Dragon Challenge (Barry Island Pleasure Park)

Roller coaster in the United Kingdom
(Redirected from Beastie (Alton Towers))
Watch the on-ride POV
Dragon Challenge
Dragon Challenge in 2019
Barry Island Pleasure Park
Location Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK
Coordinates 51°23′29″N 3°16′25″W / 51.391389°N 3.273556°W / 51.391389; -3.273556
Status Operating since 2017
Walter Murphy (UK)
Location Travelling
Operated 2013 to 2017
Alton Towers
Name Beastie
Location Alton, Staffordshire, England, UK
Coordinates 52°59′21″N 1°53′40″W / 52.989267°N 1.894558°W / 52.989267; -1.894558
Park section Adventure Land
Operated 1983 to 2010
Replaced by Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure
Statistics
Manufacturer Pinfari
Product Super Dragon MD31
Type Steel - Kiddie
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Inversions 0
HELP

Dragon Challenge is a steel kiddie roller coaster located at Barry Island Pleasure Park in Wales. It was formerly located at Alton Towers in Alton, Staffordshire, England, UK and travelled from 2013 to 2017.

History

The ride when it was located at Alton Towers

Beastie originally opened in 1983 as Mini Dragon in the Festival Park (now Dark Forest) area of Alton Towers. It allowed younger children to experience the thrill of a full-size roller coaster.

In 1987, the ride was renamed to just Dragon.

In 1993, the ride was moved to the Thunder Valley section of the park. This was when it assumed it's current name, Beastie, due to the Beast opening at the park.

In 1998, the ride was moved to its final position, in the Adventure Land area of the park.

In 2009, the Beastie became the oldest roller coaster operating at the park, after the Corkscrew closed in 2008.

In 2011, it was revealed that the Beastie would leave the park. It was left standing but not operating and was removed just before the 2013 season kicked off. The area where Beastie was located is now used for the Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure, forming part of CBeebies Land.[1]

The ride was then purchased by travelling showman Walter Murphy, who travelled with the ride as Dragon Challenge.[2] It operated at the Global Village in Dubai from late 2013 to early 2014.

Dragon Challenge operated at the Hoppings in 2015. In April 2017, Dragon Challenge was operating at Barry Island Pleasure Park in Wales, UK, where it remains today.

Design

This ride features a standard layout. It has many head-chopper elements and a compact footprint.

Colour scheme

Purple track and green supports, used to have red track and green supports when at Alton Towers.

Trains

Single train with 6 cars. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 24 riders per train.

References

External links

The categories Dragon Challenge (Walt Murphy) and Beastie (Alton Towers) contain additional media.
Articles on Alton Towers