WEIGHT NEARLY OVER AS ENGINEERS CARRY OUT FIRST TEST RIDE ON MEGAFOBIA
Engineers at Oakwood Theme Park are carrying out a series of pre-season test rides before re-opening to the public next month.
As part of their preparations for the new season, a team of engineers put each of the Pembrokeshire park’s rides through a full programme of checks and assessments.
The park’s iconic wooden coaster Megafobia is put through its paces with special weights placed in selected seats instead of people.
Oakwood Theme Park’s Clare Stansfield said: “This is always a really exciting time of year. As soon as these final tests begin you know it won’t be long before we re-open our doors to the public!
“The team have been working really hard throughout the winter to prepare the park to welcome its first visitors of 2015.
“Megafobia is a ride with a truly international following, the wood which makes up its superstructure is specially treated Canadian pine and we work closely with its American manufacturers to ensure it maintains its worldwide reputation,” she added.
Opened in 1996 and manufactured by the leading US company Custom Coasters International, Megafobia is close to a kilometre in length, is 26 metres at its highest point and reaches speeds in excess of 77 kilometres per hour.
Famed as one of the wildest wooden coasters on the planet, Megafobia has been voted the best ride in the UK and the third best ride in the world by coaster enthusiasts from the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain.
In 2010 it was listed as one of the Top Ten rides in the world in a poll conducted for Cheapflights.com.
With a maximum vertical angle of 55 degrees and 25 metre drops towards a lake combined with unique crossovers this twister has attained legendary status among coaster fans worldwide.
Chairman of the Rollercoaster Club of Great Britain, Andy Hine MBE, who has ridden 1,000 different roller coasters more than 35,000 times calls it a ‘modern classic’.
“All around the world theme parks compete to build the scariest white-knuckle roller coasters of all but most spectacular doesn’t always mean best,” he explained.
”Megafobia looks like a traditional ride but it has been cleverly designed to thrilling effect. The first drop passes close under a tree and gives a hint of what is to come.
“The rest is a scream a second, and the thrills really do come thick and fast with a g-force of 2.75 and speeds up to 77kph,” he added.
Oakwood Theme Park opens for the 2015 season on Thursday, April 2nd.
Issued by Oakwood Theme Park. For more information and to arrange interview and picture/filming opportunities please contact Clare Stansfield on 01834 815170.
