Thunderbolt | |
---|---|
Dreamworld | |
Location | Dreamworld |
Park section | Country Fair |
Coordinates | 27°51′54.5″S 153°18′59.5″E / 27.865139°S 153.316528°E |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | April 1982 |
Closing date | 8 August 2003 |
Cost | A$3.3 million |
Replaced by |
FlowRider WhiteWater World |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel |
Manufacturer | Sanoyas Hishino Meisho |
Model | Sitdown Looper |
Lift/launch system | Chain Lift Hill |
Height | 31 m (102 ft) |
Length | 1,207 m (3,960 ft) |
Speed | 87 km/h (54 mph) |
Inversions | 2 |
Capacity | 960 riders per hour |
Acceleration | 0 to 87 km/h (0 to 54 mph) in 4 seconds |
Height restriction | 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) |
Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
Loop Heights | 21 m (69 ft) |
Thunderbolt at RCDB |
The Thunderbolt was a steel roller coaster located at the Dreamworld theme park in Gold Coast, Australia. The roller coaster opened with the park in April 1982 and operated until 8 August 2003. It was demolished the following year.
On 15 December 1981, Dreamworld officially opened to the public. [1] In April 1982, the park opened its first roller coaster - the Thunderbolt. [1] It was the first roller coaster in Australia to feature vertical loops. [2] Originally painted completely white, the Thunderbolt was repainted around 1990 to feature golden loops. [2] In 1995, a new train was purchased for half a million dollars in an attempt to make the ride more comfortable. [2]
In 2002, Dreamworld conducted a feasibility study into the possibility of redeveloping the attraction. [2] The park approached Arrow Dynamics, Kumbak and Vekoma, however, it was determined that the redevelopment was unfeasible due to the ride's condition. [2]
On 8 August 2003, the ride was closed, [3] and it remained closed while attempts were made to sell it. [2] It was removed in March 2004 in a way that made it clear that it was not going to operate again. [4] Dreamworld retained a section of track and one train, both of which reside in the park's back-of-house areas. [2]
The land where Thunderbolt stood is partly occupied by Dreamworld's FlowRider installation. Future expansions of the WhiteWater World water park will use the rest of the Thunderbolt's former footprint. [5] The station building is now used for the internal entry to WhiteWater World and the FlowRider shop. [6]
Built by Japanese firm Sanoyas Hishino Meisho, the Thunderbolt measured 1,207 metres (3,960 ft) in length making it the longest roller coaster in Australia. [3] [7] Even after the ride's closure, it remained the longest Australian roller coaster until the opening of DC Rivals Hypercoaster at Movie World Gold Coast in September 2017. [8] It was capable of reaching speeds of up to 87 km/h (54 mph). [3] The ride, which stood 31 metres (102 ft) off the ground, featured two vertical loops standing at 21 metres (69 ft) each. [3]
Thunderbolt | |
---|---|
Dreamworld | |
Location | Dreamworld |
Park section | Country Fair |
Coordinates | 27°51′54.5″S 153°18′59.5″E / 27.865139°S 153.316528°E |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | April 1982 |
Closing date | 8 August 2003 |
Cost | A$3.3 million |
Replaced by |
FlowRider WhiteWater World |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel |
Manufacturer | Sanoyas Hishino Meisho |
Model | Sitdown Looper |
Lift/launch system | Chain Lift Hill |
Height | 31 m (102 ft) |
Length | 1,207 m (3,960 ft) |
Speed | 87 km/h (54 mph) |
Inversions | 2 |
Capacity | 960 riders per hour |
Acceleration | 0 to 87 km/h (0 to 54 mph) in 4 seconds |
Height restriction | 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) |
Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
Loop Heights | 21 m (69 ft) |
Thunderbolt at RCDB |
The Thunderbolt was a steel roller coaster located at the Dreamworld theme park in Gold Coast, Australia. The roller coaster opened with the park in April 1982 and operated until 8 August 2003. It was demolished the following year.
On 15 December 1981, Dreamworld officially opened to the public. [1] In April 1982, the park opened its first roller coaster - the Thunderbolt. [1] It was the first roller coaster in Australia to feature vertical loops. [2] Originally painted completely white, the Thunderbolt was repainted around 1990 to feature golden loops. [2] In 1995, a new train was purchased for half a million dollars in an attempt to make the ride more comfortable. [2]
In 2002, Dreamworld conducted a feasibility study into the possibility of redeveloping the attraction. [2] The park approached Arrow Dynamics, Kumbak and Vekoma, however, it was determined that the redevelopment was unfeasible due to the ride's condition. [2]
On 8 August 2003, the ride was closed, [3] and it remained closed while attempts were made to sell it. [2] It was removed in March 2004 in a way that made it clear that it was not going to operate again. [4] Dreamworld retained a section of track and one train, both of which reside in the park's back-of-house areas. [2]
The land where Thunderbolt stood is partly occupied by Dreamworld's FlowRider installation. Future expansions of the WhiteWater World water park will use the rest of the Thunderbolt's former footprint. [5] The station building is now used for the internal entry to WhiteWater World and the FlowRider shop. [6]
Built by Japanese firm Sanoyas Hishino Meisho, the Thunderbolt measured 1,207 metres (3,960 ft) in length making it the longest roller coaster in Australia. [3] [7] Even after the ride's closure, it remained the longest Australian roller coaster until the opening of DC Rivals Hypercoaster at Movie World Gold Coast in September 2017. [8] It was capable of reaching speeds of up to 87 km/h (54 mph). [3] The ride, which stood 31 metres (102 ft) off the ground, featured two vertical loops standing at 21 metres (69 ft) each. [3]