What's new
By:
FORUMS - COASTERFORCE

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

UK listed rides

Mysterious Sue

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
On the Save Dreamland site under 'latest news' there is an article in the Archaeologist. It says that the Scenic Railway is only one of two rides in the UK that are listed.

Does anyone know what the other one is?

I know Scenic is the only listed coaster.

Cheers
 
For further stuff on "listing"...

I was involved in trying to get the Cyclone AND Pleasureland at Southport listed.

Here are the documents related to that. There was a lot of work in the background and stuff, but essentially, this is what it all boiled down to.

First, the refusal to list "The Cyclone":
http://www.coasterforce.com/furie/cyclone.pdf

After that, there was an attempt to save a few rides, The Caterpillar, Haunted Inn, Fun House and River Caves. This was put into a single document:
http://www.coasterforce.com/furie/pleasureland.doc

All four were denied listing (some of the Fun House, the mechanics and boats of the River Caves and the Caterpillar were all taken by Save Dreamland). You can see the refusal documents are all a simple "copy and paste":
http://www.coasterforce.com/furie/caterpillar.pdf
http://www.coasterforce.com/furie/hauntedinn.pdf
http://www.coasterforce.com/furie/rivercaves.pdf
http://www.coasterforce.com/furie/funhouse.pdf

We then started on Blackpool rides getting listed, but it was such a hard work researching precisely, and the opposition from PBB fans was so great, we lost heart and gave up in the end. I hope never to get involved like this again, it was a massive amount of work, and you're constantly up against so much opposition.

In better news, English Heritage are now taking on their own "self propelled" look at Blackpool and listing of the rides :)
 
Why on earth were PBB fans against listing? I can't understand that at all! Surely getting territorial about it is just kicking themselves in the teeth?

I imagine it's a lengthy and utterly demoralising process tbh though. Congratulations on getting as far as you did.

I'm not surprised on the copy and paste either as they must get so many requests (it's just that most won't be as unusual as yours!)

Hopefully Margate's heritage program will be successful, and that can only encourage people to try again. At least the older rides at PBB seem in good condition for now, and hopefully aren't in any imminent danger.

I really want to go check out boat-on-a-rope now. Damn winter and the far away-ness of Hull!
 
Sue Shaw said:
Why on earth were PBB fans against listing? I can't understand that at all! Surely getting territorial about it is just kicking themselves in the teeth?
Click to expand...

It's because if the stuff is listed, then Blackpool can't expand. If they don't buy new rides and add new attractions, then people stop going.

Do you destroy the old or keep it and potentially end up going under?

Sue Shaw said:
I imagine it's a lengthy and utterly demoralising process tbh though.
Click to expand...

It is when it all fails :lol:

Sue Shaw said:
I'm not surprised on the copy and paste either as they must get so many requests (it's just that most won't be as unusual as yours!)
Click to expand...

The thing is though, that listing document took about three or four weeks of solid research and hard work to put together. So you expect a little bit more effort on the response.

Sue Shaw said:
Hopefully Margate's heritage program will be successful, and that can only encourage people to try again. At least the older rides at PBB seem in good condition for now, and hopefully aren't in any imminent danger.
Click to expand...

Yeah, fingers are crossed that people understand the idea behind the Heritage Park...

As for Blackpool, it's not a great cause to be honest. All the things you can usually put together as a reason to list are gone. The original stations, the "professional" (and now world renowned) artists Noah's Ark carvings, a lot of original layout and coaster infrastructure... There's just so little left and getting anything 20th century listed is exceptionally hard.

Sue Shaw said:
I really want to go check out boat-on-a-rope now. Damn winter and the far away-ness of Hull!
Click to expand...

The one at Wicksteed is pretty much identical and much closer :)
 
I just read the refusal for Cyclone. So basically they couldn't get in to see it so didn't bother, while still acknowledging its importance. How sad :(

It's because if the stuff is listed, then Blackpool can't expand. If they don't buy new rides and add new attractions, then people stop going.

Do you destroy the old or keep it and potentially end up going under?
Click to expand...

