I'm back with a new park! Been working on a few parks for a while, but I feel this has the most potential, so I'm going to stick with it! As I normally do, there's no real timescale so I don't limit myself to the future of the park. Anyway, on to business!
Bradnop Farm was once a busy place, livestock and crops could be seen for miles. But in the late 70's, the land had been overworked. With the farmer being a huge fan of steam engines, he decided to scrap the farming and build himself a railway on his land.
Over the years, the site developed, once again livestock were kept on site, although not the cows and sheep of yesteryear, but horses and ostriches for visitors to view. Then came the Quad Bikes in a small patch of woodland just behind the railway station. As the site got more and more popular, it became a thriving business for the man who was once just a farmer. He saw the amount of people who came to ride the rides, and decided that a Roller Coaster was the next thing for him. "Barnstormer" was born, an arrow looper using inspiration from the areas history as it's theme, this was followed closely by "Apple Bobber", a small Frog Hopper located in the same area.
In the last couple of years, vast amounts of money have been spent focusing the aims of the park as primarily a museum and animal park. This has included the rebranding from "Bradnop Farm" to the "Bradnop Discovery Centre", installation of a large Transport Museum and Workshops for the operational railway locomotives, construction of a large cinema and industrial history museum, an aviary, a special grotto used during December to house Santa and most recently a large entertainments venue. The latter was built in conjunction with the Merlin group.
Anyway, enough story time, lets move on to a visit to the park.
The Entrance, The Merlin Entertainment's Arena certainly has made it's mark here.
As soon as you enter, you are greeted by the Steam Railway's station.
Also at the entrance, on the fence of the station, is an electronic board showing what attractions are available (Today, it's all of them, although some days only the animal or heritage attractions are open)
A look at the park map gives us a vague idea as to the layout of everything, although it's not very accurate really.
Seeing as it's right by the entrance, I headed to the Transport museum for a look around first.
You can get a good idea of the exhibits before you enter.
It's packed full of Trams, Trains & Cars.
At the back of the Museum, there's the workshop for the operational Trains. There are two sets used, one of which is here in the workshop. If you look closely, out the back you can an old Severn-Lambe diesel train that was used as a spare before the second steam set was purchased. It's been out of use for many years and is unlikely to return.
Built on to the right of the Transport Museum is a Burger Bar. The only restaurant in the centre, the meals can be a bit pricey but they are very tasty.
Now, into the main courtyard and located just behind the Station we have "Forest Quads"
This was the first non-educational attraction at the park.
Bradnope Farm Bird Barn (The name giving a nod to the site's former use) houses an array of exotic birds.
Inside, there is a Snack Shack offering soft drinks. The two wooden structures inside become the entrance and exit to Santa's Grotto during December, as the whole Bird Barn is given a makeover and become part of the festive offering.
Back out of the Bird Barn, we head across the tracks to The Orchard, where we find the centre's star attraction...
"Barnstormer", the Arrow Looper.
The station shows this ride's age well, being simplistic yet practical.
Opposite the coaster's entrance is the cute, yet well themed, froghopper "Apple Bobber".
Within Barnstormer's ride area we have a small, but genuine, orchard, where apple trees grow.
With the coaster looming over, you can pick up a drink or an ice cream here at the Snack Shack.
Now, located between the orchard and the transport museum, we have The Arena.
Although within the Centre, it is operated by the Merlin Group, and plays host to many shows.
I'm not quite sure what show was on today, it didn't appear to correlate with any of the posters outside...
I moved swiftly on after that, and headed back across the central courtyard to the Animal Paddocks and Industrial Museum, in the newly created "Discovery Zone"
You may have noticed that right next to the entrance to this area, there is a bit of construction taking place. This is the to be the Education Centre, the final phase of the huge redevelopment of the site.
Crossing the line, we see the large "Industrial History" centre, featuring a cinema playing a film about how the industrial revolution affected local life.
Within the centre, there is a large space which is normally full of exhibits telling the story of the area's industrial past. On the day of my visit, it was undergoing a refurbishment and changing the exhibits, so looked a bit bare.
The cinema playing the film. It really is quite fascinating.
Across the way from the Industrial centre, we find the two animal paddocks. This is the horses...
...and this is the ostriches.
Opposite the Ostrich paddock we find another Snack Shack.
I'm assuming this is the Woodland Walk that's on the map, it's right next to the Industrial History building, although it doesn't look very open to me. Infact, it doesn't look like it's ever opened.
And finally, I leave you with a shot of the Steam Train about to depart on it's loop around the park and beyond.
The site is huge, and offers a lot of potential. Only riding the Railway do you get a full idea of the unused space that surrounds what we see as the centre. There are many rumours about the future of this place, but that's all they are at the moment, rumours. Although, if only one or two of them come to light, this may become a real tourist destination.
