Drayton Manor Theme Park
Encyclopedia
Drayton Manor Theme Park is a theme park, resort
& zoo
in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor
, near Tamworth
in Staffordshire
, England.
Drayton Manor is best known because it is a theme park and zoo which attracts around 1.4 million people a year. The attraction has a wide selection of rides set in 280 acres (113.3 ha), and has been running for 61 years as of 2011. Well known rides include Shockwave, Europe's only standing up coaster, and Apocalypse, a five-sided drop tower.
Rides in the park include Stormforce 10
(funding RNLI
); Shockwave
, Europe's only stand-up roller coaster
; Apocalypse, a Freefall Tower with a choice of sit-down, stand-up or floorless ride positions; Pirate Adventure, a dark ride loosely based on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean
which takes riders through a dark journey of a pirate's life; The Haunting, a walkthrough attraction that incorporates a haunted swing; Excalibur, a boat ride attraction with medieval scenes; Splash Canyon, a river rapids; G-force, a steel roller coaster with three inversions; Pandemonium, a double inverted swing; and Maelstrom, a gyro swing
.
is a water ride that recreates the story of a lifeboat
rescue, launched in association with the RNLI
. It holds the title of world's first charitable ride and accepts donations on site. Opened in 1999 to replace the aging log flume
, the idea was said to have been thought up by the manager's nephew. It starts with a small drop into water and is followed by a backwards drop and finally a large drop. The height restriction for this ride is 1.2 m.
is a stand-up roller coaster
that was built in 1994 by Intamin AG
. The ride was created as part of a two year £4 million project in 1993/1994 to build Splash Canyon with Shockwave. The ride, which reaches 53 mi/h and delivers up to 4 g
, features a lift hill up to 120 ft (36.6 m), then into an 80 ft (24.4 m) drop and a medium size loop followed by a Zero G roll and then finishes with two corkscrews and a bend around back to the station. Shockwave is located in the 'Action Park' area next to G Force. In 1994 after the completion of the ride, neighbours complained that the final bend was too close to the edge of the property. In fact it had been built as planned but local Councillors had not noticed the proximity to the boundary on the plans. The height restriction for this ride is 1.4m.
is a free-fall tower ride 54 metres (177 ft) high, built by Intamin AG in 1999, and opened in 2000. The ride has been voted 'Britain's scariest ride'. It has three different forms of seating: one is the normal sit down; another is stand-up position (the world's only stand-up tower drop until 2005 when the Hurakan Condor opened in Port Aventura) and the last one is a stand-up floorless (which was introduced in 2002 and is known as the 'Fifth Element'). Riders experience 4g as they decelerate after falling 54 m in 4 seconds. The height restriction for this ride is 1.2m for sit down and 1.4m for stand up.
is a steel roller coaster designed by German company Maurer Söhne
and opened in 2005. It replaced the Klondike Gold Mine (previously the Python) that used to be in the area in previous years. G Force was the second X-Car coaster to be built after the prototype in Skyline Park, in Germany, called Sky Wheel. The coaster train has a hip restraint (instead of the usual over the shoulder restraint) and 'Big Boy' seats that are capable of safely holding larger riders. After a short drop out of the station the train negotiates a 'Humpty Bump Lift' which is a 180 degree chain lift, where riders hang upside down as they are lifted to 23 m. The ride includes a camelback hill, a loop and a new inversion known as the 'Bent Cuban Eight' an element that is modelled on aerobatic manoeuvres. G Force riders experience its 385 m long ride with speeds of up to 70 km/h (43 mph).
and opened in 2004 at a cost of around £1,000,000. It is on the site of its similar predecessor, SkyFlyer which closed in 2003 and was put in Flamingo Land and is now operating under the same name. The ride has two large swinging cars that feature over the shoulder restraints and a large lap bar. The two cars swing progressively higher, in opposite directions, until they swing right over 360 degrees at the height of 24.7 m.
has struck Drayton Manor and various debris has been strewn about, including washed up surf boards, a submarine swept up with a shark pierced through it, and a hut that has been damaged. Maelstrom cost £1,000,000 and was opened in April 2002 by the pop band Hear'Say
, later than was planned out of respect for the Queen Mother
's death.
.
. It contains over 100 species from all over the world.
It is also the only part of Drayton Manor that is open 365 days of the year.
have done. Part of this proposed development included a water park called 'Stormalong Bay' and containing several attractions such as water slides. The hotel has been planned for over 10 years and has been granted planning permission. With construction starting in early 2010, the hotel opened in August 2011. The plans for the water park have been declined due to the scale of the development.
