November 9, 201410 yr comment_196984 Time for a funfair trip report! Date: Sunday 9th October 2014. So I took a trip down to Milton Keynes today to visit the speculator funfair organised by Keith Emmett located in Campbell park. I must say the funfair did look spectacular from the road with all it's lighting packages. The new starflyer debuting this year from Wallis looked particularly good with its multi-coloured lights as well. Ridecount: Extreme x1 Vertigo x1 Sky high(starflyer) x1 Toboggan coaster x1 Superbowl x1 Energy storm x1 Rock rage x2 All rides were priced at £1.50 as it was the final cheap night, except for vertigo which was priced at £2.50. New this year to the fair were the toboggan coaster and the starflyer, as we lost king frog jump and smile from last years line up. Just some points to follow up here: -The starflyer was VERY scary and felt very unsafe, won't be trying another one very soon especially as the one at winter wonderland is over double the height of the one I experienced. -Got a very short cycle on energy storm, was only the two of us on it though so I understand that. -Superbowl was surprisingly busy early on in the evening, before the fair started to get busy later on when rock rage and vertigo had long queues. -First ride on a toboggan coaster, very claustrophobic and very rough. Was a train on a helter skelter as described by another group -Extreme was brilliant as always, fast and intense, awaiting that hangtime still though. -Vertigo was very good, priced at £2.50 per person though but was worth it. Very cold up at the top though. And finally, the star of the show. ROCK RAGE!! First ride of the night was very long but we didn't flip, four revolutions over the top though. On the second ride, we asked shannon(the operating woman) if we could flip a lot and she unfortunately told us it was down to the computer however she would try using the controls to play it to our advantage! Absolutely brilliant and insane on the second ride with a couple of insanely intense flips followed by two revolutions over the top. Amazing ride however it's entirely luck whether you flip or not which is a shame! I have photos if anyone wants them, hope you enjoyed reading this
November 10, 201410 yr Author comment_197010 Excellent report mate! Glad to see shannon getting to grips with the ride snd maxing it out! Also if you'd like I can pop up your rock rage pics onto my rock rage fanpage on facebook as it needs updating!
November 10, 201410 yr Author comment_197011 Also (double posting) that starflyer was not made by a well known company and the one at hyde park is made by funtime who make tons of starflyers(grona lund, six flags, prater) its a totally safe ride as the funtime versions seats are more spread out!
November 10, 201410 yr comment_197022 Had a look round the fair at Milton Keynes but didn't have the time to go on anything. The prices seem very reasonably priced I must admit and they had some decent rides. Glad you had a good time! The annual fair in Loughborough starts on Wednesday and runs through Saturday. If anyone goes Friday and Saturday they bump up the prices heavily (up to £6 for many of the larger rides including the Wildmouse coaster, Top-Scan and Star-Flyer. The rides change most years so I have no idea what to expect but every year I have been so far its been fantastic, so many rides there you could spend a fair amount of money to do them all. Will try and get some pictures for you guys this weekend!
November 16, 201410 yr comment_197434 Didn't get to spend as much time at the fair as I had hoped so only have a few photo's. The event was a large as always however there seemed to be more duplicate rides this year than previously (2 boosters, 2 waltzers, 2 dogems, 2 twisters to name a few). For the first time I can remember there wasn't a Top Spin and the Wild Mouse coaster was also absent. This may because the fair was late this year due to roadworks on the high-street and the rides are booked elsewhere. New this year was a great Starflyer which attracted a lot of attention and prices were pretty consistent at £5 for the bigger rides. It was a great fair once again and would recommend it to anyone who is able to get there next year!
November 16, 201410 yr Author comment_197448 Ah matthews Sky Swing a lovely machine! Its been doing really well over here!
December 5, 201410 yr Author comment_198591 The hong kong world carnival is BACK ON!!!!! This is an amazing event which has rides from England, Germany, Holland, Belgum, and many more places! Heres a little teaser! https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=UU0Af4HVFQ0tHcpsghlqVFCQ&index=1&v=l93bdD2ME_A
December 30, 201410 yr Author comment_199769 Atmosfear wowing the crowds at the AIA european carnival!
