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Drayton Manor Park

Johnny_5 said:
Shockwave annoys me more than it should. I read the Colin Bryan interview someone posted earlier and he consistently mentions lack of height and speed as reasons for its layout (plus money, of course), but Shockwave hits those brakes at immense speed. It carries a lot of speed considering it’s relatively meagre height. It’s just a really dull layout and design and there’s no escaping it. It’s dull as a standup and it’ll be dull as a sit down. However, it’s a solid ride offering at 1.2m, so Drayton are absolutely doing the right thing. And if it gets a re-theme, some nice theming elements (like a tunnel or two) then all the better. It’s a great looking coaster, one of the best looking coasters in the country I think, especially the first drop. Total missed opportunity of a ride from day one, and despite the Bryan’s admirable intentions, Nemesis just made it look poor from the start (showing what could be done with a tight space and massive height restrictions - albeit with a bigger budget).
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I think people sometimes overlook the fact that Shockwave is the way it is due to planning restrictions. Even then, they pushed it to the limits of those restrictions having taken advantage of an oversight on the part of the local council.

It’s a shame that that stand-up element is going, but if converting it to sit-down viably extends the life of the coaster, then it should be supported. The reality of the situation is that when the time does come for the ride to be removed, it’s extremely unlikely that anything of such a scale could ever go in its place. Modern planning rules, regulations and systems wouldn’t allow it.

I was really impressed with the theming work done on River Rapids, and I expect Shockwave will get similar treatment.

Whether one likes the ride or not, I think we can agree that it has iconic status, so it’s good that it’s getting some investment.

havaska said:
This is a really good point I haven’t really considered.

Yes, Shockwave is an Intamin coaster, but the whole thing is running on essentially B&M track. There are only a few other coasters out there running on this track that aren’t B&M.

Currently, the only manufacturer making trains that run on this track style are… B&M.

So actually, despite us all laughing it off as impossible; it is actually not that absurd of an idea.
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It might well be more cost-effective to just go with a B&M train which may be more-or-less directly compatible with the track, with perhaps some relatively simple design modifications. To design and manufacture with Intamin, despite the current relationship, or one of the other outliers would come with a cost if it were a literal ‘one off’ job.
 
A key consideration would be to ask is Giovanola track actually the same as B&M? Whilst the box spine is a shared element, can anyone actually say for sure that other attributes, such as the gauge, rail/tie profile, rail to spine clearance, rail diameter and so on all exactly the same?

Just because they look similar doesn’t mean it’s going to be as simple as sliding a stock B&M train onto the transfer track. Differences like this could well make a B&M train also a “one off” commission, negating much of the savings which could be made.
 
Ian said:
A key consideration would be to ask is Giovanola track actually the same as B&M? Whilst the box spine is a shared element, can anyone actually say for sure that other attributes, such as the gauge, rail/tie profile, rail to spine clearance, rail diameter and so on all exactly the same?

Just because they look similar doesn’t mean it’s going to be as simple as sliding a stock B&M train onto the transfer track. Differences like this could well make a B&M train also a “one off” commission, negating much of the savings which could be made.
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Some of the reasons why it could be a cheaper less obvious manufacturer, from Vekoma or Gerst to Sun Kid or KumbaK
 
Ian said:
Just because they look similar doesn’t mean it’s going to be as simple as sliding a stock B&M train onto the transfer track. Differences like this could well make a B&M train also a “one off” commission, negating much of the savings which could be made.
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I wasn’t suggesting a B&M train would slide straight on, although it really would be perfect if it did! :D

That’s why I said “with perhaps some relatively simple design modifications” — perhaps… I’m making a big presumption that it would be easier to modify an existing B&M design than to start from scratch, but it would depend how ‘simple’ the modifications might be. At what point would such modifications become more than simple? We don’t know… but it’s certainly fun to speculate until we have more information from a reliable source and/or the park itself.

I’m also rather interested in the speculation around the rumoured couple of flat rides someone over on DT said will be accompanying the new coaster… New drop tower anyone? What are we calling the coaster? Return to Klondike? ;)

Exciting times!
 
Drayton Manor has always been a family theme park and Shockwave has been the only ride originally that was 1.4m minimum height requirement.
Just like Nemesis, Shockwaves trains are at the end of their life and the amount of time it takes them to load and unload 1 train is painfully slow. With this sit down train they could maybe send 2 or maybe 3 in the same time it took them to load/unload 1 train.
 
All rather exciting. With everything going on it sounds like a £20m budget for the new coaster, flats and shockwave.

Wouldn't that be £40m Looping have invested since taking over?
 
The train Change on Shockwave is understandable but I agree that the layout will likely be dull. Fact is shockwave if you take out the standing trains is a swooping drop, vertical loop, straight track, some corkscrews and a turn. It’s not exactly an imaginative ride when you take out it’s a standing coaster.

Time will tell I guess.
 
I am pretty sure should Shockwave go in the future, a pretty large ride would now be approved in its place.

It was constructed on an oversight yes, one that would not have been approved if it was picked up on.

