Ride Guide >> Action Park >> Shockwave

Since 1994 Drayton Manor has properly been on the theme park map, this was down to a ride that joined the line-up that year, a year of greats for English coasters. Alton Towers was blessed with Nemesis, John Wardley's inverted coaster - the first to come to Britain, and still remains the best that came to Britain. Blackpool Pleasurebeach recieved the Pepsi Max Big One, the tallest coaster in Britain to this day. Slightly over-shadowed by these monsters of coasters, Shockwave seemed to lack the attention it deserved with such records as the only stand-up rollercoaster in Europe and the only stand-up rollercoaster in the world to feature a zero-G roll.

Stand-up Position

Shockwave was brought into the world before other unique riding positions such as the next generation flying coaster position, seen on rides such as "Air" at Alton Towers. This was the first thing that wasn't just sitting down, and although Shockwave wasn't the first of its kind, it was the first of its kind in the whole continent, which was enough for small family park Drayton Manor to recieve the publicity they finally deserved.

Like many coasters, Shockwave uses an over-the-shoulder restraint in order to keep the riders safe. But this style may be slightly different to what you're used to. The left-hand side of the

restraint is permanently attached in the riding position, and cannot be moved. The right-hand-side of the restraint lifts up and down in order to get you in and out. There is also not seatbelt attatching the restraint to the seat (as there is no seat).

Once that is sorted you will need to get it to the right level, so you can have your feet firmly on the bottom of the car. You need to either put all you weight on the bar between your legs to bring it down, or push off the floor to bring it up. Eventually the ride operators will lock your restriants so it doesn't move during the ride. If you are not in the correct position by then, don't worry, they will come round to check and release it again if needed.

The Experience

Like thunder, this coaster will roar round its track as you approach the entrance to the queue. Queueing through the outside winding section, you will hear the train as it screeches into the brakes above you. Passing through into the building darkness will hit you as only a few lamps placed around the walls. You will next be faced with a spiral of staircases as you wind upwards towards the station, the noise of the train entering the station gradually getting louder as you go. Finally you will see light on your right as you complete the final set of stairs and you enter the station where you will be confronted by a choice of riding positions. For a little extra wait, you can go left, and ride on the front row, or you can take the left side to ride in the other

rows.

Once everyone is secured in place and ready to go, the train will be dispatched from the station and roll out into the fresh air. There is a short straight before heading into a tiny dip in the track and bouncing back up into the chain hill. This will take you up to the top of the 120ft ride while giving you a chance to properly get used to the odd position. The section that follows the hill is perfect for a stand-up coaster. You tackle a short drop before heading into a banked 180 degree turn with all the Gs created pressing down on your legs - truely unique. You will endure the final part of the drop down to the ground near the water of Splash Canyon producing more and more G force as you shoot straight into a vertical loop. Following your first inversion in this standing position, you will be faced with a world's first, what some would

consider the best inversion in the world - the zero-G roll, in which feel weightless. The roll is taken at speed, giving it the force to pull you from the floor and float around in your restraint for a brief moment before slamming back down into the surface and back downhill into another straight. (The zero-G roll can be quite painful if you are riding on the backseat, make sure you are prepared for it).

The station starts to draw in closer to you as you travel hastily along the flat track where the track changes colours from grey to blue, continued by a double corkscrew over the brake run. These inversions can again be quite painful, but good fun. Following the corkscrews you will take a banked turn above the paths while realising that the ride has the speed to keep going for a while more, but instead brace yourself for the sharp brakes as you re-enter the station ready to depart.

Although the stand-up position is no longer so unique to Drayton with the arrival of Apocalypse and the position's increasing age, it is certainly still well worth the ride. It is of course just another dimension to the thrill that already involves hutling down a 120ft hill at speeds exceeding 50mph and enduring four heart-stopping inversions.


Ride Pictures