In 1938, West View Park purchased a new dark ride, Ride-N-Laff. It was installed and opened on May 8, 1938, the first day of the 1938 operating season.
Ride-N-Laff was manufactured by the Ralph E. Chambers Engineering Company (commonly called R.E. Chambers Company) of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The Chambers company was the successor company to Traver Engineering Company, famous for among other rides, Caterpillar, Chair Swing, and Tumble Bug. Traver Engineering went bankrupt in 1933; Traver’s chief engineer, Richard E. Chambers, purchased the production plant in Beaver Falls and renamed the company.
The ride was converted into Davey Jones Locker after the 1963 season. Davey Jones Locker opened on June 6, 1964.
It is sometimes said that Ride-N-Laff was remodeled into Land of the Giants and then Davey Jones Locker, but this is incorrect. Davey Jones Locker was remodeled into Land of the Giants in 1977.
If anyone has any pictures of Ride-N-Laff before it was renovated into Davey Jones Locker, please contact me in the comments section below, or on The Amusement Parkives Facebook page.
To read more Throwback Thursday Posts, click here.
