Where are all the zippers !?

[Vin94]

I have not seen an operating zipper for years!! Would love to see it make a comeback !! 

[reposter2]

there are two travelling that i know of: Bad Ass Zipper which is with Short's Amusements, and one owned by West Coast Event Hire

[Spotty]

On 29/11/2024 at 4:53 PM, reposter2 said:

there are two travelling that i know of: Bad Ass Zipper which is with Short's Amusements, and one owned by West Coast Event Hire

Zipper rides in Australia:

Bad Ass Zipper (Shorts) - Retired but apparently sold and is being refurbished? - Ferrari Model
Mean Mother Zipper (Castle / Ex Watkins) - Retired - Ferrari Model
Zipper (Davis Amusements / Ex Wittingslow) - Retired - Ferrari Model
Zipper (Zacchini Amusements) - Retired - Ferrari Model
Zipper (West Coast Event Hire - Ex UK model) - Apparently still operating - Chance Model

So looks like we only have the one currently travelling but possibly a second model coming back out of retirement.

 

[Ashley Jeffery]

Was visiting my parents in Kingaroy this weekend. Looked what was at the show. One bad ass mother of a ride. Still the most extreme flat ride ive been on.

 

 

 

[Spotty]

20 hours ago, Ashley Jeffery said:

Was visiting my parents in Kingaroy this weekend. Looked what was at the show. One bad ass mother of a ride. Still the most extreme flat ride ive been on.

 

 

 

That is the ex Shorts one that was recently sold and extensively refurbished. Fairly sure it's owned by Festival Amusements in QLD. They mostly only do shows in South / Central QLD so not sure if we will see it around too much outside these areas sadly. But glad to see it's back up and running.

[downunder]

I haven't seen a zipper at the Sydney Easter Show for ages. Are they just not popular anymore or are there other reasons they seem to be disappearing?

As a little one I remember getting traumatised by one of these lol.

[Spotty]

8 hours ago, downunder said:

I haven't seen a zipper at the Sydney Easter Show for ages. Are they just not popular anymore or are there other reasons they seem to be disappearing?

As a little one I remember getting traumatised by one of these lol.

After COVID insurance on a lot of rides went up like crazy. As they are older rides they needed a lot of work done to them and a lot of showmen were focusing on newer rides. Also with space at a premium at some of the shows they want the new and "extreme" rides despite the Zipper being one of the most extreme out there.

Hopefully we will see more of them come back, but I'd say the 2 that are now travelling will likely be the only ones.

[downunder]

^Thanks for that. I had a feeling insurance might be in play too. I remember my first ever zipper when I was maybe a little under the height limit, that was not a good idea. It would be interesting if they are still prevalent still in the US. I've only been to the LA County Fair and State Fair of Texas once each and didn't see one at either.