If it was Thorpe's decision, it would probably remain open. Likely the powers above already set out a new policy regarding all Mack log flumes and have recently imposed it on Thorpe hence the lack of notice that its going SBNO until removal? It's not a coincidence that The Flume at Towers will also be closed/removed next year.

So Dragon Falls too then?

I don't knooooooow because that's a bit more complicated. But probably, I don't pretend to know about that one but it would make sense.

If it was Thorpe's decision, it would probably remain open. Likely the powers above already set out a new policy regarding all Mack log flumes and have recently imposed it on Thorpe hence the lack of notice that its going SBNO until removal? It's not a coincidence that The Flume at Towers will also be closed/removed next year.

So what has caused this policy change? I mean, log flumes are still popular the world over and I can't think of any recent incident involving one. 

I don't know the official reasoning, you'd have to ask Merlin that. But keep in mind these rides are all some of the oldest attractions in their respective parks.

I wish they'd just announce the proper reason to be honest, as you say these are very popular rides and can't just be swept under the carpet

If you're changing your parks target audience to families, then closing/removing one of the few remaining family focused rides that you have does not make sense, unless the plan is refurbish the ride and entire area and make Canada Creek a new family friendly section of the park, whilst coinciding it with the big 'family friendly' push when it reopens.

Opening 'experience' type attractions that have no 're-ridability' such as IAC and DB's new thing is not the way to get families into the park.

 

Agree with this ^^^ although we don't know exactly what is being done to Loggers - I would imagine it would be something pretty extensive to have to be closed for an entire season.  The whole "family" thing is puzzling - they are changing their target market yet Carousel went last year and next year no Loggers - I guess Carousel had to make way for the new ride but could they not have plonked it somewhere else?!   I miss it.  When Mr Monkeys goes I am gonna lose my marbles!

Loggers and The Flume are very popular rides and are still good queue shifters as well, removing them is an awful decision and one that I do not support at all.  They have neglected these rides over the years but with a bit of TLC they could be restored to their former glory which really wouldn't cost that much to do.

 

Not impressed.

Loggers and The Flume are very popular rides and are still good queue shifters as well, removing them is an awful decision and one that I do not support at all. They have neglected these rides over the years but with a bit of TLC they could be restored to their former glory which really wouldn't cost that much to do.

Not impressed.

If these rides are to be removed there will obviously be a reason for it, just because you don't know that reason don't mean there isn't one.

If these rides are to be removed there will obviously be a reason for it, just because you don't know that reason don't mean there isn't one.

 

True - just to add; the cost involved in restoring rides, especially rides as old as Loggers I would imagine wouldn't be cheap

Stop being sensible, we like rampant speculation....

Loggers going is a bad decison IMO. Loggers is a little tired, but I wouldn't say its desperate.

But The Flume going though..

I think Loggers closing will be a bit like Scorpions. It will close, it will be neglected for a year or two and then suddenly it will have minimal work done and it will open and be rebranded as a "new" ride.

obvious troll is obvious...

 

I'd seriously be shocked if it's gone for good, and doesn't return in the near future in the same form or another

Surely we are going to see rides closed st all parks likely.

Loggers is going at Thorpe. At Towers we ćould lose Flume or Ripsaw & Blade (all three are a possibility too).

Chessington, I can see Tombs closing permanent,y until a new ride opens there and maybe the same for Skyway (which barely works anyway).

Legoland will probably not be affected being in a different budget area and currently is doing well (however Dinosaur will likely close next year for the second hotel).

Wonder if it's more to do with the fears over safety post Smiler crash, inter-mingled with the lack of actual maintenance having been done on these rides...

 

Depressing stuff really...

obvious troll is obvious...

Who you calling a troll? I do hope it's not one of the most knowledgeable members on here...

