• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Drayton Manor Park

One thing I think we need to consider is that this ride is going to have to be compact; due to this I think the possibility of it being a launch coaster is significantly increased. Making it launched will mean they've got more room for actual elements and they haven't got a lift hill taking up unnecessary room. Another point is what manufacture could do something like this? To me the list in endless, examples include: Vekoma (who Drayton have used before), Intamin (who Drayton has used before), Zamperla (who Drayton has used for flat rides in recent times) and Premier (who no UK park has ever worked with). As @DistortAMG says apocalypse needs some serious refurbishment works so I wonder if they've done a deal with Intamin to refurbish apocalypse and build a new coaster? That certainly seems a possibility. I think the most likely though is Vekoma, we've seen them do launch coasters at a really reasonable price recently and I think getting the most amount of good quality coaster for the money will be important.
 
The compact plot arguably makes a swing launch more likely, because swing launches allow you to get up to a greater speed using less launch track.

There are numerous manufacturers who could provide Drayton with this. Premier Rides could. Mack Rides could. Intamin could. Vekoma could. Gerstlauer could. Even Zamperla could based on their recent Family Launch Coaster product being revealed.

Heck, even B&M could based on the upcoming Chessington coaster…
 
All this talk of apocalypse possibly staying and possible new coaster at Drayton is really exciting. I think changing most of the chutes to sit down would be a good move considering the family market they are aiming for, with one stand up remaining for those tall and brave enough. A retheme to something less dark and grungy would help with how it’s perceived too. Oh I’m getting carried away with the idea of it, but the suggestion that it might cost as much to remove as it would to refurbish is a plausible one I think.
 
Last edited:
When it reopened after the 1st lockdown it operated both sit down, Floor less and 1 stand up ( the 1 next to floor less) then at the start of the 2021 season it operated 1 stand up, floor less and 1 sit down then around July last year the cable went on the stand up so it was just floor less and 1 sit down.
This season started with both towers but think it’s been on just 1 since mid April but it will be 2 again soon.
The other news I heard is that Apocalypse if it stays may not be available for the 2023 season as it would be in the middle of a construction site.
 
I guess the building looks quite intimidating it it's design. So that could be reasoning behind the removal.

I do not think removing it would make maintenance any easier. As a crane would have to be a certain distance away irrespective of the building, in order to get the boom setup properly for the height of the tower.

The two options you have when doing heavy maintenance is either scaffolding up the whole tower and or a crane. Both have been used in the past on the ride, but both have specific use cases. You cannot service the majority of the machine house with scaffolding for example.

Depending on what state the lifting equipment is in, I do not think it would be out the realm of possibility of them removing the machine house completely and properly servicing it from the ground. The putting it back ontop.

I guess it depends on how long they plan on keeping it for (if it stays) and the extent they want to refurbish it.
 
DistortAMG said:
I guess the building looks quite intimidating it it's design. So that could be reasoning behind the removal.

I do not think removing it would make maintenance any easier. As a crane would have to be a certain distance away irrespective of the building, in order to get the boom setup properly for the height of the tower.

The two options you have when doing heavy maintenance is either scaffolding up the whole tower and or a crane. Both have been used in the past on the ride, but both have specific use cases. You cannot service the majority of the machine house with scaffolding for example.

Depending on what state the lifting equipment is in, I do not think it would be out the realm of possibility of them removing the machine house completely and properly servicing it from the ground. The putting it back ontop.

I guess it depends on how long they plan on keeping it for (if it stays) and the extent they want to refurbish it.
Click to expand...
Don’t they go thought the middle of the tower to maintain the tower and motor housing?
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Don’t they go thought the middle of the tower to maintain the tower and motor housing?
Click to expand...

They do. Entrance is next to Fifth element part of the tower. Inside of the tower is a ladder with trap doors every 30ft or so foot. I cannot remember if there is a hoist or not. I do not think there is. As the trap doors do not allow it.

Eitherway, any major component that needs replacing in the machine house has to be done through the top. Only light maintenance can be done by climbing up. Due to the fact you have to climb up with equipment.

If a full refurb is on the cards, which I hope it is, but I have my doubts, then you would think they would give most of the equipment in the machine house a major overhaul. Far easier to do that on the ground than in the air.

If it was not all the machinery that needed work and just some of it, probably easier to do it in situ. Seeing as atleast 4 motors will more than likely need work, it's a big big job to do 54 meters in the air.
 
DistortAMG said:
They do. Entrance is next to Fifth element part of the tower. Inside of the tower is a ladder with trap doors every 30ft or so foot. I cannot remember if there is a hoist or not. I do not think there is. As the trap doors do not allow it.

