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Zamperla

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Everything posted by Zamperla

  1. Drewboy, I don't think it was necessary to correct him there! (sometimes the meaning is conveyed anyway) Interesting pic, a pity the train wasn't passing the loop at the same time. Would it be superimposed behind the guy doing the stunt?
  2. This is the ride (below), yes first of its specific type, but more-or-less, a similar version of Surfer's Paradise's Vomatron. The attraction is now being tested here, having come fresh from the KMG factory and is a travelling version which, after the LP Summer stint, will be joining the travelling circuit, under its owners the Pavier family (also own travelling rides: Scorpion and Twist) I believe ride prices will be around $15 per person. Here is more information from the KMG website: http://www.kmg.nl/kmg/factory/speed_en.html
  3. Wonderland_Syd, were you working at the park when it opened? If so you have some pretty good 'credentials'. I am still fascinated by the 'Funnel Web' (Eyerly Spider). This style of ride was very unique and assumably popular - I wonder why it was removed?
  4. I think Rod may have been referring to MAME, which is a brilliant arcade emulator for the PC.
  5. Did they have Moon Patrol? I love pinball machines. Moreso 1990's era Williams machines.
  6. Wonderland_Sydney, good stuff. A very detailed and compelling website. Those photo's certainly speak a thousand words! Well done.
  7. No, the Spider at Melb Luna Park was installed after the demolition of the Rotor, in the 1970's. I never knew about LPM Spider being ex-Witts, but this doesn't surprise me. Yes during the 1980's, Wittingslow had a 49% stake in Luna Park Melbourne, but sold out by about 1993. For many years they regularly alternated their travelling rides, providing regular variety. The current Galaxy Coaster and Enterprise were once owned by Wittingslow, and sold onto the park. Likewise, with the 1995 refurbishment of LPS, Wittingslow owned a stake in it, in fact, Ranger, UFO, Breakdance and a number of kiddy rides that are there today, were ex-Wittingslow. I have a feeling the Wonderland Funnel Web become a travelling unit. I remember one that was at the Melbourne Zoo in the early 1990's that could well have been it.
  8. Very interesting to see the 'Funnel Web' - I wonder what happened to this ride after it left Wonderland.
  9. I hope (and am sure) those two unfortunate incidences were completely unrelated. Could've been a random bunch of bored teens with nothing better to do than smash up a windscreen or two. (perhaps be glad you weren't doing 100km+ under a freeway overpass when it was hit!) It really is bad what happened to your site and all the work you had put in. In the long-term, with persaverence you'll have it back better than ever.
  10. Any further updates on where Tassie Devil is? (last I heard it was being refurbished, possibly trailerised to do the travelling circuit)
  11. There is a retro Channel 7 promo airing at the moment in Melbourne - you can spot a quick few frames of people riding one of the old flume boats down the final dip on Leisureland's log flume.
  12. Zoggy great article, not something those of us in other states would otherwise know. DjRappa, am very surprised you've not heard about it the '"...giant dog turd.." This exellent ABC article summarises it in good detail: http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/stories/s1156154.htm
  13. Pretty sure Aussieworld were successful in bidding for the old permanent Ghost Train at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds a few years back. No doubt something is cooking, they run a very tight ship up there, with exellent maintenance and presentation of all rides.
  14. I bet they got a next-to-nothing deal on those poncho's after its closure. While on the topic of minor things on the grounds, there is a plaque in respect to the 7 people who lost their lives in the tragic Ghost Train fire of '79 which is on an orange wall just near a central ticket booth. (I have a a photo of it I may post if anyone is interested). Suprisingly it was re-made too, which the recent refurbishment. (I believe it replaced one after the 1995 upgrade)
  15. You struck a good day with Wild Mouse. On all 3 trips I've made to the park in recent years WM has been shut. In all probability, it looks like those markings are probably for a marquee tent, some sort of added dwelling for the corporate Xmas season. (last time I checked, the UFO chasis does not require pegs ) ...but something like this could well be a future give-away sign
  16. Paul, you mentioned there were some markings around Ranger, what did you mean by this? (yes my jaw dropped too when I saw the added 'cabinets' around Ranger's workings) Were all rides working? (am guessing Wild Mouse probably wasn't?)
  17. Paul, I own the video doco done in LPS (an exellent production as I've stated previously) Is it now available in DVD format? If so, how much? I may have to upgrade. PS. Any update on Paul's picture upload problem Richard?
