Schwarzkopf/Zierer coaster “Knightmare” roller coaster demolished at abandoned Camelot Theme Park

[joelwee]

Camelot theme park ride dismantled eight years after closure

BY RACHEL HOWARTH

16:13, 16 FEB 2020

 

One of Camelot theme park's top attractions is being dismantled eight years after the site closed down.

 

An image has emerged of machinery taking down the remnants of Knightmare - the park's biggest landmark which could be seen from the M6.

 

Last year, pictures taken by urban explorers inside the abandoned site near Chorley reveal the state of the once popular family destination.

 

Research revealed that the site could be worth almost £800million - with room for 6,294 new homes.

 

While some of the rollercoasters have already been removed, Knightmare could still be seen from the nearby Charnock Richard Services.

 

The park opened in 1983 and was operating seasonally until the end of 2012.

 

The attraction was based on the story of 'Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table' - thanks to the legend that Sir Lancelot's parents escaped from France to the area and the knight was raised by the nymph Vivian who had taken him into Martin Mere lake as a baby.

 

In 1986, the park was taken over by the Granada Group and operated by them alongside its now defunct sister parks American Adventure and Granada Studios Tour.

 

In June 1998, the park was subject to a management buyout and by 2005 Camelot's attendance was only 336,204 visitors a year.

 

In February 2009, Prime Resorts announced that the park was in receivership, and would not reopen for the season.

 

The theme park was purchased by Story Group, a construction company based in Carlisle and leased to Knight's Leisure who ran it until it closed suddenly in 2012 blaming bad weather, the London 2012 Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee for declining visitor numbers.

 

Some roller coasters were sold, for example, the Whirlwind was relocated to Skyline Park in Germany, but others remained in the abandoned park.

 

In August 2014, an application to build 420 houses on the site by owners Story Group was unanimously rejected by Chorley Council, with 261 public objections, as the development was not permissible within the Green Belt.

 

In August 2016, a second application to build two hundred houses on the site was announced. In March 2018, plans for 195 homes at the site were scrapped.

 

Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/camelot-theme-park-ride-dismantled-17758643.amp

 

 

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[Nrthwnd]

Sad. I did get to ride it in 2010 when TPR was there. It had it's moments. R.I.P.

Only shot I got, of Camelot. "You got this, Holger!" TPR 2010 UK Tour.

[A.J.]

Ready? All together now...

 

Ugh.

 

The modern theme park has not been kind to these classic Schwarzkopf coasters. Kudos to Grona Lund, Liseberg, Barth, Bruch, and Triple Five for keeping theirs running.

[JT325]

Ready? All together now...

 

Ugh.

 

The modern theme park has not been kind to these classic Schwarzkopf coasters. Kudos to Grona Lund, Liseberg, Barth, Bruch, and Triple Five for keeping theirs running.

 

Agreed and must add:

 

SFGAmerica - Whizzer runs better than ever. The trains look like new as they do a rotate/rehab on them every year. They haven't been modified except for the addition of seatbelts and removal of head/tail lights in the mid-80s. Over the past decade Whizzer has once again become one of the most popular rides in the park (SFMM could have done that with Revolution, but...)

 

SFOG - Mind Bender. I'm hoping they keep the classic rolling stock (even if duplicated/exactly but NOT Revolution trains). They have really taken care of the ride perfectly.

 

SFOT - Shock Wave

 

Knotts - Montezoomas - the launch has been modified with no real reduction of fun. The ride and train look like brand new.

 

SFMM - Revolution - the shoulder bars are finally gone/the trains are a hot mess but what is arguably the most beautifully designed steel coaster ever is still standing. With a proper re-introduction and more comfortable seats/headrests, this ride could have been a big revival (SF squashed that opportunity in typical YOLO-style with the whole VR train wreck).

 

Frontier City - Silver Bullet

 

Lagoon - Fire Dragon and Jet Star 2

 

Hersheypark - sooperdooperLooper

 

Tig'ger, Greezed Lightnin (in storage/Astroworld) - ? lets hope someone gets them and gives em a proper refurbishment.

 

There are a few more around the world - Turkey, South Africa, Africa, South America, Germany, France, Italy, a few more... some good ones that look like they are being taken care of.

[A.J.]

Oh yeah, there are plenty of classics still around, thank goodness, but the 80s Zierer / BHS / Schwarzkopf coasters are the endangered species of the bunch.

[JT325]

^Such a shame! I haven't been on one of these particular coasters... Gröna Lund is at the very top of my list (along with Liseberg!)

[HAZE]

Knightmare really did not deserve to die. From the POVs I've seen, it looked just as fun as most any other Schwarzkopf. As someone who's ridden two Schwarzkopf coasters plus one of his flat rides, it's always sad to see these coasters go. Even if left abandoned in a field for about eight years. I hope today's parks will treat their old Schwarzkopf rides coasters with utmost respect. And from what I've seen, they have been for the most part doing just that.

 

Rest in peace, Knightmare. The coaster community remembers you.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Also, we must remember, that this coaster actually started out in JAPAN.

With a themed "mountain" around it. Then it got sold to Camelot. And the

park stripped it to just the coaster itself - the bare bones, as it were.

 

One of TPR's earlier Tours to Japan must have it, with a probable POV, too.

[A.J.]

I hope that Grona Lund scooped up the trains to give Jetline some more spare parts.