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Drayton Manor Park

skyscraper said:
Yeah I really hope those rumours arent true because it'll be the final nail in the coffin for Drayton if they are. If shockwave was removed the rapids would have to be as well as the weight of the trough and water is ballast for it, and Appocaypyse can't really be relocated as the concrete foundations extend metres underground (which would also make it expensive to remove).
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None of that makes any sense so I wouldnt worry much
 
When you build a foundation, it's permanent - that's pretty much the point, it's not supposed to be portable, it anchors something to the ground. When you shift a coaster or a ride, you don't move the groundworks with it, you build new ones.

It's true that there is some interplay between Shockwave's foundation and the rapids civil work, but you could easily remove Shockwave without touching the rapids, less so the rapids without causing headaches for Shockwave.
 
If the footers of Shockwave do act as any form of pinning for the rapids, surely the easiest thing to do would be to remove the actual coaster but leave the footers (unless the coaster itself actually acts as some form of bracing, which I find very unlikely given you wouldn’t want extra stresses and movements in the track/support)? Might work out a bit cheaper and it would surely only ever become an issue again if you wanted to put something else over the rapids, where you’d have to dodge the old footers.

I believe this is what Towers had to do with some parts of The Flume, as the groundworks were so well established that they effectively held some of the land back between Haunted Hollow and the rapids access road. That said, a landslide would probably improve the Hollow tenfold...
 
There is no way that the coaster track was designed to be structurally part of the rapids. The closest it would come to is that the footers were designed into the foundations of the rapids maybe.

Even if any of this had any truth to it, it could be easily rectified rather than force the park to remove the rapids just because Shockwave has gone, Im sorry that’s a ridiculous idea. What’s gonna happen, the entire rapids sink?
 
Rick said:
less so the rapids without causing headaches for Shockwave.
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More than headaches. As a previous poster mentioned, the concrete on the ride itself does indeed act as a ballast for Shockwave, which is one of the reasons for the rides interweaving nature. Shockwave's operation is actually reliant on not only the existence of Splash Canyon as a basic weight/balance, but also its operation. One of the many reasons Shockwave is experiencing troubles now more than before, is because of the lack of water being pumped through the Splash Canyon circuit, giving it the extra weight that it needs during the areas of the track with the highest physical stresses; namely the vertical loop and leftward turn in to the loop. (the footings alone are not enough essentially, and yes, much of the concrete rooted in to the ground is shared by both rides as a foundation)

In saying this, it is true to say that Shockwave being removed is not a problem for the operation of Splash Canyon. The footings wouldn't be touched, although the ground level could certainly be raised a little if they wanted to construct a new ride in that area.

Interesting to see the roofing for Sheriff's Showdown being partially removed on one side (due to leakage and age) and replaced with basic wooden fencing. Let's hope that it's replaced symmetrically next year and that they don't do a lazy job like they did within the ride on its refurb 2 years ago.

Also interesting to note that Pirate Adventure opened 30 years ago on this day, with a grand ceremony held outside an entrance facade that has now seen better days. Those cannons on the castle turrets (now hidden under Ivy) had smoke machines on them that were used in the ceremony and apparently in the early days of the rides operation, but I have never personally seen them in use.
 
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Why are we suddenly discussing Shockwave being removed, out of interest?

I must admit I’d be quite sad if it was removed; it’s my personal favourite ride at Drayton Manor, and one of the most positive surprises I’ve ever had from a coaster! After hearing people lambast stand-up roller coasters for years, expectations were very low, but I must admit that I actually rather enjoyed it! Even though the layout isn’t the most remarkable, I still found it fun, with the zero-g roll being a particular highlight; one of the few times I’ve ever had inverted airtime on a coaster, which I’ve got to admit is quite scary when stood up! The standup riding position was certainly different, and I would probably have preferred the ride had it had sit-down trains, but it was nowhere near as uncomfortable as I was expecting! In terms of roughness, I’d actually say it was no rougher than something like Nemesis; the corkscrews at the end were slightly rattly, but other than that, I actually thought the coaster had aged very well!

So on the whole, Shockwave was a coaster that really exceeded expectations, and I would be very sad to see it go, personally!
 
Drayton will keep shockwave as long as possible as they can’t replace it with another coaster as part of it is on green belt land and cause drawings were done by hand in the early 90s Lichfield Council didn’t notice to after it was installed but couldn’t do nothing about it as they built it to the drawing.
Here is a old interview with Colin about Shockwave and the Rapids
http://www.s104638357.websitehome.co.uk/html/birthday_shockwaveinterview.htm
I think the future of Shockwave will depend on the HSE report on the rapids and how much needs to be done to bring it up to scratch.
 
