Thorpe Park owned a large number of replica aircraft including biplanes, triplanes, seaplanes and even an airship.īut by the mid-1980s most of these had been sold to other collectors or museums, opening up new areas of the park for development. These celebrated those aircraft and pilots which made up Britain’s maritime air force, during World War I and World War II, respectively. The Royal Naval Air Service and Fleet Air Arm exhibitions were housed in and around hangars on the Thorpe Park site. Original attractions included The Mountbatten Pavilion (now known as the Dome), Model World, a display of World War I aircraft and the Schneider Trophy flying boat exhibition. This would become Thorpe Park, opened in 1979 by a royal visitor – just months before his assassination by the IRA.īest known for being second cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth and the last Viceroy of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten cut the ribbon in May of 1979. The World Water Ski Championships were held at the reclaimed site in 1975, after which the development of a theme park began. The result was Leisure Sport Limited, which planned a park based on “the history of the British people as a maritime nation". In 1971 the forward-thinking RMC formed a subsidiary company to run leisure attractions on the site, once its resources had been depleted. The land and lakes which now host Thorpe Park began life as a quarry, mined by the Ready Mix Concrete company for raw materials between 1941 and the mid-1970s.
Thorpe Park's history - from concrete to coasters Here are just some of the most popular rides to grace the Chertsey complex, which were once making waves but are now relegated to the murky waters of memory. The park is so popular that several fan websites have popped up, including Memories of Thorpe Park and Thorpe Park Mania. READ MORE: The lost Chessington World of Adventures rides we still missįor many in Berkshire, it was a popular school trip or family outing during the holidays with families and friends still flocking there for the ultimate thrill-ride and for some it is their first taste of riding a rollercoaster.Įarlier this year we tried out its newest attraction, the Black Mirror maze, which is not for the fainthearted but there are many long gone rides that still hold great memories. The theme park has expanded and evolved over its 42-year history, with attractions appearing and disappearing with technology and changing visitor tastes. It now hosts record-breaking rides including Britain’s fastest rollercoaster and Europe’s tallest log flume. Thorpe Park is a theme park created - believe it or not - by a concrete company and opened by an admiral.
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