Loop 032 printable

Volume 2, No. 8. May 10, 2002

New Arrivals

It’s a tower ride!
Pleasureland Southport in England announces the arrival of Lucozade Energy Space Shot, May 8, 2002. Measurements: 150 feet high (45 meters), 12 seats. Delivered by S&S Power.

For its newest thrill ride, the Atlantic Coast park gathered an eclectic bevy of notable first riders to join managing director and Blackpool Pleasure Beach impresario Geoffrey Thompson on the debut ride.

Staff and students from the Liverpool University Air Squadron—Royal Air Force pilots in training—were on hand to compare the 4-g blast off of Space Shot with supersonic flight. They could also, if they dared, liken the ride to ejecting from a fighter aircraft. Steve Bennett has been chasing a lifelong dream of riding a rocket to the moon, and is currently heading Starchaser Industries, a company that builds space-reaching rockets. Known throughout Britain as “Rocket Man,” his presence was a natural for a ride touted as a “Space Shot.” It also provided him an opportunity to consider some new ideas in launch technology. National celebrities Neil and Christine Hamilton rounded out the opening day team. He is a former member of Parliament and nationally known wit. She is a hostess of entertainment and current affairs programs on British TV, includingThe Christine Hamilton Show on which she interviews celebrities who have survived troubled times, making her a perfect expert to describe a ride expressly intended to provide customers several seconds of pure fright.

Under a cloudy but dry sky, the debut ride shot off without incident and was well covered by local and national media, proving an old amusement industry maxim: even if you can’t send your rocket to the stars, if you bring the stars to your rocket you are sure to make news.