WGH LTD - Transportation Engineering Ltd was a British company that manufactured and supplied different types of amusement rides, funicular railways, inclined lift systems, and other transport systems over a 27 year period.
History
Founded by Andrew Howarth,[1] John Martin and Tony Brown. The company started as Closechase Ltd[2] from February 1989 until April 1989, then was renamed to Whitley, Geddes & Howarth Ltd from 1989 until 1991.[3]
The managing directors of WGH Ltd previously worked for Gyro Mining Transport (GMT)[4] from 1977 until 1989 when they sold the firm to Hunslet Engineering Company,[5][6] based in Leeds, UK due to the decline of the mining industry in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Howarth was approached by Mimafab Ltd in 1985[7] who introduced him to the business of leisure and amusement attractions while working for GMT at the time. Shortly after, GMT[8] worked with Mimafab Ltd, who then became MERIDIAN (MOTIONEERING) LTD,[9] to produce two log flume attractions together for Camelot Theme Park[10] in Chorley, UK and Rotunda Amusement Park in Folkstone, UK.
In 2002, WGH Ltd partnered with South Korean company POSCO to create a concept and design a new environmentally friendly public transport automated transport system that would later be known as the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT).[11] In 2005, they officially registered the company VECTUS Ltd,[12] and Andrew Howarth would take on the role as company director. The first PRT system was first tested in Uppsala, Sweden in 2006. In 2007 the PRT vehicle concept was given a safety approval from the Swedish Rail Agency. Andrew Howarth resigned as company director in May 2006.[13]
In late November 2009, the Dreamland Trust were given a grant[14] to restore the Scenic Railway as well as the rest of the park at Dreamland Margate, in Kent, England, after it was victim to arson in 2008.[15] In 2014, Thanet District Council contracted WGH Ltd to rebuild the trains and the rides mechanical systems,[16] while Topbond Plc were contracted to rebuild the wooden structure. The Scenic Railway reopened to the public on 15 October 2015.[17]
In March 2016, it was reported that WGH Ltd was acquired by Stage One Creative Services Ltd,[18][19] a York based company who specialises in the stage and entertainment industry.[20] Many of the staff moved on to work for Stage One Creative Services Ltd and other companies within the amusement industry such as Garmendale Engineering.[21]
Roller coasters
Between 1995 and 2004, WGH Ltd built 6 roller coasters, ranging between mini coasters, custom-terrain, and powered roller coasters.
| Name | Type | Project No. | Park | Country | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhombus Rocket[22] | Powered Coaster | W315 | Fantasy Island |  United Kingdom
|
1995 | [23] |
| Jellikins Coaster | Mini Coaster | W360 | Fantasy Island | United Kingdom
|
1996 | [24] |
| The Dragon[25] | Custom Family Coaster | W381 | Legoland Windsor | United Kingdom
|
1998 | [26] |
| Spook Express | Mini Coaster | W466 | Joyland | United Kingdom
|
1998 | [27] [28] |
| Dragon's Apprentice[29] | Mini Coaster | W553 | Legoland Windsor | United Kingdom
|
1999 | [30] |
| Green Dragon | Custom Family Coaster | W940 | GreenWood Forest Park |  Wales
|
2004 | [31] [32][33] |
Water rides
WGH Ltd supplied a range of different type of water rides including tub rides (small round boat rides), log flumes, and themed boat rides.
