Logger's Leap

[pluk]

Regardless of the reasons for it finally closing, I think my point is the decline has been too rapid for its current state not to have been something that has come about at least in part because of they way it hasn't been cared for in more recent times.

[SteveJ]

My last post was in response to the idea it could have easily last longer, but (without really knowing any detail about building materials, life expectancy) I think things like the wooden station building would have had to be entirely replaced by now for it to last longer anyway.

Wood just rots and when you have it in a very damp environment, I'm not sure if there is anything else that could have been done. The actual ride hardware is very well built by Mack and probably fine, I'm not aware of any reliability issues. These aren't really the key reasons why the decision has been made.

What gives it away is that it totally wouldn't take a whole year and 2 closed seasons to replace a wooden station and refurbish any parts. The last times I've known a ride to be SBNO for a year at a time was Runaway Train and Vampire, most of the time they were closed they were just deciding what on earth to do with them, if there was a chance they could be saved.

Of course when something is left abandoned for a year, it decays about 10x as quickly.

So there's always the chance they'll do something with Loggers. But a magical refurbishment with backwards sections, tunnels and a new layout there is no chance of happening. That is why I brought this up, as it is wrong for the park to let people down so hard by pretending its just maintenance - when Loggers Leap is a very well loved and historic ride.

[pluk]

Most importantly, with the demise of loggers which log flume is now the tallest in the UK?

[AstroDan]

Sorry - but Europa-Park's log flume opened in 1978 and is a Mack log flume. It has seen 2 or 3 refurbishments over its life and is as good as new.

 

The last refurbishments included a suite of new 6-seater boats to comply with new safety regulations a few years ago, a new control system and 2 years ago they also recladded all the channel theming.

[Ian-S]

The one at Chessington?

The ones at BPB and Legoland hardly qualify as having drops, an Pauton's one isn't that big.

[SteveJ]

The last refurbishments included a suite of new 6-seater boats to comply with new safety regulations a few years ago, a new control system and 2 years ago they also recladded all the channel theming.

So that's clearly the reason it's still able to keep going so long. Practically replacing and rebuilding everything except the trough and supports? Would that be worth it for Thorpe Park?

No one would want to keep The Flume at Alton Towers going for another 30 plus years just because they've done it in Germany. It would a shame for Loggers to go as it's more established at Thorpe Park (and really fun) but if they intend to leave it for so long it will end up mothballed.

[alexander]

See my username.

[Ricky]

I can't understand why Thorpe are claiming that it will reopen in 2017 if it won't.

I see you are using your crystal ball effectively then, what's next weeks euromillions numbers?

[slendercat]

How tall is the one at Great Yarmouth Pleasure beach?

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[Matt 236]

Dragon Falls will surely be the uk's tallest (operating) Log Flume.

If flume shut, not many would be upset, but if Loggers was (forever), then many would be (me included) unless something like Chiapas happened.

Sorry - but Europa-Park's log flume opened in 1978 and is a Mack log flume. It has seen 2 or 3 refurbishments over its life and is as good as new.

 

A summary in how different Merlin are to Europa Park by the looks.

Heard loggers will open in 2017 as a claimed 'new' addition. I hope it's true.

[JoshC.]

I can't understand why Thorpe are claiming that it will reopen in 2017 if it won't.

 

Maybe I've missed something, but have Thorpe actually said anywhere that Logger will reopen in 2017?

 

All I've seen is 'Loggers Leap will be closed in 2016 for maintenance' (or words to that effect).  I haven't seen them say '...but will be back open in 2017'.  Granted, it makes sense to assume that the ride will reopen in 2017, but I haven't seen the park claim anywhere that it will be open in 2017.  

 

Sorry - but Europa-Park's log flume opened in 1978 and is a Mack log flume. It has seen 2 or 3 refurbishments over its life and is as good as new.

 

The last refurbishments included a suite of new 6-seater boats to comply with new safety regulations a few years ago, a new control system and 2 years ago they also recladded all the channel theming.

 

Kind of feel like it's a bit unfair to compare a Mack log flume at a park owned by Mack to a Mack log flume not owned by Mack.  

 

I get what you're saying, but the comparison is just a bit off really.

[JoshuaA]

 

 

I borrowed it from Madame Mephisto, waste of time though as I could have just read a few pages back!   

 

Valhalla has drops!  I would say Drenched at Oakwood is the tallest, if that counts.  If we are only talking about traditional log flumes then probably the one at GYPB.

 

I swear he means Rugrats in NL.

I don't think Vahalla can be classed as a log flume really..

[AstroDan]

The comparison with the log flume at Europa-Park is not off.

 

OK, how about a comparison with the log flume at Liseberg? Or perhaps many of the log flumes at Six Flags parks? Perhaps 'Le Scoot' at Busch Gardens Williamsburg? Many of which are made by Mack and/or Arrow and opened in the 1970s.

 

The fact is, like many rides in the UK, Loggers Leap has been neglected to the point that it is presumably unsafe to operate.

 

If the parks were actually run with care and love, we wouldn't see the mess we are seeing with many of our rides.

 

It is perfectly legitimate to compare the looking after of Loggers Leap with that of the Tirol Log Flume at Europa-Park. They are both old, both made by the same company, and, with the right management, can both be looked after appropriately.

[JoshC.]

Yep, they're all fine comparisons.  I wasn't disagreeing with your point in principle, but I just think that using Europa's log flume in this case is perhaps not the best example..

