Joyland Books

Hi, just something im interested in, i know a lot of rides are now at Loudoun Castle and other parks, just wondering what happened to some and if im correct on their current location.

MARY ROSE - Now The Black Pearl at Loudoun ? Also once at Flamingoland after Margate ? Was this orignally the same ride at Alton Towers in 82 season as Space Boat ?

APOLLO/HEATWAVE - Moved to Lightwater Valley as The Orbiter and now at Loudoun Castle as The Plough

LOOPING STAR - Moved to Loudoun at one point as Thunderloop Express, now at Vidámpark in Budapest ?

LOOPING STAR 2 - The Orange ONe, now at Loudoun Castle as Twist and Shout

ENTERPRISE - Ended up at Loudoun as Captains Wheel, now removed

TROIKA - Now at Loudoun as Crows Nest

LADYBIRD - Pretty sure its the one at Lightwater Valley now ?

PIRATE SHIP - This one always confused me, originally at the Eaton Road gate site where Enterprise went, as Hanseatic, then in 86 moved to in front of The Big Wheel where it seemed to operate ona lunatic setting swinging to the maximum point, then it went....Then The Bounty which was originally at PLeasurama at Ramsgate then went to ROtunda, then Dreamland and now i presume is HMS FLora McDougal at Loudoun ?

TRISTAR - Another one of my faves, not sure where this is now, there is one in Pleasurewood Hills, maybe its that one ?

MELODY SWING - Beautiful Ride, stayed at Dreamland for a few seasons after JG took over, shoved in the back, wherabouts now ? I dont know

BIG WHEEL - Still in storage i guess in Mexico ?

BIG APPLE - Wacky Worm at Loudon ?

WAVE SWINGER - Appeared for one seaon in 84, sold to Alton Towers ?

ZEPPELLIN - From the Bemboms Park in Hanover, up for a few seasons then left to rot basically, the last major ride installed under the Bemboms


METEOR - Well there is a similar one at Loudoun (shocker!) as Milk Churn
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Anyone help with the locations of past rides or correct me when im wrong ?

I have such a passion and fond memories of the place in the 80s and 90s, i really hope everyones hard work pays off and something can be done to the site in the future.

its possible that parkware,loudoun castles parent arm rented out some of the rides elsewhere before henk took over loudoun.Now you know how i love going to loudoun castle with all those classic rides although i was dissapointed that the huss enterprise was removed because that was a classic (although i believe that parkware own two so renting one for the new dreamland wouldnt be a problem)

I checked out the Ladybird at Light Water Valley a few months ago. If it is the same one, they have set it out in a completely different layout. Even the direction the train comes through the station is different and the track length is much shorter.

I came to the conclusion that it's definately the same maker, but hard for me to say it's the same unit.

Vince.

Yes i looked at a clip on Youtube and it does seem in a mirror image layout

Ladybird was made by Tivoli i think

Was a great little coaster, wild and fast at he back, slow at the front then would speed up

This is the entire sum of my knowledge of 80s Bembom Rides.

My mate rode the Space Boat at Alton Towers in '83 after have been on the Mary Rose at Dreamland, so I am sure it is not the same one.

The Wave Swinger appeared in 1984 and was gone before I visited later that season. Alton Towers acquired theirs around this time, could well be the very same one.

The Labybird was made by Zierer, I believe.

The Enterprise, when it was located behind the scenic was a Schwarzkopf one. Looked a bit old then. May well have been swapped out for a newer one in later years, or even a Huss one, unless it had a completely new paint job.

Pirate Ship may well have been two different ones - I don't know as I never saw it when it was moved.

The original Looping Star is in Budapest (according to rcdb) but I have read so many conflicting stories about this ride and its history that it is difficult to tell.

Somewhere claimed it was originally at Southport before moving to Margate.
Somewhere else claimed it had moved to Slagharen. Unlikely me thinks, as that one has been operating for yonks.
Elsewhere I read that it is in storage.
If it is at Vidampark in Budapest, then it is no longer its original colour.

River Caves, Sphinx and Water Chute were all demolished.

Astroglide was cut down to half the height in early nineties.

CALYPSO, TRISTAR, METEOR and DODGEMS - god knows.

Havent got time to respond about all these rides but as far as the Looping Star goes, (Dreamland 1981-1995) did go to Budapest and as far as im aware returned to Loudon beginning of this year and is now travelling in Ireland. Will look into the other rides when I get chance and get back to you.

Dave

All the main rides seem to be reasonably well documented as to their wherabouts but the one that has vanished without a trace is the Tristar.

The ones at Pleasurewood Hills and Loudon Castle are a different design and in the travelling ride "dismantable" style - The Tristar I remember was quite new, painted orange with silver cars and went much higher and at more acute angles than the other ones. The one at Loudon may be the 2nd Tristar that arrived at Dreamland in the late 1980's.



