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Friday, 12 September 2014

Work starting on the Scenic Railway

The biggest milestone yet in the project to reopen Dreamland Margate will be achieved on Monday 15 September as repair work starts on the structure of the UK’s oldest roller coaster, the Scenic Railway.

Although initial work to refurbish mechanical components started off-site several months ago, work to rebuild the famous Grade II* listed timber structure, which was seriously damaged in an arson attack in 2008, will for the first time get underway on site.

The work on the 94 year-old structure is being carried out by Kent-based contractors Topbond Plc, using funding sourced by The Dreamland Trust and Thanet District Council.

The work will be undertaken on a phased basis, with parts of the ride removed and rebuilt in sections. Replacement foundations will be inserted underneath the ride onto which newly fabricated timber trusses will be erected. Work will progress in a clockwise direction, starting at the motor house.
The work means that the opening of the world’s first amusement park of thrilling historic rides is on target for 2015.

Chairman of The Dreamland Trust, Nick Laister, explains the importance of this milestone:

“This is an incredible moment in the decade-long battle to secure the future of Dreamland and save its world-renowned historic wooden roller coaster. For me personally, for my fellow directors at The Dreamland Trust, and no doubt for everybody who has helped and supported this project over the years, this is the moment we have all been waiting for.”

“Little did I know back in 2001 when I asked the Government to protect the Scenic Railway by making it the first ever amusement park ride to become a listed building, that our efforts to save this remarkable structure and the historic amusement park in which it sits would be such a mammoth task. We could never have anticipated the public inquiries, legal challenges and arson attacks that we have faced, or the way that so many people in Thanet and around the world would give their time and money to see this genuinely iconic structure thrilling riders again. So to see visible work actually starting on the ride is quite simply the biggest milestone to date in this project. I can't wait to take a ride on it in 2015."
 
Do you think that when the park reopens they will buy Twist and Shout at Loudon Castle and Knightmare seeing as they are both SBNO coasters. If I remember rightly Twist and Shout used to be at Dreamland.
 
I have asked the Chairman of Dreamland if there are any plans to save this ride as it used to be at the park back in the 80's / 90's.

http://www.ukrides.info/loudounplough.htm

The Plough at Loudoun Castle. This ride originally made by Schwarzkopf, was formerly the Apollo ride at Dreamland Margate. The ride was removed from Margate, & the gondola's and lifting mechanism were removed. The ride was then overhauled and converted into a very large chairoplane ride. Still owned by 80's theme park gurus Bembom Bros, the ride was leased to Lightwater Valley & known as Orbiter. When Henk Bembom bought Loudoun Castle from Codona's he installed the ride & named it The Plough
 
Hopefully they will bring everything that was originally at the park back. Would they have enough room to have everything back?
 
No they won't have enough room from what I've seen is left of the land. If they were to leave barley and ground left I would say yes but then there would be on space for the extra stuff they bought.
 
Plus I think they also want to bring the place into today rather than being 100% nostalgic, obviously they want to bring back some of the old stuff for the memories but I feel it's important they also add some new additions, which, like Marc said, they've bought.
 
I think it's more about the era they're trying to re-create. They seem to be going going for more of a 50s/60s vibe. Bringing back rides from the 80s/90s wouldn't really fit with the theme/atmosphere they're going for.
 
Ironic that these are the first new pieces of wooden roller coaster seen in the UK for years on the oldest roller coaster in the UK.

Still so glad to see this is actually happening!
 
Our team will be heading there when it opens its going to be interesting to see peoples reaction to a wooden coaster after the hype dies down.
 
Controversial time.

I think the reopening of Scenic Railway could be slightly damaging to the UK's prospects of getting a fab woodie. As much as I appreciate the history and cultural significance of the Scenic Railway, let's be frank - it's not the most thrilling example of a wooden coaster.

If it's billed as the newest wooden coaster in the UK, and most people exit the ride feeling "meh", it's hardly going to encourage more wood in the UK.
 
No Ian I agree with you on this one, they should not say it's the newest when it's the oldest.

Really hope they don't leave the wood looking new like that.
 
Would be low maintance for them to leave it like that. Personaly, I would rather them have it painted.
On the planning application it stated the ride would be painted the colours of its last incarnation though I also read a comment that said the timber was done with and it would likely be left exposed.

Whatever happens they arn't going to want to bill it as the UK's newest wooden coaster. If anything they will want to emphasize its heritage and grade 2 listed status.
 
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