Loudoun Castle (theme park)
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| Opened | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2010 |
| Slogan | Scotland's Best Family Theme Park |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 11 altogether |
| Roller coasters | 3 |
| Water rides | 1 |
Loudoun Castle was a
History
The park was opened in 1995 by a company based in London and has since been through the hands of travelling showman Raymond Codona to its current owner, Henk Bembom's Parkware Ltd. Bembom took over the park in 2002 and invested £5 million during his first year there, followed by an additional £2 million in the second.[1] Bembom continued to bring new rides and attractions to the park each year, including another £2 million of investment in 2007.[2] In winter 2006, Parkware moved all their operations and ride stock to Loudoun from their previous storage buildings in Margate.
On 15 July 2007, 18-year-old ride operator Mark Blackwood fell 80 feet (24 m) from a roller coaster he was pushing, the Rat, which had got stuck. He was taken to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock for treatment but died there on 16 July 2007.[3] After a two-week trial, the jury found the park owners not guilty of failing to provide proper training and supervision at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Saturday 10 October 2009.[4]
In September 2010 it was announced that the park had closed, Bembom stating that it was "no longer economically viable." There were no clear indications as to the future use of the site, whether the current owners intend to sell the business on as a 'going concern' or if they intended to use the site for other purposes.
Rides
Many of the rides at Loudoun Castle had been operated at Dreamland Margate in Kent when it was owned by Bembom Brothers. A few of these rides can be seen in the Only Fools and Horses 1989 Christmas Special "The Jolly Boys' Outing", in which the Trotters and many other male cast members visit Dreamland Margate.
In 2009, Loudoun Castle had five roller coasters:
- Gold Rush – a Zierer Four Man Bob coaster
- Slitherin' – a Schwarzkopf Jet 400
- Twist 'n' Shout – a classic looping Schwarzkopf Silverarrow
- The Rat – a Wild Mouse
- Wacky Worm – a junior coaster by I.E. Park
Also in the park were various
- Barnstormer – a 140-foot-tall (43 m) shot-and-drop tower built by Pleasureland Southport, the ride was officially opened on 23 May 2006 by The MacDonald Brothers.
- Loggers Leap – Loudoun's original log flume
- Black Pearl – an inverting Pirate ship. Relocated to Lightwater Valley.
- The Captains Wheel – an Enterprise ride. Relocated to Avonturenpark Hellendoorn.
- The Plough – the largest Chair-O-Planesride in the world (originally operated as The Apollo 14 at Ponypark Slagharen)
- The Crow's Nest – a HUSS Troika
- The Milk Churn – Round-Up made by Frank Hrubetz – Now at Treasure Island Stourport www.stourportfair.co.uk
- HMS Flora McDougal – a HUSS Swinging Ship ride. Relocated to Lightwater Valley.
References
- ^ "Fairground attraction; Darran Gardner takes a white-knuckle ride with Henk Bembom". Sunday Herald. 13 July 2003.
- ^ "Loudoun Castle Vaults Forum (scanned image attached from local paper)". Kilmarnock Standard.[dead link]
- Evening Times. 17 July 2007. Archived from the originalon 2 October 2007.
- ^ "Rollercoaster death firm cleared". BBC News. 14 October 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
- Evening Times. 1 October 2010. Archived from the originalon 26 February 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2010.