Good morning, some of you may know me as DistortAMG on other places. Being dedicated to Drayton Manor, I feel this place deserves the excellent archive photos I hold of Drayton Manor. I plan to use this thread to do just that. There are plenty of excellent photos to come, believe me! Without further ado, lets get this party started....
First off, we have a photo taken from near where the fish and chip shop stands today, looking over towards Pirate Adventure. This view looks similar today, although with some key differences. The arcade on the left is still in place today. The building was rethemed in 1999 when it became Fisherman's Wharf, alongside the mammoth addition of Storm Force 10. You can make out the dodgems, which stand in the same place today and the queue for Jungle cruise (Now Castle Bar). Eagle eyed viewers may also be able to spot The Crypt. The tower on the building to the left, is still there today, but themed to more of a lighthouse. Underneath this tower, was one of the main wristband and ticket points in the whole park. The booth windows still stand to to this day, albeit blocked up. Also viewable in this photo, is the old entrance to what is now the Burger Kitchen, then called Buccaneer Burger Bar, the entrance being the back end of a large galleon ship. Now replaced with a more generic entrance.
This photo is taken from where Bounty stands today. Looking towards the Castle Bar and the building that is now Fun Foods can be seen on the far right.
Here we can see the miniature railway and the main lake. The whole site had much more foliage back then. The route is roughly the same as that of the Polperro Express today. This would be the sharp turnaround area today that the train takes. The area to the immediate right of this photo would be the turn around / tunnel area for River Rapids. The land across the lake, occupied by cars, is Vikings land today.
Colin and George Bryan, sitting in an area now occupied for next years new coaster. The only thing remaining in this photo in some form or another, is the building on the far right, this is the building just before the entrance to the Haunting, if you was walking up past Accelerator.
A family enjoying lunch in what is now Vikings Land, Tower Ballroom and the entrance tower can be seen in the background. Jormungandr also occupies part of the back of this photo. Apocalypse would have stood somewhere near those large trees in the background.
I hope you enjoy these.
Build it and they will come! On my next post, we will go all out on construction at Drayton Manor, showcasing various attractions under construction. As a preview of what is to come, see these photos of Splash Canyon (River Rapids) under construction in the 1992/3 off season.
Splash Canyon was built in the above mentioned off season. During this time, all the foundations for Shockwave were also laid. Some theming elements were not added until the steel for Shockwave was added. This photo confirms that Splash Canyon had theming elements added before Shockwave was built. If you took this photo today, you would see Shockwaves lift. Alongside a support column for the exit of the vertical loop, which goes on the footer that is poured to the left. Also shows the themed building that housed the moving water tower, which was controllable by operators in the early years. This photo is the very end of the ride, just before the boat hits the wall and goes up the lift. The jet sprayers that go over the channel, added during the River Rapids refurbishment are placed to the right of the trough in this photo. The building seen here, is now the boat which you pass by just before the end of the ride.
This second photo is looking back towards the station, which can be seen under construction with no Shockwave in place above! This is looking from the now cannibalised wave pool. The geysers blast water up from the right of this photo and a spotter sits out of shot, on the right of this photo. These rocks were removed during the refurbishment. Some of them sit back of house in a fenced off area near air race, alongside incomplete Storm Force 10 boats.
This next photo is the station, lift hill and the yet to be built queue line, looks very different today. Especially with Shockwave above. Look closely and parts of the rides channel are yet to be finished. The building in the immediate foreground with the painters in white stood on, still stands today, This building is what the main ride operators will walk through when walking to the operators cabin from the operators entrance. The main rides entrance today is to the left of this photo. You can see the central operators cabin being built in the middle of the turntable, which was removed during the refurbishment. Shockwave sits directly above the station here today. The photo is taken from part way up what was the parks Huss built Pirat Ship. The Pirat ship was relocated shortly after this photo was taken, to roughly where the main entrance to Thomas Land and Knapford Station stands today. Pirat is not a typo, that was the name on the sign of the ship, as supplied by Huss rides.