The plans for expansion will happen around the year 2021 +. The area marked out for expansion will be around the Zoo area. Drayton Manor Theme Park predict that more roller-coaster type rides will fill this space in the foreseeable future. The Plans have been submitted to Lichfield District
Council.
The 75 bedroom hotel is designed to primarily meet the demand from park visitors as the theme park is attracting families from all over the UK, particularly since the arrival of Thomas Land. The hotel opened Monday 15 August 2011, featuring innovative bedroom designs that allow double rooms to be enlarged to family rooms. There are also meeting rooms, catering for business events and conferences.
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
& zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor
Drayton Manor
Drayton Manor, one of Britain's lost houses, was a British stately home at Drayton Bassett, in the District of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England....
, near Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England.
Drayton Manor is best known because it is a theme park and zoo which attracts around 1.4 million people a year. The attraction has a wide selection of rides set in 280 acres (113.3 ha), and has been running for 61 years as of 2011. Well known rides include Shockwave, Europe's only standing up coaster, and Apocalypse, a five-sided drop tower.
Rides
Stormforce 10
Stormforce 10 is a ride that recreates the story of a lifeboat rescue, launched in association with the RNLI. The ride is located at Drayton Manor Theme Park near Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It holds the title of the world's first charitable ride and accepts donations on site...
(funding RNLI
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
); Shockwave
Shockwave (Drayton Manor Theme Park)
The Shock Wave is an Intamin stand-up roller coaster at Drayton Manor Theme Park.It was opened in 1994, and is the only stand-up coaster in Europe. It is also the only stand-up roller coaster with a zero-g roll ever made....
, Europe's only stand-up roller coaster
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
; Apocalypse, a Freefall Tower with a choice of sit-down, stand-up or floorless ride positions; Pirate Adventure, a dark ride loosely based on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean (theme park ride)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a log flume type of dark ride at the Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris theme parks....
which takes riders through a dark journey of a pirate's life; The Haunting, a walkthrough attraction that incorporates a haunted swing; Excalibur, a boat ride attraction with medieval scenes; Splash Canyon, a river rapids; G-force, a steel roller coaster with three inversions; Pandemonium, a double inverted swing; and Maelstrom, a gyro swing
Frisbee (ride)
The Frisbee is an pendulum-motion amusement ride designed by HUSS Maschinenfabrik. The term is often used to describe similar rides built by other companies.-Design and operation:...
.
Stormforce
Stormforce 10Stormforce 10
Stormforce 10 is a ride that recreates the story of a lifeboat rescue, launched in association with the RNLI. The ride is located at Drayton Manor Theme Park near Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It holds the title of the world's first charitable ride and accepts donations on site...
is a water ride that recreates the story of a lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
rescue, launched in association with the RNLI
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
. It holds the title of world's first charitable ride and accepts donations on site. Opened in 1999 to replace the aging log flume
Log flume
A log flume is a flume specifically constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. These watertight trough-like channels could be built to span a long distance across chasms and down steep mountain slopes...
, the idea was said to have been thought up by the manager's nephew. It starts with a small drop into water and is followed by a backwards drop and finally a large drop. The height restriction for this ride is 1.2 m.
Shockwave
ShockwaveShockwave (Drayton Manor Theme Park)
The Shock Wave is an Intamin stand-up roller coaster at Drayton Manor Theme Park.It was opened in 1994, and is the only stand-up coaster in Europe. It is also the only stand-up roller coaster with a zero-g roll ever made....
is a stand-up roller coaster
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
that was built in 1994 by Intamin AG
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
. The ride was created as part of a two year £4 million project in 1993/1994 to build Splash Canyon with Shockwave. The ride, which reaches 53 mi/h and delivers up to 4 g
G-force
The g-force associated with an object is its acceleration relative to free-fall. This acceleration experienced by an object is due to the vector sum of non-gravitational forces acting on an object free to move. The accelerations that are not produced by gravity are termed proper accelerations, and...
, features a lift hill up to 120 ft (36.6 m), then into an 80 ft (24.4 m) drop and a medium size loop followed by a Zero G roll and then finishes with two corkscrews and a bend around back to the station. Shockwave is located in the 'Action Park' area next to G Force. In 1994 after the completion of the ride, neighbours complained that the final bend was too close to the edge of the property. In fact it had been built as planned but local Councillors had not noticed the proximity to the boundary on the plans. The height restriction for this ride is 1.4m.
