Posted September 5, 20195 yr comment_266308 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?
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266310 Great idea! It's good that you've looked into the different bodies that can be approached, hopefully that will be a good starting point 😊
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266311 1) There are other top spins in the UK (just not Huss ones) 2) No.
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266312 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.
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266318 Nice. I know feel Inspired and confident to petition for Thorpe to reopen Loggers Leap and Towers to rebuild Thunder Looper.
September 5, 20195 yr Author comment_266333 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.
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266334 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
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266337 If the bubbleworks campaign got nowhere, neither will this! Waste of time IMO. Sorry for the negativity!
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266341 Hahahahahahahahahahahaha... *Takes breath* Hahahahahahahahahahahaha...
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266348 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...
September 5, 20195 yr comment_266353 1 hour ago, Wumbamillio said: Lol, there was a Bubbleworks campaign in 2016? That would have been about 10 years too late to save Bubble works... It got a lot of signatures yes! A shame most people never had a clue what the real bubbleworks was about! Lucky for me being born in the late 80s I did!
September 6, 20195 yr comment_266373 I'm sure its already on the local MP's radar, the loss of RR paired with some missed bin collections and a Waitrose becoming a Lidl would result in carnage in the consituency.
September 7, 20195 yr comment_266385 Sometimes being in any way associated with the enthusiast community I want to cringe myself to death. This is one of those times.
September 7, 20195 yr comment_266386 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!
September 7, 20195 yr comment_266396 ...Meanwhile those with enough common sense to know when a ride has had its day will be observing this thread like: JUST LET AN ALREADY DYING RIDE DIE ALREADY!!! Seriously though, I've never cringed so hard in my life...
September 8, 20195 yr Author comment_266398 Hi everyone, I'm not sure what the yellow characters you are posting mean but I can sense a mixture of opinion towards my idea. I will consider my approach and the best way forward for us to remember Rameses!
September 9, 20195 yr comment_266409 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....!
September 9, 20195 yr comment_266411 Ok so the op idea will never work BUT, RR would make a great new entrance to the park. It is a beloved ride and it would be cool to walk under it as you enter/leave.
September 9, 20195 yr comment_266417 It was a beloved ride between 1995-1999. But that was twenty years ago and it has been a ride very much out of step with the rest of Chessington. This is a long time coming frankly.
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