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Drayton Manor Park

RoyJess said:
I just came away yesterday feeling like I had enough (I got bored) and was happy to leave. A good theme park should leave me coming away feeling that I had a great day and wanting more.
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We felt like that the last time we went and that was when G-Force was open.

The Haunting is OK but the very fact that you done that 'several times' shows that the park has nowhere near enough content for anyone over the age of 8 anymore.
 
Another thing that I notice yesterday, despite only me being in the queue line, and I'm clearly well above the 1.2 metre height restriction, they still have to pick up the measuring stick :confused: I did ask and they said they have to do it because of their health and safety requirements :rolleyes:
 
In all matters of health and safety process is good. Might seem a bit daft on the surface but ultimately it's well intentioned.
 
Sorry to switch the topic discussion but I found this fascinating.

I know I've gone on about Pirate Adventure alot recently! Bear with me and apologies! (Sorry) (Not sorry)

A while ago I did a track layout of the ride based of memory. I found this gem online which is from the now gone Los Piratas ride at Bellewaerde.

This ride opened in 1991 a year after Pirate Adventure and was built by the same people. MACK rides for the boat system and Space Leisure for the themeing. The result of this was that although both rides had a different flow and scene placement. Lots of the props used and even sound effects were exactly the same. Even though each ride had their own individuality and different overall scenes.

The most interesting thing I have discovered though is that both rides had a pretty much identical track layout and and a very similar building footprint. I suspect the slight variation in the actual building shape was determined by other factors. Such as the lake right next to Pirate Adventure at Drayton. The one that had Jungle Cruise and then Excalibur on.

Anyway, here is an official track layout from Los Piratas, that is pretty identical to Pirate Adventure.

If you was to overlay this onto an image of the Pirate Adventure building it would fit almost spot on. The start point for both rides is at the bottom right of the photo. Just before the 180 degree turn.

Thought a few of you might find this interesting like I did :)

 
John said:
Ouch, this could pretty much signal the end of good rapids rides in the UK.
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Was thinking the same, anything where you aren’t in a restraint surely opens a can of worms as effectively you are relying on the guest to follow the safety instructions in order to stay safe.

Not what the park or industry needs.
 
Hmm I wonder what evidence there was to prove that Drayton didnt ensure "so far as is reasonably practical" no exposure to risk. Other than physically restraining guests from standing up, since this is the only way you arent protected from risk, and that doesnt sound too practical to me. I hope people work together to find a design solution to this, and not a reactionary ban from UK parks.

This probably wont just affect rapids rides but a lot more too if it hasnt already, ie guests not allowed to stand on a platform to wait for monorail.
 
I just can't see Drayton having the assets to cover any significant fine If the smiler fine is anything to go for we could be talking tens of millions
 
Doublethink said:
I just can't see Drayton having the assets to cover any significant fine If the smiler fine is anything to go for we could be talking tens of millions
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I'm hoping this will be a very different scale. Although I am no expert.
Considering Merlin were found to be systematically in breach of many things leading to the incident (mostly related to staff procedure), this is why The Smiler fine was so large. If Drayton were training their staff properly and had all necessary procedures in place (other than related to standing up) then hopefully it's a much smaller impact for them. Very difficult time though.
 
Themepark-newbie said:
I assume if the H&S executive plan to prosecute then there is a possibility they know something we don't.
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They’ve deliberately released very little information because they’re waiting for the results of the inquest into Evha Jannath’s death - which is due to be held in November.

Also, HSE only tend to bring cases when it’s a slam dunk. Look at their record:

In 2017/18:

- 517 cases were prosecuted
- The conviction rate was 95%.
- The average fine was £147,000, more than twice the average in 2015/16.
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So on the basis that Drayton are likely to be found guilty, it’s a question of how lax their procedures were that will determine the size of the penalty. Did they do enough to stop people standing on the ride? Were there adequate warnings for passengers before and during the ride? Just because it’s not been an issue before, and other similar rides have operated without incident, it doesn’t mean the HSE won’t take a dim view of, say, a lack of restraints.
 
There are big Yellow signs all around the Rapids site telling you to remain seated at all times and hold on to the rail. There CCTV dotted all around the ride also.
The park can’t be fined for her changing seats resulting into her falling into the water as that’s accidental death caused by yourself not following rules in the queue line and around the ride.
But they can be fined for how long it took staff to notice her in the water and how long it took to get her out and given 1st Aid. How long did they take to call 999?
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
There are big Yellow signs all around the Rapids site telling you to remain seated at all times and hold on to the rail. There CCTV dotted all around the ride also.
The park can’t be fined for her changing seats resulting into her falling into the water as that’s accidental death caused by yourself not following rules in the queue line and around the ride.
But they can be fined for how long it took staff to notice her in the water and how long it took to get her out and given 1st Aid. How long did they take to call 999?
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As we know from smiler it's not always a simple as how long before a literal 999 call.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Well this has opened a can of worms.

We'll have to wait and see exactly what the charge relates to, but Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act is broad and regards persons others than an employers employees.

HSWA section 3 places general duties on employers and the self-employed to conduct their undertakings in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons other than themselves or their employees are not exposed to risks to their health or safety.

So it seems as if the HSE are saying that Drayton Manor did not have systems or procedures in place that ensured the safety of people riding Splash Canyon, OR procedures in places relating to the response to the incident were not adequate.

If it is the former of those and they are found guilty then we might as well wave goodbye to every rapids ride in the UK as it will not be worth operators taking the risk with them when a clear precedent has been set. Drayton seemed to operate Splash Canyon like any other rapids ride I have ever been on in Europe and the US, in my opinion they are not guilty of anything here. If it is the latter and relates to their response then that is a completely different matter and not one I can really comment on.
 
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