Walkers Tussauds Photo Gallery

On our New Information pages, we present the story of the fondly-remembered Walkers Tussauds Waxworks on Royal Princes Parade. Here we present a gallery of photographs related to the Waxworks and the people behind the popular attraction. None of these images appear in Pennies by the Sea.


Brian Walker grooming one of the waxworks exhibits from a stepladder in 1978. Photograph: Wes Walker


Brian Walker carrying one of his wax models outside Walkers Tussauds Waxworks. Photograph: Wes Walker


One of two views of Brian Walker's grandparents' Autodrome ride in Blackpool in 1946. This ride operated on Blackpool's Golden Mile over 30 years before Brian Walker opened the Movie & Television Hall of Fame/Movie & TV World of Wax there. With a variety of highly popular showpieces, the Thorntons were prominent showpeople. Click on image for a larger view.  Photograph: Wes Walker


The Autodrome in this and the previous photograph was positioned season after season at the opposite side of the same block on which both Louis Tussauds stands and on which Brian Walker's exhibition once stood. Brian Walker closed his Blackpool attraction and pulled out of the resort in November 1998. Click on image for a larger view. Photograph: Wes Walker


A shot of walkers Tussauds founder Brian Walker as an infant, sat on the steps of his grandparent's living wagon, circa 1955. His son, Wes Walker, comments: "Not that you'd guess from the workaday sight of the old lad, but his grandfather Thos Thornton was a very gifted artist in his own right, doing all of his own fairground artistry and gold-leaf work on his rigs. I'd say that this was the sole influence on my father to do all his own creative and construction work." Click on image for a larger view. Photograph: Wes Walker


A general shot of the Thornton's living wagon, in which Brian Walker travelled for much of his formative years. Click on image for a larger view. Photograph: Wes Walker

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Published by:
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© 2006

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