Out of story now, this is an overview of the site. Bear in mind that only the actually site of the park is landscaped at the moment, I just wanted to show the site in a bit more clarity than the dodgy photoshop map!
_______
Bradnop Farm was once a busy place, livestock and crops could be seen for miles. But in the late 70's, the land had been overworked. With the farmer being a huge fan of steam engines, he decided to scrap the farming and build himself a railway on his land.
Over the years, the site developed, once again livestock were kept on site, although not the cows and sheep of yesteryear, but horses and ostriches for visitors to view. Then came the Quad Bikes in a small patch of woodland just behind the railway station. As the site got more and more popular, it became a thriving business for the man who was once just a farmer. He saw the amount of people who came to ride the rides, and decided that a Roller Coaster was the next thing for him. "Barnstormer" was born, an arrow looper using inspiration from the areas history as it's theme, this was followed closely by "Apple Bobber", a small Frog Hopper located in the same area.
In the last couple of years, vast amounts of money have been spent focusing the aims of the park as primarily a museum and animal park. This has included the rebranding from "Bradnop Farm" to the "Bradnop Discovery Centre", installation of a large Transport Museum and Workshops for the operational railway locomotives, construction of a large cinema and industrial history museum, an aviary, a special grotto used during December to house Santa and most recently a large entertainments venue. The latter was built in conjunction with the Merlin group.
Anyway, enough story time, lets move on to a visit to the park.
The Entrance, The Merlin Entertainment's Arena certainly has made it's mark here.
As soon as you enter, you are greeted by the Steam Railway's station.
Also at the entrance, on the fence of the station, is an electronic board showing what attractions are available (Today, it's all of them, although some days only the animal or heritage attractions are open)
A look at the park map gives us a vague idea as to the layout of everything, although it's not very accurate really.
Seeing as it's right by the entrance, I headed to the Transport museum for a look around first.
You can get a good idea of the exhibits before you enter.
It's packed full of Trams, Trains & Cars.
At the back of the Museum, there's the workshop for the operational Trains. There are two sets used, one of which is here in the workshop. If you look closely, out the back you can an old Severn-Lambe diesel train that was used as a spare before the second steam set was purchased. It's been out of use for many years and is unlikely to return.
Built on to the right of the Transport Museum is a Burger Bar. The only restaurant in the centre, the meals can be a bit pricey but they are very tasty.
Now, into the main courtyard and located just behind the Station we have "Forest Quads"
This was the first non-educational attraction at the park.
Bradnope Farm Bird Barn (The name giving a nod to the site's former use) houses an array of exotic birds.
Inside, there is a Snack Shack offering soft drinks. The two wooden structures inside become the entrance and exit to Santa's Grotto during December, as the whole Bird Barn is given a makeover and become part of the festive offering.
Back out of the Bird Barn, we head across the tracks to The Orchard, where we find the centre's star attraction...
"Barnstormer", the Arrow Looper.
The station shows this ride's age well, being simplistic yet practical.
Opposite the coaster's entrance is the cute, yet well themed, froghopper "Apple Bobber".
Within Barnstormer's ride area we have a small, but genuine, orchard, where apple trees grow.
With the coaster looming over, you can pick up a drink or an ice cream here at the Snack Shack.
Now, located between the orchard and the transport museum, we have The Arena.
Although within the Centre, it is operated by the Merlin Group, and plays host to many shows.
I'm not quite sure what show was on today, it didn't appear to correlate with any of the posters outside...
I moved swiftly on after that, and headed back across the central courtyard to the Animal Paddocks and Industrial Museum, in the newly created "Discovery Zone"
You may have noticed that right next to the entrance to this area, there is a bit of construction taking place. This is the to be the Education Centre, the final phase of the huge redevelopment of the site.
Crossing the line, we see the large "Industrial History" centre, featuring a cinema playing a film about how the industrial revolution affected local life.
Within the centre, there is a large space which is normally full of exhibits telling the story of the area's industrial past. On the day of my visit, it was undergoing a refurbishment and changing the exhibits, so looked a bit bare.
The cinema playing the film. It really is quite fascinating.
Across the way from the Industrial centre, we find the two animal paddocks. This is the horses...
...and this is the ostriches.
Opposite the Ostrich paddock we find another Snack Shack.
I'm assuming this is the Woodland Walk that's on the map, it's right next to the Industrial History building, although it doesn't look very open to me. Infact, it doesn't look like it's ever opened.
And finally, I leave you with a shot of the Steam Train about to depart on it's loop around the park and beyond.
The site is huge, and offers a lot of potential. Only riding the Railway do you get a full idea of the unused space that surrounds what we see as the centre. There are many rumours about the future of this place, but that's all they are at the moment, rumours. Although, if only one or two of them come to light, this may become a real tourist destination.
_______
Out of story now, this is an overview of the site. Bear in mind that only the actually site of the park is landscaped at the moment, I just wanted to show the site in a bit more clarity than the dodgy photoshop map!
