Drayton Manor Park

[Themeparksandy1981]

I wonder if all this leads back to a month earlier before the looping group brought the park. As the Mellors group was supposed to run the attractions and add some of there own flats and they paid the Bryan’s rent.
They even had the business set up
Drayton Manor Operations Limited

 

[DistortAMG]

I wonder if all this leads back to a month earlier before the looping group brought the park. As the Mellors group was supposed to run the attractions and add some of there own flats and they paid the Bryan’s rent.
They even had the business set up
Drayton Manor Operations Limited

Quite possibly mate, but I would not say it leads back to it. It looks like that was the Bryan's intentions all along, To not sell the land the park is on.

 

[immelmanloop]

Well if the land is owned by the Bryans, its clearly quite a lucrative position for them considering it is listed as worth £4 million

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I think that’s why they sold the hotel for 4 million and the rest of the rides/building were sold by the administrations for 20 million and that money went to pay off the debts of Drayton Manor park ltd. So really they didn’t walk away from Drayton Manor with nothing and they getting monthly or yearly rent from the looping group.

 

[Excalibur]

Very small chance…

But I wonder how long the lease is on the land? With the potential for the Bryan’s to buy everything back in future and operate it again? Small chance, I know! But never say never! We don’t know there intentions. Plenty of time to explore money options!

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I think with Colin losing his parents within a month of each other I think he be more happy to enjoy his retirement.
I commented on a post from Sam (Expedition theme park) to do a video about the Bryan family and there 70 years in control of DMP. It's had a lot of likes.

 

[Trooper Looper]

I think with Colin losing his parents within a month of each other I think he be more happy to enjoy his retirement.
I commented on a post from Sam (Expedition theme park) to do a video about the Bryan family and there 70 years in control of DMP. It's had a lot of likes.

So you're the Andy Hanson Person that commented that. Nice that it got a lot of likes.

 

[Benjamino]

New fence on the train pic credit (themeparksvisionart)

 

[DistortAMG]

Interesting you show that. It reminds me that they were doing alot of construction work on the old ticket hut building at the back of Shockwave a few weeks back. Behind the toilets next to Shockwave.

You can clearly see it when riding the train..it has not been used as a ticket hut in a few years, but there was alot of contractors on site..not sure what they are planning to do with it..as an entrance seems unlikely given its its close location to the main entrance. I believe the work is still on going.

Tell you what though, it is nice to see some form of construction work constantly going on at the park in some form or another. Be it large or small. It has been many years since it has been like this.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

So you're the Andy Hanson Person that commented that. Nice that it got a lot of likes.

Thank you I always felt that the Bryan’s never got the thanks they deserved with the flood, Lockdown and then losing there family business after the hard work Colin’s parents, Colin and his children have done for the park in the 70 years and it’s a great job the looping group is doing to the park it be no where without the Bryan’s.
Here is the message I put

Hopefully Sam will pick it to do as his next Video.
I was at the park yesterday and the park was quiet.
The Drunken Barrels must have had a major problem as they removed the centre piece of the ride.
Storm Force 10 must have downtime every day now.
The Haunting no smoke in any of the rooms and the audio was poor in the final room.
Apocalypse had no queue so they send me up 3 times before another 2 guests joined the queue.
Loki during the rain only loaded the 1 end only and Think it got more guests on that way than loading both sides. I timed it when we 1st went on it and from the moment the 1st load of guests got off to the ride started took nearly 9 mins.
1st time I had been on shockwave in nearly 3 years and they had the door open on the 2nd level if you wanted a queue up again without going all the way round.
The Rapids all effects worked but at the end the water that hits the barrels opposite was fired from the boat instead.
I see that some vloggers have jobs working the rides now.
The old wristband booth has been used as a mini work shop for Contractors to do there work under when it’s cold or raining. Not sure if it’s spare stuff left over from the Viking area but there’s a lot of stuff stored over the back of the rapids.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Went to the park yesterday afternoon with the kids had to sort out renewing my sons annual pass. What a nightmare that was. The staff in the annual pass office didn’t have a clue like I brought mine, my daughters and my sons new passes at the end of feb before the prices went up and both staff in there were saying I had to pay £10 more for my sons and I should have got it back in march. I asked for a manager to come down as theses 2 were really winding me up and it clearly states on the email that the passes were valid from 12 months from collection. The manager said that was fine and cause they updated there computer systems there was no record of our passes so had to fill in all the forms again and download this tap app so my sons ticket could be added on there in the mean time my Son was getting upset just sitting in his buggy and the whole process took 30-45 mins there was another women in there who also brought tickets back before the ticket increases. Glad I went in the afternoon as it could have been a even longer wait if we went in the morning.

