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Heide Park

Imagine closing 3 flats and making your headline coaster SBNO (which potentially could never reopen) in 2 years :tearsofjoy:
 
Heide Park is considering demolishing Colossos.

The future of Europe's largest wooden roller coaster does not look bright. Colossos at Heide Park needs a very costly repair. Therefore, the park considers various scenarios, including the demolition of the iconic roller coaster. This is evidenced by an interview with a German fansite.

The largest wooden roller coaster in Europe has been SBNO since July 2016 for urgent maintenance and repair work. Earlier this year, Heide Park announced that Colossos will remain closed throughout the 2017 season. Any details could not be released, but a spokesman from the park said that "it's a replacement of the roller coaster track, which is a very difficult job. An opening date is not known yet, but we keep everyone informed as soon as there is more news," said the spokeswoman.

Last weekend, a conversation took place with the fansite "Freizeitpark-Welt" and some Heide Park managers. In addition, the park will come out with an official verdict regarding the future of Colossos at the end of this year. It was also said that the repair of the roller coaster is accompanied by a repaircost which is a two-digit million amount, so a very expensive repair.

The park is now looking with its investors and company Merlin Entertainments which decision they are going to make. There are currently different scenarios possible, including demolishing the roller coaster to replace it with a brand new attraction.

http://www.pretparken.be/NL/article/1824/Toekomst Europa
 
I thought one of the ideas/selling points of the Intamin pre-fab was that they could manufacture and install replacement track sections quicker and more cost-effectively than traditional woodies? It must be in a pretty poor state if it's going to need that sort of investment.

If it's come to this though but the overall structure is salvageable, perhaps RMC treatment would be the route to go. Would probably be more cost-effective and at least they'd have some major marketing pull with it once it reopens...
 
Has anyone heard anything more about the "final decision" that Heide were apparently making about Colossos? It would be a shame to see the world's tallest woodie meet a premature end again. Also, 15 years is a very short time for a coaster to operate, even by wooden coaster standards. If Merlin does choose to demolish Colossos... well, I'm confident that the decision would teach Merlin a few lessons in maintenance so that SW8 doesn't wind up SBNO in 2034.
 
Matt N said:
Has anyone heard anything more about the "final decision" that Heide were apparently making about Colossos? It would be a shame to see the world's tallest woodie meet a premature end again. Also, 15 years is a very short time for a coaster to operate, even by wooden coaster standards. If Merlin does choose to demolish Colossos... well, I'm confident that the decision would teach Merlin a few lessons in maintenance so that SW8 doesn't wind up SBNO in 2034.
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Merlin have said they will announce their decision by the end of the year.
 
Matt N said:
Has anyone heard anything more about the "final decision" that Heide were apparently making about Colossos? It would be a shame to see the world's tallest woodie meet a premature end again. Also, 15 years is a very short time for a coaster to operate, even by wooden coaster standards.
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As I think you were alluding to, it's only the tallest because Son of Beast was such a disaster. It had an even shorter run and that was full of woe for a variety of reasons. So many large wooden rides have bitten the dust recently and I think there will be more to come. Maybe building things that big out of wood isn't a good idea*.

* Unless it's El Toro.
 
It's probably more a case of either building them with a proper company (not RCCA) and maintaining it properly so it doesn't suddenly cost you €10m to fix it...
 
Benzin said:
It's probably more a case of either building them with a proper company (not RCCA) and maintaining it properly so it doesn't suddenly cost you €10m to fix it...
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Five out of the top 10 tallest wooden roller coasters ever built are already firewood or not operating.
 
Hopefully the only good that will come out of this is Merlin realise they need to take really good care of and properly maintain SW8 to avoid it facing the same future.
 
Rattler was made by RCCA so that explains that one...

I've no idea if Texas Giant was any good? Mean Streak was certainly diabolical, but I wonder if the 3 of the top 10 that are now RMC coasters would still be standing if RMC weren't a thing...
 
I think Son of Beast may have had problems because RCCA were apparently fired early on in construction and Kings Island attempted to build it themselves. Sorry, because this is really off-topic.
 
@Matt N Son of Beast was a comedy of errors from start to finish, despite having some distinguished people associated with it (+RCCA). Stengel designed it, Premier did the trains and RCCA did some of the construction before the KI team pitched in, as you mentioned.
 
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