That makes sense I guess. But surely someone would want to buy and move the ride location rather than simply destroy them? Guess they have to be listed in their original setting. God I need to get moving on that plan to become a millionaire so I can set up my own heritage park!

So what do they classify as the 8 remaining historic coasters? The five woodies at PBB I guess, but what else? RCDB doesn't seem to sort by date. Sorry for asking what may be simple questions - I'm still learning :--D

The one at Wicksteed is pretty much identical and much closer
Click to expand...

Man and I was in Cambridge on Sun!!!!!
Thanks though, I'll def. have to go soon. Have to find out when it's open
 
Sue Shaw said:
I just read the refusal for Cyclone. So basically they couldn't get in to see it so didn't bother, while still acknowledging its importance. How sad :(
Click to expand...

Pretty much, yeah. We were lucky to get anyone from EH to get to Southport though really. It's all really fickle too, the woman who granted listing to The Scenic, refused to list the Grand National a couple of years earlier...

Sue Shaw said:
That makes sense I guess. But surely someone would want to buy and move the ride location rather than simply destroy them? Guess they have to be listed in their original setting. God I need to get moving on that plan to become a millionaire so I can set up my own heritage park!
Click to expand...

You'd think, but when Morecambe's Cyclone went up for sale, nobody took it. The cars were re-used elsewhere, but it stood for sale for about 18 months before it was knocked down. Again, a real shame as that was originally built in France for an expo and then brought over and rebuilt here. So it was definitely "portable".

Sue Shaw said:
So what do they classify as the 8 remaining historic coasters? The five woodies at PBB I guess, but what else? RCDB doesn't seem to sort by date. Sorry for asking what may be simple questions - I'm still learning :--D
Click to expand...

I spent a long time learning and I still am :lol:

Erm, Nash, Big Dipper, Zipper Dipper, Rollercoaster, Wild Mouse (all Blackpool), Scenic Railway, Rhyl WaterChute (now gone, but a lot was retained by Dreamland) and I think the side friction coaster that was at Folkestone at the time (again, now gone, a day before the Dreamland lorry turned up to take it).

I think those are the ones it means. Which of course means that out of the 8 mentioned (plus the Cyclone of course), only five now run and they're all at Blackpool. Two will re-open at Dreamland though, plus the Wild Mouse's sister coaster; King Solomon's Mines.

Sue Shaw said:
Man and I was in Cambridge on Sun!!!!!
Thanks though, I'll def. have to go soon. Have to find out when it's open
Click to expand...

It (Wicksteed) is open most weekends I think? I like the park... Well worth a visit :)
 
At last! Recognition!!! (Of both facts ;) ).

Here's an interesting read, and probably the reason Noah's Ark can't get listed:
http://www.laffinthedark.com/articles/bpn/bpn1.htm

It's an absolutely and utterly fantastic article about it.

It shows the cubist carved animals by Percy Metcalfe, who became famous for designing the George Cross amongst other things "British". If these had been retained, Noah's Ark would now be considered an official "work of art" :(

Anyway, superb bit of reading for those of us "light of items to action" ;)
 
That's a really great article. The English went a bit weird in the middle, but the passion was there :)
A very nice way to spend the afternoon (beats writing about rocks anyway)
 
1) When talking about old coasters.... what about that one at Great Yarmouth? Isn't it just called Roller Coaster? Or is that the Scenic Railway you're referring to? (From the way you suggest its not operating, I guess you're talking about the Margate one) It was built in 1928/9 (depending on where you look) for an exhibition, then moved to its current site in 1932 making it older than all of Blackpool's current rides, except Big Dipper. Or have I missed something? For what its worth, I thought it was a bit dull, but that might be because I was sat at the front.

There's some awesome pictures from back when it was first built. If only they knew how to theme a ride like that these days...

GtYarmouthScenic1932.JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GtYar ... ic1932.JPG

There's also a fab one here, but I can't display it, so you'll have to click the link...
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/JD6 ... cation=GBR

2) Wicksteed is indeed awesome. Although the hangover I had when we went there was not (can't believe that was 2 years ago!). If you go, take me with you :) Naughty jets ftw! I tried to go on the coin operated ones at Duinrell, but they were out of order :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top