Rameses Revenge
Rameses Revenge was a Top Spin ride at Chessington World of Adventures Resort theme park in southwest London, England, introduced in 1995. It was the world's first top spin ride to feature a drown-upside-down element.
Rameses Revenge | |
---|---|
Chessington World of Adventures | |
Area | Forbidden Kingdom area |
Coordinates | 51°20′56″N 0°19′07″W |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 1995 |
Closing date | 3 November 2019 |
Replaced by | a crocodile-themed drop tower ride |
General statistics | |
Attraction type | Top Spin |
Manufacturer | Huss Rides |
Height restriction | 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) |
Restraints | Over-the-shoulder and lap bar |
History and Operation
Rameses Revenge was manufactured by Huss Rides, a German company who had previously made Chessington's Black Buccaneer ride. It was one of the first top spin flat rides built to feature water fountains, which spray riders at certain points in the ride cycle. Introduced in 1995,[1] Rameses Revenge was the main focus of advertising for Chessington World of Adventures Resort in that year, and was also widely featured in the British media, even being featured in its own segment by the ITV Evening News.
It is situated in the Egyptian themed Forbidden Kingdom area of the park.[2] Rameses Revenge was refurbished in 2007, with new settings placed onto the ride's PLC to improve ride-ability.
The ride is surrounded by buildings resembling a traditional Arabic market town, while the ride itself is built into a pit. The ride was re-branded with a new colour scheme and logo in 2000.
The ride entrance was relocated in 2015 and the queue was shortened.[3]
Removal
Rameses Revenge closed to the public on 3 November 2019 and was removed from Chessington on 31 December that same year, with a crocodile-themed drop tower ride being its proposed replacement. This means that there are no more permanent HUSS Top Spins in the UK, just travelling ones.[4]
Legacy
Rameses Revenge is one of the most successful and nationally recognised rides to have opened in Britain. Its expansive marketing campaign gained the ride the title as one of the most revolutionary flat rides of its time. The ride is responsible for the most attended year in Chessington's history, with over 2.2 million guests reportedly visiting in 1995.
Incidents
- On 23 July 2011 40 guests were trapped upside down when the ride stopped due to a technical issue, after a few seconds, the safety system activated, lowering riders to ground level. It then took a further 20 minutes to release them. 6 people were treated by emergency services for asthma and panic attacks. Subsequently, the ride was closed for the rest of the year.[5]
Gallery
- The ride in 2010
- Water element
- The ride in 2014
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rameses Revenge. |
- Chessington World of Adventures Resort
References
- "Rameses Revenge Review". T-Park. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- "Forbidden Kingdom". Chessington World of Adventures. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- "Chessington World of Adventures Resort Fined For Safety Breaches".
- Chessington: New ride replacing Rameses Revenge - RideRater. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- "Rameses Revenge riders at Chessington World of Adventures stranded for hours". London Evening Standard. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.