Drayton Manor Park

[Themeparksandy1981]

This year was due to see the knapford station buffet reopen, but it has not. Could this have been pushed back to coincide with larger works in thomas land? (Elevated walkway, long rumored Lady Hatt's tea party.)

It did reopen and sold drinks, ice cream and snacks.

Maelstrom is set for a refurb and repaint. Earlier this year its substation's roof was replaced, but not much else. Was this part of it? I expect that Maelstrom will look a lot fresher next year.

As I posted last month they already started painting Maelstrom with the fencing and now the sub station. Hopefully they will paint the control booth in the closed season.

Not much that isn't obvious in 2023, but some phrasing is interesting. It describes a "New replacement vehicle on an existing ride" suggesting a single train or collected vehchile, whereas in 2024, it specifies "Replacement cars on an existing ride" suggesting multiple discrete vehchiles or cars. This makes me think that the singular "vehchile" may be shockwave, with a new train, and the cars being replacements for a track or water ride, I.E wil west shootout, or Stormforce, and Stormforce certainly need some new and improved boats to bring the ride back to full capacity.

Could be Stormforce 10 as it was out for most of October and in its final week all the boats were removed.
It could also be for pirate adventure as they could be buying new boats if they can get the lift hill to work and buy new pumps with hopefully a new attraction in there for 2025.
Think they will order new trains for shockwave i

 

[JAperson]

It could also be for pirate adventure as they could be buying new boats if they can get the lift hill to work and buy new pumps with hopefully a new attraction in there for 2025.

Not again, we've been round this more times than I can remember. There is no chance of this happening for so many reasons.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Not again, we've been round this more times than I can remember. There is no chance of this happening for so many reasons.

Look it won’t come back as the pirate adventure but there is evidence that they been on the roof and started repairing it.

 

[MattyH]

Guess it's cheaper to fix the roof than to clear the rubble.

There was something I heard about Storm force getting more boats when I was speaking to a ride host.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Last little bit and I was surprised that the cars are still connected to it.

Also after someone reported that the lake is partly drained. They do this so they can inspect the supports once they finished with the sheriff showdown building the scaffolding will go on around the track.

Flying Dutchman is started to be put back together and it’s had new cables installed

They continuing with painting all the horses. I love how fresh they looking.

Most of the Christmas decorations are now out with the big tree up again in centre plaza they also adding more stuff around the Santa experience

I think it’s a great move by Drayton with theses November dates as we were only in the park for 3 hours but managed to get on 15 rides.

 

[Alex_szoboszlai]

Could a 10-20 year projection see a waterpark as a major addition to the park, and really start to justify the resort branding? I certainly hope so, but then again that is just a theory.

In the files leading up to the five year plan , the park had stated to Lichfield council and Pegasus group they didn’t want to do any development near the west side of the park (aka where the waterpark would have gone) . This is because that area now goes under the green belt and building stuff there would cause them too much hassle . Also looping group isn’t a massive company, so if they were going to build a similar sized waterpark, it wouldn’t be any time soon. Without any evidence from the last 4 quarters to back there getting enough funds + looping money. I don’t see a waterpark coming to Drayton for a while

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I think if they did built a water park and marketed it well it could make the owners quite a lot of money as Birmingham have closed nearly all there leisure pools and replaced them with just boring swimming pools. The nearest to use is the Wave in Coventry but that’s not cheap when you include parking and admission which is £43 with 3 hrs parking and 2 hrs in the wave.
Now the big ? would be if Drayton do build a water park would guests only using the water park have to pay for parking.

 

[RustyShackleford]

When it comes to planning applications payment for parking often ticks boxes as it is portrayed as encouraging sustainable travel, use of public transport and car sharing.

It's the arguments councils use to justify their own charges.

 

[ozziechef]

Popped in for a bit this afternoon - really quiet, can’t believe the park are making money on this between Halloween and Christmas time. Good to get re-rides - did 10 “bigger” rides in 80 mins there.

Looks like the cars are now off Apocalypse - sad to see some of the tower just resting on the hill.

 

[idc]

My first post, so hi! I’ve been an occasional lurker here for some time. I am a Tamworth resident, and a DMP regular since the 80s.

So sad to see Poccy being dismantled and taken away!

My youngest lad had been very hesitant to have his first go on it for the past 12 months. When he learned it was going, he finally decided to go on as a matter of ‘now or never’. As it turned out, he loved it and, for a very short time, Apocalypse became his favourite ride. His first few goes were also his last, and he sobbed, “I don’t want it to go!”, which also set off his elder brother. Tears aside, we had a good few goes on it over its final weeks. It’s been very bittersweet.

They’re at a bit of an awkward point right now where they’re steadily (and perhaps somewhat reluctantly) outgrowing Thomas Land, but still aren’t big enough for some of the bigger rides. My eldest doesn’t mind Accelerator, but my youngest isn’t particularly keen on it.

