WGH (company)

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.

WGH Ltd - Transportation Engineering
WGH Ltd
FormerlyWhitley, Geddes & Howarth Ltd
WGH Transportation Engineering Ltd
IndustryManufacturing
Founded1989 (1989)
FounderAndrew Howarth, John Martin and Tony Brown
FateAcquired by Stage One Creative Services Ltd
SuccessorStage One Creative Services Ltd
HeadquartersManor Farm Buildings, Old Edlington, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Andrew Howarth (managing director)
ProductsAmusement rides and roller coasters
Number of employees
10
Websitewww.wgh.ltd.uk

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 the 15th 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]

Dragon's Apprentice @ Legoland Windsor Resort, UK | 1999 | W553
Jellikins Coaster @ Fantasy Island Resort, UK | 1996 | W360
Log Flume @ Fantasy Island Resort, UK | 1995 | W316
Rhombus Rocket @ Fantasy Island Resort, UK | 1995 | W315

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 United Kingdom 1995 [23]
Jellikins Coaster Mini Coaster W360 Fantasy Island United Kingdom United Kingdom 1996 [24]
The Dragon[25] Custom Family Coaster W381 Legoland Windsor United Kingdom United Kingdom 1998 [26]
Spook Express Mini Coaster W466 Joyland United Kingdom United Kingdom 1998 [27] [28]
Dragon's Apprentice[29] Mini Coaster W553 Legoland Windsor United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999 [30]
Green Dragon Custom Family Coaster W940 GreenWood Forest Park Wales Wales 2004 [31] [32][33]
Builders plate for W466, Spook Express @ Joyland Children's Park, UK
The Magic Seaquirum @ Fantasy Island Resort, UK | 1995 | W317
Fairy Tale Brook @ Legoland Windsor Resort, UK | 1996 | W314

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 United Kingdom 1995 Operating
Big River Ride Tub Ride W347 Watermouth Family Theme Park and Castle United Kingdom United Kingdom 2001 Operating
The TV Favourites Ride Tub Ride W347 Crinkley Bottom, Cricket St Thomas[34] United Kingdom United Kingdom 1995 Closed
Cactus Canyon Tub Ride W431 Botton's Pleasure Beach (Skegness) United Kingdom United Kingdom 1997 Closed
Dora's World Voyage[35] Tub Ride W569 Blackpool Pleasure Beach United Kingdom United Kingdom 2011 Operating
Drunken Barrels Tub Ride W378 Loudoun Castle United Kingdom United Kingdom 2006 Closed
Stowaway Tub Ride W378 Dreamland Margate United Kingdom United Kingdom 1996 Closed
Fairy Tale Brook Boat Ride W314 Legoland Windsor United Kingdom United Kingdom 1996 Operating
Flodfärden Tub Ride W409 Furuviksparken Sweden Sweden 1997 Operating
Jolly Pirate Boat Tub Ride W211 Sundown Adventureland United Kingdom United Kingdom 1992 Operating
River Boats Tub Ride W378 Halmstad Äventyrsland Sweden Sweden 2012 (?) Operating
Gruffalo River Ride Adventure Tub Ride W265 Chessington World of Adventures United Kingdom United Kingdom 1990 Operating
Tommy Tinkaboo's Sweet Adventure Tub Ride W239 Pleasure Island Family Theme Park United Kingdom United Kingdom 1993 Closed
Wind In The Willows Tub Ride W1141 Twinlakes Park United Kingdom United Kingdom 2008 Operating
Log Flume Flume Ride W316 Fantasy Island United Kingdom United Kingdom 1995 Operating
Great Expectations Boat Ride Indoor Flume Ride W1010 Dickens World United Kingdom United Kingdom 2007 Operating
Traitor Indoor Flume Ride W427 London Dungeon(Tooley Street) United Kingdom United Kingdom 1997 Closed
Störtebeker the boat ride (Hafen Gangs) Indoor Flume Ride W623 Hamburg Dungeon Germany Germany 2000 Operating
Tyrant Boat Ride Indoor Flume Ride W1300 London Dungeon(South Bank) United Kingdom United Kingdom 2013 Operating
Time Ride @ Jorvik Viking Centre, York | 2001 | W636
Balloon Ride @ Fantasy Island Resort, UK | 1996 | W368
Balloon School @ Legoland Windsor Resort, UK | 1999 | W555
Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic @ Blackpool Pleasure Beach, UK | 2013 | W1294

