Crazy & Co.

Equipment, Event Planning, Funfair Rides

New Equipment, Spill Kits

29 March 2023

Most of our equipment is powered by electricity. Many items such as the funfair rides can’t connect to a standard household supply, and require generators to run them.

Generators tend to run from diesel fuel. There are a handful of smaller ones that run from LPG tanks, and occasionally a petrol powered example. But by and large diesel is the fuel of choice.

Unfortunately when you have generators containing diesel, and quite possibly additional diesel in storage drums, there is the potential for spillage. When diesel spills it spreads, a lot. A couple of litres can cover a wide area depending on the surface type.

Spill Kits

To insure against the risks of spillages, we have just added spill clean up kits to all of our generators, and a couple of portable units for use with contracted in suppliers.

A selection of products are contained, starting with plug and dike putty which is designed to harden on contact with fuel to plug the leaks. A selection of absorbent socks to dam fuel from flowing into drains or watercourses. Absorbent granules and pads to soak up the spill. and a spray containing bacteria that converts oil or fuel into CO2 and sugar to clean the traces of the spill up.

Oh and handy plastic gloves and refuse sacks to keep you clean whilst you dispose of everything. And a handy instruction sheet to allow anyone to use the kit.

Oh and just in case you are wondering, about step one referring to Fred Miller. Well, he is one of the team who is possessed by the spirit of Frank Spencer of Some Mothers Do Have Em fame. If we ever have a major diesel spill, Fred will be involved somehow. He will have tripped and pulled a pipe off, or pressed the wrong button or something.

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Catering, Equipment, Event Planning, funfair events, Funfair Games, Funfair Rides, Major Fairs

Hamburger Dom, A Major Fair

23 March 2023

Many of the funfairs around the world have a long and storied history. Some started as feast days, other ‘hirings’ where able bodied men presented themselves for potential work.

Today’s post is the world famous Hamburg Dom, which dates from the 11th Century. The whole shebang started when the old Mariendom cathedral was used as a shelter by the local merchants and entertainers. This was a tradition which lasted centuries, until the cathedral was demolished in 1804.

The merchants remained ‘homeless’ until 1893 when a new location was found for them in the Heiligengeistfeld event space in St Pauli district.

The name Dom is the only link to the days in the old Cathedral or ‘Dom’ in German.

Originally a winter market was held on the site. In the 30’s a spring market was added to help ease local merchants through the economic crisis. Post World War 2 a summer market was introduced as well.

Nowadays Hamburg DOM is the largest fair in Northern Germany and the longest running in the country with three seperate 30 day events. Like many modern events the fair is primarily a fun fair with a huge selection of modern rides, games and food outlets, over 200 in all, definitely putting up around the top of the major European events.

The events have a tradition that Wednesday’s are family days, where special rates are on offer for kids. Every Friday night they offer hugh firework displays.

The summer DOM hosts rainbow day, to coincide with Pride week, including a separate parade through the fairground.

Hamburg Food

Like many European fairs, food is a big part. Hamburg being known for Schmalzkuchen, it’s famous fried bite sized doughnuts, also roast almonds, currywurst and sauerkraut.

Over 60 stalls serving these treats along with the usual fare of coffee, candy floss etc. Oh, and one major difference between the UK and European funfairs, is that they tend to serve beer, mulled wine and other alcoholic beverages.

Resources:

Hamburg Dom Website

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Catering, Equipment, Fun Story

New Equipment, High Power Generator

21 March 2023

Lockdown during Covid had many effects. Most of them not good. However sometimes adversity leads you down a new path. In our case a more profitable one. We had always provided what we called fun catering services. Doughnuts, candy floss etc. During lockdown we had a number of our corporate clients ask us to provide catering services more along the lines of a main meal.

This led us into providing a range of services such as gourmet burgers, Chinese noodles, jacket potatoes etc. This was a good move as it turned out. However it did rapidly create a major problem for us. Namely that of power requirements.

For doughnuts etc, the client would provide a single 13 amp socket which was more than adequate. however when we moved up to mains catering, we would have for instance a couple of chip fryers, a couple of hot plates for the burgers, a chip warmer and perhaps a water boiler.

All told we could quite easily need not far off 40 amps. So the conversation would go like this.

“We need at least four seperate 13 amp supplies”

Client, “Yep no problem”

Only on the day what would happen is would set up, ask for our power supplies and be handed a 6 way adaptor with the comment that 4 were for us, and the other two for the DJ and pizza van. So they were intending to run around 60 amps from a single 13 amp supply. Predictably we would either melt the socket, or more usually blow the fuse or circuit breaker.

10 K.V.A. Generator

We already had some 10 K.V.A. portable generators, which combined with some new LPG powered equipment we obtained, allowed us to carry out most events.

Unfortunately many venues don’t allow the use of LPG due to the purported safety risks. So eventually we decided that we would need more electrical power.

