AMERICAN COASTER ENTHUSIASTS DONATE $5,000 TO DREAMLAND MARGATEThe world's largest club of amusement ride enthusiasts, the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE), has donated $5,000 dollars towards the restoration of the Scenic Railway.
The Scenic Railway is the United Kingdom’s oldest roller coaster and will be the centrepiece in the world’s first amusement park of thrilling historic rides at Dreamland Margate, being developed by the Dreamland Trust. The Trust announced its plans for a spectacular new 21st Century tourist attraction at the Dreamland Amusement Park site in 2007. Work on the project, which will cost £12.5m, is expected to start later this year.
Chairman of the Dreamland Trust Nick Laister said: “I would like to thank all of the members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts for this very generous donation. This demonstrates the level of international interest in the future of the Scenic Railway, which is a remarkable and fragile survivor. We will ensure that this donation is used 100% on the restoration of this roller coaster. I look forward to welcoming the members of ACE to Dreamland Margate when the Scenic Railway reopens."
ACE was founded in 1978 as a not-for-profit, all volunteer club to foster and promote the conservation, appreciation, knowledge and enjoyment of the art of the classic wooden roller coaster and the contemporary steel coaster.
President of ACE, Mark Cole, says: “The Scenic Railway is one of very few coasters of this type in the world. Our support of the Dreamland Trust and their mission to return the coaster to operational status is similar to the work that ACE did to restore the oldest coaster in the world several years ago. Preservation is a major part of the formation and continued work of ACE. We look forward to returning to ride Scenic Railway in the not to distance future”.
Nick Laister
www.savedreamland.co.uk
