*sigh*
I really, really want Dreamland to be a success...
Opening day had great signs of promise, despite the closed rides, so I was looking forward to getting back to the park today, especially with the arrival of Littleboy's Speedway and the Grasscutter Twist.
In the carpark, before the security guard let us in to the entrance "plaza", we saw the test "train" going round on the Scenic. Well, the train had three bases running on the bogies, with two makeshift, plywood "seats" behind the brake lever. A very light train indeed, but it was getting round the track smoothly with no sign of the likelihood of a rollback. It looks like they were tinkering with the sensor system today, especially the one that detects when the train has left the second lift hill.
Anyhow - we got let into the park, and Littleboy's Speedway was already going. Hmmm. It was very popular with the youngsters, but the guys operating it didn't seem to have much respect for the machine. Faster, slower, faster, slower. Then they stopped the ride "OK! If you want to go really fast, get in a Chariot". I had to get off the ride, of course, because I was on a Motorbike. Then, they slammed it into top speed. Now, if it's too fast to be safe to ride a Motorbike, then I'd say it's too fast full stop. All you need to do is slip forward as you go over a hill. They closed the ride for half an hour at noon, saying "Oh - it's an old ride! We have to take care of it!" Hmmm. On my first ride, the red-headed lad, who spent most of the day walking the platforms very professionally, kept telling me to hold on with both hands, not just one. On the next ride, which I was watching, he was enouraging the little kids on the ride to do a hand-jive.
[EDIT 25/7/15: I have since found out a little more about the guys running the ride - it is great to know that one of them is a member of the family that once travelled with this very Speedway. Turns out that they understand the ride very well, and aren't just bored local teenagers taking advantage of their newly-found position of authority. Apparently, they were testing out different speeds for different ages - I just hope they agree on a top speed at which they can allow grown-ups to stay on the motorbikes, as that is the whole point of the Speedway. Having said that, my point about the hand-jive still stands, as they shouldn't even start the ride if people do not appear to be following basic safety rules.]
Then you look towards the centre of the park from between the Speedway and the Big Wheel. There's the new Grasscutter Twist. Not in operation. Behind it is the "Kiss Me Quick" Caterpillar. Has never operated. But lo! There's a new Star Flyer ride - it has replaced the Wave Swinger at the back of the park. You know - the Wave Swinger that was riding full on Opening Day. Oh yes - the Star Flyer isn't working. The Jumping Pirate Boats? Not working - there's a bloke sitting on the entrance steps to tell you this, but the ride seems to open quite happily at 12:30pm. And the Spinning Wild Mouse? Well, they tried sending a few cars round the track, but that's as far as they got.
Thank heavens for David Littleboy, I thought. It was the first week of 7-day operation. It was also the first day of the school holidays for many counties. There are some counties still at school, but they had laid on coaches to take their kids to Dreamland for an end-of-term treat.
Now - there were more rides working than on opening day - Dodgems, Jets, Speedway, Big Wheel, Rotor (new this visit), Monotopia, Kiddie Cars, "Big Apple" Coaster, Double-Deck Roundabout and temporary TeaCup ride, Austin Cars, Jumping Pirate Boats (well, after they finally decided to open it up), Helter Skelter, Astroglide, Gallopers, so we are getting there, but replacing working rides with non-working rides (for whatever reason) is really annoying, and that continental Caterpillar ride - is it ever going to open?