It stood proudly at the south west corner of the Winter Gardens, affording magnificent views of the Irish Sea and beyond and was a wonder of the Victorian Age.
Also known as the Giant Wheel and the Gigantic Wheel, its construction began in 1895 and eventually opened in 1896, two years after the Tower.
The 220ft high attraction was equipped with huge, 28ft long coaches, capable of carrying 30 passengers. To this day at least one carriage still remains, lovingly restored at a house in St Michael’s and another was once used as a shed in a Cleveleys garden.
Sadly the dismantling of the wheel began in 1928 because it was commercially unsustainable – it had grown too old and too slow for 1920s Blackpool.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach also had a Ferris Wheel – a twin one and the resort still retains the Big Wheel attraction on Central Pier. It remains one of the resort’s most iconic features.
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7. Big Wheels of Blackpool
Building the Big Wheel or Great Wheel, as it was also known, began in 1865 and it was in place for three decades before being demolished in 1928. It was a superb feat of engineering and what a skyline in this view down Adelaide Street... Photo: National World
8. Keepin the Big Wheels turning
The 220ft high attraction, alongside the Winter Gardens Pavilion, gave visitors a bird's eye view of the resort for 32 years. Photo: Historical
9. Blackpool's Big Wheel
Judith Hunter, of Wild Boar Cottage in St Michaels, whose house extension is the only remaining carriage from Blackpool 's Big Wheel. Judith is pictured in 2017 with a commemorative plate Photo: Rob Lock
10. Blackpool's Big Wheels
An aerial view in which the Big Wheel takes centre stage Photo: Steve Szydlowski
11. Blackpool's Big Wheels
This was as demolition began. It must have been quite a sad sight to see the wheel being broken down, piece by piece. The carriages and a selection of the wheel had been removed by the time this photograph was taken on 18th March 1929. Note the workers on the cut away section, on the spindle and climbing the left hand spoke Photo: Submit
12. Blackpool's Big Wheels
One of the carriages from the Big Wheel was re-used as a cafe at St Michael's - the size of it is staggering Photo: staff