices and hiring drivers, I would think either of these packages would be a great opportunity for a traveling showman or woman. And the excellent condition of these rides combined with the beautiful art work should make them a welcome addition to any amusement business.
Next, I heard from my contact at Rides and Fun in Italy. They told me they didn’t have a double decker carousel available, but that they did have a very beautiful single level model for sale. I told them that my buyer had her heart set on a double decker, but asked him to send me the pictures and description of the ride just in case. I forwarded the information to the buyer. Their reply was it is a beautiful ride but it just isn’t what we were hoping for. They said that maybe they could use it for now and replace it later with one like they wanted, but they asked me to keep looking.
This time I had anticipated my client and had already asked permission to list the Italian carousel on my site should the buyer not want it.
So, here it is. It is a gorgeous 10 meter carousel mounted on a 13.6 meter trailer for 225,000 euros. It is a portable model but it could easily be used on a fixed location. You would need to leave a circular space approximately 45 feet in diameter. It has a capacity of 40 people per load and requires only 30 KW or KVA worth of electricity to operate.
It was completely refurbished in December of 2012, and it will come with a year’s warrantee. It is located in Italy and available immediately with the buyer to pay all the costs of transporting it and installing it on their location. Now, I know that the Rides and Fun logo can be seen in the photos, but if you are interested in it; I hope you will go through my site or at least tell the people at the company that seeing it on my site was what spurred you to act. I can promise you that my commission will not effect the purchase price in the least.
I thought that in addition to seeing the pictures of these other rides and reading about them, that you might want to see some of the process I go through when trying to help someone. I thought it would help potential clients to understand the kind of persistent effort that they would receive from me should they list their items for sale with me or if they come to me needing help to find that one piece they have their heart set on. At the time of this post I am still searching for a double decker carousel like the one my buyer is hoping for. I have calls and emails out to people who operate mall carousels or who have owned one of these large show piece rides. And if you have one or know anyone who has one for sale, I hope you would Contact me immediately. I would still need to make something off of the sale, but that is something i can discuss with the owner if and when a suitable carousel is found. And if you enjoyed this post, I hope you will share it with your friends, family, or coworkers. Your comments and questions are also greatly appreciated. You don’t have to subscribe to anything to leave a comment. But perhaps you will consider clicking the subscribe link so you get an email each time I make one of these posts. I’m always available to answer questions exchange stories, or discuss the industry I love with my readers. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks and take care, Max
