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Drayton Manor Park

Quick Question, maybe a stupid one, but I always assumed Shockwave was B&M track, is it? Or did Intamin just copy it? Either way, does anyone know why?
 
The track design was actually something Giovanola came up with and implemented on various rides across the world (other examples include Magic Mountain's Goliath and the travelling inverted coaster called Eurostar).

When those who worked at Giovanola split to set up Intamin and B&M, they took their work, skills and ideas with them, which included the box track design. Intamin used it to make rides like Z-Force and Drayton's Shockwave, but they eventually settled for the track designs we see today and B&M have continued with the box track.

I think that's about right. :p
 
Yep, pretty much what Al said. I believe Bolliger and Mabilard both started off working for Giovanola, where they started working on a lot of their designs, such as Box Spine track and the Standup Coaster. Over time Giovanola became a fairly large sub contractor for Intamin attractions, and used their designs to build the attractions (Presumably Intamin said "We've got X, Y, and Z components, and you've got A, B, and C bits. Can we combine them so we aren't both redesigning each bit?").

Eventually Giovanola split, with B&M going their own way with their designs, and Intamin absorbing most of the rest. It's how B&M were able to jump right in and build fairly sophisticated standup coasters so quickly. They took what they knew from their experiences and Giovanola, refined them, and built more.

Off the top of my head I think there's 5 Intamin/Giovanola's which use box spine track? The traveling Invert, the one at Gold Reef City (A similar situation, with it almost being a prototype for the B&M version), Goliath, Z-Force, and Shockwave. There may be more, but those are probably the more notable ones :)
 
Thanks a lot Guys! Makes sense.

What confused me even more was that Shockwave opened the same time as Nemesis, and B&M had opened a few coasters already, ( I can only think of Kumba, ) so B&M already had 'their' track, but now I realize Intamin were also using the track for a few coasters before moving onto the track we see today.

I'm quite glad Intamin didn't carry on the box section, it gives the coasters individuality, and I couldn't imagine Maverick, Th13teen, KingdaKa or Stealth, to name a few, being box-section either :/

Maybe Baco would have benefited mind you... ;)
 
Ian said:
Off the top of my head I think there's 5 Intamin/Giovanola's which use box spine track? The traveling Invert, the one at Gold Reef City (A similar situation, with it almost being a prototype for the B&M version), Goliath, Z-Force, and Shockwave. There may be more, but those are probably the more notable ones :)
Click to expand...

I was about to say you forgot Flashback... then I realised Z-force was it's original name. :p
 
Let's suppose Drayton Manor had a spare £9.5 million (and I know they technically can't build on the land in the middle pic, before anyone mentions :p )...

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:p
 
It is rather a shame that all discussion about a new coaster at DMP seems to be based on dreams and fantasies.

What on earth is the park playing at? They have a healthy visitor record, and have invested heavily in family/child orientated attractions. For 10 years solid.

Let us not forget that, for what claims to offer 'Britain's scariest rides', they have not added a SINGLE thrill ride since 2005 - this means that going into 2014, it is TEN seasons since G Force opened. It's the teenage/young adult market that is being taken literally, for a ride, at Drayton Manor.
 
I think the next few years should be all about thrill, they are clearly losing a lot of market to the like of Alton Towers or Thorpe Park, because teenagers/adults won't bother going to Drayton as all they think it has is kids rides.

They have added plenty of rides to Thomas Land, i'm sure they could leave it for a few years and it will still be just as popular. Add a new coaster and flat ride somewhere, and refurbish Pirates into a new family friendly ride (not just children).
 
They've been rumoured to be getting a coaster for absolutely ages now. It just clearly isn't going to happen. As a thrill seeker I have no reason to really want to visit Drayton until they do get a new thrill ride, ideally a coaster. To be a true family theme park you need to have thrill rides as well as family and kids rides. Drayton clearly have a brilliant kids area in Thomas Land, I feel that they are relying on it too much at present. If they continue to do so then I'm afraid to say that I hope it comes back to bite them.

:)
 
Hopefully we will see something added in 2014 as since 2011 there has been very little added. They have been rumoured for the past few years to be getting a Zamperla air race on the site of the old black revolver ride. This would be a very good addition and am very surprised no uk park has yet purchased one, considering Zamperla seem to selling loads and are rated highly. Prob just go the way of all the other once planned Drayton manor additions for past few years-

Scooby Doo Haunting Re-do
Retheme of golden nuggets into a cartoon network based ip
Vekoma Worlds first thrill coaster on site of buffalo (plans for which were created at similar time to Ben 10)
Retheme or removal of Pirates Adventure
CGI Woodie

They really do need to add a major coaster though in 2015.
 
2014 or 2015 would be the perfect year, Towers, Thorpe and Chessie have no new thrill rides opening, so it would be the perfect time to open one to get the thrill seekers in!
 
Maybe Drayton are just waiting until park figures go into a severe decline before adding anything? Which would be silly. But they do seem to be trying to rely on current attractions for advertising as long as they can. Thomas Land being the prime example.
 
not sure how true this is but I saw something last year where the park had said they wanted to pay off the loan they took out for the hotel before making any major investments. Luckily from what I heard the hotel has been a success and is due to be paid off at some point in early 2014.
 
Yes, I heard similar. I got the impression that the combined Hotel and Ben 10 costs had practically driven then to bankruptcy, and they needed to see a return on them both (Which it sounds like they have, given the rumours of a second hotel, etc) before they built anything substantial.


It certainly seems like they've only been improving since they began Thomas Land a few years ago, but a new thrill is long overdue now. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do what I do when any park needs a new thrill ride, and dream of a Huss Jump2 ;)
 
It's a strange trend in this country that all of the non-Merlin parks no longer seem to want to install thrill rides anymore (particularly coasters). I say it's strange because all you see abroad is smallish parks already with/announcing plans for monstrous many inversion/airtime filled beasts. I don't get why smaller parks in this country don't think they're worth it.
 
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