by Nick » 25 Jul 2004, 09:14
When listed buildings are moved, generally they lose their listed building status. Because much of what is important is their relationship with the street and the town in which they stand. There are examples of listed buildings being 're-listed' when they have been moved. The Black Country example (I have visted the museum, but I don't have any information on the status of the buildings) could be a case in point.
If those buildings have been re-listed, I expect it is to do with the fact that they all originated from the Black Country and are important and rare examples of the area's heritage. The problem with the Runaway Coaster is that it hasn't been there long (since 1998) and it does not really have any links with the history of Folkestone, or at least none that I am aware of.
Some might say that the reason it hasn't been listed is that it is portable. Whether a ride is portable or not is not relevant. Portable structures that have long association with the areas in which they are located are often listed. The most famous example being the Cutty Sark at Greenwich, which is a ship! But the Runaway has no association with Folkestone. It is not, in my opinion, a candidate for listing.
I would like to see that ride saved as much as anybody else, but I don't think listing is the way to do it. The ideal situation is for another park to buy it and restore it, but this is looking less and less like it is going to happen.
Nick