Still, I am excited to see what will go in its place. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be great, but right now the removal of Apocalypse feels a bit like a mistake.

It would be a shame if the park didn’t have a sudden drop ride for the first time in my living memory (I used to enjoy Para Tower as a kid).

I do love a good rollercoaster though. It would be a dream come true if they put a decent new coaster in and also worked a new drop tower into the plans!

 

[Rick]

Can we scrap the term 'Poccy' with the ride, please ?

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

My first post, so hi! I’ve been an occasional lurker here for some time. I am a Tamworth resident, and a DMP regular since the 80s.

So sad to see Poccy being dismantled and taken away!

My youngest lad had been very hesitant to have his first go on it for the past 12 months. When he learned it was going, he finally decided to go on as a matter of ‘now or never’. As it turned out, he loved it and, for a very short time, Apocalypse became his favourite ride. His first few goes were also his last, and he sobbed, “I don’t want it to go!”, which also set off his elder brother. Tears aside, we had a good few goes on it over its final weeks. It’s been very bittersweet.

They’re at a bit of an awkward point right now where they’re steadily (and perhaps somewhat reluctantly) outgrowing Thomas Land, but still aren’t big enough for some of the bigger rides. My eldest doesn’t mind Accelerator, but my youngest isn’t particularly keen on it.

Still, I am excited to see what will go in its place. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be great, but right now the removal of Apocalypse feels a bit like a mistake.

It would be a shame if the park didn’t have a sudden drop ride for the first time in my living memory (I used to enjoy Para Tower as a kid).

I do love a good rollercoaster though. It would be a dream come true if they put a decent new coaster in and also worked a new drop tower into the plans!

Hi and welcome to the forum. Just like me you seen the park go from a zoo/amusement park to a full on theme park and zoo.
The park is entering its 73rd season and the looping group have added more rides to the main park in 2 seasons than the Bryan’s added since Thomas land opened 14 years ago.
People moaning they removing a lot of thrill rides but when Pandemonium 1st opened it had a 1.2m tall restriction so really in the past 30 years the park only had shockwave for the 1.4m height group. It’s always been a family theme park and like Paulton’s they know they not got the funds to take on the Merlin group but If visitor numbers keep increasing every year and I heard they had there best summer since G-Force opened 17 years ago the looping group will keep on investing in the park and zoo and hopefully they will beat 1.3m visitors who went in 2008.

 

[DistortAMG]

Can we scrap the term 'Poccy' with the ride, please ?

You are about 2 decades and 2 years too late I am afraid mate. It has been called that since day one. I've heard many operators, engineers and managers alike call it Poccy. As well as us Tamworth locals. Pretty sure 'Poccy' was banded around a lot back in the TTF days. But I think it was not universally known by that among enthusiasts.

It is like marmite, you either love it or you hate it. She will always be Poccy to me.

 

[rob666]

Can we scrap the term 'Poccy' with the ride, please ?

Spoken like a thoosie.

 

[rob666]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Just like me you seen the park go from a zoo/amusement park to a full on theme park and zoo.
The park is entering its 73rd season and the looping group have added more rides to the main park in 2 seasons than the Bryan’s added since Thomas land opened 14 years ago.
People moaning they removing a lot of thrill rides but when Pandemonium 1st opened it had a 1.2m tall restriction so really in the past 30 years the park only had shockwave for the 1.4m height group. It’s always been a family theme park and like Paulton’s they know they not got the funds to take on the Merlin group but If visitor numbers keep increasing every year and I heard they had there best summer since G-Force opened 17 years ago the looping group will keep on investing in the park and zoo and hopefully they will beat 1.3m visitors who went in 2008.

I thought the "Old Mine Train"...whatever it was called, was a 1.4m ride as well?
That was better quality coaster than G force in my humble opinion.

 

[Rob]

Can we scrap the term 'Poccy' with the ride, please ?

It's sad that we've lost Poccy, especially as we lost Rippy from Towers so long ago. But we still have some great rides in the UK; Nemmy and Blivvy to name a couple. And then with the likes of Bloofi in Europe and SteVe across the pond, we'll be fine!

 

[Rick]

Oh Robby ...

 

[Sauron97]

It's sad that we've lost Poccy, especially as we lost Rippy from Towers so long ago. But we still have some great rides in the UK; Nemmy and Blivvy to name a couple. And then with the likes of Bloofi in Europe and SteVe across the pond, we'll be fine!

RIP~Rest in poccy

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I wonder what ride they are moving in 2025 and to where?

Been thinking and with the looping group adding adventure cove and Vikings all the rides fit the area well but with Apocalypse going and Pandemonium last year could the Flying Dutchman be the ride that’s been relocated and this new flat ride is phase 2 with a Accelerator re theme to finish off the top end of the park.

 

[TheMilanTooner]

Biggest news of all next season Thomas land is getting 2 new attractions with 1 going in this area

So out of curiosity....do we have more news on this?