Raptor Attack

Raptor Attack (formerly known as the Rat Ride) is an enclosed, subterranean roller coaster at Lightwater Valley in Ripon, Yorkshire. It originally opened in 1987, and finally finished dispatching its opening day queues in July 1991. The ride is thought to be a Schwarzkopf Wildcat model.

Concept

When it was decided that the Rat would be rethemed for the 2010 season, creative control was passed to the Conservative Party in return for funding the project. Dave and co swiftly set about creating a wonderfully bemusing concept: dinosaurs... in a mine... in Yorkshire. Several names were suggested including 'Mine-osaur' and 'Jurassic Dark' before settling on 'Raptor Attack'.

Theories into its meaning have been rife. The most popular interpretation, is that Raptor Attack is a feeble piece of Tory propoganda, designed to shift the blame for the collapse of Yorkshire's once thriving mining industry... onto dinosaurs.

Presumably they ate the trade unionists too?

Reception

The theme park community swallowed this shameless re-writing of history whole, and the ride has been a massive critical success. But how silly is that? Dinosaurs? In a mine? How the hell did they get in there? Is it like when you get your head stuck in some railings? Easy to get it in, but difficult to get out? Throw us a bone here Lightwater Valley!