top of page

COASTER REVIEW

Reviews / Blogs / Trip Reports

Home: Welcome
Home: Blog2
Search
  • Writer's pictureofficialcoasterrev

Stormforce 10 Construction 1998-1999

Updated: Mar 31, 2020

Drayton Manor Park, United Kingdom


I would like to give a big thanks to an ex employee of BEAR (BEst Amusement Rides) GmbH for providing me these photos to share to all enthusiasts of Drayton Manor, flume-based attractions, general ride enthusiasts, and more. Without his help we wouldn't be able to see this wonderful, yet smelly flume ride in a way we would have never expected or thought of.


Stormforce 10:

Opened on the 29th April 1999. Manufactured by BEAR GmbH, Stormforce 10 is the UK's first reverse chute flume ride with 3 drops. During 2017 the ride was closed as it undergone a full refurbishment along side with Pandemonium, and opened later in 2018 towards the beginning of the new season.


The ride recreates the story of a lifeboat rescue and was launched in association with the RNLI. It holds the title of the world’s first charitable ride, accepts donations on site and makes a donation to the RNLI for every ride photograph sold.


The ride has a total of 10 boats but uses only 6-8 boats during an operation day. During the final drop the boat can reach up to speeds of 40mph before landing in a splashdown section. As well as the first reverse chute to use turntables, the ride uses a unique ramp catapult system to lift the boat so that it can travel down the first drop.


Just as a disclaimer - all staff and contractors seen during the construction between 1998-1999 have been blurred out for their privacy. Only Richard Pawley (Operations Director - at the time), Colin Bryan (Owner), and the first public boat of lucky guests can be seen in this blog.


I have tried to make these photos in order during construction and testing but one or two, or a few may be out of place.


"If the photos are blurry then please be patient. The images are loading"


Starting in late 1998:


Canopy supports are starting to be fitted for the inside turntable


High trough section yet to be placed

Pre-lift track ready to be moved to second lift hill


Recently cut wood on the pre-lift track


Canopy supports are finally in place ready for covering


Recently placed pre-lift track for the finally lift section


Look at the final lift that leads to the station


Second lift awaiting the placement of the pre-lift track


Undercover turntable installed


Look at the lift hill motor for the second lift


View of the reverse drop


View of the top of the second lift hill


Main drop with the missing trough seen on floor ready for installation


Another angle of the first lift for the turntable


Worker checking the foundations and bolts for the high trough section


Worker checking the foundations and bolts for final drop landing section


Pre-lift track section for the second lift getting lifted into place


Workers watching as the second pre-lift track is being lowered down into place


Worker getting ready to place the cables around the top trough section


Second pre-lift track section has been installed


View of the indoor turntable


View of the trough that comes from the waterfall section


Final missing trough section soon to be installed


View of the indoor turntable


First drop section outside of the station


View of all the concrete foundations at the bottom of the second drop from the turntable


Worker checking the bolts on the main drop supports


Drive motor for the screw pump


Another view of the screw pump


A look from the ramp section looking down at the first drop


Carpenters and electricians in the operator cabin


Workers at the bottom of the last lift hill


Workers standing on the pre-lift looking at the diagrams layout


Workers checking the recently placed pre-lift track section


Catapult (lifting ramp) to get boats down the first chute


View from the last lift looking down


Currently look of the reverse drop and area is coming along


Extra trough so water can flow along as the boats go up the second lift


View of the second lift hill


Second chute landing area and turntable


Wide shot of turntable and area


Closer view of turntable and second chute landing area



Another view of the indoor turntable section


Ground view of the high trough


View of the station building and the concrete troughs


Huge water screw


Water screw motor


Looking down the first chute


Worker seen working on lift 3


View of the turntable


Chute 2 reverse landing zone


Water pump overflow pit next to chute 1


The viewing area concrete foundations are in soon to be completed


Turntable building is complete


Another view of the complete turntable building


Catapult (lifting ramp) and station


Team meeting for project managers and supervisors


Preparing to let water into the ride for the first time


Double checking before opening the value


Let the water in


Foundation and support for the first chute


Quick inspection of the water coming through into the trough and over areas


Managers looking over the work progression


Watching the water flow through


Richard Pawley overseeing the construction and development


Wide shot of the ride and the progress so far


View from the first chute with boats parked off ride soon ready for testing



Work is still happening on the exit from the turntable


A little bit of dirt but looks really fresh


Closer shot of workers working on the turntable

Boat seen on the turntable as a test fit. Flume has no water flow


Close up of the landing area from chute two


Close up of a steel support wood used to keep boats ground when landing from a chute


View of the final chute landing zone with a bit of water in the trough


Ramp rail from lift two taking the boats into the high trough


Drive wheel used to help get the boat over the crest for the final chute


View of the high trough with a boat placed for measurement testing


Worker looking over the crest for the final chute. Mississippi Showdown can be seen in the background


Soon to have a proximity sensor placed to help with the block and location for the system


Drive wheel soon to be installed for the run up to the chute drop


Aerial photo of the bottom of lift two


Workers overlooking their progress with installing drive motors around the high trough section


Worker posing for a photo on the high trough


Drive wheels get the boat over the crest down the chute. This is used as a block section


