Ghost Train (Thorpe Park)

Ghost Train is a dark ride at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England. The attraction incorporates motion simulation, illusion, multisensory effects and live actors to help execute the storyline. It is set in a haunted mid-1980s railway station and mainly revolves around passengers riding the last train to an abandoned crypt. It first opened in July 2016 as Derren Brown's Ghost Train,[1] then reopened as Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise Of The Demon in March 2017.[2] On the 2nd May 2023, it was announced on all THORPE PARK social media channels[3] that the reimagined Ghost Train would reopen on the 26th May 2023.[4]

Ghost Train
Exterior of the ride
Thorpe Park
AreaThe Dock Yard
StatusOperating
Cost£13 million (reported)
Opening date8 July 2016 (2016-07-08) (Derren Brown's Ghost Train)
26 May 2023 (2023-05-26) (Ghost Train)
Closing date31 October 2022 (2022-10-31) (Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise Of The Demon)
Ride statistics
Attraction typeDark ride
Live action
DesignerMerlin Magic Making, MDM Create
ThemeTrain station
Death
Séance
Ghost train
MusicArchie Music Productions
Site area2,306 m2 (24,820 sq ft)
Capacity750 riders per hour
Vehicle typeNorth Eastern Railway coach (exterior)
London Underground 1995 Stock carriage (interior)
Vehicles3
Riders per vehicle58
Rows2
Riders per row29
Participants per groupMax 58
Duration13–15 minutes
Height restriction130 cm (4 ft 3 in)
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible
Must transfer from wheelchair

History

Derren Brown Ghost Train's Opening

Derren Brown's Ghost Train was first teased on 8 July 2015 after reportedly three years in planning. The project name was referred to as 'WC16'.[5]

Merlin Magic Making, the development division of Merlin Entertainments, designed the attraction in collaboration with British mentalist Derren Brown and his team. The main experience was a simulator dark ride built by Simworx with on-board virtual reality (produced by Figment Productions). Severn Lamb and Intamin engineered the complex transit system.

The project altogether was reported in the Financial Times as having a cost of £13 million.[6]

In anticipation of the new attraction, Thorpe Park began a "Get in for a Bob" promotion, where 1871 people would be able to purchase a ticket into the resort for the modern-day equivalent of a shilling in Victorian times, which equals 5 pence. The website was published earlier than the scheduled time which resulted in many being unable to get tickets.[7] The resort offered that those who registered their name before the website closed would be entered into a raffle, where a further 4,000 12 pence tickets would be allocated at random.[8]

The attraction was originally set to open on 6 May 2016, as announced on their social networks. However one week before the attraction was set to open, the resort announced the attraction would not be ready due to "some illusions not working as anticipated".[9]

After the 2022 season, the virtual reality on the ride and association with Derren Brown was removed.

Ghost Train's Opening

Ghost Train was first announced to the public on Wednesday 1st February 2023. The reimagined attraction was set to feature a brand new storyline, new multi-sensory effects, the removal of the VR, and an actor-led experience.

On Tuesday 2nd May, Thorpe Park announced on its social platforms, website, and app that Ghost Train would open to the public on Friday 26th May. The announcement came with brand-new concept art showing a part of the interior of an old, dirty tube train and the Grim Reaper standing outside behind a graveyard.

On Wednesday 17th May, Thorpe Park announced a new minimum height restriction of 1.3m instead of 1.4m and revealed another piece of concept art.

Ghost Train had a preview day on Thursday 25th May and was officially opened as planned on Friday 26th May.

Due to how many actors the ride relies on, the ride opens from 12pm each day. Upon opening, the ride was met with mixed reviews.

Due to the bad reviews of the ride experience, on Sunday 11th June 2023, Thorpe Park announced that they would be closing Ghost Train between 12th and 15th June for improvements. Ghost Train reopened with the new changes on Friday 16th June.

See also
  • HTC Vive, the VR headsets the ride formerly used.

References
  1. Nightingale-DNU, Laura (8 July 2016). "It's here! Derren Brown's Ghost Train finally open at Thorpe Park". SurreyLive. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  2. "Derren Brown's VR Ghost Train is back – and this time it's actually scary". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  3. "Thorpe Park Resort on Twitter".
  4. "Ghost Train - Thorpe Park Resort". Thorpe Park Resort. THORPE PARK. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  5. Attraction Fix
  6. Merlin looks to Derren Brown for touch of magic - Financial Times. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  7. "Thorpe Park started selling their 12p tickets early and people are furious". 25 March 2016.
  8. "Missed out on the Thorpe Park 12p ticket sale? You might get a second chance". 12 April 2016.
  9. "Derren Brown's Ghost Train ride at Thorpe Park delayed". 3 May 2016.
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