Saturday, October 17, 2015

Dreamland Margate's Scenic Railway Opens to the Public



Since reopening with much fanfare this past June, England's Dreamland Margate has been working on finishing up the country's oldest roller coaster, the Scenic Railway.  The ride's reopening has been anticipated all season by fans of the seaside park and just a few days ago they all got their chance to take a ride once again.

© Dreamland Margate
The original Dreamland Scenic Railway was partially destroyed by arson nearly a decade ago, so really this version is a full rebuild - not a repair of the original ride.  Still, the ride's classic design was kept, and the trains include a brakeman, however, modern safety brakes have also been installed on the course.  The original ride debuted in 1920, making its 100th anniversary not too far off.

© Dreamland Margate
The amusement park is proud to note that the Scenic Railway is only one of 8 left on the planet, and several of them are no longer operating for guests.  Since the ride dates back so far, naturally it wasn't designed with the thrills of modern coasters in mind.  Instead, the ride relies on a series of dips, unbanked turns, and a sense of nostalgia to give riders a thrill.

This point of view look at the ride experience shows what the 40 foot tall, 3,000 foot long coaster is like.  It appears as though Dreamland is thriving once again now that it is open, and the Scenic Railway should help even more - the opening of the ride has had quite a bit of press.  Congratulations to the park on bringing back a piece of history!


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