Gold Rush (Drayton Manor)

Gold Rush
A train on the backwards lift hill element
Drayton Manor Resort
LocationDrayton Manor Resort
Park sectionFrontier Falls
Coordinates52°36′39″N 1°42′50″W / 52.610723°N 1.713831°W / 52.610723; -1.713831
StatusOperating
Opening date26 July 2024 (2024-07-26)
ReplacedApocalypse
Pandemonium
Big Wheel
General statistics
TypeSteel – Family
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelLift & Launch
Lift/launch systemDrive tire lift hill and launch
Height56 ft (17 m)
Speed37.3 mph (60.0 km/h)
Duration2:00
Height restriction100 cm (3 ft 3 in)
Trains2 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Physical Length1,945 feet (593 m)
Total length Traversed2,650 feet (810 m)
WebsiteOfficial website
Fast Pass (Platinum only) available
Gold Rush at RCDB

Gold Rush is a steel family roller coaster located at Drayton Manor Resort in Staffordshire, England. Manufactured by Intamin, the attraction opened as the centerpiece of the multimillion-pound Frontier Falls themed land. The coaster uses a track-switching system that allows for two distinct layout sequences.[1][2]

History

Drayton 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 some 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 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]

Managing director Victoria Lynn hinted at a new "family thrill roller coaster" to take its place in January 2023.[8] Drayton Manor Resort officially announced on 13 July 2023 that Liechtenstein-based ride manufacturer Intamin would provide a "Lift and Launch" roller coaster for the 2024 season.[9] The park began constructing foundations for the coaster in September 2023, with ride hardware also beginning to show up at this time.[10][11] RCS GmbH handled the installation of track and supports, lasting through January and February 2024.[12] Trains subsequently arrived on site in February before being placed on the track.[13]

To accommodate the new coaster, Drayton Manor refreshed the surrounding Wild West area into Frontier Falls, officially opening it on 24 March with the transformed Blasting Barrels ride and Falls Theatre.[14] Drayton Manor later announced Gold Rush as the attraction's name on 3 July, subsequently opening it to the public on 26 July 2024.[15][16]

Ride experience

Queue

The entrance to the attraction begins with a themed tunnel decorated with signage for various fictional merchants, leading guests toward a switchback queue system located near the launch shed. The queue path then traverses the interior of the ride area before reaching the elevated station, which is accessed via three flights of stairs. The surrounding environment features several historical references to the park's heritage, including a decorative element originally used on the 1994 roller coaster Shockwave and a symbolic tombstone commemorating the former Apocalypse drop tower.[2]

Sequences

Gold Rush uses track switches to allow the coaster to traverse two different layout configurations. This allows the park to vary the ride experience, for example, opting for one sequence in the morning and the other later in the day.[17]

Experience 1

  1. Train leaves station and travels forward over the lift towards gravity run.
  2. After show/stop, train is launched backward towards lift.
  3. Train travels up the lift backward, before going over the top, train gets released and boosted slightly to re-run the gravity run previously done backward, this time forward.
  1. When arriving to the show building, train is launched forward without stopping.
  2. Train finish the gravity run forward towards block brake and back to station.

Experience 2

  1. Train leaves station and travels forward up the lift.
  2. Before going over the lift, train gets released and slightly boosted backward towards the show building.
  3. After show/stop, train is launched forward to re-run the gravity run previously done backward, this time forward towards lift.
  4. Train goes over the lift forward, towards gravity run.
  5. When arriving to the show building, train is launched forward without stopping.
  6. Train finish the gravity run forward towards block brake and back to station.

Characteristics

Gold 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. The vehicles utilise Intamin's individual lap bar restraint system which allows for a minimum height requirement of 1 metre (39 in).[17]

References

  1. ^ a b Ralph, Owen (October 28, 2021). "Looping's plans for Drayton Manor & more". Blooloop. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Claire (July 26, 2023). "Gold Rush family thrill coaster opens at Drayton Manor Resort". AttractionSource. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  3. ^ Whelan, Zara (August 3, 2020). "European firm buys Drayton Manor out of administration amid closure fears". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Reid, Ben (August 4, 2020). "Drayton Manor theme park sold after it enters administration". Nottingham Post. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Cooper, Anna (May 12, 2022). "Drayton Manor to focus on a value-packed family experience". www.thebusinessdesk.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Newbould, Daniel (January 15, 2023). "New family thrill rollercoaster among exciting plans at Drayton Manor". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  9. ^ Mitchell, Bea (July 13, 2023). "Exclusive: Drayton Manor working with Intamin on new family thrill coaster". Blooloop. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  10. ^ @AerialAmusement (September 9, 2023). "⚠️ SPOILER ⚠️..." (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  11. ^ @QualterZam (September 4, 2023). "This looks interesting 👀..." (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  12. ^ @notjohn_wardley (January 14, 2024). "that's the beginning of a rollercoaster ngl..." (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  13. ^ "Themepark_madness". Facebook. February 26, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  14. ^ @DraytonManor (March 15, 2024). "Introducing Frontier Falls 🧨..." (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  15. ^ @DraytonManor (July 3, 2024). "This summer is about to get EPIC with our new coaster Gold Rush!..." (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  16. ^ Elise (July 26, 2023). "Gold Rush – Drayton Manor Strike Gold With Their New Rollercoaster!". themeparkinsanity.co.uk. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Richard, Luc (2024-07-31). ""Gold Rush" - Family Lift & Launch Coaster at Drayton Manor". Intamin Amusement Rides. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
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