Dave D

The Tri Star at Margate was orange and situated in front of the Big Wheel in the early 80s. It was then moved next to the Ladybird coaster beside the Water Chute. When Mr Godden took over it was then moved to Folkestones Rotunda and given an overhaul and repainted blue. Some of the rides from both parks were sold to Pleasurewood Hills so that may be where it has gone to.

I went to Slagharen last week and recall the following rides:

* Big Wheel (Schwarzkopf) - No cage around the gondola (just door access). Stands 145ft tall, and not sure if this was the Dreamland one.

* Enterprise (Schwarzkopf) - The lid on Schwarzkopf Enterprises open for access, rather than the sliding metal cage on the Huss. The Dreamland ride I recall was definately a Schwarzkopf, but they've made a few versions of it, and this particular one uses magnets to lock/unlock the lid.

* Apollo 14 (Schwarzkopf) - Both have operated and been converted to chair-o-planes at Slagharen (running side by side as Apollo 14 & chair-o-plane for a while). The one there today still has original colours and has remained in situ, whilst the other has since been re-painted orange and moved to Dreamland, Lightwater Valley and then Loudoun.

* Zeppelin (Schwarzkopf) - This Zeppelin I has been converted to an observation tower and, as stated before, the Dreamland Zeppelin II was scrapped, and the last remaining gondola was sold on eBay.

* Looping Star (Schwarzkopf) - The sister ride to the original Looping Star at Dreamland. The later Dreamland "Silverarrow" orange coaster is labelled Looping Star, but it's a tad smaller and now operates in Loudoun.

* Dream Boat (Weber) - Called "Mary Rose" at Dreamland - They also have one at Loudoun, so not sure if this was the Dreamland one or not.

* Pirate (Huss) - Folkestone Rotunda had an identical ride, and one still operates at Loudoun.

* Haunted House (?) - looks like the same structure that housed the "Cinema 360" at Dreamland. Although, it now is a 4D "scary" show.

* Ladybird (Zierer) - In the 90s, they received a ladybird ride. This could have been the Dreamland one, which now operates in Mexico.

Would definately recommend a visit to Slagharen (we paid €9.50 each) or Loudoun Castle (we paid £11 each in 2007).

the last time i was on the original blue looping star (1982-1995) was in 1993 and that was 15 years ago , i would love another ride on it again even if it was just the once , if i won the lottery or was a multi millionare i would by that looping star for myself

Dreamland - go on the Sun £19.50 holidays to Holland like I did. It's a lot cheaper than buying your own lol, and you can ride an identical Looping Star till your heart's content for €9.50!!

Can also ride Huss Eagle and the Schwarzkopf Monster (Octopus) - awesome rides!

Im planning a trip to Slagharen next year, FINALLY

Ive always been fascinated by the place since i used to go to Dreamland and in the information centre they used to have leaflets on the place

Sounds a good price too

Do they stil have the 1001 Nights/Zwunka ride? I always thoght Bemboms should have had one in Margate


The Dreamland Enterprise was deffo a Schwarzkopf however many they had, and unlike most Enterpises now, it went to vertical and stayed there a fair while on rotation.

The Tristar at PLeasurewood Hills is called Thunderstruck and is blue, see here http://www.ukrides.info/col/nph/thunderd.JPG


The DreamBoat at Slagharen has been there for years, how did it ride zamfir ? Id love to go back on the ride, there is something about it, its my fav flat ride ever, ive been collecting photos and info on all the various ones around the world that luckily still exist


** ALSO ** Dontknow how mnay of you have sen this, check out this gallery,
http://www.ukrides.info/dreamland.htm , loads of photos from the Bembom years, what a find !

Only downside about Slagharen's website is it's either in Dutch or German. I opted for German, and translated the best I could - managed to get access to the park OK too!

Enterprise at Slagharen stays up for quite a while (and definately leaves you a bit more giddy than the Huss equivalent at Loudoun). Mind you, I found that with the Looping Star at Slagharen too.

The Dream Boat at Slagharen was in good shape, a decent ride - unlike the one at Loudoun.

Zwunka is still there, but wasn't in operation the day I went.

Loudoun is nearly as good, plus can get £20 return flights from London. The park is only a short distance from Prestwick Airport.

I have heard the Black Pearl is a bit rattley now, which is a shame, Loudoun is also on my list for next year, looks to be a nice little park

Yeah as I said mate, Black Pearl is in a bad way. I'm sure I can remember Mary Rose having seatbelts towards the end of its life at Dreamland - Black Pearl does, but the one at Slagharen doesn't.

Going up to Blackpool again next weekend - the only park that gives as much satisfaction as Slagharen/Loudoun!