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Drayton Manor Park
- Thread starter Matty
- Start date
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
It's finally back open!! 
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
I did the standup-with-floor side last year and that was scary itself, so the standup-floorless one will probably be 10 times worse! hope to try it sometime this year though.To be fair, any stand-up floorless drop tower is absolutely terrifying. Those who were on Gröna-Lund's with me back in July 2016 can probably attest to my reaction.
Sauron97
TS Member
Woot! Fantastic water ride, nice to see some more theming as well Buffalo has received further work from Severn Lamb, with the 'Indian' section of the car at the front replaced with the refurbished Buffalo car. Station also had yet another repaint. Neptune's amusements is a lot warmer now with automatic doors at the Pirate Cove entrance, another good change as it was freezing in there last year. G-force and Shockwave have had a good jetwash and look a lot better now too.
Overall was really impressed on Wednesday with what the park (and zoo) has done over the closed season, even if it isn't quite finished yet. Contractors have built a good relationship with the park after their work on expanding Thomas Land and refurbishing The Haunting.
Buffalo has received further work from Severn Lamb, with the 'Indian' section of the car at the front replaced with the refurbished Buffalo car. Station also had yet another repaint. Neptune's amusements is a lot warmer now with automatic doors at the Pirate Cove entrance, another good change as it was freezing in there last year. G-force and Shockwave have had a good jetwash and look a lot better now too.Overall was really impressed on Wednesday with what the park (and zoo) has done over the closed season, even if it isn't quite finished yet. Contractors have built a good relationship with the park after their work on expanding Thomas Land and refurbishing The Haunting.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Don't forget; they didn't get a very large fine like a certain group did...
Don't forget; they didn't get a very large fine like a certain group did...
Not yet, isn't there still an investigation ongoing?
AT86
TS Member
Don't forget; they didn't get a very large fine like a certain group did...
That ‘very large fine’ was entirely cancelled out by a tax rebate they received for the exact same amount in the same year. So it cost them nothing in real terms.
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
*Scrape jaw off floor*
I'd missed that one. What the hell‽‽
AT86
TS Member
https://merlinentertainments.biz/0EF612AD-2389-4FA6-A88C-9CEE9D34DB7D.CFILE
Hopefully that link works. Slide 6 states the ‘tax credit’ and slide 8 the Smiler fine.
DistortAMG
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- POTC Disneyland Paris
That is a bit 'fishy' to say the least.
It does please me to see Drayton doing relatively well. From someone that has grown up next to the park which is heavily in twined into people in Tamworth. I have seen the park go from what could only be described as a funfair, into quite a substantial attraction. The park and rides may not be to everyone's taste, but the effort they have put into the place for the benefit of the paying public (over the last 20 years) is huge. They deserve to do well. Because they want to do well to the people who visit.
It does please me to see Drayton doing relatively well. From someone that has grown up next to the park which is heavily in twined into people in Tamworth. I have seen the park go from what could only be described as a funfair, into quite a substantial attraction. The park and rides may not be to everyone's taste, but the effort they have put into the place for the benefit of the paying public (over the last 20 years) is huge. They deserve to do well. Because they want to do well to the people who visit.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
I went Friday and it was dead the longest queue all day was for the season passes and renewals. I waited just over a hour for mine. They really need to get rid of the drinks section in there and add 3 more tills.
The 1st thing I noticed was new theming and signs on Maelstrom.
The original side of Thomasland looks like it needs some tlc but must be quite hard to do when the area is open nearly all year.
The Blue mountain Engines is still missing it’s mean piece of theming in the centre of the ride and it’s still sat in a storage area behind shockwave
Captains sea adventure has once again had its water cannons replaced with the boring light again.
The Sodor Classic Cars ride has had its on ride camera moved to near the start area. Think it needs theming.
Spencer's Outdoor Play area is closed while they repaint to play area and replace all the bark.
Terence's Driving School Has had some of its theming removed.
Toby’s Tram express I was told it was waiting for a part but they hope to get it open after the Easter school holidays.
I would have hoped that the park would have added the 2 missing boats back on the Jolly Buccaneer.
Aerial Park area of the park has had the most work done to it over the last 3 years with the Haunting getting upgraded in 2016,Ben 10 rethemed into Accelerator last year with golden nuggets getting rethemed into Sheriff showdown for this season.
Also the Flying Dutchman been stripped down at the end of 2016 season and fully restored and painted with a new fence put around it this closed season.
The 4D cinema getting a new movie and retheme. The movie works so much better than it did at Alton Towers.
The Drunken Barrels was missing it’s table in the centre of the turntable they was just a box covering the fixtures and fittings.
Pandemonium has been down since the end of the 2016 season as it needed new parts. It was repainted last year with the new parts fitted near the end of the 2017 season. I did see them testing it by highing and lowering the ride last year it’s also had new signage added but most of the seats have still got its coverings off it. I did see some maintenance guys round it during the day.
Like someone has said above The Buffalo Coaster has had its front of the train readded but it’s still missing some rows. The station building been repainted with new fencing added around the area. Some of the track supports have been repainted so looks like it won’t be leaving the park anytime soon.
It’s good to see Apocalypse have the 5th side reopen again and it looks like the queue line steps and rail have been repainted but from the outside the building is in need for a good clean and repaint. Hopefully will see this happen in the close season.
G force looks like it’s had major work done to it and looks like new. I asked when it was reopening and they said hopefully next week as they working on the indoor queue line.
