Over the decades there have been a few major moments in the history of Drayton Manor that
have had huge impacts on the park.
Since it opened in 1950 the family created park in the midlands has evolved, becoming
bigger and better year by year.
What began with the first major addition of a 27 thousand pounds Chairlift in 1964 continued
well into the 1990s when the small family run park added the UK’s first stand up roller
coaster.
"Shockwave… only at Drayton Manor."
[Expedition Theme Park Intro]
During the 1980s Drayton Manor had doubled in size and a new addition was starting to
be added to the park every year.
These investments were mostly off the shelf portable attractions that were not unique
but the park offered a fun day out for the whole family.
Drayton Manor was a relatively small, yet fun fun fun park…. but much more of a local
amusement park for younger children than a major theme park, until, one major moment
in the park's history was about change everything.
"You know I really enjoyed our time at Drayton Manor there was so much to do!"
Drayton knew they needed something big, something different and bold to grow.
On a trip to Walt Disney World, the park's owners had realised years earlier that they
needed to take financial risks in order to get big gains.
In the early 90s they would start planning something that would propel the park into
becoming a nationally known name.
Many options were considered for what kind of coaster they wanted.
And while a sit down coaster was looked at, at the IAAPA Expo in 1992, Drayton Manor purchased
a roller coaster that was being sold at the Intamin stand, for delivery in 1993.
Something they believed would send….
shockwaves through the UK industry.
The new attraction would be part of a two year multi ride addition with a new Intamin
Rapids ride and they would both be prepared together.
Located nearly on top of each other on the edge of the lake at the back of the park they
would be set to open in 1993 and 1994.
The plans for what were coming were not kept quiet and it was an exciting time for Drayton
Manor.
The pirate ship was removed and in that small area, 1 million pounds worth of concrete was
poured in Winter 1992 for both new attractions.
After the rapids were complete, the next season, the small family park would open the UK’s
only stand-up roller coaster.
Costing 4 million pounds, it would be known as the 7 Up Shockwave.
"Not far from Alton Towers we find another British contribution.
7 Up Shockwave."
Stand Up Coasters were the new big thing with the opening of the first prototype 4 person
across version at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 1986, also called shockwave.
"introducing..
Shockwave!
If you think you could take it.. stand up."
The name Shockwave was not the only inspiration that Drayton Manor would take from magic mountain.
Nobody in the UK would know.
"If you think you could take it.. stand up…
Shockwave only at Drayton Manor"
The Intamin ride was subcontracted to Giovonola using a track designed by Walt Bolliger and
Claude Mabillard.
A 4 seat across coaster was basically unheard of at the time in the UK so that uniqueness
was factored into the decision to bring it to the country.
Europe got their first version of the ride in 1988 at Skara Sommarland.
While considered rough they were still very popular attractions.
This European version of the ride would actually be where the commercial for Shockwave was
filmed with some Drayton Manor stickers attached to it.
This version of the ride later moved to La Ronde where it operated as Cobra until 2016.
Those visiting and riding Splash Canyon the new rapids in 1993 got an up close preview
of what was also being constructed.
Construction didn’t go without a hitch, during a pull through it was discovered that
the test car could not manoeuvre through one of the inversions and a replacement track
had to be brought in.
Drayton Manor's new White (or silver) and Brown roller coaster opened on March 26th
1994 with the Gladiators in attendance.
Known as The Shockwave, or more specifically The 7Up Shockwave.
1994 was all about those soda sponsors on UK Coasters.
Designed by Werner Stengel, and sub contracted from Intamin to Giovonola with 1,640 feet
of track and a height of 120 feet it pushed the limits on what could fit and be permitted
to be built in the park.
It wouldn't be allowed to be any taller.
Residents living close by still complained about the noise after its opening due as they
stated the location was too close to the edge of the park.
While Drayton Manor would have liked a longer or taller ride, maybe even an extra helix
over the lake at the end it just wasn’t feasible with the layout of the two combined
attractions.
With the maximum height limit, the speed of the ride, and the huge amount of money the
park had already spent on the ride, were all factors on why Shockwave is as short as it is.
The park also considered using one stand up train and one sit down but they decided on
stand up only.
Both Splash Canyon and the 7up Shockwave were located in the Action Park section and were
themed by british company Space Leisure.
A design and consultancy firm to theme parks that formed in 1984.
You can find their work all throughout Drayton Manor and many other Theme Parks in the UK
and beyond.
The ride requires a height of 1.4m but during the early years it was only 1.2m.
After climbing into the unique L Shape restraints, where one side is fixed and you slide your
arm in before pulling down the locking mechanism and of course adjusting your bicycle style
seat height you head up the lift hill.
The restraint can feel quite confusing for first time riders, a video before boarding
explains how to load quickly.
Make sure you are standing up straight and not crouching when those restraints lock.
That is my number one advice to you.
At the top riders get a quick glimpse over the fields and of the lake as well as the
rapids directly below before heading down the first 105 foot drop and into the first
loop, reaching speeds of 53 miles per hour and upto 4gs.
This is followed by something that is unique to the attraction even to this day.
The only Stand up Roller coaster in the world, with a Zero-G Roll, or as they then promoted
it, a heart line spiral or my personal favorite, the rifle barrel twist.
"Did you know it's the first stand up roller coaster in the UK.
And it's the only roller coaster of its kind with a backwards somersault loop, unique rifle
barrel spiral and double corkscrew turn!"