  18. OK, I'm going out on a limb here and am going to throw my partial support behind Kyle. You said it here Themeparkmaster: If the 3-phase motor has been either replaced or refurbished, the bearings replaced (to name two possibilities) then it is very possible the ride is running at a slightly faster speed. In my past dealings with refurbished rides and maintenance departments, this has often occured - ride RPM has increased noticably (to those who ride them regularly) with the aforementioned types of maintenance. Having said this, I agree, Themeparkmaster, it is impossible to manually (as an operator) adjust or speed the motor up from its predetermined maximum RPM, on almost all rides. Out of interest Kyle, when was the last time you rode it? (if you have increased in body mass, you will almost certainly notice an increase in G's. You been eating too much junkfood?
  19. Has been quite a while since I've stumbled in here, good to be back. As for the question of how the train grips the cable, it is surprisingly simple and highly effective. The brakesperson has no role in it (if the brake was activated whilst on the cable... well you'd have the brake fighting the lift motor with disasterous consequences, the big leather belt in the motor room would probably slip, the cable would slowly stop, and you'd be stationary on the incline) Underneath the centre boagie is a set of jaws that remain forced shut with a high powered spring at all times. Just before the train rolls up to the cable, the boagie rolls over a ramped block of wood, which connects with a spring loaded arm on the jaws which opens them just at the point the train is rolling (in perfectly synchronised speed) to the cable. Once over the cable, the block of wood ramps off, depressing the mechanism under the boagie causing the jaws to spring shut with the cable between them. At the very top of the lifthill, lies another ramped block which once again opens the jaws, allowing the train to roll off the cable. Incidentally, IMO, the point the train engages with the moving cable on the lifthill, is the smoothest I've ever felt, there is rarely any 'kickback' unlike almost all other chained coasters - a perfect design. Of course, if an empty train is running, and for example, the track is cold, there is a bit of a kick as it's moving down the platform a lot slower. Am pretty sure I've posted somewhere how this device works somewhere else on this forum. It's a good question, one that puzzled me for a while. (it's amazing how simple some things are designed when revealed...) As for the anti-roll-back tracks, you didn't look too hard! They are on each side of the centre of the track, along the inner side of the rails, pretty standard PTC designs, a few sets of dogs under each boagie. The Scenic Railway IS, remember, a SCENIC RAILWAY. (and IMO gives the best views of any coaster in Aus). If you're after 'coasterbuff' thrills, then this is not your ride. Your criticisms are void. And what's with all this whinging about the bumpyness of the ride? What do you expect, it's a woodie, and a 1912 gravity design at that. That's my two cents worth. Yes a great pity both original Big Dippers are gone from our LP's, I never did get to ride them
  20. Yes I read these articles originally in the Surfer's Paradise book while doing research for a hotel project. I haven't read the article link a second time, but one of the things I remember was how they built most of the rides here in Australia after viewing various designs in USA, for a fraction of the cost it would've cost to import. The flume ride comes to mind.
  21. ScreamMachine / Jobe, I recently grabbed a copy of this exellent documentary, and I completely second your above opinion - the video is a fantastic documentary capuring the historical 'essence' of the park brilliantly. (easy to over look when you visit the park in its current form) It really gave a good perspective of how thorough and passionate the park's two key general managers were - Hoppie and Atkins. Was a very sad sight to see Hopkins revisit the park in its state of disrepute shortly before he died. I had no idea how close the park came to being completely redeveloped - a lot closer than I previously thought. It is interesting to read that they are possibly publishing an updated edition of Sam Marshall's book (which incidentally was nowhere to be found). If anyone knows when this is being released, please let me know!
  22. As for Glenelg's Magic Mountain, I never did go there, only drove past, fantastic location (incidentally, this was the first site of Luna Park Syd, before it completely relocated to Sydney Harbour after the bridge construction) This comprehensive ABC article on it provides a good 'farewell tribute' http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/stories/s1156154.htm Also some information on defunction.net too.
  23. Yes I have some photo's taken on my one and only visit to the park in about 1990. Other than dodgems, and of course, the main drawcard Zamperla powered coaster figure-8'ing over the huge drop below, I think there were only a small handful of kiddy rides. Photo's and information can be found on Paul's Defunction.net at http://www.defunction.net/?page=parks&park...park=Dazzleland (info) http://www.defunction.net/?page=gallery&ga...y=view&galid=22 (photo's)
  24. Yes one thing I had previously overlooked was Sydney's great Coney Island funhouse. VERY unique and nostalgic. (gotta love the Turkey trot) Even for North America, this building and the activities inside it are very unique and pristine, and all the artwork. I'm sorry though, I must dissagree with you, the Luna Park Melbourne face oozes with much more character and realism than Sydney's manic cartoon
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