Skytrak

Skytrak was a flying roller coaster located at Granada Studios Tour amusement park in Castlefield, Manchester, England. Opened in October 1997, it was the first flying roller coaster in the world,[1] in which riders were tilted forward to experience the sensation of flying. It was named after an event from the Gladiators television series,[2] and was the only roller coaster constructed by Skytrak International, a subsidiary of Fairport Engineering.[3]

Skytrak
Skytrak in operation
Granada Studios Tour
LocationGranada Studios Tour
Coordinates53.478128°N 2.257115°W / 53.478128; -2.257115
StatusRemoved
Opening dateOctober 1997 (1997-10)
Closing date1998 (1998)
General statistics
TypeSteel Flying
ManufacturerSkytrak International
Height50 ft (15 m)
Length1,282 ft (391 m)
Speed28 mph (45 km/h)
Capacity240 riders per hour
G-force2.5
Height restriction55 in (140 cm)
Skytrak at RCDB

The ride was a "solo coaster" having only one person per car, which along with a complicated boarding process limited capacity to between 200 and 240 riders per hour.[2][4] Issues with the ride delayed its opening by several months, and it continued to suffer reliability issues.[2] It closed in 1998, with the park closing soon after. The ride was eventually removed and scrapped.[4]

References

  1. Sehlinger, Bob; Testa, Len; Bleiberg, Larry (2011). The Unofficial Guide to Britain's Best Days Out, Theme Parks and Attractions. Wiley. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-470-68313-2. OCLC 829995870.
  2. Grimsditch, Lee (2022-10-01). "Skytrak: The lost Manchester 'flying' rollercoaster that only lasted a year". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  3. Marden, Duane. "Skytrak International". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  4. Marden, Duane. "Skytrak  (Granada Studios Tour)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
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