| Name | Type | Project No. | Park | Country | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Magical Seaqurium | Tub Ride | W317 | Fantasy Island | United Kingdom
|
1995 | Operating |
| Big River Ride | Tub Ride | W347 | Watermouth Family Theme Park and Castle | United Kingdom
|
2001 | Operating |
| The TV Favourites Ride | Tub Ride | W347 | Crinkley Bottom, Cricket St Thomas[34] | United Kingdom
|
1995 | Closed |
| Cactus Canyon | Tub Ride | W431 | Botton's Pleasure Beach (Skegness) | United Kingdom
|
1997 | Closed |
| Dora's World Voyage[35] | Tub Ride | W569 | Blackpool Pleasure Beach | United Kingdom
|
2011 | Operating |
| Drunken Barrels | Tub Ride | W378 | Loudoun Castle | United Kingdom
|
2006 | Closed |
| Stowaway | Tub Ride | W378 | Dreamland Margate | United Kingdom
|
1996 | Closed |
| Fairy Tale Brook | Boat Ride | W314 | Legoland Windsor | United Kingdom
|
1996 | Operating |
| Flodfärden | Tub Ride | W409 | Furuviksparken |  Sweden
|
1997 | Operating |
| Jolly Pirate Boat | Tub Ride | W211 | Sundown Adventureland | United Kingdom
|
1992 | Operating |
| River Boats | Tub Ride | W378 | Halmstad Äventyrsland | Sweden
|
2012 | Closed |
| Gruffalo River Ride Adventure | Tub Ride | W265 | Chessington World of Adventures | United Kingdom
|
1990 | Operating |
| Tommy Tinkaboo's Sweet Adventure | Tub Ride | W239 | Pleasure Island Family Theme Park | United Kingdom
|
1993 | Closed |
| Wind In The Willows | Tub Ride | W1141 | Twinlakes Park | United Kingdom
|
2008 | Operating |
| Log Flume | Flume Ride | W316 | Fantasy Island | United Kingdom
|
1995 | Operating |
| Great Expectations Boat Ride | Indoor Flume Ride | W1010 | Dickens World | United Kingdom
|
2007 | Closed |
| Traitor | Indoor Flume Ride | W427 | London Dungeon(Tooley Street) | United Kingdom
|
1997 | Closed |
| Störtebeker the boat ride (Hafen Gangs) | Indoor Flume Ride | W623 | Hamburg Dungeon |  Germany
|
2000 | Operating |
| Tyrant Boat Ride | Indoor Flume Ride | W1300 | London Dungeon(South Bank) | United Kingdom
|
2013 | Operating |
Tracked rides, suspended monorails and other rides
WGH Ltd also supplied track-based rides ranging from ground models and suspended monorails.
| Name | Type | Project No. | Park | Country | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annie McLeod Experience Ride[36] | Suspended Dark Ride | W159 | New Lanark World Heritage Site |  Scotland
|
1990 | Operating |
| U.F.O. Zone | Suspended Dark Ride | W270 | Granada Studios | United Kingdom
|
1993 | Closed |
| Shipyard Ride[37] | Suspended Dark Ride | W1250 | Titanic Experience | Northern Ireland
|
2012 | Operating |
| Taikasirkus | Suspended Dark Ride | W432 | Linnanmäki |  Finland
|
1997 | Operating |
| Time Ride | Suspended Dark Ride | W636 | Jorvik Viking Centre | United Kingdom
|
2001 | Operating |
| Maritime Museum[38] | Suspended Dark Ride | W800 | Khalifa Park |  United Arab Emirates
|
2003 | Operating |
| The Knight Ride[39] | Suspended Dark Ride | W224 | Carrickfergus Heritage Centre | Northern Ireland
|
1993 | Closed |
| Crazy Clown Ride | Tracked Ride | W361 | Fantasy Island | United Kingdom
|
1996 | Closed |
| Noel's House Party Guest Ride | Tracked Ride | W313 | Crinkley Bottom, Cricket St Thomas | United Kingdom
|
1994 | Closed |
| Mischief Mansion[40] | Tracked Ride | W700 | Flamingo Land | United Kingdom
|
2001 | Operating |
| Transdemonium[41] | Tracked Ride | W784 | Parc Astérix |  France
|
2003 | Closed |
| Whisky Barrel Ride[42] | Tracked Ride | W1154 | Scotch Whisky Experience | Scotland
|
2007 | Operating |
| Cadabra | Tracked Ride | W410 | Cadburys World | United Kingdom
|
1997 | Closed |
| Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic[43][44] | Tracked Ride | W1294 | Blackpool Pleasure Beach | United Kingdom
|
2013 | Operating |
| El tren del terror[45] | Tracked Ride | W772 | Museo de Cera de Madrid |  Spain
|
2002 | Operating |
| Adventures of Dreamieland | Tracked Ride | W757 | Trafford Centre, Manchester | United Kingdom
|
2002 | Closed |
| Opel Experience | Tracked Ride | W500 | Messe Frankfurt (Auto show IAA) | Germany