That's all for now folks! Stay tuned for more soon!!
First off, we have a photo taken from near where the fish and chip shop stands today, looking over towards Pirate Adventure. This view looks similar today, although with some key differences. The arcade on the left is still in place today. The building was rethemed in 1999 when it became Fisherman's Wharf, alongside the mammoth addition of Storm Force 10. You can make out the dodgems, which stand in the same place today and the queue for Jungle cruise (Now Castle Bar). Eagle eyed viewers may also be able to spot The Crypt. The tower on the building to the left, is still there today, but themed to more of a lighthouse. Underneath this tower, was one of the main wristband and ticket points in the whole park. The booth windows still stand to to this day, albeit blocked up. Also viewable in this photo, is the old entrance to what is now the Burger Kitchen, then called Buccaneer Burger Bar, the entrance being the back end of a large galleon ship. Now replaced with a more generic entrance.
This photo is taken from where Bounty stands today. Looking towards the Castle Bar and the building that is now Fun Foods can be seen on the far right.
Here we can see the miniature railway and the main lake. The whole site had much more foliage back then. The route is roughly the same as that of the Polperro Express today. This would be the sharp turnaround area today that the train takes. The area to the immediate right of this photo would be the turn around / tunnel area for River Rapids. The land across the lake, occupied by cars, is Vikings land today.
Colin and George Bryan, sitting in an area now occupied for next years new coaster. The only thing remaining in this photo in some form or another, is the building on the far right, this is the building just before the entrance to the Haunting, if you was walking up past Accelerator.
A family enjoying lunch in what is now Vikings Land, Tower Ballroom and the entrance tower can be seen in the background. Jormungandr also occupies part of the back of this photo. Apocalypse would have stood somewhere near those large trees in the background.
I hope you enjoy these.
Build it and they will come! On my next post, we will go all out on construction at Drayton Manor, showcasing various attractions under construction. As a preview of what is to come, see these photos of Splash Canyon (River Rapids) under construction in the 1992/3 off season.
Splash Canyon was built in the above mentioned off season. During this time, all the foundations for Shockwave were also laid. Some theming elements were not added until the steel for Shockwave was added. This photo confirms that Splash Canyon had theming elements added before Shockwave was built. If you took this photo today, you would see Shockwaves lift. Alongside a support column for the exit of the vertical loop, which goes on the footer that is poured to the left. Also shows the themed building that housed the moving water tower, which was controllable by operators in the early years. This photo is the very end of the ride, just before the boat hits the wall and goes up the lift. The jet sprayers that go over the channel, added during the River Rapids refurbishment are placed to the right of the trough in this photo. The building seen here, is now the boat which you pass by just before the end of the ride.
This second photo is looking back towards the station, which can be seen under construction with no Shockwave in place above! This is looking from the now cannibalised wave pool. The geysers blast water up from the right of this photo and a spotter sits out of shot, on the right of this photo. These rocks were removed during the refurbishment. Some of them sit back of house in a fenced off area near air race, alongside incomplete Storm Force 10 boats.
This next photo is the station, lift hill and the yet to be built queue line, looks very different today. Especially with Shockwave above. Look closely and parts of the rides channel are yet to be finished. The building in the immediate foreground with the painters in white stood on, still stands today, This building is what the main ride operators will walk through when walking to the operators cabin from the operators entrance. The main rides entrance today is to the left of this photo. You can see the central operators cabin being built in the middle of the turntable, which was removed during the refurbishment. Shockwave sits directly above the station here today. The photo is taken from part way up what was the parks Huss built Pirat Ship. The Pirat ship was relocated shortly after this photo was taken, to roughly where the main entrance to Thomas Land and Knapford Station stands today. Pirat is not a typo, that was the name on the sign of the ship, as supplied by Huss rides.
That's all for now folks! Stay tuned for more soon!!
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Seems to be a 30 minute limit on post edits. Not to worry.