Apocalypse
ApocalypseApocalypse (Drayton Manor)
Apocalypse is a freefall tower ride located at Drayton Manor Theme Park, England.-Detail:The ride was built by Intamin AG in 1999 and opened on 27 May 2000 by girl band B*Witched. The tower has five rows, containing four riders each. The rows tilt forwards to a 15° angle as they rise to the top of...
is a free-fall tower ride 54 metres (177 ft) high, built by Intamin AG in 1999, and opened in 2000. The ride has been voted 'Britain's scariest ride'. It has three different forms of seating: one is the normal sit down; another is stand-up position (the world's only stand-up tower drop until 2005 when the Hurakan Condor opened in Port Aventura) and the last one is a stand-up floorless (which was introduced in 2002 and is known as the 'Fifth Element'). Riders experience 4g as they decelerate after falling 54 m in 4 seconds. The height restriction for this ride is 1.2m for sit down and 1.4m for stand up.
G Force
G ForceG Force (roller coaster)
G Force is a roller coaster at Drayton Manor Theme Park, Tamworth, England. It is the only X-Car coaster in the UK and was opened by the band G4 in 2005. The ride is also the second X-Car coaster to be built, the first being the prototype Sky Wheel at Skyline Park in Germany. Another unique aspect...
is a steel roller coaster designed by German company Maurer Söhne
Maurer Söhne
Maurer Söhne is a steel construction company and roller coaster manufacturer. Founded in Munich, Germany in 1876, the company has built many styles of steel buildings, ranging from bridges, industrial buildings, and even art structures. While known for building various wild mouse coasters, Maurer...
and opened in 2005. It replaced the Klondike Gold Mine (previously the Python) that used to be in the area in previous years. G Force was the second X-Car coaster to be built after the prototype in Skyline Park, in Germany, called Sky Wheel. The coaster train has a hip restraint (instead of the usual over the shoulder restraint) and 'Big Boy' seats that are capable of safely holding larger riders. After a short drop out of the station the train negotiates a 'Humpty Bump Lift' which is a 180 degree chain lift, where riders hang upside down as they are lifted to 23 m. The ride includes a camelback hill, a loop and a new inversion known as the 'Bent Cuban Eight' an element that is modelled on aerobatic manoeuvres. G Force riders experience its 385 m long ride with speeds of up to 70 km/h (43 mph).
Pandemonium
Pandemonium is a swinging inverter ride manufactured by FabbriFabbri Group
The Fabbri Group is an Italian amusement rides manufacturer, based in Bergantino, a northern village of Italy.Fabbri was founded and started manufacturing in 1950, just after World War II, by Romolo Fabbri...
and opened in 2004 at a cost of around £1,000,000. It is on the site of its similar predecessor, SkyFlyer which closed in 2003 and was put in Flamingo Land and is now operating under the same name. The ride has two large swinging cars that feature over the shoulder restraints and a large lap bar. The two cars swing progressively higher, in opposite directions, until they swing right over 360 degrees at the height of 24.7 m.
Maelstrom
Maelstrom is a gyro swing ride from Intamin AG with 32 outward-facing seats on a circular gondola. The ride swings up to a maximum height of 22.5 m at an angle of 95 to 120 degrees while simultaneously revolving at 5 rpm. The coastal village theme surrounding the ride tells the story that a MaelstromMaelstrom
A maelstrom is a very powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. A free vortex, it has considerable downdraft. The power of tidal whirlpools tends to be exaggerated by laymen. There are virtually no stories of large ships ever being sucked into a maelstrom, although smaller craft are in...
has struck Drayton Manor and various debris has been strewn about, including washed up surf boards, a submarine swept up with a shark pierced through it, and a hut that has been damaged. Maelstrom cost £1,000,000 and was opened in April 2002 by the pop band Hear'Say
Hear'Say
Hear'Say were a British manufactured pop group created in February 2001 from the winners of Popstars, an ITV reality TV show based on a New Zealand show of the same name. They enjoyed huge success with their debut single "Pure and Simple", helped by the publicity surrounding Popstars, the first of...
, later than was planned out of respect for the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
's death.
New for 2011
For 2011 Drayton Manor have removed the Sombrero ride to make way for a new coaster, Ben 10 Ultimate Mission Roller Coaster, a junior boomerang prototype manufactured by Vekoma. The ride features a well themed queue line and a modern station building and is based on the characters from the TV series Ben 10Ben 10
The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe....
