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Dreamland Margate


Whiteknuckle

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There's more bad news for what's been a bit of a depressing day themepark wise. Apparently the Scenic has been the target of arsonists again source Themepark Logic.

News: Scenic Railway at Dreamland Margate targeted again by arsonists

Sad news again this evening with reports there has been another arsonist attack on The Uk's Oldest Rollercoaster Scenic Railway at Dreamland Margate a statement by the Dreamland trust said:

"There was an arson attack on the Scenic Railway this evening. The fire was successfully put out and there was minimal damage. The site is currently being boarded up and secured."

The coaster last suffered damage from a similar incident in 2008 when 25% of the coaster was lost due to a major arsonist attack.

Photos below some of the damage from the last attack in 2008 and the artist impression of how the Coaster will look after restoration as part of the Dreamland Trust...

From the team here on TPL we hope the damage doesn't effect a wonderful ongoing project to reopen Dreamland as a heritage amusement park in the near future and I am sure this will now drive the trust on more to protect a bit of British Coaster History that people disrespect.

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There was a suspected arson attack on the Scenic Railway this evening. The fire was successfully put out and there was minimal damage. The site is currently being boarded up and secured.

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The actual source is Dreamland themselves, via their facebook page.

Absolute scumbags. They need to get that place properly secure.

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This is the sort of thing that I still fail to understand.... What sort of sickening kick would a person get from doing this sort of thing, I mean why, what's the point? Have they got some sort of grudge against Dreamland?

They definitely need 24 hour security staff around there now that the regeneration is beginning as who's to say this wouldn't happen again otherwise. By the sounds of it this could have been a lot worse and put a huge dent into the regeneration cycle of the coaster and park.

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  • 2 months later...

Someone uploaded a video of the open day which I found through the Dreamland Margate page on facebook. It doesn't show much but better than nothing.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs4FyXXCB-w

 

That was my friend who did that video. She is part of the restoration team for Dreamland. 

 

But I can safely say to anyone who thinks Dreamland is on the move...it really isn't, I live near Margate, and went past it even yesterday, and it really is concrete with a very very sorry looking Wooden Coaster in the middle of what looks like now an abandoned industrial site. 

 

I have already expressed my views on Dreamland, but I really do not see it succeeding. I fear it will lose its battle either way. 

 

Sadly, Margate itself is not up to scratch that is required to ensure visitors from over the country to come visit it, especially with its limited nieche market for traditional rides. Sadly it just, in my opinion, won't succeed after a few years...that's if the project even starts at all! 

 

Nonetheless I hope it succeeds, and I will be the first one back when and if it is complete! 

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But the project is well started already? The real effort is on the rides themselves, which need a lot of restoring and a lot has been done. They are basically travelling rides so won't need much groundwork, the site does need work but it will not be much more than 'concrete with a very very sorry looking Wooden Coaster in the middle' with rides on it, especially in the early phases. It was never a pretty place, even in its heyday.

 

And if you think heritage rides are too niche you've not been near Carters Steam Fair on a sunny afternoon! There's too much invested in this for it not to open now, if it can be made to work in the longer term is just impossible to say. I'd like to hope it can.

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I've been past it a couple of days ago and its literally abandoned, weeds growing everywhere to the point of not being able to walk through, vandalism, busted fences, concrete ground with cracks and holes, if I didn't know about the plans on here I would have no idea, no VISIBLE work has happened. The main entrance is still abandoned with the sign falling down and again, the building looking hideous and obviously uncared for. They've got a lot of work to do on the site and so far there is not a single sign of any work happening other than in a workshop somewhere.

I can only hope that they have the money to do all the work on the ground because it needs a lot just to get it looking useable again!

I really do hope this project is successful as that end of Margate needs a real boost! The other end has the Turner Centre which, against most peoples first opinions, really brought up Margate old town and the whole area its in, the dreamland area however... Its like benefits street but on the coast

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  • 2 weeks later...

While it may seem like nothing is happening, work is well underway. The campaign is one of my primary interests so I always like to keep updated with the news.

 

At the moment...

- The Carousel, adult jets ride and Double Decker rocket ride are all being restored by David Littleboy offsite.

- Work on refurbishing the mechanical elements of the Scenic Railway (motors, pull ups etc) are all being completed by WGH Ltd offsite

- Interests to restore the Corbierre Wheel and Junior Whip have been received. (now finding best restoration method)

- An operating company should have been selected by now (though I can't remember the exact date off hand)

- Planning permission for the alteration/renovation of the lower ground floor cinema building and Scenic Railway have been submitted to the council. Work can't begin until permission is granted.

 

Regardless of how it may look, work is happening.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

I like it.  Very much looking forward to hopefully visiting this park if it opens next year.

Yeah, this project is very exciting and will hopefully be a success and reopen next year without problems.

So far this is the thing I'm most excited about next year in the uk, considering there's been no word of anything new at Thorpe, a Blackpool & Oakwood (yet) plus Towers, Lego and a chessie won't be getting anything worthwhile either.

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Yeah, this project is very exciting and will hopefully be a success and reopen next year without problems.

So far this is the thing I'm most excited about next year in the uk, considering there's been no word of anything new at Thorpe, a Blackpool & Oakwood (yet) plus Towers, Lego and a chessie won't be getting anything worthwhile either.

Oakwood are getting Sleepy Hollow (rumoured to be a Wild Mouse), BPB is rumoured to be getting an Air Race but apart from that there is nothing :(

Two boring years in a row as far as new UK investment is concerned.

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