Rumba Rapids
Encyclopedia
Rumba Rapids is a rapids ride at Thorpe Park
, Chertsey
, Surrey
. It opened in 1987, meaning it's the oldest ride currently still in service at Thorpe Park
, under the name of Thunder River. Since then it has been refurbished. This was in 2001 when its name changed to Ribena Rumba Rapids because of its sponsor, Ribena
along with other improvements. In 2007 Ribena's sponsorship contract ended and the ride was named simply Rumba Rapids.
.
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
, Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. It opened in 1987, meaning it's the oldest ride currently still in service at Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
, under the name of Thunder River. Since then it has been refurbished. This was in 2001 when its name changed to Ribena Rumba Rapids because of its sponsor, Ribena
Ribena
Ribena is a British brand of fruit-based uncarbonated soft drink, carbonated soft drink and fruit drink concentrate produced by GlaxoSmithKline. The original and most common variety contains real blackcurrant juice.- History :...
along with other improvements. In 2007 Ribena's sponsorship contract ended and the ride was named simply Rumba Rapids.
Ride
The ride starts at a top of a hill and then descends down towards a tunnel. There are many water features around the ride designed to get riders wet.Accident
In the ride's opening year of 1986, an 11 year old boy called Jonathan White was thrown from a boat and lost an ear. the news was broken by Children's BBC TV news programme, NewsroundNewsround
Newsround is a BBC children's news programme, which has run continuously since 4 April 1972, and was one of the world's first television news magazines aimed specifically at children...
.