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Serious Incident at Oakwood Theme Park

Peter Immelmann

Mega Poster
One thing I would say is that while any accident is of course terrible and shouldn’t happen (one accident is one too many), our hobby is still, relatively speaking, incredibly safe. Accidents in the theme park industry are freak events that really don’t happen very often at all, and major accidents that result in serious injury or death are even rarer.

For some idea:
I’m not saying that theme park accidents are to be brushed aside by any means; one accident is one too many, and theme parks need to entertain as safely as possible.

However, my point is; if you think you’re taking your life into your hands by going on a theme park ride, goodness knows what you’re doing by going on the roads to drive to the park. Take solace in the fact that theme park accidents are still major news; that must surely speak volumes about how rare they are.

I see you just wanted to say a good word for the safety in amusement parks and I appreciate it, but: If you do statistics like this, to be fair, you have to consider the fact that many(!) more people participate in the traffic on the roads than going to amusement parks. More concretely, you'd have to consider something along the lines of (injuries in amusement parks)/(visitors of amusement parks) vs. (injuries on the raod)/(people on the road) in a certain time interval. Otherwise, that comparison of numbers really doesn't tell a lot. (The statement you wanted to support may though be true.) My thoughts to everyone involved.
 
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TPoseOnTantrum

Giga Poster

rob666

Hyper Poster
The roads/rides safety comparison is false.
We have to use roads to exist.
Rides are always optional, and paid for to a third party, to provide a safe experience, every last damn ride.
Shut the neglected dump down until it is proven completely safe.
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
One thing I would say is that while any accident is of course terrible and shouldn’t happen (one accident is one too many), our hobby is still, relatively speaking, incredibly safe. Accidents in the theme park industry are freak events that really don’t happen very often at all, and major accidents that result in serious injury or death are even rarer.

For some idea:
I’m not saying that theme park accidents are to be brushed aside by any means; one accident is one too many, and theme parks need to entertain as safely as possible.

However, my point is; if you think you’re taking your life into your hands by going on a theme park ride, goodness knows what you’re doing by going on the roads to drive to the park. Take solace in the fact that theme park accidents are still major news; that must surely speak volumes about how rare they are.

(+ @Matt N as your new post overlapped with me writing this one)

We should expect (and demand) far higher statistical safety for amusement rides compared to road accidents, considering how non-dynamic ride operations are compared with the complexity of different individuals driving different machines (at the same time).

I don’t think it’s a good comparable.

We do expect better, and we get much better, that was kind of my point!!! For somebody to suggest that UK theme parks have had a lot of accidents lately is somewhere between a sensationalist exaggeration and completely untrue.

Road transport and Theme Parks are both supposed to be safety driven industries. You’re right, they’re not really comparable in many ways, but as a marker of how effective those safety measures are it’s a good comparison. When you compare how likely you are to be hurt on the road vs a ride, it’s a good comparison. It’s interesting that you mentioned how none dynamic ride operations are, when a good percentage of ride accidents are caused by user error or guest stupidity, the one dynamic element remaining. Just like road accidents. The main difference being that the amusement industry is always taking steps to remove the possibility of human error and rider stupidity. The automative industry is catching up, with things like auto breaking, lane assist, and even ai accident prediction and prevention, but, as you rightly pointed out, will never be anywhere near the standard of the amusement industry.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I agree with you, we shouldn’t be comparing apples and oranges, but not necessarily your reasoning. It’s my belief that roads are inherently more dangerous because humans need to travel, and over the years, that need has led us to accept a higher level of danger, even if there are numerous advances in technology already that could reduce the risks. Whereas we don’t ‘need’ to ride amusement rides, so we, quite rightly, hold that industry to a much higher safety standard.

But you’ve sidetracked me onto a different thing altogether now, my original comment was just that the suggestion that we’ve had a lot of accidents in ‘theme parks’ recently was nonsense. And (fingers crossed for the victim of this most recent one) most of the accidents we have seen have not been life threatening.

Just for clarity, and anybody that reads @Matt N ‘s post and thinks ‘that’s a lot,’ it should be pointed out that those statistics include slips and trips, cuts and bruises, wasp stings and insect bites… Basically any trip to the first aid office!!!

Edit: hahaha, you posted that as I was typing @rob666 But it seems to agree with my point… We accept the risk on roads through necessity more than anything. :)
 
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Nitefly

Hyper Poster
@Nicky Borrill - thanks for responding. Yes, ‘necessity’ is another distinguisher. The original draft of my second (longer) post above did address the distinguishers of (i) the necessity of roads and (ii) the higher proportion of personal responsibility when driving on roads, but I nuked that paragraph because my post was becoming bloated/laborious.

No further news this morning… here’s hoping that the injured pulls through as best as possible.
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Witness description from a presumably reliable source, a Dr no less...

Dr Lloyd said: "One of the carriages on the back of the ride had been shaking as it had been going round. It looked like the last few carriages were loose and wobbling."

She said her husband had noticed there was a man and a teenage girl in the carriage at the back of the ride.

"When he turned around the man was no longer there, and then they saw him on the second descent of the ride, and he'd obviously been thrown out of carriage.

"He could see him and then the passengers were trying to help hold the last carriage on because the girl was still in it and it was still moving around."


Does look increasingly like the back car derailed. And fairly early into the ride too. If this person's statement is accurate, the victim was ejected on or around the second hill. :(
 

nemesis_guy

Roller Poster
A bit of an update this evening.

Thankfully the man doesn't appear to have life threatening injuries.