.
Themed areas
The park is split up into five areas, that overall are slightly mixed up and confused, but recent new attractions have helped to reinforce theming in some areas.- Aerial Park/Cartoon Network Street: ApocalypseApocalypse (Drayton Manor)Apocalypse is a freefall tower ride located at Drayton Manor Theme Park, England.-Detail:The ride was built by Intamin AG in 1999 and opened on 27 May 2000 by girl band B*Witched. The tower has five rows, containing four riders each. The rows tilt forwards to a 15° angle as they rise to the top of...
, The Haunting, Pandemonium, Big Wheel, Flying Dutchman, Drunken Barrels, Wild West Shoot Out, Buffalo Coaster, Ben 10 Ultimate Alien and Drayton Queen Boat. - Pirate Cove: Excalibur - A Dragon's Tale, Pirate Adventure, Dodgems and The Jolly Buccaneer.
- Fisherman's Wharf: Stormforce 10Stormforce 10Stormforce 10 is a ride that recreates the story of a lifeboat rescue, launched in association with the RNLI. The ride is located at Drayton Manor Theme Park near Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It holds the title of the world's first charitable ride and accepts donations on site...
, Polperro Express Railway, Carousel and The Bounty.
- Action Park: Maelstrom, ShockwaveShockwave (Drayton Manor Theme Park)The Shock Wave is an Intamin stand-up roller coaster at Drayton Manor Theme Park.It was opened in 1994, and is the only stand-up coaster in Europe. It is also the only stand-up roller coaster with a zero-g roll ever made....
, Splash Canyon, G-ForceG Force (roller coaster)G Force is a roller coaster at Drayton Manor Theme Park, Tamworth, England. It is the only X-Car coaster in the UK and was opened by the band G4 in 2005. The ride is also the second X-Car coaster to be built, the first being the prototype Sky Wheel at Skyline Park in Germany. Another unique aspect...
and Chair Lift.
- Thomas LandThomas Land (Drayton Manor)Thomas Land is a themed area at Drayton Manor Theme Park in Staffordshire, England, based on the TV series Thomas and Friends. It stands on the former site of Robinsons Land, a themed area sponsored by the soft drinks brand of the same name...
: Thomas, Percy & Rosie at Knapford Station, Troublesome TrucksTroublesome Trucks (roller coaster)Troublesome Trucks is a roller coaster at Drayton Manor Theme Park, England. It is a Gerstlauer-manufactured Junior Coaster and is situated in the new Thomas Land area of the Park.-See also:*Thomas & Friends -- the TV series...
, Jeremy's Flying Academy, Terence's Driving School, Diesel's Locomotion Mayhem, Crazy Bertie Bus, Lady's Carousel, Sodor's Classic Cars, Harold's Heli-Tours, Cranky's Drop Tower, Emily's Indoor Play Area, Spencer's Outdoor play area and Rockin' Bulstrode.
Zoo
Drayton Manor is also home to a 15 acres (6 ha) zooZoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
. It contains over 100 species from all over the world.
It is also the only part of Drayton Manor that is open 365 days of the year.
Events
The park holds many events throughout the year including fundraising for Birminghams children's hospital and musical projects, plus the annual fireworks event taking place on the lake.Future projects
In 2005, Drayton Manor had an official press release on their plans to build a water park to accompany their planned hotel to create a resort for the park, much like Alton TowersAlton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
have done. Part of this proposed development included a water park called 'Stormalong Bay' and containing several attractions such as water slides. The hotel has been planned for over 10 years and has been granted planning permission. With construction starting in early 2010, the hotel opened in August 2011. The plans for the water park have been declined due to the scale of the development.
The plans for expansion will happen around the year 2021 +. The area marked out for expansion will be around the Zoo area. Drayton Manor Theme Park predict that more roller-coaster type rides will fill this space in the foreseeable future. The Plans have been submitted to Lichfield District
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
Council.
Hotel plans
In February 2009 revised plans for a hotel at Drayton Manor were submitted to Lichfield District Council. Planning permission for the hotel was granted in 2007 though the applicants felt that the scheme could benefit from further improvements without increasing the site area required.The 75 bedroom hotel is designed to primarily meet the demand from park visitors as the theme park is attracting families from all over the UK, particularly since the arrival of Thomas Land. The hotel opened Monday 15 August 2011, featuring innovative bedroom designs that allow double rooms to be enlarged to family rooms. There are also meeting rooms, catering for business events and conferences.