 

[pjanvil]

Went to the park yesterday afternoon with the kids had to sort out renewing my sons annual pass. What a nightmare that was. The staff in the annual pass office didn’t have a clue like I brought mine, my daughters and my sons new passes at the end of feb before the prices went up and both staff in there were saying I had to pay £10 more for my sons and I should have got it back in march. I asked for a manager to come down as theses 2 were really winding me up and it clearly states on the email that the passes were valid from 12 months from collection. The manager said that was fine and cause they updated there computer systems there was no record of our passes so had to fill in all the forms again and download this tap app so my sons ticket could be added on there in the mean time my Son was getting upset just sitting in his buggy and the whole process took 30-45 mins there was another women in there who also brought tickets back before the ticket increases. Glad I went in the afternoon as it could have been a even longer wait if we went in the morning.

That's interesting to here as I will have the same in September as I bought mine in the sale too for my renewal. Doesn't sound like joined up thinking there. I'll let you know how my collection goes.

 

[rob666]

Just remember to quote the above experience as "case law" if they try to mug you for an extra tenner!

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

All I can think of is many annual pass holders didn’t renewal before the price went up in March or like mine and my daughters passes run to October. I had to go guest services as the link in the emails wouldn’t let me add it to the app. The 1 thing I hate the most is the friends and family tickets as they also on the app and you still get 20 for £20 each but they got to be booked on line thought you.
Anyway was good to see the park been quite busy. Cause of the heat and lack of shade Thomas land was quiet after 3pm.
Anyway on to some park updates:
With Drunken barrels having problems last week it was open but the table in the centre was missing.

That’s twice I been to Drayton this year and only 1 train was working.
They used the same line with just the carriages parked on the other track not sure if the trains are in the station or out for repair.

They doing Maintenance in the indoor play area not sure if it’s getting new stuff but there was a sign outside and all windows covered over.

Also when I was went 2 weeks ago I didn’t have a chance to take pictures of the marking at the back of the pirate adventure.

 

[pjanvil]

All I can think of is many annual pass holders didn’t renewal before the price went up in March or like mine and my daughters passes run to October. I had to go guest services as the link in the emails wouldn’t let me add it to the app. The 1 thing I hate the most is the friends and family tickets as they also on the app and you still get 20 for £20 each but they got to be booked on line thought you.
Anyway was good to see the park been quite busy. Cause of the heat and lack of shade Thomas land was quiet after 3pm.
Anyway on to some park updates:
With Drunken barrels having problems last week it was open but the table in the centre was missing.

That’s twice I been to Drayton this year and only 1 train was working.
They used the same line with just the carriages parked on the other track not sure if the trains are in the station or out for repair.

They doing Maintenance in the indoor play area not sure if it’s getting new stuff but there was a sign outside and all windows covered over.

Also when I was went 2 weeks ago I didn’t have a chance to take pictures of the marking at the back of the pirate adventure.

Great pics, where abouts are those markings near Pirates Adventure?

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Great pics, where abouts are those markings near Pirates Adventure?

They lead to Pirate Adventure substation which is behind that fence/gate

 

[JAperson]

Those markings look like water or electricity markings to me, same sort of thing you see on the street before they do roadworks, but I could be wrong.

 

[Benjamino]

Those markings look like water or electricity markings to me, same sort of thing you see on the street before they do roadworks, but I could be wrong.

yes i think you may be right because you can also see where the area may have been dug up before for water pipes as you can also see the differences in the tarmac/concrete

 

[DistortAMG]

Those marking are routing out where the cables lie after a survey. There could be a million and one reasons for that. The substation in question is also not Pirate Adventures substation, it is the substation for Thomas Land, bolted onto the side of PA's building.

As for the windows being covered up, they have been like that since the start of the season. Not sure why. Nice pics though. I might pop down later or tomorrow for a few blasts on Storm Force 10.

It is quite possible that if they were adding a new ride to Thomas Land (the survey markings a few pages back seem to suggest they are) they would need to know where they can splice off this cable, hence the markings. I could even be for the Pirate Adventure building (we can only hope).

Something is going on though and I am intrigued to find out what.

 

[Excalibur]

Afternoon everyone!

I did some more research into my Pirate friend shown below, and can confirm he did used to move! He used to swing his leg on the left of this photo backwards and forwards. (You can see the pneumatic line behind him) He was installed in 1995 by the company that did SF10. The park park wanted to upgrade the queline so they added him and the two parrots. One outside the attraction and one at the station along with a few lighting upgrades.


Also managed to find some information out regarding audio, No audio salvaged. The audio systems in pirate were stored in reel to reel format inside a small room, for the main soundtrack , and I think DAT format for the pirate and parrots, but all audio became defunct over the years, owing to age and water damage .