Oakwood will re-open as planned from Saturday 29th October "following guidance from HSE".

In a statement, the spokesperson for Oakwood Theme Park said: "We are deeply saddened by the incident that took place on our Treetops ride on Sunday, October 23, in which one of our visitors sustained an injury. We are co-operating fully with the HSE investigation into the incident and are unable to comment further at this stage.

"The health, safety, and wellbeing of all our visitors and staff is of paramount importance to us. Following guidance from the HSE, Oakwood Theme Park will re-open for the half term holiday in Wales on Saturday 29th October as planned with Treetops remaining closed during the period of investigation. All guests affected by yesterday’s closure, will be contacted directly by a member of our team."

Source: Wales online

A man remains in hospital after an incident at a Welsh theme park in which a witness said rollercoaster carriages appeared to be "loose".

Dyfed-Powys Police said his injuries sustained on the Treetops ride at Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire are not believed to be life-threatening.
Source: BBC
 

WhollyRudeTech

Roller Poster
Have Oakwood even announced the closure of the park since what happened on social media? I may of missed it but would be annoyed if I missed the sad news about what happened and turned up to find it closed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
Have Oakwood even announced the closure of the park since what happened on social media? I may of missed it but would be annoyed if I missed the sad news about what happened and turned up to find it closed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Yes, they have announced their closure and reopening date. They are reopening Saturday, when half term starts in Wales, on the advice of the HSE.

The opening times listed on their official website and social media channels reflect this.

(I assume they were not open mid week until next week's holidays anyway... Which means that for once, the silly lazy reporting standards of mainstream media are working in Oakwood's favour! As they're reporting that 'The park has remained closed since the accident' which obviously reflects well on the park, but they'd have been closed anyway.)
 

MarsdenDean

Roller Poster
After visiting here on one of the "after dark" events I honestly can't say I'm surprised tbh.

Megafobia had a worrying about of sway over the second hill and the whole park felt neglected. Most rides were operated by 1 member of staff.

Hopefully the person makes a full recovery and the park gets its act together.
 

will6789

Roller Poster
It's a bit worrying knowing this ride can operate with it's lap bars open.
As far as I know, restraint sensors didn't really become common until the 90's/early 2000's so its not too surprising that an old Tivoli can run with the bars open. In theory, it shouldn't be a problem - assuming restraint checks are carried out properly...
 

owenjohn

Roller Poster
As far as I know, restraint sensors didn't really become common until the 90's/early 2000's so its not too surprising that an old Tivoli can run with the bars open. In theory, it shouldn't be a problem - assuming restraint checks are carried out properly...
Totally irrelevant as to what was allowed on a coaster 30 years ago. The fact it can run in 2022 with lap bars open is asking for trouble.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Interestingly, I think the modern Gerstlauer family coasters can also run with lap bars open.

Correct me if I’m wrong there, but I definitely feel like I remember seeing a POV of one of the Gerstlauer bobsled coasters where lap bars were open in unoccupied seats…
 

bratcurry

Mega Poster
Interestingly, I think the modern Gerstlauer family coasters can also run with lap bars open.

Correct me if I’m wrong there, but I definitely feel like I remember seeing a POV of one of the Gerstlauer bobsled coasters where lap bars were open in unoccupied seats…
Correct. It depends on the category of forces a ride has, wether lap bar sensors are required to run.
 

Coaster

Mega Poster
Totally irrelevant as to what was allowed on a coaster 30 years ago. The fact it can run in 2022 with lap bars open is asking for trouble.
Many older coasters can dispatch with restraints open, it's very common.

I'm concerned about the safety of the park's other rides; on my last visit back in September, Speed was making horrendous crunching and groaning noises on the lift-hill, as well as literally crashing into the chain as it engaged at the bottom of the lift. Its wheels looked very rusty, and the sound the car makes going around the layout is concerning. The track also looks to be in a very poor condition with paint flaking off it, and parts of it being slightly out of alignment.

Drenched did one cycle all day, due to it having to be balanced with exactly 14 people in specific seats.

Bounce, they will not dispatch or even start filling until they have 16 people.

Megafobia seems in need of urgent track work, particularly on the dip that directly follows the first drop. It crashes down, to the point where you can feel the entire carriage 'jump' - that cannot be healthy.

It's very surprising to me that the park was allowed to reopen so soon after the incident given the condition their other rides are in.
 
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Marsden10002

Roller Poster
Many older coasters can dispatch with restraints open, it's very common.

I'm concerned about the safety of the park's other rides; on my last visit back in September, Speed was making horrendous crunching and groaning noises on the lift-hill, as well as literally crashing into the chain as it engaged at the bottom of the lift. Its wheels looked very rusty, and the sound the car makes going around the layout is concerning. The track also looks to be in a very poor condition with paint flaking off it, and parts of it being slightly out of alignment.

Drenched did one cycle all day, due to it having to be balanced with exactly 14 people in specific seats.

Bounce, they will not dispatch or even start filling until they have 16 people.

Megafobia seems in need of urgent track work, particularly on the dip that directly follows the first drop. It crashes down, to the point where you can feel the entire carriage 'jump' - that cannot be healthy.

It's very surprising to me that the park was allowed to reopen so soon after the incident given the condition their other rides are in.
It's not great tbh. When I went in Aug Speed is the only ride where I've got off and said I'm not riding again. I honestly thought I was going to become internally decapitated.


Megafobia wasn't much better but you just had laugh it was that bad!
 
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