Has the fence come down yet ??

[RowBot]

Click on image for the enlarged version.

As you can see it's taken down some of the lighting and is currently on the floor in front of the scenic. At the meeting last night Toby Hunter said that he didn't know anything at all had happened to the signage.

Ian

[Chris H]

This is a disgrace.

This is a deliberate attempt to give the scenic that ruined, has been, rundown old look.

We all know that this will not be replaced by any thing half decent for this coming season. The next thing will be that a mysterious fire will engulf the Scenic's shed.

Our listed structure is not being cared for considering its age.

Something has to be done

[Zoidstar]

If the lighting has been removed it looks like roof repairs, its the safest thing to do you dont want to be using hot tar or fixing felt to the roof with live lighting just below you, removing the lights also save them from possible damage during works.

[Busheyfields]

I believe the damage to the signage was caused by the high winds we had a few weeks back. Will be interesting to see if it gets repaired though.

Derek
www.derekhilldriving.co.uk

[EAS]

Considering this is a listed structure, although I appreciate the station is not the original it is firmly attached to the Scenic, then any work on it should be with Listed Building Consent, or with the agreement of the Conservation Officer. Has the Conservation Officer been informed of what's happening here?

It looks to me that this structure is not being cared for and I am about to post this thread to SAVE Britain's Heritage, which compiles and publishes the national Buildings at Risk Register for historic buildings at risk. I think serious consideration should now be given to this going on the Register - along with the rest of the site, which I think is a historic one and seriously at risk now.

Any further details and pics would I think be useful. Is the Scenic structure being cared for? What about the trains?

www.savebritainsheritage.org

Is Tracy Emin a signed up campaign member? If not - she needs to be!

I live about 350 miles away so it's hard for me to seek further info personally!

[rosie07]

It is really annoying me! I think it is very sad that dreamland may be going but the people which i think are the council dealing with it are useless. They haven't done anything with it in it's replacement, dreamland should stay and it could be so much better a really cool theme park with wicked rides and this would definatly make the tourist rating higher. To be honest i think margate is rubbish now it has lost all of its shops, dreamland has really gone down hill and the only thing going for it is the beach and the long strip of arcades. To be honest there are other beaches and arcades in the Thanet area and people will go there. I honestly think they need dreamland or something bigger and better there before summer 2007 or peoples thoughts of margate will be really bad and they wont bother visiting again. The scenic railway should stay at dreamland as it is trademark of margate.

[EAS]

RowBot - please can I steal your picture for the national Buildings at Risk Register? All in a good cause etc...

I live too far away to go seek my own.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

RowBot - please can I steal your picture for the national Buildings at Risk Register? All in a good cause etc...

I live too far away to go seek my own.

I'm sure RowBot wouldn't mind (although obviously I can't speak for him) but in any event I'm going to pop along to Dreamland this afternoon to take some photos which I will post later- you'll be welcome to use these in any way you want.

Anything specific you want me to photograph while I'm there?

[EAS]

Just a decent pic of the Scenic - showing the desolation and lack of care... and any surroundings. Huge thanks.

It can't do any harm, and a press release could ensue saying that Dreamland campaigners and national heritage conservation organisations (SAVE and the c20th Soc for two - and I'm currently in the middle of a correspondence with DCMS and EH about the future of our seaside parks and their at-risk attractions) are hugely concerned about Scenic's future... and indeed Dreamland's.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

Well, here you are. This is how the Scenic Railway looked about an hour ago. Don't know if any of these are any good to you, but feel free to use any you want. I couldn't get any closer because of the security fence.

[EAS]

Great thank you! I've been sent Ian's as well, so can send the office several to choose from.

Oh dear - how sad though, and with nothing happening to maintain it all what a disgrace.

Still, the site is worth so much more than the nation's heritage...

[porterm]

Looks like the missing piece of signage and lighting chain has now disappeared! - hopefully to be replaced, however this is obviously not the Scenic's original signage as it looked pretty different in the late seventies and Bemboms' era. (I actually felt this was one of Mr Godden's rare improvements to the park on his 1996 takeover of operations). The former signage just ran straight across the station frontage horizontally. (I'm sure we have a shot of it on the vintage photos bank on this website).

I also guess that the station does not actually need to be maintained as it was not part of the attraction's original structure, but surely that's no real excuse to just leave it after what I believe was recent storm damage. Hopefully the roof etc is undergoing some rehab work).

Martin

[EAS]

It was there when listed... so is also listed ... but as I keep saying, unless it's actually really a danger then forcing the owner to maintain is a grey area.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

The former signage just ran straight across the station frontage horizontally. (I'm sure we have a shot of it on the vintage photos bank on this website).

Here ya go.....

[EAS]

What! Not a chap in bowler hat and camel coat in sight! Amazing!!