Gold Rush is a steel family roller coaster located at Drayton Manor Resort in Staffordshire, England, UK. The coaster opened as a part of a strategic multimillion-pound investment and the new Frontier Falls area, and features two different layout sequences in which the ride switches track routes.[1][2]
| Gold Rush | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Drayton Manor Resort | |
| Location | Drayton Manor Resort |
| Park section | Frontier Falls |
| Coordinates | 52°36′39″N 1°42′50″W / 52.610723°N 1.713831°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 26 July 2024 |
| Replaced | Apocalypse Pandemonium Big Wheel |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Family |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Model | Lift & Launch |
| Lift/launch system | Drive tire lift hill and launch |
| Height | 56 ft (17 m) |
| Speed | 37.3 mph (60.0 km/h) |
| Duration | 2:00 |
| Height restriction | 100 cm (3 ft 3 in) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Physical Length | 1,945 feet (593 m) |
| Total length Traversed | 2,650 feet (810 m) |
| Website | Official website |
| Gold Rush at RCDB | |
History
editDrayton Manor Resort was bought out from administration by European theme park operator Looping Group in August 2020, with the Bryan family – the park's longtime owners – staying on in key management roles.[3][4] Tasked with revitalizing the park, Looping Group shifted its focus towards families; over the following years, new themed areas and attractions were brought in while a handful of thrill rides were phased out.[5] Consequently, Pandemonium, an inverted swing ride, and Apocalypse, a 54-metre (177 ft) drop tower, were respectively retired at the end of the 2021 and 2022 seasons.[6][7] Both attractions were explicitly removed to allow for future development; Looping Group CEO Laurent Bruloy first publicly referred to a "very big project for 2024" as early as March 2022.[1]
Crews began dismantling Apocalypse in November 2022, as its site was to be used for the next major project.[8] Managing director Victoria Lynn hinted at a new "family thrill roller coaster" to take its place in January 2023.[9] Teasers depicting roller coaster track subsequently appeared around the site's construction walls in June 2023.[10] Drayton Manor Resort officially announced on 13 July 2023 that Liechtenstein-based Intamin would provide a "Lift and Launch" roller coaster for the 2024 season.[11]
Foundations for the coaster first began construction in September 2023.[12] Ride supports were first seen onsite at this time, although track didn't arrive until November.[13][14] Various part deliveries were initially labelled to be for a Spinning Coaster; management later clarified that this was not the case.[15] RCS GmbH handled the installation of track and supports, which began in January 2024 and was completed the following month.[16] Trains subsequently arrived on site in February and were quickly placed on the track.[17]
Marketing kicked in unusually late for the attraction. Frontier Falls was officially announced as the rethemed Wild West area of the park in March and opened on the 24th that month, featuring the transformed Blasting Barrels ride and Falls Theatre.[18] Even as crews completed work around and began testing the attraction in May, no information or promotion was released on the coaster.[19] Drayton Manor eventually announced Gold Rush as the name of the coaster on 3 July 2024, and it soon opened to the public on 26 July.[20][21]
Ride experience
editQueue
editGuests walk through a tunnel adorned with posters for various merchants of the town and a switchback pen bear the launch shed barn. A path then navigates back through the ride area to the station, which is accessible through three flights of stairs. Theming around the attraction includes an old decoration once used on The Wave in 1994 and a tombstone to the former Apocalypse.[2]
Onride
edit
Due to the nature of Gold Rush's switch track layouts, there are two different sequences available for the ride experience. Riders will always begin by depart the station facing forwards and ascend the lift hill. The first of two switch tracks will reset at this time, connecting another track to the lift hill as opposed to the station.
In the first mode, the train will fail to clear the lift hill and instead roll back into the forwards/reverse section, traveling backwards until reaching the barn and launch track. Filled with smoking barrels of dynamite, a voice warns riders to "Get out while you can!" before they're propelled forwards through the track and back to the lift hill. This time riders fully ascend and clear the lift hill; an elevated righthand turnaround leads to a drop underneath the lift, a rise into a descending lefthand turnaround, and another airtime hill. Riders turn into the second switch track, routing them back into the launch barn; the train is launched forwards through an s-bend and into the brake run. A final left-hand turn leads back to the station building.
The second mode is similar except for the sequence of the forwards and reverse sections. Here, riders will clear the lift hill first and follow that route to the launch shed; the switch track will then activate and riders will be propelled backwards through the other section of track. Riders partially ascend the lift hill in reverse before rolling down and forwards once again, traversing the same route back to the launch shed. Once again the train is launched forwards into the return journey to the brake run.
Characteristics
editGold Rush has a physical track length of 1,945 feet (593 m), a maximum height of 56 feet (17 m), and a top speed of 37.3 mph (60.0 km/h). Due to the coaster's ability to traverse a section of track twice, approximately 2,650 feet (810 m) is travelled during the ride. Gold Rush operates with two six-car trains, each car of which seat four riders in two rows of two for a total occupancy of 24 passengers.
References
edit- ^ a b Ralph, Owen (October 28, 2021). "Looping's plans for Drayton Manor & more". Blooloop. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Claire (July 26, 2023). "Gold Rush family thrill coaster opens at Drayton Manor Resort". AttractionSource. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ Whelan, Zara (August 3, 2020). "European firm buys Drayton Manor out of administration amid closure fears". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Reid, Ben (August 4, 2020). "Drayton Manor theme park sold after it enters administration". Nottingham Post. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Cooper, Anna (May 12, 2022). "Drayton Manor to focus on a value-packed family experience". www.thebusinessdesk.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Bentley, David (October 28, 2021). "Drayton Manor Park's Pandemonium ride closing for good as last dates to go on it announced". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Bunn, George; Byatt, Flora (October 28, 2021). "Drayton Manor's free fall ride Apocalypse to close after 23 years". The Sentinel (Staffordshire). Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ @ElamJoshua (November 10, 2022). "Goodbye Apocalypse 😔..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Newbould, Daniel (January 15, 2023). "New family thrill rollercoaster among exciting plans at Drayton Manor". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ @coasterclub (June 2, 2023). "AY YOU… No Peeking..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Mitchell, Bea (July 13, 2023). "Exclusive: Drayton Manor working with Intamin on new family thrill coaster". Blooloop. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ @AerialAmusement (September 9, 2023). "⚠️ SPOILER ⚠️..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @QualterZam (September 4, 2023). "This looks interesting 👀..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Themepark_madness". Facebook. November 25, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Haz (September 17, 2023). "Gold Rush (New for 2024)". www.draytontalk.co.uk. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ @notjohn_wardley (January 14, 2024). "that's the beginning of a rollercoaster ngl..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Themepark_madness". Facebook. February 26, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ @DraytonManor (March 15, 2024). "Introducing Frontier Falls 🧨..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ coaster mad lan (May 30, 2024). "New ride tests for the first time at Drayton mannor resor". YouTube. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ @DraytonManor (July 3, 2024). "This summer is about to get EPIC with our new coaster Gold Rush!..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Elise (July 26, 2023). "Gold Rush – Drayton Manor Strike Gold With Their New Rollercoaster!". themeparkinsanity.co.uk. Retrieved July 28, 2024.