Didn’t walk over to Shockwave,air race and Splash Canyon but will check them out on my next visit.
Only downside was that I had hoped that StormForce 10 would have been been cleaned and repainted as the queue line looks freshly painted.
Zoo update
Dinoland is missing some dinosaurs and they neither Been taken away for repair and repaint or getting replaced by new dinosaurs. I noticed new dinosaur sound track also.
The Zoo is getting major work done to it with new animals coming soon and cages repainted. All the cages are been refitted with new things inside and the monkey cages have new climbing things added.
General news new signage is been added around the park with maps added just for the theme park section in the park and maps showing the zoo area in the zoo.
I did take some pics but my phone died but will take lots on my next trip in 2 weeks time hopefully.
I asked about the cable car and big wheel removel and it was down to the lowest hourly output rides in the park.
The 1st thing I noticed was new theming and signs on Maelstrom.
The original side of Thomasland looks like it needs some tlc but must be quite hard to do when the area is open nearly all year.
The Blue mountain Engines is still missing it’s mean piece of theming in the centre of the ride and it’s still sat in a storage area behind shockwave
Captains sea adventure has once again had its water cannons replaced with the boring light again.
The Sodor Classic Cars ride has had its on ride camera moved to near the start area. Think it needs theming.
Spencer's Outdoor Play area is closed while they repaint to play area and replace all the bark.
Terence's Driving School Has had some of its theming removed.
Toby’s Tram express I was told it was waiting for a part but they hope to get it open after the Easter school holidays.
I would have hoped that the park would have added the 2 missing boats back on the Jolly Buccaneer.
Aerial Park area of the park has had the most work done to it over the last 3 years with the Haunting getting upgraded in 2016,Ben 10 rethemed into Accelerator last year with golden nuggets getting rethemed into Sheriff showdown for this season.
Also the Flying Dutchman been stripped down at the end of 2016 season and fully restored and painted with a new fence put around it this closed season.
The 4D cinema getting a new movie and retheme. The movie works so much better than it did at Alton Towers.
The Drunken Barrels was missing it’s table in the centre of the turntable they was just a box covering the fixtures and fittings.
Pandemonium has been down since the end of the 2016 season as it needed new parts. It was repainted last year with the new parts fitted near the end of the 2017 season. I did see them testing it by highing and lowering the ride last year it’s also had new signage added but most of the seats have still got its coverings off it. I did see some maintenance guys round it during the day.
Like someone has said above The Buffalo Coaster has had its front of the train readded but it’s still missing some rows. The station building been repainted with new fencing added around the area. Some of the track supports have been repainted so looks like it won’t be leaving the park anytime soon.
It’s good to see Apocalypse have the 5th side reopen again and it looks like the queue line steps and rail have been repainted but from the outside the building is in need for a good clean and repaint. Hopefully will see this happen in the close season.
G force looks like it’s had major work done to it and looks like new. I asked when it was reopening and they said hopefully next week as they working on the indoor queue line.
Didn’t walk over to Shockwave,air race and Splash Canyon but will check them out on my next visit.
Only downside was that I had hoped that StormForce 10 would have been been cleaned and repainted as the queue line looks freshly painted.
Zoo update
Dinoland is missing some dinosaurs and they neither Been taken away for repair and repaint or getting replaced by new dinosaurs. I noticed new dinosaur sound track also.
The Zoo is getting major work done to it with new animals coming soon and cages repainted. All the cages are been refitted with new things inside and the monkey cages have new climbing things added.
General news new signage is been added around the park with maps added just for the theme park section in the park and maps showing the zoo area in the zoo.
I did take some pics but my phone died but will take lots on my next trip in 2 weeks time hopefully.
I asked about the cable car and big wheel removel and it was down to the lowest hourly output rides in the park.
Sauron97
TS Member
Don't worry Sandy, have some myself.
Sheriff's Showdown: Bearing in mind, this was last Wednesday and will be near completion now. A good upgrade on the original work undertaken by Space Leisure way back in 99/00.
New Park map sign that Sandy was referring to
Will add more pictures when I next visit.
Sheriff's Showdown: Bearing in mind, this was last Wednesday and will be near completion now. A good upgrade on the original work undertaken by Space Leisure way back in 99/00.
New Park map sign that Sandy was referring to
Will add more pictures when I next visit.
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Sauron97
TS Member
G force will be open soon. In the next 5 years, I'd say not a hell of a lot. Their developments are currently based off a long term plan from 2006, which was to begin with what we now know as Thomas Land, and the Hotel which would begin the transition from an on the day site to more of a resort. Hotel was initially planned for 2008 but got pushed back a few years as a lot of borrowing was needed, and they also had to sort out Cartoon Network land (which obviously never came to be). A huge water park was also on the table but nothing has come of it (yet). Was a cool concept as well, had an awesome looking floating restaurant and would of been situated behind the hotel where the Camping area is.
Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
Yeah, Alton should have refreshed Towers Street and built a wood coaster. Damn them.
I missed this. Was the tax rebate linked to the fine? If not, it still cost them £5m....?
I am interested to know if anybody thinks Pirate Adventure has a future at Drayton Manor. I have a really split opinion on it - I would love to see it reopen as a dark ride once again, but it would also be great to see another type of major attraction open over this and Excalibur's site.
What is the reason that they closed the ride and what do you think the future is for it?
What is the reason that they closed the ride and what do you think the future is for it?
It’ll go now shame as it was great
Huge space though and with the lack of Decent hardware investment in recent years I can see it being left dead for a while