Can other coasters be listed?

[Neil]

It does seem that the Save Dreamland Campaign may not have ventured this far had Nick not got the Scenic listed, so I wondering whether there are any other coasters in the country we might be able to list. Do you recon the Roller Coaster at Great Yarmouth could be listed and if so how much effort does it take to get a ride listed?

Please note that I am not saying that Roller Coaster is in any kind of trouble, but from past experience once an operator has decided to close a park it is too late to get structures listed.

[Chris H]

I am no expert Neil but i would think whether a coater is worth listing or not is all down to whether the original features of the roller coaster still remain for example the carriages, and how much the present look of the roller coaster has changed from when it was first built.
In this case if I'm thinking of the wooden coaster you are talking about, the changes and its general appearance is noticeably different from when it was first built.
I would recon that this would have a large impact on whether it would be granted a listing or not.
In the case of the Scenic a lot of the original features still remain i.e the carriages and the structural look.

[Neil]

Fair enough. Actually someone is sellign a post card of it in 1949 on ebay and it does look dramatically different than it does now:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Great-Yarmouth-Gi ... dZViewItem
It would still be a massive shame if we were to loose it.

[Chris H]

Thanks for that picture Neil very interesting indeed.

Where you suggesting that their is the posibility of the yarmouth coaster being lost

[Hairy Vince]

I have been on that roller coaster (in the pouring rain) it is a bit of a classic, although I am not sure it is of the same "status" as the Scenic Railway

V

[Chris H]

Well of course not nothing beets our Scenic

[Neil]

I prefer the Scenic but then I guess I'm biased as it's one of the reasons I became a coaster enthusiaste. There is actually an entire website dedicated to it (although it's nothing to do with me before I'm accused of shameless advertising!)
http://towerofmist.net/pikkukala/scenic/index.html
Thinking about it I guess if a structure isn't in it's original condition it probably makes it harder to list (and in some cases impossible) but there must be more to it than that. A lot of old Castles and houses that are listed have had numerous extension. I suppose the difference is that the Roller Coaster is newer, but I'm sure Nick will know what's what.

[antony]

The Yarmouth Roller Coaster - "Mile of a Ride" - is a truly rmagic ride with one really great hill and (as far as I'm aware) still five working trains - of course in these safety conscious times they seem to only ever run one at a time and more slowly than I remember as a boy!!
I have been riding it since the sixties and have a snapshot from the latter part of that decade with my sister in the foreground from which you can see it has not changed much in nearly 40 years; I am sure the main structure would be considered original.
It does not appear to be under threat since the whole park has been so ably run by the Jones (nee Botton) family for many years. It would be interesting to know their thoughts on listing.

[David Ellis]

I have been on that roller coaster (in the pouring rain) it is a bit of a classic, although I am not sure it is of the same "status" as the Scenic Railway
V

As far as "status" is concerned, it is still one of only 9 scenic railways with a brakemen in the world, and also one of the oldest coasters in Europe.

There are no plans that I am aware of to remove it though...it was my first coaster and is still a great ride for all the family to enjoy.

David.

[porterm]

Neil,

Many thanks for that fascinating website mention on the Great Yarmouth Scenic. I've now stored it on my favourites for future perusal.

I've ridden the aforementioned coaster too, although a good ride in my opinion I felt that the smaller seating compartments were rather uncomfortable for the taller person like me. (I do believe that the current trains are not the original though; if it had similar ones to Dreamland's Scenic I think it could be a better ride, although still very much worth protecting). It's apparently a replica of the former Scenic at Barry Island's Pleasure Park in South Wales, which I never rode as it was standing but not operating in the early 70's when my family visited the opposite former Butlin's holiday centre.

Martin