That was 30 years ago. Compared to back then, Drayton Manor is now a pretty large player in the theme park market. The majority of residents who were in the deer park housing estate 30 years ago, will not be now. The majority of the current population will have grown up with the ride in situ, with no complaints from said residents. Two huge mitigating factors. Infact, if you go into some of the houses there, Shockwave is not the big noise generated from the park.

Just because it wouldn't have been approved 30 years ago, does not mean it wouldn't now, especially under the massively different circumstances the park and area are in.

I'm fairly confident a large ride, which was as quiet as or quieter than Shockwave, would have no problem being approved.

I'm skeptical on theming for both new projects. Loopings are yet to prove themselves in this aspect. With Adventure Cove and Vikings the themeing amounts to alot of painted wood and that's about it, a few generic and easy to obtain objects if we are being fair. Granted some of the wood is more detailed in Vikings but its all very loose and sparse.

It is a far cry from Merin with their dedicated in house shop. Infact it is a far cry from back in the day when Space Leisure and Farmer Studios used to build bespoke and detailed themeing and sets for rides at Drayton, to convey a specific theme. This is a major area needed for improvement if you ask me. It is pretty difficult though, unless you are Merlin, your options are almost nil in the UK now, apart from a few limited options. All the big 3rd party shops closed and those that do exist now are more like cottage industry's and would struggle with the the workload of a large project such as a ride. It's a shame because it does show in the efforts so far at Drayton, which are good. But not a touch on the past.

That said, it sounds like Drayton are trying to pull out all the stops with this one. I feel the most confident I have in Drayton Manor in 20 years. A big part of that is having Victoria at the helm, she really seems to know what she is doing.
 
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DistortAMG said:
It is a far cry from Merin with their dedicated in house shop. Infact it is a far cry from back in the day when Space Leisure and Farmer Studios used to build bespoke and detailed themeing and sets for rides at Drayton, to convey a specific theme. This is a major area needed for improvement if you ask me. It is pretty difficult though, unless you are Merlin, your options are almost nil in the UK now, apart from a few limited options. All the big 3rd party shops closed and those that do exist now are more like cottage industry's and would struggle with the the workload of a large project such as a ride. It's a shame because it does show in the efforts so far at Drayton, which are good. But not a touch on the past.
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To be honest I think Merlin would also be producing better attractions if those 3rd party studios were still around for them to contract out to.
 
jon81uk said:
To be honest I think Merlin would also be producing better attractions if those 3rd party studios were still around for them to contract out to.
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I totally agree. But those 3rd party studios also had a large hand in Tussauds themed attractions back in the day. Some like Terror Tomb were built completely by a third party. Others such as The Haunted House, used a couple or external studios, along side Tussauds Studios. But they (MMM) themselves have grown and developed in the decades since to be pretty competent completely in house.

With parks like Paultons and Drayton once again being large demands for themed experiences outside of Merlin. The industry may re kindle. Drayton Manor were certainly number 2 in themed experiences outside of what was then, the Tussauds parks. This high quantity of high quality theming was mainly from Farmer Studios and Space Leisure. Both gone, but plenty of theming still on the ground at Drayton from both studios.

Exciting times non the less.
 
I personally think a move to sit down trains will make the ride more enjoyable. As it stands its an interesting ride that is uncomfortable and frankly not much fun. This will probably make it one of the more boring rides from a layout perspective but atleast it will actually be pleasant enough to ride!
 
The massive thing they can solve with this refurbishment is one of capacity.

The stand up trains are diabolical for throughput. It is not uncommon for the train to sit in the station for 3 to 4 minutes while the harnesses are locked, unlocked, locked, unlocked and locked and then checked, while they get everyone into position. The current trains are a terrible design that make this issue a big one.

Straight away, with a simpler loading system, aka what most coasters have, the throughput will be increased. If they decided on 2 trains and I think they will. The capacity of the coaster should be up to what we should expect from a busy theme park.

Accelerator shows, when Drayton Manor have the right staff and loading system in place, they can slam trains out at the same level of operations you would expect from Alton Towers. It will be nice to see this extended across to other rides that can cope with it as they build / modify them. I would expect the new coaster will be able to, as will this Shockwave refurbishment after the fact. I would have thought.
 
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Drayton Manor has announced their Halloween event for this year, going under the name of 'The Haunted Manor'.

www.draytonmanor.co.uk

Events | Halloween

There’s fun and frights for everyone this Halloween at Drayton Manor!
www.draytonmanor.co.uk www.draytonmanor.co.uk

As a big fan of The Haunting, I can't wait for this event, if there's anything different that is. Here's it's description.

THE HAUNTING: RECLAIMED​
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​

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The Institute Of Metaphysical Research has long since concluded its investigation into the Drayton Green Vicarage, after the team mysteriously disappeared in 1996 with no trace. Until tonight…​
 
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I like the fact that they letting gold and platinum guests into the day and evening Halloween event for free and you get a discount on the 2 paid up charge attractions as last year it was free for the day event but had to buy tickets for the night event.
I’m also glad they not using the zoo this year.
 
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