Green Dragon (GreenWood Forest Park)

Roller coaster in the United Kingdom
Watch the on-ride POV
Green Dragon
GreenWood Forest Park
Location Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
Coordinates 53°10′51″N 4°11′47″W / 53.1807612°N 4.1963425°W / 53.1807612; -4.1963425
Status Operating since 29 May 2004
Rider height
  • Minimum: 97 cm
  • Min. unaccompanied: 122 cm
Statistics
Manufacturer W.G.H. Transportation Engineering
Type Steel - Terrain
Riders per train 20
Propulsion Funicular railway
Top speed 40.2 km/h
Length 280 metres
Inversions 0
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Green Dragon (Welsh: Y Ddraigg Werdd) is a steel roller coaster located at GreenWood Forest Park in Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, Wales, UK. It was built by W.G.H. Transportation Engineering[1] and opened on 29 May 2004.[2] The roller coaster is unique in that it uses guests' potential energy to lift the train and, when operating at full capacity, it generates electricity for the national grid.

Design

Green track and supports. The ride has an on-ride camera.

Layout

The roller coaster has a relatively short length of 280 metres which twists through forest while keeping close to the terrain. It then passes over the slide attraction before making a 270 degree turn at its highest point above ground and heading back into the woods towards the station.

Trains

One of the five cars

Single train with 5 cars. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 20 riders per train. Riders are restrained by a single lap bar for each row.

Operation

Green Dragon has a single train. While queuing, guests climb a set of stairs. Before riding, a train's worth of guests stand in a booth which is then allowed to fall slowly. The booth is connected mechanically to a platform which raises the train. The potential energy from the riders is thus transferred to the empty train, causing it to rise as it is lighter than the booth containing people. The guests in the booth then climb another set of stairs and board the train, which then accelerated out the station by drive tyres. After riding, guests leave the train at the lowest point and the cycle is repeated.[2]

Efficiency

The park claims that, with an average of ten passengers per cycle, the ride is 93% efficient. With a full load, the roller coaster is over 100% efficient and feeds electricity back to the national grid.

Images

References

External links