Gravitron (Barry Island)

Ride
Gravitron
Barry Island Pleasure Park
Location Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK
Status Operating since 2018
Pleasure Island Family Theme Park
Location Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Operated 1995 to 2016
Flamingo Land
Location Malton, North Yorkshire, England, UK
Operated During 1994
Pleasure Island Family Theme Park
Location Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Operated During 1993
Flamingo Land
Location Malton, North Yorkshire, England
Operated During 1992
Alton Towers
Location Alton, Staffordshire, England, UK
Operated 1990 to 1991
Replaced Turbo Star
Mirapolis
Location Courdimanche, Île-de-France, France
Operated 1988 to 1989
Barry Island Pleasure Park
Location Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK
Operated 1986 to 1987
Statistics
Manufacturer Vekoma
Product Gravitron
HELP

Gravitron is a Rotor currently owned by Simon Steele and operated at Barry Island Pleasure Park in Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK. It has operated at the park since the 2018 season, although was also previously at the park from 1986 to 1987.

History

The ride was the only of its type to be built by Vekoma, to a design under license from the USA-based Wisdom Industries. Wisdom Industries built many examples of the ride, and also licensed its design to A.R.M. in the UK and Ferrari in Australia[1]. It was new to Pat Collins of Barry Island Pleasure Park in 1986.[2] It would only remain at the park until the end of the 1987 season.

In 1990 the Gravitron opened at Alton Towers, replacing the Turbo Star in Fantasy World[3]. Only a short spell at the park followed, and (as with many of the other ‘smaller’ rides at the park) it was disposed of around the time Tussauds took over the park.

Flamingo Land was the next stop for the Gravitron, and it operated for a single season in 1992 following its purchase from Alton Towers. For the 1993 season the ride was transferred to brand new sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes. Again, only a single season of operation followed, and the ride was returned to Flamingo Land, being advertised ‘as new’ for the 1994 season[4]. After yet another single season of operation the Gravitron was again sent to sister park Pleasure Island, however this time the ride would remain at the park until the park’s closure at the end of 2016[5].

References

  1. Gravitron - Amusement Ride Extravaganza
  2. "25 Oct 1986, page 27 - South Wales Echo at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com (in English). Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  3. Gravitron - Towers Almanac
  4. 1994 Flamingo Land leaflet scan - Theme Park Maps of Britain (via WayBack Machine)
  5. Images of the park after closure November 2016 - Behind Closed Doors Urban Exploration

External links

Articles on Flamingo Land
Articles on Alton Towers