The story is on Joyland books.com (link below) although it doesn’t state what will happen to the scenic railway now it is a grade 2 listed building some care must be taken with it. I'm just glad that Nick Laister made all the effort to get the ride listed otherwise this would be another great and very unique ride the UK would be loosing. I desperately hope another UK park buys and restores the ride maybe GT could install it at Southport or the owners of Southend Adventure Island will buy this one install of building a £2 million version of a new scenic railway that will open next year.
It seems that with the increasing profits of the Tussauds group and cheap holidays abroad are pulling people away from the traditional seaside amusement park, first Frontierland and the loss of the fantastic Texas Tornado, then the loss of the Rotunda amusment park and the loss of the worlds oldest travelling rollercoaster, now Dreamland with the fate of the scenic railway hanging in the balance. What parks will be next Great Yarouth Pleasure Beach and so on.
I would like to see Tussauds buy the scenic railway and restore it to its former glory at one of there UK parks, as good as multi looping B&M's are you can't beat a bit of original history.
What are your thoughts?
Wow, I'm more and more appreciative of the ACE Europe tour. How sad.
Hopefully Scenic Railway will be preserved in some way. The fact that it's listed as a historical landmark in some way (I'm not totally up on UK law for such designations) should help.
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--Oat Boy
My page
Consider what the ECO people did that probably can't be done in 2003:
1. Rotunda Closing
2. Dreamland in extreme peril
3. The double deck giant drop at that shopping mall has been removed.
I'd say that tour was just in the nick of time.
So far 2003 is not shaping up to be that grand of a year for the hobby, with Hillcrest in the United States giving its final curtain call this season, and then there is Playland in Canada that seems to be in its final season, every season.
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
This is so sad. It's not like this history can be replaced. Someone else has got to see that.
More examples of how the world we soon become nothing but a sea of parking dotted with condos and shopping centers. No wonder that shopping is the number 1 pasttime. What else is there to do?
Any idea if the side friction from Rotunda will be saved?
Remember the Belmont Park Giant Dipper sat dormant for almost 14 years until we were lucky enough for the shopping development crew decided that amusement rides could co-exist with their development.
Given historical status. I wonder if a crew could be endowed to run the Scenic as a roadside concession, it might be expensive (Giant Dipper is $3.50/ride with all-day specials available, last I checked). Quick get those shopping developers over to Belmont Park to see how shopping and rides can co-exist!
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
It would be great if the coaster could be saved and could co-exist with the new shopping.
BTW, Giant Dipper is a bargain, the Cyclone is $5 a ride, and $4 for a re-ride :(
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
He is looking for people to lend there support to save the park to e-mail him and lend your support send an e-mail to
nick@joylandbooks.com
Or alternatively visit the site at
www.joyland.co.uk
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