Vampire (roller coaster)

Infobox roller coaster
name=Vampire


imagedimensions=
caption=
location=Chessington World of Adventures
section=Transylvania
type=Steel
type2=Suspended
status=Open
opened=1990
closed=
manufacturer=Arrow Dynamics
designer=
model=
track=
lift=Chain lift
height=
drop=
length=2200
speed=45
inversions= 0
duration=
angle=
capacity=
cost=
acceleration=
gforce=
restriction=43
rcdb_number= 784 The Vampire is a roller coaster type ride in the Transylvania area of the Chessington World of Adventures theme park in Surrey, England. It originally opened as a suspended roller coaster, with riders sitting in bat-themed cars hanging from the track, swinging freely as the roller coaster train completed the course. With two lift hills, the ride was quite long, and featured a sudden drop into a sharply banked curve within an artificial cave towards the end of the ride.

However, as this ride started to age, it suffered from numerous breakdowns and maintenance problems. Eventually, as the ride ended up closed for the latter half of the 2000 season, the decision was taken to modify the ride so that it could take a new type of hanging roller coaster train. For this, the track was to remain in the same layout, as modifying this would require planning permission, which was unlikely to be granted. However, as the track layout was designed for suspended roller coaster trains, with tight corners, the new suspended trains would also have to be able to swing around corners, in order to reduce lateral Gs. This led to the development of swinging suspended floorless roller coaster trains. The new trains were manufactured by Vekoma, making the modern-day Vampire something of a hybrid.

The modified ride opened in 2001, under the same name as the previous ride. The new type of train gives a different ride experience.

The track is 2200ft long, and the trains hit a maximum speed of 45mph.

The Vampire is themed quite extensively. The buildings in Transylvania have facades designed to resemble timber-framed houses in the gothic horror tradition, while graves are dispersed around the ride's queue. Entry to the station is through a relatively narrow and dimly-lit corridor fronted by a bare courtyard. Of particular note is the mechanical organist inside the station who 'plays' the pipe organ part in the ride's theme music. Even the nearby Burger King restaurant maintains a horror theme.