CWoA's Vampire turns 21!

[Ian]

Vampire's 21st Birthday (Preview report page 3)

On Monday 11th April, the Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures turns 21 years old!

For details about the event, please read this post. See page 3 for the preview report.

The original Vampire was built by Arrow Dynamics. It was the sixth suspended swinging coaster made by them and the first in Europe. The new swinging trains were added in 2002.

The track, the three trains and control system was made in the US and shipped to Chessington WoA. From the top of the second lift hill you can see the London Eye, Canary Wharf and the Crystal Palace TV masts.

To celebrate the coaster's anniversary, the park are running a 21 day special event, starting on 11th April until 1st May.

• Brave Adventurers can experience the brand new Twilight Zone, an interactive, dark walkthrough with live actors providing screams around every corner.
• Real life rats in the Vampire queue line.
• A vampire called "Batty" will be roaming the Transylvania area.
• The first 21 Young Adventurers to arrive in full vampire fancy dress every day during this period will get in for free.
• There will be face painting in Transylvania and a fancy dress competition in Market Square.

For more background information on the Vampire, please watch our Behind The Scenes Tour video!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzhby4vnUAo[/youtube]

Will you be visiting CWoA during this event? What are you memories of the Vampire?

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

Real life rats? I assume they caught the ones loitering around Buccaneer then...


I'll certainly be there one of the days... Especially since Vamp was my first coaster and the same age as me near as dammit...

 

[alexr]

Out of Interest why did Vampire Need new trains?

 

[oran9087]

It Didn't need new trains, but Chessington WoA decided they was to revamp the ride, they added vekoma swinging trains to the system, instead of the normal stationary Arrow trains. Especially seem as Arrow Dynamics is now defunct. It is easier for them to just use Vekoma parts, as track gauges and other equipment is very similar.

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

Stationary Arrow trains?

Erm, no...


They just revamped it is however the correct answer, due to maintenance and other issues the ride suffered back then... It WAS SBNO for a year remember...

 

[tks]

The original bat trains swung as well. Hence the name "suspended swinging coaster".

I remember going to Chessington as a kid and LOVING the bat trains, and the tunnel. Which seemed much darker back then. I still don't like the new Vekoma trains. No themeing, booooo!

 

[oran9087]

Yes, I apologize. But The ride did need a revamp anyway. Although I do believe the change wasn't for the better, the tunnel isnt as good as it used to be..

 

[Lofty]

Congratulations Vampire. You're now legal to gamble and drink in the USA.

Anyhow. I like how park's do things like this for their attractions. It's a great use of generating publicity with the rides/attractions of what you've already got. Somebody will have to let me know how their "Twilight Zone" attraction is, I can imagine it being pretty fun.

 

[spicy]

The reason the tunnel isn't as dark as it used to be is, if you look at the old entrance it was much smaller but it has been completely opened up for the new trains.

Old tunnel entrance: http://www.rcdb.com/784.htm?p=2503

Shame really

As for the Vampire, a true legend of a coaster and up there with Corkscrew for legendary UK coasters. Vampire was also the birth of John Wardley as a coaster designer so we may never have seen Nemesis, Oblivion, Air etc.. Without Vampire.

Vampire was the first major coaster I went on as a child and I remember being absolutely petrified in the station but loved it and couldn't wait to go on again.

I certainly hope the Vampire lives on for much longer at Chessington!

 

[Ian]

Yeah, if you watch the Behind The Scenes Tour, the engineer explains that the tunnel had to be altered to accommodate the new trains. It still looks great at Halloween with all the smoke though. Tbh, I wish it was like that all year.

At the time, it was certainly the most ambitious coaster projects the UK had seen. Other coasters were simply plonked down with little theme. Vampire is probably responsible for making theme an important part of any new coaster.

 

[nadroJ]

I guess along with a lot of Londoners of my generation, Vampire was my first 'proper' rollercoaster. The only thing I remember about it is being scared ****less of the organ-playing vampire in the station. I remember a lot about Chessington back then though, it seemed like such a magical place! I still get that feeling when I go there sometimes which is nice, it means the place has developed in all the right ways =]

Anyhow, the answer is yes I probably will go, I've been meaning to go as my first park visit of 2011 anyway so might as well get it out of the way.

 

[kimahri]

And it still doesn't sparkle!

 

[alexr]

Also what is a better ride, with the old or new trains, I have only rode with the new trains.

 

[furie]

Everyone will say old trains because they were five at the time and everything is better when you're five

 

[T0M]

I've never been on it but I hope to get to Chessington this year. Thanks for the info Ian and have a great time whoever is going.

 

[gavin]

Will you be visiting CWoA during this event?

No.

What are you memories of the Vampire?

[ungrateful] Being bored **** less at some beind-the-scenes tour[/ungrateful]

 

[jokerman]

I'll be there at some point, most likely with younger cousins etc. so it should be fun for them to have this event going on.

Vampire is a lovely ride but it pays the price for it's fame and popularity by having a frankly ridiculous queue. For that reason, I hardly ever go on it anymore.

 

[furie]

Real life rats?

Rats are awesome!

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

^I have nothing wrong with rats, I just remember Vampire and Buccy have a few wild ones dotted about that are bloody massive...

Would save them money if they'd caught them...

 

[Ben]

Re: Vampire's 21st Birthday

[*]A vampire called "Batty" will be roaming the Transylvania area.

Hahahahaha.

That's going to end well.

"Hi, I'm batty, are these your kids?"

I don't really like Vampdire anymore, the old trains were so fab (like everyone has said ), but, UGH, the Vekoma trains Big Bad Wolf and Vortex well killed that piece of crap for me. So, no, I won't bother going. Might have thought about it if I had an AP, but, I'm not paying how much they must be charging this year...