66 K.V.A. Higher Power

We investigated what was on the market, and took an in depth look at what are requirements were, and come to the conclusion that around 30 k.v.a. would be fine.

So obviously we went out and bought one with a bit over twice the power at 66. Why you may ask?

Easy, 30 would do us for the time being, but any expansion or multiple items at the same time and suddenly we would be back to struggling with power again. Additionally the larger unit was only some £800 more than the smaller version. Was physically the same size, and used the same engine, so running costs should be on par. In short the only difference was the actual electrical alternator which converts the engine motion into actual electricity.

We had a selection of single and three phase sockets added for ease of use, had our new branding applied to the unit, and added one of our new spill kits to provide insurance in the case of any fluid spills.

We also had a custom built trailer unit made from our friends at Fairtech Fabrications, this allowed us to transport the unit behind any of our range of vans.

Resources For Power Generators:

Integrated Power Solutions

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Equipment, Fun Story, funfair events, Funfair Rides

Tivoli Park Denmark

18 March 2023

One of the worlds oldest amusement parks. Tivoli dates from 15 August 1843, when Georg Carstensen first opened the park after being granted permission by the King.

Originally it consisted of exotic and enchanting gardens that amongst other visitors so impressed one Hans Christian Anderson that he was inspired to write the fairytale, the Nightingale.

1844 The Tivoli Boys Guard

Constantly on the lookout for new ideas, Carstensen introduced the Honorary guard. From small beginnings this grew to not only become a cultural icon, but also evolved into a musical education centre for children.

Carstensen sadly only ran the park for five years. Leaving in 1848 when he enlisted to fight in the war against Prussia. This led to him being fired by the Tivoli board citing breach of contract. On his return to Denmark in 1857 he founded a rival park at Alhambra in Frederiksberg in competition with Tivoli. He didn’t actually get to see this one in operation, dying from pneumonia at the age of 44.

1874 The Peacock Theatre

Erected in 1874 the current theatre is the oldest building in the park, and protected by law. A bit like our listed buildings. The theatre has the motto “Shared joy with the people”, engraved above the stage in Chinese letters.

Hans Lumbye, the composer was in charge of the music from the start of the park. A violinist and prolific composer, he put together some 800 pieces of music. Known in some places as the ‘Strauss of the North’, he composed the world famous Champagne Galop. Touring with his orchestra during the Winter months, he sadly died the same year the theatre opened.

The Restaurant WIVEL, later called Wivex became a notorious water hole for a group of infamous First World War profiteers. Later the national broadcaster used it to broadcast dinner concerts. Eventually it closed in the 1960’s.

1914 Tivoli Roller Coasters

Tivoli had a roller coaster in 1842, a seven second thrill ride.

In 1914, the new coaster was opened. Called Rutschebanen (or roller coaster in English), this is still operating today, making it one of the oldest wooden coasters in existence. Up until the installation of moderner cars, it actually had brakemen riding in each car to slow it on turns and downhill.

Sabotage

During World War Two, the park suffered two unfortunate instances of sabotage, when pro Nazi Danes snuck into the park after it closed and planted a number of fire bombs. Extensive damage was caused and the park was closed for two weeks whilst the damage was rectified.

1951 Walt Disney Visits

The first Disneyland was opened in California in 1955. Walt Disney, its founder paid a number of visits to the Tivoli park in 1951. He enjoyed the ambience of the park and was hoping to impart something similar to his own park.

Today the park has in excess of four million visitors per year. Making it the second most visited seasonal amusement park in the world, and the biggest in Scandinavia.

Resources;

Tivoli Park

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Catering, Equipment, Food Trucks

New Equipment, High End Coffee Grinders

13 March 2023

We are in the process of building a new coffee van, this time based on a vintage Citroen Acadiane van. We wanted to give this more of a 1970’s vibe so commissioned the rebuild of a vintage Cimbali lever pull espresso machine to fit in with the ‘vibe’.

Claude Our Soon To Be Little Citroen Coffee Van

Coffee Grinders

We also needed a new coffee grinder and wanted a more utilitarian looking grinder to go with this. The modern stuff is all flashing lights and in built computers, we wanted something that looked, well, a bit more solid.

Some one recommended the German brand Mahlkönig. After a brief look online, it looked solid enough to fit the bill, and came with a fabulous recommendation. So we bought one.

Jeez, when I actually went to collect it I was stunned. This wasn’t just solid. This was the King Tiger Tank of grinders. I think it is actually heavier than the single group coffee machine we are having refurbed.

You have to actually see this in the flesh to appreciate just how friggin big it actually is.

Mahlkönig

The company was founded in Hamburg in 1924. Initially it concentrated on the production of electric motors. But in the 60’s made the decision to concentrate on the production of coffee grinders.

The company rapidly established an enviable reputation for quality coffee grinders, leading up to its present day position as one of the market leaders.

Anyway stay tuned for images of our little red coffee van as it is due to be launched in the next few weeks.

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