|
1999 | Closed |
| The Water Droplet Journey | Tracked Ride | (Unknown) | Kahramaa Awareness Park |  Qatar
|
2010 | Operating |
| Champagne Cellar Tour | Tracked Ride | (Unknown) | Piper-Heidsieck | France
|
(Unknown) | Closed |
| The Balloon Ride | Balloon Ride | W368 | Fantasy Island | United Kingdom
|
1996 | Operating |
| Balloon School[46] | Balloon Ride | W555 | Legoland Windsor | United Kingdom
|
1999 | Operating |
| Ferris Wheel[47] | Ferris Wheel | W1260 | Bayt Abdullah Children's Hospice |  Kuwait
|
2013 | Operating |
| Regatta Ferris Wheel | Ferris Wheel | W1347 | (Unknown) |  Singapore
|
2013 | (Unknown) |
| Funicular Railway | Funicular Railway | (Unknown) | Ebbw Vale Garden Festival | Wales
|
1992 | Closed |
| The Hill Train | Funicular Railway | EO519 | Legoland Windsor | United Kingdom
|
1991 | Operating |
Other projects
As well as supplying and manufacturing leisure attractions, WGH Ltd were also involved in projects that involved modifications, refurbishments, extensions and other cosmetic work to existing leisure attractions.
| Name | Type | Project No. | Park | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toucan Tours | Restraint system | W669 | Fantasy Island | United Kingdom
|
1995 |
| The Dragon | New 3rd train | W1216 | Legoland Windsor | United Kingdom
|
2009 |
| The Flume[48] | New log flume boat | W950 | Alton Towers Resort | United Kingdom
|
2004 |
| London Eye (Millennium Wheel)[49] | Automated platform system | W585 | London Eye | United Kingdom
|
1999 |
| London Eye (Millennium Wheel) | Passenger control gates | W613 | London Eye | United Kingdom
|
1999 |
| Underground Experience Tour | Simulator Vehicle | W300 | Rhondda Heritage Park | Wales
|
1994 |
| The Oxford Story | AGV Vehicles | Unknown | Oxford Castle | United Kingdom
|
2003 |
| Inclined Lift | Inclined Lift | W663 | Urbis Centre | United Kingdom
|
2002 |
| Inclined Lift[50] | Inclined Lift | W532 | National Railway Museum | United Kingdom
|
1999 |
| Inclined Lift | Inclined Lift | W1161 | Blists Hill Victorian Town | United Kingdom
|
2009 |
| Cliff lift | Inclined Lift | W729 | Polperro Sewage Works | United Kingdom
|
2011 |
| Tram No. 40[51] | Horse drawn tram | W193 | Bradford Industrial Museum | United Kingdom
|
1992 |
| Newcastle Corporation No. 114[52] | Replica Tram | EO692 | Beamish Museum | United Kingdom
|
1993 |
| Scenic Railway[53] | Trains and mechanical system | W1377 | Dreamland Margate | United Kingdom
|
2015 |
| People Mover | Lift System | W401 | Royal Victoria Dock Footbridge | United Kingdom
|
1998 |
| Klondike Creek | Log flume extension | W560 | Flamingo Land | United Kingdom
|
1999 |
| Nightmare Niagara | Log flume extension | Unknown | American Adventure Theme Park | United Kingdom
|
1993 |
| Sagotåget | Suspended monorail vehicles | EO706 | Junibacken | Sweden
|
1996 |
| Scenic Route Trommel | Trommel | W970 | Conkers, Leicestershire | United Kingdom
|
1999 |
| Ray Heath football tunnel | Trommel | W559 | Premier League Hall of Fame County Hall | United Kingdom
|
1999 |
| 4-man Bobsleigh | Bobsleigh braking system | W1443 | University of Bath | United Kingdom
|
2015 |
| Rocky River Falls[54] | Log flume refurbishment | E1115 | Wicksteed Park | United Kingdom
|
2003 |
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) | Launch System Technology | W1057 | Alstom | United Kingdom
|
2009 |
| Mole System Demonstrator[55] | MOLE Underground Freight Pipeline | W1342 | Mole Solutions Ltd | United Kingdom
|
2015 |
| Drenched | New restraint system | W1008 | Oakwood Theme Park | Wales
|
2004 |
| The Ultimate | New wheel chevron mount and housing & track sections | W322 | Lightwater Valley | United Kingdom
|
1992 |
Notes
178H31.82 Gyro Mining Transport Projects Technical Drawings 1987-1988[56]
178H31.81 Mimafab Projects Technical Drawings 1988-1989[56]
178H31.84 Big Country Motioneering Projects Technical Drawings 1988-1989[56]
References
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- ^ "HUNSLET CORPORATION LIMITED". gov.uk.
