This ride is defunct.
"Come with us on a journey ..."
Name Scenic Railway Opened June 16 1907 Closed 1932 or 1933 Builder John Henry Iles Inventor LaMarcus Adna Thompson Replaced by Grand National
The Scenic Railway was the first major roller coaster at the park and almost certainly the largest in the UK when it opened in 1907. Located roughly where the Grand National stands today, it also ran east towards the rear of the park.
The ride was built by John Henry Illes who purchased and reopened Dreamland in Margate in 1920, complete with its own Scenic Railway.
❓Did You Know❓
LaMarcus Adna Thompson (no relation to the Thompson family) is known as the "Father of the Gravity Ride", the Switchback and the Scenic Railway can trace their roots directly back to his inventions and patents.
The ride was a side friction roller coaster, therefore each of the beautiful hand carved trains had a brakeman onboard who controlled the speed on the hills and turns.
Although a significant portion of the ride was free-running roller coaster track, the trains entered a building at the eastern end of the site where tableux illuminated as the cars rushed past.
The ride closed to allow for construction when work on the Grand National got underway.