Blue Mountain Engines steam into Thomas Land™
Drayton Manor Theme Park has unveiled a new family-friendly ride, Blue Mountain Engines, which is the newest addition to the park’s Thomas Land attraction.
The ride was opened by eight year old Jasmine Dowd, from Shuttington, Tamworth, who a year ago underwent life saving surgery at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, to give her a new kidney. Popular Thomas & Friends™ character, The Thin Controller, was also present with his best bowler hat, making sure the new locomotives were on their best behaviour for the grand opening.
Blue Mountain Engines is a wonderfully themed ride featuring four carriages, each based on new characters from Skarloey Railway; Sir Handle, Skarloey, Rheneas and Peter Sam. In the wonderful world of Thomas & Friends, Skarloey Railway runs from Crovan’s Gate to the passenger terminal at Skarloey.
A total of 32 people will be able to go on the ride each time, including 16 adults, which means mums and dads can sit happily in the carriages with their children.
The ride is located near to the entrance of Thomas Land, replacing Terrance’s Driving School, which has been moved to an area near Farmer’s McColl’s Farm.
This is the first new ride for Thomas Land since the attraction opened in March 2008. Thomas Land currently has a range of family friendly rides based on characters such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Cranky the Crane and the Troublesome Trucks as well as Europe’s largest Thomas & Friends shop selling a wide selection of toys and treats.
For thrill seeking park visitors there’s the adrenaline-inducing, 54-metre high drop tower, Apocalypse, the skin-soaking Stormforce 10 and petrifying gondola swing, Pandemonium, which guarantees to turn your world upside-down. Younger visitors love the 4D Cinema, which is this year showing Marvin the Martian in the 3rd dimension. There’s also a 15-acre zoo, which is popular with all ages.
There are many food outlets throughout the park, ranging from burger outlets, pizza shops and tasty pie and mash. The park’s newest restaurant, The Grill Inn, is a family friendly brasserie serving lunch and dinner, from a menu including mouth-watering steak, rib, chicken and fish dishes, all of which are locally and sustainable sourced. There’s also a tasty children’s menu on offer too.
Drayton Manor Theme Park’s Managing Director, Colin Bryan, endorsed the new ride by saying, “This new addition to Thomas Land will enhance the experience for all our visitors. There is nothing more fulfilling to a parent than watching their children smile, something I firmly believe this ride will make them do.”
Jasmine’s mom, Claire Holloway, beamed: “Our little Jasmine refuses to let her condition limit her quality of life, we all love her so much and the opportunity for her to open this new ride has given her a massive boost. She is off to compete in the Belfast transplant games soon – nothing is going to hold her back!”
For further information about the park or to book tickets go to www.draytonmanor.co.uk or call 0844 472 1960. The Drayton Manor Hotel is due to open 15th August 2011, to make room reservations or for more information go to www.draytonmanorhotel.com.
Drayton Manor Theme Park is also on Facebook www.facebook.com/draytonmanorpark and Twitter (@draytonmanor) for regular news, offers and competitions.