- ^ "Leeds Engine © MMXXIII". www.leedsengine.info.
- ^ "Leisure becomes big business after end of mining industry". 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ "WGH Transport Engineering Ltd. (1989 - 2016) | Discover Our Archives". archives.shef.ac.uk.
- ^ "MERIDIAN (MOTIONEERING) LIMITED overview". gov.uk.
- ^ "Log Flume Accident" (PDF). ltci.co.uk. October 2002. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ "Vectus - PRT".
- ^ "Personal Rapid Transit".
- ^ "Vectus Limited". gov.uk.
- ^ "Dreamland Heritage Trust -100 years of the Scenic Railway at Dreamland, Margate". theisleofthanetnews.com. 3 July 2020.
- ^ "Fire rips through rollercoaster". 7 April 2008.
- ^ "Scenic Railway". Fairfield Control Systems. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ Cosslett, Rhiannon Lucy (16 October 2015). "Britain's oldest rollercoaster reopens at Dreamland Margate". The Guardian.
- ^ "Stage One Consolidates Engineering Expertise With Acquisition of WGH". etnow.com. March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ "Attractions: Electrosonic Says Cheers to Revamped Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh". Blooloop. 17 December 2009.
- ^ "Stage One rides into anniversary year with debut acquisition deal". York Press. 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Wayne Ford Technical Project Manager | Garmendale Engineering". Garmendale. 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Rhombus Rocket". Fairfield Control Systems.
- ^ "Rhombus Rocket - Fantasy Island (Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
- ^ "Jellikins Coaster - Fantasy Island (Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
- ^ Weir, Luke (29 March 2022). "Legoland's classic rollercoaster has provided 24 years of joy". BerkshireLive.
- ^ "Dragon - Legoland Windsor (Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
- ^ "Spook Express - Joyland Childrens Fun Park (Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
- ^ "A Look At WGH Ltd: Spook Express | W466 | Joyland Children's Fun Park 4K". 18 August 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Four family rides for Windsor". stageone.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 May 2017.
- ^ "Dragon's Apprentice - Legoland Windsor (Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
- ^ "Green Dragon - GreenWood Forest Park (Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, Wales, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
- ^ "Greenwood Forest Park". www.hows.org.uk.
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- ^ "Shipyard Ride Titanic Belfast". Archived from the original on 22 May 2017.
- ^ "Suspended". 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Carrickfergus' £3m Knight Ride sold for £10". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 28 April 2003 – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Land of plenty". York Press. 31 March 2001.
- ^ Luengo, Romain (18 January 2020). "Transdemonium : la chute de l'attraction incomprise du Parc Astérix". Dimension Parcs.
- ^ "Scotch Whisky Experience Dark Ride". Stage One.
- ^ "Thrill-o-matic Ride". Fairfield Control Systems.
- ^ "A Look At WGH Ltd: Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic | W1294 | Blackpool Pleasure Beach 4K". 28 March 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Image". glup-glup.com.
- ^ "image". stuartpease.co.uk.
- ^ "Ferris Wheel Kuwait". Fairfield Control Systems.
- ^ "Image". stuartpease.co.uk.
- ^ "London Eye". Archived from the original on 25 October 2012.
- ^ "National Railway Museum". www.hows.org.uk.
- ^ "Industrial Museum Tram". Discover Bradford.
- ^ "Preserved Newcastle Corporation Tramcar 114 - WGH(Replica)". 1 December 2019 – via Flickr.
- ^ "Dreamland Rollercoaster". Archived from the original on 22 May 2017.
- ^ "Sean has the solution!". 22 September 2008.
- ^ "The Northampton Mole Project – A case study of the application of freight pipelines in an urban environment" (PDF). metrans.org.
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