Runaway Coaster

[Marky66]

Does anyone know if the coaster is now either being or indeed has been dismantled yet?

According to rcdb it is under construction at long last at Kilarney Springs for the 2007 season, lets hope it's good news.

http://www.rcdb.com/id3684.htm

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Looks like it was a travelling coaster, so moving it should have been fairly easy. Good news for it. Super good for kids.

[Marky66]

It was a travelling coaster that previously travelled the German fairs.
It's been standing neglected for some time now though.

[imansfield]

I can confirm that the Runaway is still on site at Folkestone and looking *very* sorry for itself. I cant believe it actually survived the recent storms! Whoever takes it on will have a massive job getting it up to a rideable standard again.

[coasternutter]

I was in Folkestone today.
The Main Office for Dreamland leisure is there and apart from the coaster.
Everything else is closed and awaiting demolition Dreamland Leisure have now moved to another part of Folkestone., my understanding is that everything the sea side of the road will be demolished to allow for the redevelopment of the area and that this will be sooner rather than later, so they need to get a move on with moving the coaster.

[bluea61]

Is there any news about the Runaway Coaster or even what happened at the Rotunda Auction this week?

[Marky66]

Still standing as far as I know but I recieved my copy of First Drop today (ecc magazine) and Kilarneys Springs possible interest was mentioned in there, lets hope something happens very soon!

[bluea61]

I think the chances of them dismantling it, remantling it, and repairing it this season would be slim. From what other people have said it needs a bit of work. I really hope they do take it on, it looks like a really fun coaster.

[Zoidstar]

Anyone buying the runaway would be very very wise to carry a number of checks on the structure.


Full Corrosion Survey, something that would need experts, to identify the type of corrosion (rust) is it surface or has it eaten in to the metal, what sort of rust is it,

Uniform Surface: Just the surface of the metal is attacked clean treat and paint.
Pitting: Should Uniform Corrosion not be treated the metal will begin to be attacked resulting in a pitting to take place it will need to be blended out.

Structural Integrity, any corrosion that has been found and has been identified where is it, is it on Primary, secondary or tershary parts of the structure.

Primary: The most important parts of the structure replace would be the best option
Secondary: Not as important but still a major component of the structure, they could be cleaned and treated and re-used.
Tershary: Not parts of the main structure and the ride could operate with a percentage removed with no loss of safety Treat and re-use

And of cause it all costs money and that is even before you add the cost of dismantling, transportation, restoration, rebuilding testing.

[bluea61]

I thought the structure was wood? Well at least most of it anyway.

[Zoidstar]

Even worse when was it last used two years ago?

When was the last maintanance carried out?

At least with metal you have a fighting chance to slow and in some cases stop it detiriating and re-using most of the parts if its wood and the rot sets in then you have no choise but to replace as you can use an angle grinder to blend out any corrosion...

well you could try but yourd end up with a nice big piles of matchsticks!

[Marky66]

Here's a link to some photos of the Runaway taken yesterday.

http://photos.orange.co.uk/album/5033948

[Zoidstar]

Thanx for the pics,

Looking at the it appears that there is rot begining to set in on parts of the strucure, the bolts that hold the ride together are also show signs of extensice corrosion this can be seen in the first photo where it looks like rust has run down the uprights that because it has...

if its going to be save it must be soon I dont think she will last much more than another year, unless some kind of preservitive work is undertaken soon.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Hard to tell in the photos. Peeling paint can make it look worse than it is. All that means is that it wasn't prepped properly.

[Slapavision]

All that means is that it wasn't prepped properly.

Hence JG