.gif)
Shockwave (Drayton Manor Theme Park)
Encyclopedia
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.
The ride, designed by Werner Stengel, was created as part of a two year, £4m project in 1993-94. The project also involved the building of Splash Canyon. The Shock Wave's station is located directly above Splash Canyon's station area, in the 'Action Park' area next to G Force
.
The Shock Wave, which reaches 53mph (85 km/h) and delivers up to 4 g
, features a lift up to 120 ft (36.6 m), then an 80 ft (24.4 m) drop into a loop followed by a zero-gravity roll, and finishes with two corkscrews and a bend around back to the station. Originally, the track was white with brown supports, but in 2004 it was repainted to have a light blue track and turquoise supports.
In 1994, the ride opened along with two other roller coasters in the UK; the Pepsi Max Big One
at Pleasure Beach Blackpool
, and Nemesis
at Alton Towers
(which opened one week before the Shock Wave). In 1994, after the completion of the ride, local residents complained that the final bend was too close to the edge of the property. In fact, it had been built as planned, but local councillor
s had not noticed the proximity to the boundary when considering the plans.
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:...
at Drayton Manor Theme Park
Drayton Manor Theme Park
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...
.
It was opened in 1994, and is the only stand-up coaster in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is also the 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:...
with a zero-g roll ever made.
The ride, designed by Werner Stengel, was created as part of a two year, £4m project in 1993-94. The project also involved the building of Splash Canyon. The Shock Wave's station is located directly above Splash Canyon's station area, in the 'Action Park' area next to G Force
G 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...
.
The Shock Wave, which reaches 53mph (85 km/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 up to 120 ft (36.6 m), then an 80 ft (24.4 m) drop into a loop followed by a zero-gravity roll, and finishes with two corkscrews and a bend around back to the station. Originally, the track was white with brown supports, but in 2004 it was repainted to have a light blue track and turquoise supports.
In 1994, the ride opened along with two other roller coasters in the UK; the Pepsi Max Big One
Pepsi Max Big One
The Big One is a steel roller coaster located at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the United Kingdom. The ride was originally manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, a now defunct steel coaster manufacturer, and was sponsored by the soft drinks firm Pepsi, under their brand of Pepsi Max until 2011...
at Pleasure Beach Blackpool
Pleasure Beach Blackpool
Pleasure Beach Blackpool is a family owned amusement park and resort situated along the Fylde coast in Blackpool, England. It is the most visited amusement park in the United Kingdom, and one of the top twenty most-visited amusement parks in the world with an estimate of 5.5 million visitors in...
, and Nemesis
Nemesis (roller coaster)
Nemesis is Europe's first inverted roller coaster located at Alton Towers, England. The ride's concept was created by John Wardley. It is manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard and opened in 1994...
at Alton Towers
Alton 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...
(which opened one week before the Shock Wave). In 1994, after the completion of the ride, local residents complained that the final bend was too close to the edge of the property. In fact, it had been built as planned, but local councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s had not noticed the proximity to the boundary when considering the plans.