Eitherway, any major component that needs replacing in the machine house has to be done through the top. Only light maintenance can be done by climbing up. Due to the fact you have to climb up with equipment.

If a full refurb is on the cards, which I hope it is, but I have my doubts, then you would think they would give most of the equipment in the machine house a major overhaul. Far easier to do that on the ground than in the air.

If it was not all the machinery that needed work and just some of it, probably easier to do it in situ. Seeing as atleast 4 motors will more than likely need work, it's a big big job to do 54 meters in the air.
Click to expand...
Was thinking they will need a crane for the construction of the new coaster so
They may use it to do the work on Apocalypse as well.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Was thinking they will need a crane for the construction of the new coaster so
They may use it to do the work on Apocalypse as well.
Click to expand...
I imagine the size of the crane required to construct a new coaster would be smaller than the one required to work on Apocalypse. I guess it depends on how tall the new coaster would be. Judging by the planning permission requirements, I don’t think Drayton would be granted permission to build a coaster anywhere near the height of Apocalypse.
 
Last edited:
Im curious to know the plans for Draytons Magical Christmas regarding Excalibur.

I know it’s a very profitable and recognised event now in there calendar, however I can’t help but feel they’ve shot themselves in the foot by rethemeing a whole ride into a Christmas event for potentially 3 months of the year?

Surley there must be something in the pipeline to move this elsewhere as it does stick out like a sore thumb for the rest of the year. Free advertising? Yes. However it’s a large plot of land and could potentially stick a splash battle or a gentle boat ride on it again?

Realistically I think they could re-theme a building in the zoo and shove all the Christmas stuff in there.

I’m hoping they’ve got a plan somewhere, as they’ve already knackered the turntable by drilling into it and having all the sheds for Christmas on there.
 
Excalibur said:
Im curious to know the plans for Draytons Magical Christmas regarding Excalibur.

I know it’s a very profitable and recognised event now in there calendar, however I can’t help but feel they’ve shot themselves in the foot by rethemeing a whole ride into a Christmas event for potentially 3 months of the year?

Surley there must be something in the pipeline to move this elsewhere as it does stick out like a sore thumb for the rest of the year. Free advertising? Yes. However it’s a large plot of land and could potentially stick a splash battle or a gentle boat ride on it again?

Realistically I think they could re-theme a building in the zoo and shove all the Christmas stuff in there.

I’m hoping they’ve got a plan somewhere, as they’ve already knackered the turntable by drilling into it and having all the sheds for Christmas on there.
Click to expand...
The control booth for the ride was in the centre of the tower and it was all removed in 2012 and cause they rerouted the queue line and entrance to the zoo side that centre bit is a exit path now after u visited Santa.
I think they also done this as now it doesn’t look like it’s part of the pirate cove area and once they decide to work on this area they could theme the bar area to a pirate theme.
 
D4n said:
Really it would represent the best of all worlds if they could keep the ride whilst increasing the capacity of the sit down experience.

Remember, it's only a 1.2m height restriction to ride, so most particularly brave 7 year olds could give it a go. I have a few in my class who wouldn't hesitate!

Perfectly in keeping with the all encompassing family direction that they're aiming to go in and it would be a real shame to lose it.
Click to expand...
My 7 year brother loves apocalypse he first tried it last year when be was 6 and was really excited to get back on it earlier this year.
He was also really sad when I said they're likely to get rid of it this year.

I will say I quite often see it pulling a broad audience from kids to adults in the line, it's just not usually super popular until the afternoon when people have built themselves up to it.

It is looking a bit more hopeful that they're not scrapping it (not yet atleast) I really hope they don't, I don't sit on it for an hour or so straight going up and down on dead days like I used to but I still have to ride it atleast 1-3 times per visit.
 
Excalibur said:
Im curious to know the plans for Draytons Magical Christmas regarding Excalibur.

I know it’s a very profitable and recognised event now in there calendar, however I can’t help but feel they’ve shot themselves in the foot by rethemeing a whole ride into a Christmas event for potentially 3 months of the year?

Surley there must be something in the pipeline to move this elsewhere as it does stick out like a sore thumb for the rest of the year. Free advertising? Yes. However it’s a large plot of land and could potentially stick a splash battle or a gentle boat ride on it again?

Realistically I think they could re-theme a building in the zoo and shove all the Christmas stuff in there.

I’m hoping they’ve got a plan somewhere, as they’ve already knackered the turntable by drilling into it and having all the sheds for Christmas on there.
Click to expand...
I personally consider the castle to be a huge eyesore. Yes, it might be profitable and bring in the mega bucks during Christmas, but that’s only for 2 months of the year. Meanwhile, the rest of the year, there is a huge pink castle sitting there surrounded by green water and decaying Excalibur theming in the distance. Something needs to be done about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top