tayspru
TS Member
Hi there, my name is Sam Thomas. I've graduated from my management course at the University of Liverpool, and have returned to the family estate in Tatton... and boy have things changed! When I left 5 years ago, my grandfather, Kenneth Pierce, had purchased some parkland adjacent to the estate, with the intention of opening the park to the public. The last I'd heard was that the plan was to build a small restaurant and a boating lake, but I soon found that Kenneth had other plans! In 1982 he worked with WHG transport to design a rollercoaster, and since then the park has expanded, and now boasts a themed entrance and some rides for everyone.
I'm visiting for the opening of the brand new rides, Whirlwind - a Vekoma off the shelf coaster - and Enterprise. I really enjoyed the day , and hope to come back for another visit (if I can ever find a job in this darned town). Anyway, we're all here for photographs, so lets get going!
First impressions of the entrance were great, It was well presented and easy to pick up tickets on the way in. entrance to the park itself is £3.00, or £10.00 for a rides wristband.
According to the park leaflet, the entrance midway is called "Victoria Avenue", and is loosely themed as a small English village in full jubilee celebrations. I found it very atmospheric!
The "Emerald Carousel" is dedicated to my late grandmother, Doris. The lead horse is named "Dot" in tribute. The attraction sits at the end of Victoria Avenue, and watches over the untouched parklands. I'm so glad grandpa had the rides constructed away from the centre of the park, ready to be discovered!
"Looper" was a fun ride. It didn't feel very tall, as it was built very close to the ground, but believe me it was fast, and going backwards and upside down sure beats any other sensation!
The Vintage Cars and Helter Skelter are very close to each other, and sit behind Victoria Avenue. The Helter Skelter was a temporary addition for 1982 , but was so popular its stayed put since. I imagine it will be one of the first rides to leave should more space be needed in the future.
The back corner of the park is home to Enterprise, Whirlwind, and the Hillside Cafe, which were all added for the new season this year.
This was my favourite part of the park! I took all of my pictures at the start of the day so I could enjoy the rides afterwards, so it looks kind of empty now. But by the time I'd finished my lunch at the Hillside Café, the area was buzzing, such a great atmosphere!
So far , the rides can hardly be seen among the trees, but with limited expansion space, my Grandpa is applying to have a height limit increased, to build bigger rides! I cant wait to see what the future holds for this park, but I'm sure my grandfather has something up his sleeves. I managed to speak to him before I left, and he told me how he wanted to build a brilliant indoor ride, but wasnt sure if it would be wise to invest big next year. I for one am excited for the future!
- Sam Thomas
