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Hi all,

 

I have been inspired to join this forum by the unprecedented threat to our nation's theme park heritage by Rameses Revenge being taken out of service.

 

As the UK's only top-spin ride, it is clear that it is an 'endangered species' in the theme park industry.

 

I propose we launch a campaign to save the ride. There are four steps:

 

1) We need to contact Historic England, and inform them of the loss to our culture and heritage that is underway. We should draw parrellels to historic rides that are already listed. Historic England have listed several already which creates an obligation on the owners to preserve them. Don't forget RR drew the largest ever crowds to Chessington when it opened and it has a distinctly post-modern architectural theme which it of national significance.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1436080

 

2) We should also involve the 20th Century society who are leading the charge for the Listing of relatively newer buildings.

 

3) We should establish a petition. But first we need to consider who would be best to pressure? Local MP? Kingston Council? Historic England themselves?

 

4) One we have done this, we release a press release highlighting the issue and the formation of a community group (That's us!) to save the UK's last top-spin, explaining all the above, directing people to our petition. We can easily get into the Mail Online and other widely read online publications if we follow the steps above.

 

Who's in?

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Dont really see what purpose this would serve. Rameses has been on last legs for so long, most of the time its closed with scaffolding. If it was preserved surely it would just mean that the park couldnt move it, it would use up the area its in and we wouldnt be able to ride it. As it gets older, it would get more and more unreliable with parts being impossible to source. 

 

I liked Rameses and it is the only thrill ride at the park and its a shame to loose it, but its done its time. It hardly ever goes, if it does it often gets stuck and the ride cycle is so short its hardly worth it.

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5 minutes ago, SaveRRCampaign said:

Thanks everyone. Let's keep this positive. If Chessington has a legal obligation to keep RR running they will have to invest to bring it back to its former glory. I will follow up with a draft petition this weekend. 

If a ride is no longer supported by the manufacturer and cannot get parts then it cannot operate. All that would mean is the ride stays in situ SBNO surely? 

 

Sometimes we just need to let go 

 

giphy.gif

 

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7 hours ago, SaveRRCampaign said:

it has a distinctly post-modern architectural theme

 

This is the part that confirmed this thread must be a joke

 

2 hours ago, Mattgwise said:

If the bubbleworks campaign got nowhere

Lol, there was a Bubbleworks campaign in 2016? That would have been about 10 years too late to save Bubble works...

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Just so you are aware, even if the ride did get 'Listed' heritage status their only obligation is to not tear it down. There is zero obligation to keep the ride actually running. 

 

You may remember that the Scenic Railway at Dreamland sat half burned down for years because it was listed and no one could afford to run it and no one was allowed to tear it down.

 

It had its run, but now it is old and too costly to maintain. I'd rather a replacement that it sit there like Slammer does now!

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Legal obligation? I can't even....

 

I mean if this was for Slammer I'd have given it very slightly more time and acknowledgment being that that was the last of it's type in the world and all that (despite turning into a money pit, and Thorpe doing their best to keep it alive).

 

But a 24 year old Top Spin (that - don't get me wrong, I have fond memories of) that is on it's last legs and has a penchant for locking people in to the ride resulting in the harnesses being cut away?l - give me strength....! :D

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