This element is the best on any stand up roller coaster and makes it stand out from all the
other stand up coasters despite its short length.
It can get very intense.
After The zero g roll its followed by a double corkscrew before heading back into the station.
The reception to the coaster often is mixed.
Many have a love or hate relationship with Shockwave.
Common complaints are about the roughness of the stand up system or the length of the track.
For others it was that new experience they were looking for.
While only 1 minute 36 seconds long, the new coaster packed a punch and brought something
unique to the UK roller coaster scene becoming a must see attraction at Drayton Manor.
People were now coming from all over to experience the new ride.
Personally I don't find it rough and love the weird and unique ride it gives.
During some coaster events they would even let riders ride it standing backwards in the
early days.
An experience I would wait a long time to try today.
Uhhh just once anyway.
It would be a huge addition to the UK Theme park market, the biggest roller coaster in
the whole country making other offerings available like The Corkscrew, Missile, Tower of Terror
or Vampire look tame in comparison or well it should have been.
"From deepest space one million years ago, Nemesis, meaning the ultimate enemy, buried
itself on a desolate planet.
One million years on it has awoken to discover it is somewhere between stoke and uttoxeter
and it's about to face its ultimate enemy, the sun reader day trip.
My job is to get inside the mind of our visitors and try to work out what is going to entertain
and thrill them."
The problem was Alton Towers and Blackpool Pleasure Beach had plans of their own that
unlike Drayton, they had kept under wraps.
1994 would become known as the year of the roller coaster in the UK.
Shockwave would be somewhat overshadowed by not one, but two other attractions.
Less than an hour north from the park at Alton Towers something special would open just before
Shockwave, a brand new Inverted roller coaster only found at a couple of locations in the
US.
Nemesis.
Even further North at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the country's tallest roller coaster would
open.
The Arrow Dynamics Pepsi Max Big One.
Despite the competition increasing sharply the very same year, Drayton Manor's new attraction
was a huge hit for the park and stood highly among the other two incredible coasters from
1994, helping push the park towards becoming one of the top theme parks in the UK.
It also paved the way for more and more larger thrilling investments that followed with the
park truly morphing into a modern theme park for the whole family.
"Europe's only Stand up rollercoaster.
Shockwave at Drayton Manor."
Shockwave towered over the lake in the park with its loose wild west style theme in the
early years, the 7 up Shockwave, later called the N Power Shockwave, eventually was just
renamed to Shockwave.
The track was repainted to light blue in early 2004 along with the station.
The trains were repainted to red and blue in 2011.
The ride had come a long way from the 7up look of the early years.
Today only the blue runs on the track.
One thing I would love to see if it stays around is a refresh of the indoor queue.
While color changes have come and gone, the core experience of Shockwave remained a staple
at the park ever since opening.
[Song advert] "didn't we have, a lovely time in the day we went to Drayton.
The park and the zoo, with so much to do and all the rides are so much fun.
Pirates were great and so was the lake, and we all enjoyed Splash Canyon.
And up in the sky, we let out a cry on the 7 up Shockwave ride!"
Drayton Manor had a few rocky years recently with its future looking uncertain but with
the purchase of the park by the Loopings Group in 2020 the park's future once again looks
bright.
Just like the newly repainted Shockwave station.
It is very bright and it looks amazing.
Shockwave would gain a new lease of life.
On Friday July 30th 2021 the park opened its brand new land Adventure Cove.
The whole area surrounding the coaster was transformed into the nautical themed zone
suitable for the whole family to enjoy.
With new rides like the Wave Swinger, Playareas called Tidal Towers and reimagined favorites
along with tonnes fresh paint and updated theming.
With rides such as Stormforce 10, Shockwave and the reimagined Adventure Cove River Rapids
along with the new additions, it turns the old Action Park section into one of the best
lands and full family experiences at any UK park.
In 2004, 10 years after the ride opened, the Managing Director of Drayton Manor was asked
would there be anything he would change about Shockwave.
His answer was that we should have had a nemesis style inverted coaster and not stand up.
At the time it was ordered, stand up was the best thing on the market, now 10 years later
they were one of the rarest.
This I disagree with.
For such a small park, Shockwave was the perfect fit to make it stand out rather than another
invert, we already have people comparing the 2 inverts we have, we don't need a third.
This ride helped Drayton Manor move towards the park it is today.
Without it the park would be a very different place.
The fact that a small relatively unknown park installed a 4 million pounds, one of its kind
roller coaster can not be understated.
In the eyes of the majority, it may not have been as successful as the other coasters of
94 but it is a ride that has offered something unique in the UK now for over 27 years and
something the park should be proud of.
You may have heard that Shockwave is rough and for some it will be, however I encourage
you to visit Drayton Manor yourself and ride it while you can.
If you have been on it, head back out there, get in that front row and ride it again, as
for me, it is one of my favorite coasters in the UK and the best Stand up coaster I've
ever been on, there is nothing like the free feeling of standing up on a coaster.
It is unlikely the Theme Park will ever build a roller coaster of this size ever again and
it will be a sad day whenever it is removed or converted, if it ever is.
As Drayton Manor continues to evolve, there has been no better time to visit the park.
for those looking for family fun.
Who doesn’t love riding a Thomas The Tank engine ride followed directly by the only Stand Up
Zero G Roll, rollercoaster.
- Choo Choo - The future of Drayton Manor is once again very promising.
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