January 9, 201510 yr comment_200569 For those of you who do not know, Olympia Looping is the largest transportable rollercoaster in the world, containing 5 loops in the shape of the Olympic Rings. It is owned by Rudolf Barth and he has been in charge of it for over 25 years. Olympia looping is an iconic ride which sets the scene to many German fairs such as Annakirmes, Rheinkirmes and Oktoberfest.However, Ruldolf has recently announced that the coaster is just too expensive to run. Mr. Barth originally had to pay 13million Euro for the rollercoaster alone, with other equipment not included. He says today, a ride like this would cost 25million to buy including the trucks, an investment which can simply not be earnt back anymore.Rudolf used to attend six to eight funfairs a year, however costs have now spun out of control. For 2014, he only managed to attend Düren Annakirmes and Münich Oktoberfest due to the overly expensive operation costs. He says that in previous years, transport to one event has cost in the region of 80,000 Euro, 900tonnes loaded onto 60 different trucks. On top of this, there is 200,000 Euro of repairs at the end of every year. It also needs staffing, and the rollercoaster can take up to 30 paid staff members to operate. He regrettably said that he wouldn't make such an investment anymore.The future of Olympia Looping is currently uncertain. Rudolf is currently 75 years old and has thoroughly considered of retiring from the business of running this rollercoaster. He has already had plenty of offers from parks in the Far East, however the rollercoaster just wouldn't be the same.It's a shame to see it coming to the end, however the rollercoaster has been going for over 25 years. It sets the skyline at some of the most iconic funfairs in the world however is just too expensive to run anymore. We could only ever dream of it coming to London for Winter Wonderland, it is beyond reality.Rudolf says, for 2015 he hopes to visit Düsseldorfer Rheinkirmes and Volksfest in Herne-Crange for possibly the last ever time. He then plans on going to the Oktoberfest...He says, "What comes next, is still written in the stars".
January 11, 201510 yr comment_200677 Just a random thought/question: When the local fair comes to Bury (L Gray & Sons), the Meteor comes too, and I have to say, I love it! Does anyone else share the love of a Meteor (aka Cage Roundup)?
January 11, 201510 yr comment_200680 AKA 'Hearts and Diamonds' round my way. Love them, especially when you find one that doesn't make you stand behind the chain and let you sit on it, run around as it starts up and generally mess about. Not been on one like that for a good few years now though. The 'Barrel of Laughs' at Winter Wonderland was a similar thing with the dropping floor. Such fun!
May 3, 201510 yr comment_208504 Just a random thought/question: When the local fair comes to Bury (L Gray & Sons), the Meteor comes too, and I have to say, I love it! Does anyone else share the love of a Meteor (aka Cage Roundup)? Known as 'The Crazy Cage' in my area! Love Meteors if your strong enough at the beginning riding upside down is always a laugh, it seems the later into the night you go the less they care about the health and safety so it always ends up being a fun experience! (well not all may find that factor fun) Anyways can't believe I have not come across this topic sooner as I am a big fan of funfair attractions! For me my favorite part about traveling fairs is the atmosphere they can create and the sort of entertainment they can provide! Just an example here of Deca Dance (Break Dance) which is still tours in Europe! (and now with even more lights and FIYA .. ) Relate something like this to X at Thorpe Park ... and it just shows you the quality some fair rides can have compared to the usual Theme Park attraction (not to mention fairs normally have more intense and lengthier cycles *waits for bashing comments on price* )
May 3, 201510 yr comment_208527 Speaking of rides with an atmosphere... This is insane! (2:00 for start)
May 14, 201510 yr Author comment_209151 The UK's ONLY travelling HUSS Top Spin is now fully refurbished and now built up in Liverpool for the Hollywood Theme Park from the 15th of May till the 25th of May!!! looks amazing and I pray it attends Goose Fair this year!!
May 14, 201510 yr comment_209152 So riding a breakdance standing up is an acceptable thing in Germany?! I did not know this.
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209246 In European fairs the health and safety certainly does seem very relaxed... Another thing to spot is how everyone rushes onto the platform before the ride has completely stopped to guarantee themselves a seat. There is nothing but a yellow line to stop people from jumping on the ride while it is still moving and this could potentially be dangerous certainly when there are massive crowds about which there tend to be in German fairs and you want to rush on to make sure you actually get a ride.
May 30, 201510 yr comment_209770 Any Idea whos selling a top scan ? http://mondialrides.com/used/all/top-scan
May 30, 201510 yr comment_209772 Any Idea whos selling a top scan ? http://mondialrides.com/used/all/top-scan Hope it's not Lightwater, I remember there being rumours towards the end of last year that Whirlwind was going.
June 18, 201510 yr comment_211500 Think I went on the worst roller coaster I've ever been on today, it was this, but Monty Hammonds travelling one in Hastings.
June 19, 201510 yr Author comment_211505 I think thats the same ride thats over here but they've just refurbed it! looks like such a bad ride!
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