I think it's a horrid coaster. For want of a better phrase I came off my last ride on there with intense ball ache (sorry but that's a fact)

Drayton have been dieing a low painful death for years. Losing Pirate Adventure was a big one for me as it was genuinely one of the best dark rides in Europe once upon a time.

I don't think I will ever visit again to be honest. There's just not enough to do anymore.
 
Sauron97 said:
More than headaches. As a previous poster mentioned, the concrete on the ride itself does indeed act as a ballast for Shockwave, which is one of the reasons for the rides interweaving nature. Shockwave's operation is actually reliant on not only the existence of Splash Canyon as a basic weight/balance, but also its operation. One of the many reasons Shockwave is experiencing troubles now more than before, is because of the lack of water being pumped through the Splash Canyon circuit, giving it the extra weight that it needs during the areas of the track with the highest physical stresses
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That would make a lot more sense and sounds like the other way round to what was being said earlier (that the rapids would need to be removed if Shockwave was removed). The foundations would have been designed combined to take account for the two rides in a small space

The coaster foundations could be redesigned if the rapids were ever removed. There's always ways, not necessarily cheap though.
 
Benjsh said:
I think it's a horrid coaster. For want of a better phrase I came off my last ride on there with intense ball ache (sorry but that's a fact)

Drayton have been dieing a low painful death for years. Losing Pirate Adventure was a big one for me as it was genuinely one of the best dark rides in Europe once upon a time.

I don't think I will ever visit again to be honest. There's just not enough to do anymore.
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As a 12 year old back in the early 90s I loved Drayton Manor, Pirates was super impressive, Jungle Cruise was worth it, Splash Canyon was amazing and then the Python / Klondike mine train provided some thrills.

Then as a young adult I loved Apocalypse and Shockwave, then later Maelstrom. It was a fun little park with a nice charm to it still.

But now its Thomas Land plus a few extras.

I'm really frustrated that UK parks don't seem to value dark rides and similar any more.
 
jon81uk said:
As a 12 year old back in the early 90s I loved Drayton Manor, Pirates was super impressive, Jungle Cruise was worth it, Splash Canyon was amazing and then the Python / Klondike mine train provided some thrills.

Then as a young adult I loved Apocalypse and Shockwave, then later Maelstrom. It was a fun little park with a nice charm to it still.

But now its Thomas Land plus a few extras.

I'm really frustrated that UK parks don't seem to value dark rides and similar any more.
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I agree with you completely, I can't think of any non-IP dark rides that have opened in the UK since 2000!
 
Thameslink Rail said:
I agree with you completely, I can't think of any non-IP dark rides that have opened in the UK since 2000!
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and even then they have been re-makes of old rides.

The only new build thing even close to a dark ride I can think of is Derren Brown's waste-of-space train, as that replaced the arena so is effectively a new dark ride rather than a retheme. But although the "plot" was original there is still effectively the IP of Derren attached.

At Drayton Manor I really think pirates should have been refurbished and re-opened as a new pirates ride, it is a real shame they scrapped it.

More indoor rides would also help with the guest experience in poor weather at all UK parks.
 
Matt N said:
There was Sub-Terra in 2012, but I admit that has now closed...
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I don't really count a drop tower in the dark as a "dark ride" in the same sense as Duel, Hex, Gruffalo, Pirate Adventure etc. I get there was a lot more theme to Sub-Terra than just the drop, but its not quite a dark ride in the traditional sense.
 
jon81uk said:
I don't really count a drop tower in the dark as a "dark ride" in the same sense as Duel, Hex, Gruffalo, Pirate Adventure etc. I get there was a lot more theme to Sub-Terra than just the drop, but its not quite a dark ride in the traditional sense.
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What is a dark ride in the traditional sense then?
 
imanautie said:
So not hex then...
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I don't think Hex is a Dark Ride really either. Generally a dark ride involves movement through show scenes, even if the ride is in the "dark" so Its a Small World and Toyland Tours which are well-lit are still "dark rides".

Hex and most other similar madhouse attractions are more experiences rather than just being about a ride. Sub-Terra is probably the same.
Thinking about it, Derren's disappointment train is probably more of a walk-through experience than a proper dark ride too.

Major dark rides in the UK would be Pirates Adventure, Bubbleworks/Gruffalo, Haunted House/Duel, River Caves, Toyland Tours/ Charlie, Wallace & Gromit.
 
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