Volume 2, No. 8.   April 26, 2002

Rebirths

It’s a roller coaster!
Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey, England, announces the rebirth of Vampire, April 17, 2002. Measurements: 16.6 meters high (55 feet), 716.4 meters long (2,350 feet), 53 km/h (33 mph). Redesign delivered by Vekoma on a ride originally by Arrow Dynamics.

After a year of dormancy and some delays leading up to its scheduled resurrection, the 12-year-old Vampire suspended coaster finally reopened to the public sans ceremony late on a Wednesday afternoon. The inauspicious start was yet greeted with much appreciation, especially by some of Chessington’s younger guests. In addition to replacing the old enclosed cars with ski lift type seats, the new Vampire lowered its minimum height restriction from 1.2 meters to 1.1 meters (48 inches to 42 inches).

“Now the average 5- or 6-year-old can ride,” said Emma Hart, the park’s public relations manager. “For them it’s a hugely thrilling ride they can get on.” Though Hart was not able to reopen Vampire with appropriate public fanfare, she plans to stage a media event for the ride later this spring.

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