 

Hopefully in the long run this can end up being like the case at Phantasialand.  Didn't their old log flume get condemned to closure which eventually led us to Chiapas?  (Not saying the two situations are the same, but if it's the case that Loggers isn't reopening, I'd love to see an Intamin log flume replace it).

[JoshuaA]

I agree with AstroDan, Why shouldn't we compare to this to Tirol at Europa?

Loggers is clearly neglected..

Almost any non Merlin Log Flume is way more well kept than Loggers,(not just Tirol)..

[AstroDan]

The thing is - Loggers Leap isn't even that old. It opened in 1989, right?

The old flume rides at Phantasialand were made by Schwarzkopf and opened in 1974...

 

The Flume at Alton Towers opened in 1981, and Chessington's was 1987.

 

So, in theory, Loggers should be in the best state out of all of them... !

[JoshC.]

My point about the log flume at Europa is simply that it's owned by Mack.

 

I don't know how exactly things work, but surely it's easier and more financially viable for Europa Park to do upgrades and refurbs than it is for Thorpe?  I just feel a bit wary of making comparisons of Mack rides at other parks to Mack rides at Europa, that's all.

 

 

Also, is it possible that Loggers being situated on a lake and using lake water all the time with no closed cleaning system could be a cause of some problems?  I don't know enough about water rides in general, but it could be a contributing factor?

[Ricky]

The comparison with the log flume at Europa-Park is not off.

 

OK, how about a comparison with the log flume at Liseberg? Or perhaps many of the log flumes at Six Flags parks? Perhaps 'Le Scoot' at Busch Gardens Williamsburg? Many of which are made by Mack and/or Arrow and opened in the 1970s.

 

The fact is, like many rides in the UK, Loggers Leap has been neglected to the point that it is presumably unsafe to operate.

 

If the parks were actually run with care and love, we wouldn't see the mess we are seeing with many of our rides.

 

It is perfectly legitimate to compare the looking after of Loggers Leap with that of the Tirol Log Flume at Europa-Park. They are both old, both made by the same company, and, with the right management, can both be looked after appropriately.

 

Lol. Do you actually think they would continue operating if it was unsafe.... You've made me blush from giggles 

[Glitch]

They could make a nice Woodland watercoaster will the same layout  and a few helixs ets.

[HermanTheGerman]

Dragon Falls will surely be the uk's tallest (operating) Log Flume.

That's if Dragon Falls is still operating next year...

[Graeme]

My point about the log flume at Europa is simply that it's owned by Mack.

I don't know how exactly things work, but surely it's easier and more financially viable for Europa Park to do upgrades and refurbs than it is for Thorpe? I just feel a bit wary of making comparisons of Mack rides at other parks to Mack rides at Europa, that's all.

Also, is it possible that Loggers being situated on a lake and using lake water all the time with no closed cleaning system could be a cause of some problems? I don't know enough about water rides in general, but it could be a contributing factor?

I think it's a perfectly acceptable comparison and can be compared right across the Merlin parks....

It shows one clear point....If Merlin cared for its rides and didn't leave them to rot, they wouldn't be in their current states. You can tell when a park/ride is loved by its owners....Merlin just don't seem to care

[AstroDan]

Of course they won't operate it if it is unsafe. I am not a fool.

 

I would ask the question, however, why would it have become as such in the first place?

 

If the rides were looked after, and fully maintained, refurbished in a logical and cohesive manner, then they would not end up with things collapsing (and I am not talking exclusively about Thorpe Park, either).

 

If I delivered my line of work with the chaos and shoddiness that appears ingrained into the Merlin empire here in the UK, I assure you I would be out of a job because it simply wouldn't stand up.

[Ricky]

Of course they won't operate it if it is unsafe. I am not a fool.

 

I would ask the question, however, why would it have become as such in the first place?

 

If the rides were looked after, and fully maintained, refurbished in a logical and cohesive manner, then they would not end up with things collapsing (and I am not talking exclusively about Thorpe Park, either).

 

If I delivered my line of work with the chaos and shoddiness that appears ingrained into the Merlin empire here in the UK, I assure you I would be out of a job because it simply wouldn't stand up.

 

Just going to point out, Merlin have never and will never disclose information about the day to day operations about their rides. Therefore, anything you have heard is 'through the grapevine'. Anything said through this grapevine, is twisted, contorted and glorified BS. 

 

You do not know what the current situation is with Loggers, and nor do anybody including myself on this forum. So before we all start jumping the gun, claiming that Loggers has been running unsafely, or that they do not  maintain to an adequate standard, ask yourself, "Am I positive that Thorpe aren't maintaining it properly, am I positive that I know the ins and outs of the maintenance on this ride".

 

Why are so little people instead going, It's nice that Thorpe are throwing some TLC towards Loggers, it will be nice and refreshing to see it restored to its original state. 

 

For anybody that cares, whilst working there, on an all too regular basis, the engineering department where working tirelessly to keep it going. But when a ride is 30 years old things do need an extensive overhaul. Look at The Incredible Hulk at IOA, Nobody has gone... "omg it must have been unsafe, they weren't looking after it and it blew up"......

[AstroDan]

The reason most people are not saying "it's nice that Thorpe Park are throwing some TLC towards Loggers" is due to the recent record of Merlin Entertainments.

 

Which is entirely different to the recent record of Universal Orlando Resort.

[Ricky]

The reason most people are not saying "it's nice that Thorpe Park are throwing some TLC towards Loggers" is due to the recent record of Merlin Entertainments.

 

Which is entirely different to the recent record of Universal Orlando Resort.

 

And what we must remember, it was Tussaudes that ruined it in the first place. They left it in such a state they would have bankrupted themselves trying to sort it out.