The first drive wheel for the crest run up


Drive wheels get the boat over the crest down the chute. This is used as a block section


Looking down the third chute


Drive wheel used to get a boat onto a lift


PA Speaker, CCTV and E-stop system installed


BEAR employee and contractor overlooking their progress


Another view of workers in action


Worker preparing to install another set of drive wheels along the high trough


Drive wheels to push the boat along the high trough. The boats don't free flow


Workers installing and preparing the iconic waterfall element after the first chute


Electricians and fitters getting a drive wheel into place


Aerial view of workers seen on the turntable section installing proximity sensors


Installation of the viewing area is almost complete


9 out of 10 boats can be seen awaiting their day of testing


Workers on the landing trough from the third main chute


Water has started to flow through covering the troughs


Water is now starting to cover everywhere


Full trough for the turntable and chute 2 landing zone


The trough is starting to fill


Full trough for the turntable and exit trough


The end of the free flow section that comes from lift 2


Chute 3 landing zone is full


Another shot of a full trough and turntable


Water flow trough from lift 2 leading to under the indoor turntable. Boats don't use this trough


Chute 2 landing zone


Unnumbered boats placed opposite the entrance and chute 1 landing zone


Motor for the catapult (lifting ramp) used to get the boats down the first chute


The electrical control cabinet (brain of the ride)


The operator panel


Testing day! The first boat to be launched down the first chute from the station


Boat 1 free flows through the turned off waterfalls


Off on it's travels


On it's ways to the first lift


Up the first lift to the indoor turntable


Staff member waiting for boat 1 to reach the top


Might as well test it to make sure it's all good


Down you go


Splash


The hard hat isn't going to keep you well covered


Boat 1 flowing into position for the turntable


Time for a test ride with the people who installed and constructed it


Over the crest they go


Splash


Other workers on look their colleagues after their splashdown


Worker observing the turntable and how it's functioning during testing


BEAR employee with air horn to warn other workers when they commence testing


Worker observing the turntable and how it's functioning with a boat during testing

A new day more testing with boat 10


Boat 10 passes through the turned off waterfalls section


Taken from the top of lift 2, the boat is flowing along side the parks Rio Grande railway


Splashing down into the landing zone. Chute 2 is one of the wettest drops in the UK



Flowing towards the turntable


Over the crest it goes


Only half way down the drop


Off it heads to the lift to take it back to the station


New day for testing


Workers performing checks on the ride in preparation for testing


Aerial view of the trough and bottom of lift 1


Boat 2 soon to move from the indoor turntable once all checks are complete


Completing a track walk looking for any obstructions or anything not secured


They've noticed the photographer


Two workers visually inspecting the turntable


The waterfalls soon to be turned on


Final lift hill walk to check the mechanical and electrical systems


The whole ride is in action and ready to run boats


Last checks underway at lift 2


Colin Bryan on site observing the testing and preparing for a test ride


Doesn't Splash Canyon look different in 1999


Empty boat 2 has left the indoor turntable ready for more boats


Colin Bryan having his first test ride in row 2


Colin travelling down chute 3


Hold onto your hat


Off they go towards the station


Another test ride but Colin has decided to go on the front row


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Splash


Onto the turntable while a BEAR employee is observing


The first 'official' public boat is on the way. This is before the grand opening by Steps


Final drop








Again, I would like to give a big thanks to an ex employee of BEAR (BEst Amusement Rides) GmbH for providing me these photos to share to everyone.


Without his help we wouldn't be able to see these photographs of this ride during it's construction and testing.




(Please contact me on Facebook if you are wanting to use these images. Credit to Harry Rawding and BEAR GmbH for help supplying the photos for educational and non-commercial use)





1,323 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
Home: Team Members
549.jpg

HARRY

Owner

Founded back in September 2015.

I am a 23 year old ex Ride Operator and a huge theme park geek.

I've worked on 35 rides in a matter of 5 years. I've worked at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Europa Park, Drayton Manor and Gulliver's Kingdom, as well as a travelling fair!

Subscribe

Stay up to date

Home: Subscribe
456.jpg

RIDES I'VE WORKED ON

This is a list of a few rides I have worked on - some not included on this list

Gulliver's Kingdom

Dino Explorer Cars

Balloon Ferris Wheel

Gully's Magic Bikes

Cycle Monorail

Log Coaster

Drop Tower

Pirate Ship

Carousel

Flying Carpet

Dodgems

Dino Falls

Snail Attack

Albert's Rocket Ride

Crow's Nest

Switchback

Lazy River

Drayton Manor Park

Air Race

James & The Red Balloon

Toby's Tram Express

Flynn's Fire Rescue

Jolly Buccaneer

The Bounty

Polperro Express

Maelstrom

Sheriff's Showdown

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Spongebob Splash Bash

Rugrats Lost River

Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic

Valhalla

Europa Park

blue fire MegaCoaster

Poseidon

Euro Tower

Silver Star

Home: About
505.jpg

SOMETHING YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME

Back in January 2016 I worked for a ride manufacturer until March 2016. I helped build two Miami's and a Race-O-Rama.

T'was an interesting experience, but not something I'll do again in the future. Ride operations and maintenance is more for me. Not steel fabrication.

Although being a fitter is fun as well!

Learn More
Home: About
bottom of page