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 Scotland 1990 Operating
U.F.O. Zone Suspended Dark Ride W270 Granada Studios United Kingdom United Kingdom 1993 Closed
Shipyard Ride[37] Suspended Dark Ride W1250 Titanic Experience United Kingdom Northern Ireland 2012 Operating
Taikasirkus Suspended Dark Ride W432 Linnanmäki Finland Finland 1997 Operating
Time Ride Suspended Dark Ride W636 Jorvik Viking Centre United Kingdom United Kingdom 2001 Operating
Maritime Museum[38] Suspended Dark Ride W800 Khalifa Park United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 2003 Operating
The Knight Ride[39] Suspended Dark Ride W224 Carrickfergus Heritage Centre United Kingdom Northern Ireland 1993 Closed
Crazy Clown Ride Tracked Ride W361 Fantasy Island United Kingdom United Kingdom 1996 Closed
Noel's House Party Guest Ride Tracked Ride W313 Crinkley Bottom, Cricket St Thomas United Kingdom United Kingdom 1994 Closed
Mischief Mansion[40] Tracked Ride W700 Flamingo Land United Kingdom United Kingdom 2001 Operating
Transdemonium[41] Tracked Ride W784 Parc Astérix France France 2003 Closed
Whisky Barrel Ride[42] Tracked Ride W1154 Scotch Whisky Experience Scotland Scotland 2007 Operating
Cadabra Tracked Ride W410 Cadburys World United Kingdom United Kingdom 1997 Operating
Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic[43][44] Tracked Ride W1294 Blackpool Pleasure Beach United Kingdom United Kingdom 2013 Operating
El tren del terror[45] Tracked Ride W772 Museo de Cera de Madrid Spain Spain 2002 Operating
Adventures of Dreamieland Tracked Ride W757 Trafford Centre, Manchester United Kingdom United Kingdom 2002 Closed
Opel Experience Tracked Ride W500 Messe Frankfurt (Auto show IAA) Germany Germany 1999 Closed
The Water Droplet Journey Tracked Ride (Unknown) Kahramaa Awareness Park Qatar Qatar 2010 Operating
The Balloon Ride Balloon Ride W368 Fantasy Island United Kingdom United Kingdom 1996 Operating
Balloon School[46] Balloon Ride W555 Legoland Windsor United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999 Operating
Ferris Wheel[47] Ferris Wheel W1260 Bayt Abdullah Children's Hospice Kuwait Kuwait 2013 Operating
Regatta Ferris Wheel Ferris Wheel W1347 (Unknown) Singapore Singapore 2013 (Unknown)
Funicular Railway Funicular Railway (Unknown) Ebbw Vale Garden Festival Wales Wales 1992 Closed
The Hill Train Funicular Railway EO519 Legoland Windsor United Kingdom United Kingdom 1991 Operating
Close up of mechanical components for Jorvik Viking Centre's Time Ride | 2001 | W636
Former The Flume (1981-2015) sat backstage at Alton Towers | 2004 | W950
The Dragon @ Legoland Windsor Resort, UK | 1998/2009 | W381/W1216

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
The Dragon New 3rd train W1216 Legoland Windsor United Kingdom United Kingdom 2009
The Flume[48] New log flume boat W950 Alton Towers Resort United Kingdom United Kingdom 2004
London Eye (Millennium Wheel)[49] Automated platform system W585 London Eye United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999
London Eye (Millennium Wheel) Passenger control gates W613 London Eye United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999
Underground Experience Tour Simulator Vehicle W300 Rhondda Heritage Park Wales Wales 1994
Inclined Lift Inclined Lift W663 Urbis Centre United Kingdom United Kingdom 2002
Inclined Lift[50] Inclined Lift W532 National Railway Museum United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999
Inclined Lift Inclined Lift W1161 Blists Hill Victorian Town United Kingdom United Kingdom 2009
Cliff lift Inclined Lift W729 Polperro Sewage Works United Kingdom United Kingdom 2011
Tram No. 40[51] Horse drawn tram W193 Bradford Industrial Museum United Kingdom United Kingdom 1992
Newcastle Corporation No. 114[52] Replica Tram EO692 Beamish Museum United Kingdom United Kingdom 1993
Scenic Railway[53] Trains and mechanical system W1377 Dreamland Margate United Kingdom United Kingdom 2015
People Mover Lift System W401 Royal Victoria Dock Footbridge United Kingdom United Kingdom 1998
Klondike Creek Log flume extension W560 Flamingo Land United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999
Nightmare Niagara Log flume extension Unknown American Adventure Theme Park United Kingdom United Kingdom 1993
Sagotåget Suspended monorail vehicles EO706 Junibacken Sweden Sweden 1996
Scenic Route Trommel Trommel W970 Conkers, Leicestershire United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999
Ray Heath football tunnel Trommel W559 Premier League Hall of Fame County Hall United Kingdom United Kingdom 1999
4-man Bobsleigh Bobsleigh braking system W1443 University of Bath United Kingdom United Kingdom 2015
Rocky River Falls[54] Log flume refurbishment E1115 Wicksteed Park United Kingdom United Kingdom 2003
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Launch System Technology W1057 Alstom United Kingdom United Kingdom 2009
Drenched New restraint system W1008 Oakwood Theme Park Wales Wales 2004
The Ultimate New wheel chevron mount and housing & track sections W322 Lightwater Valley United Kingdom United Kingdom 1992