The ride itself is clearly knackered. The station building has been rotting from the ground up for a number of years and looks ready to come crashing down at any moment without a whole load of assistance. It saddens me to say but Loggers is probably not worth saving from any sensible financial perspective, so I doubt it will be saved.

regardless if it's the same loggers... I still expect the park to have a log flume in 2017

If it was Thorpe's decision, it would probably remain open. Likely the powers above already set out a new policy regarding all Mack log flumes and have recently imposed it on Thorpe hence the lack of notice that its going SBNO until removal? It's not a coincidence that The Flume at Towers will also be closed/removed next year.

They don't have medium term plans for unexpected decisions like this and hoping for backwards sections, tunnels and a redesign will just disappoint sadly.

 

If the plan is to keep Loggers SBNO until removal, I would expect to see it earmarked as a possible development area on the new MTDP.  

 

As we've all seen, the MTDP doesn't tie Thorpe to do anything in particular; it just gives the council and locals an idea of what is possible in the next 4 to 5 years.  If Loggers is closed for good, Thorpe will surely want to replace it with something before 2020/2021 (which is what the next MTDP will take us up to), won't they?  

 

Even if it's an unexpected decision, they'll be able to edit it into the MTDP between now and submission (if they do indeed plan to do the logical thing and remove / replace in the next 6 years, of course).  

Surely the mid term development plan is a document outlining all possibilities that they would ideally like to do, not what has to be done or what they are actually commiting themselves to doing?

So for cases like this it is a bit meaningless and, yes they'll edit in whatever they want to. I have no idea at what level such a decision has been made. It's a bit strange they didn't outline the Loggers site for redevelopment in the first place.

I remember Black Hole had money poured into it then they realised it would have to close anyway, and it sat there on the MTDP for ages before they got the chance to sort it. Will be interesting as it's a big area.

I don't know much about how they work, but yeah, basically what you said - in terms of future developments, it's non-committal and outlines many possibilities that the park may consider in that time frame.  It helps makes planning permission easier on those areas too I believe, since they will have pre-agreed certain restrictions.  The MTDP will be a bit stricter about certain things though (I think things like they impose a maximum average gate figure, environmental targets, etc.).  Unfortunately most of the original documents from the most recent MTDP seem to have disappeared off the council's website, so can't read through all the boring details to find out exactly.

 

Anyway, my point was basically if they plan to not reopen the ride, they'll probably want to replace it within the next few years, so they'd want to earmark it for development to the council.  If they planned to reopen it (even with some minor changes), they probably wouldn't earmark it for future development.

There is a good chance the work that needs to be done to the ride may out weigh the cost of keeping it, in which I can't see a park especially Thorpe without a Log Flume for long.

 

Perhaps if the costs of this mechanical work is to high once its started, it will be better for everyone to rip it and get another one to last us 30 years. 

If that was the case, why does Slammer still exist?

'if they are looked after properly'

No further comment

I don't see why people think loggers isn't looked after properly? Most of its issues come from the water it uses rather than the ride it's self.

The dire state of the trough, decrepit half-tunnel, rotting station building, the list goes on...

Surely having clean water cycling through it counts as looking after it properly as well?

The trough is dirty from the lake water it has going through it. Tunnel I agree with hardly looks great.

Changing loggers to a clean water system would be a hell of a job and probably easier to rip it down and start again.

In its current location I don't see how they could turn it in to a clean water 'closed system'. To build it would be prohibitively difficult (and expensive), and once it was running an unacceptable about of chlorinated water would spill into the lake.

 

I think it's hard to suggest it's been looked after well in recent years when one of the two buildings rotted to the extent it was condemned and the other looks like it's in such a horrific state it needs to go the same way. The whole thing just looks entirely unloved. Also, it can not be simply coincidence it has suddenly become so unreliable. It's been pumping that same water around for over a quarter of a century and it's been fine for the vast majority of that, why would that suddenly be a problem now in terms of either reliability or visually looking such a state? 

"Log Flumes can last much longer than 30 years if they are looked after properly."

No it really wasn't built to last this long, let's face it that RMC didn't have the budgets or experience to set out building an invincible log flume that can operate every single day for 30 years.

Also, if the ride was the same today as when it opened, it would still be down for closure because of the way it is designed to old specifications.