Mattgwise

What was the reason for the removal of the airgates?

The ride has regularly had longer queues this year due to often only using one of the two loading areas in the station.

Hopefully its capacity issue is sorted now and back to running more than 2 trains.

Blimey that's a first in years? Is it playing new lost city theme or the track that used to play years ago?

Rocky Express finally has its original audio back after having used a fright nights track (Beetlejuice theme) all year round for over ten years. Personally I preferred the upbeat Beetlejuice theme even if it didn't really fit. Its back to this...

And me looking very unimpressed ?

I noticed about twenty minutes ago the TPM FB page uploaded 2 mins of the new lost city track recorded by Martin. It's already been removed haha! Imascore and TP really are OTT with keeping it off of the net!

Anyone know if it's the same deal with viking river splash? Most of their audience is kids with their parents anyway but haven't heard any mention about Legoland's.

Awesome trip report there. Have to agree with you about Galacticair. My best ride on it as "air" too. Battle Galleons was a nightmare! I can still feel the force of those jets blasting at me for nearly fifteen minutes right now, and although nice at first was still horrible even with the blazing heat. I am finally just about dry now ?

Personally I can see this park closing the way things are going. My opinion might be wrong and hope it is, but the place seemed very run down and lacking in atmosphere when I last went recently.

In my opinion the lost city loop did need changing, the short version of Colossus music became irritating over and over the whole area. GLad they've left Colossus though.

Got talking to an engineer on park just now who was on his way down the path of the old CCR And he let me have a brief look just past the gates as far as the tunnel and the condition and he told me that Dom (director) really wants the ride back and they haven't given up still and are in talks. He said that the fibreglass needs replacing throughout most of the ride and the bridges and evacuation platforms are past their operating life and again need replacing. He then said they are working out whether it is cost effective to carry out the replacement of the fibreglass and other things or whether to replace completely. The condition of the ride didn't look as bad as though but he said it's worse round the back with plants even growing through parts of the track.

For those interested the track was virtually replaced completely. It should still have a fair amount of years left. https://www.garmendale.co.uk/blog/case-studies/chessington-world-of-adventures-dragon-falls/

Looking forward to the weekend. See you all tomorrow.

Two pieces of nostalgia here, the park in the 90s, and a kids tv show I grew up with

That's great! Looking forward to this trip even if I am only there the Saturday and Sunday 

Put me down for the weekend, but I will organise my own room. Thanks

Read a few posts up haha.

A ride like air force would be a disastrous choice. It just has such a poor throughput. That with often slow operations just wouldn't be good for a park like Thorpe Park. It was a silly decision putting in the two kids rides in old town as it was a perfect chance to properly redevelop the entire area. Unless they plan to still do that and the two new attractions are part of whatever image they plan on moving that area to, hence why they don't fit currently.

A blue wild mouse was there for a very short period of time before being removed. The park has been upgraded for this year and the area used is now bigger. This has been put in and is actually Fantasy Island's Wild Mouse which they have replaced with another model (Ice Mountain Hyde Park). The upgrade for those interested http://www.kentlive.news/the-opening-for-the-new-era-of-dreamland-has-been-pushed-back-after-another-10million-injection/story-30235729-detail/whatson/story.html

Oh dear, I bet they end up having to remove it... https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3494148/families-furious-after-funfair-builds-roller-coaster-just-a-few-feet-from-their-homes/

They have already got its replacement. Its the little kids drop tower seeing as it wasn't on the map at start of season. They are going to suddenly advertise it as it's replacement. Obv joking but knowing the park will end up being the case. ?

I have never known Lightwater Valley to get large crowds in recent years, even on weekends so it may be a very long time between trains but usually only have to wait a few trains to get on.

I just don't get why the management of this park and Alton Towers is so different. Alton Towers runs its coasters on more than one train, even when dead. This picture taken today by Pleasure Beach Experience shows that! This one train business during the week actually makes waiting for the coasters painful and sometimes longer than overall busier weekends when two trains are running. Madness.

Not holding my breath but hope these tracks are released. The more I hear the more I like