Notes

178H31.82 Gyro Mining Transport Projects Technical Drawings 1987-1988[55]

178H31.81 Mimafab Projects Technical Drawings 1988-1989[55]

178H31.84 Big Country Motioneering Projects Technical Drawings 1988-1989[55]

References
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  2. "The Discovery Service". nationalarchives.gov.uk.
  3. "W. G. H. LTD. overview". gov.uk.
  4. "Patents Assigned to Gyro Mining Transport Limited - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com.
  5. "HUNSLET CORPORATION LIMITED". gov.uk.
  6. "Leeds Engine © MMXXIII". www.leedsengine.info.
  7. "Leisure becomes big business after end of mining industry". Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  8. "WGH Transport Engineering Ltd. (1989 - 2016) | Discover Our Archives". archives.shef.ac.uk.
  9. "MERIDIAN (MOTIONEERING) LIMITED overview". gov.uk.
  10. "Log Flume Accident" (PDF). ltci.co.uk. October 2002. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  11. "Vectus - PRT".
  12. "Personal Rapid Transit".
  13. "Vectus Limited". gov.uk.
  14. "Dreamland Heritage Trust -100 years of the Scenic Railway at Dreamland, Margate". theisleofthanetnews.com. 3 July 2020.
  15. "Fire rips through rollercoaster". 7 April 2008.
  16. "Scenic Railway". Fairfield Control Systems. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  17. Cosslett, Rhiannon Lucy (16 October 2015). "Britain's oldest rollercoaster reopens at Dreamland Margate". The Guardian.
  18. "Stage One Consolidates Engineering Expertise With Acquisition of WGH". etnow.com. March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  19. "Attractions: Electrosonic Says Cheers to Revamped Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh". Blooloop. 17 December 2009.
  20. "Stage One rides into anniversary year with debut acquisition deal". York Press. 2 March 2016.
  21. "Wayne Ford Technical Project Manager | Garmendale Engineering". Garmendale. 10 October 2018.
  22. "Rhombus Rocket". Fairfield Control Systems.
  23. "Rhombus Rocket - Fantasy Island (Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
  24. "Jellikins Coaster - Fantasy Island (Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
  25. Weir, Luke (29 March 2022). "Legoland's classic rollercoaster has provided 24 years of joy". BerkshireLive.
  26. "Dragon - Legoland Windsor (Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
  27. "Spook Express - Joyland Childrens Fun Park (Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
  28. "A Look At WGH Ltd: Spook Express | W466 | Joyland Children's Fun Park 4K" – via www.youtube.com.
  29. "Four family rides for Windsor". stageone.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 May 2017.
  30. "Dragon's Apprentice - Legoland Windsor (Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
  31. "Green Dragon - GreenWood Forest Park (Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, Wales, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com.
  32. "Greenwood Forest Park". www.hows.org.uk.
  33. "'People-power' rollercoaster opens". 29 May 2004 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  34. "Blobbyland". Dunblobbin.
  35. "Image". stuartpease.co.uk.
  36. "All aboard for a futuristic journey into the story of New Lanark". The Herald. 3 May 1990.
  37. "Shipyard Ride Titanic Belfast". Archived from the original on 22 May 2017.
  38. "Suspended". 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014.
  39. "Carrickfergus' £3m Knight Ride sold for £10". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 28 April 2003 – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  40. "Land of plenty". York Press. 31 March 2001.
  41. Luengo, Romain (18 January 2020). "Transdemonium : la chute de l'attraction incomprise du Parc Astérix". Dimension Parcs.
  42. "Scotch Whisky Experience Dark Ride". Stage One.
  43. "Thrill-o-matic Ride". Fairfield Control Systems.
  44. "A Look At WGH Ltd: Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic | W1294 | Blackpool Pleasure Beach 4K" – via www.youtube.com.
  45. "Image". glup-glup.com.
  46. "image". stuartpease.co.uk.
  47. "Ferris Wheel Kuwait". Fairfield Control Systems.
  48. "Image". stuartpease.co.uk.
  49. "London Eye". Archived from the original on 25 October 2012.
  50. "National Railway Museum". www.hows.org.uk.
  51. "Industrial Museum Tram". Discover Bradford.
  52. "Preserved Newcastle Corporation Tramcar 114 - WGH(Replica)". 1 December 2019 – via Flickr.
  53. "Dreamland Rollercoaster". Archived from the original on 22 May 2017.
  54. "Sean has the solution!". 22 September 2008.
  55. "WGH Rides Collection" (PDF). sheffield.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
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