Britain's oldest rollercoaster 'could be rebuilt' after arson attack

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Communities and also in Local Government

A fire which destroyed parts of Britain's oldest surviving rollercoaster is being treated as arson, police said today.

The blaze destroyed about 40% of the 88-year-old rollercoaster at the former Dreamland amusement park in Margate, Kent, yesterday evening.

Samples taken by police and fire investigators have been sent for analysis as detectives appealed for witnesses to come forward with information.

The Grade II-listed Scenic Railway, one of the oldest rollercoasters of its kind left in the world, had not been operating for two years.

During its heyday, its wooden trains carried 28 passengers and a driver on a three-minute one kilometre ride reaching heights of 41ft.

Firefighters were called to the seafront attraction just before 5pm yesterday and it took up to 60 firefighters until 6.30pm to bring the blaze under control.

Crews remained at the site throughout the night checking for possible hotspots, with the last appliance leaving shortly after 1am.

Thanet District Council leader Sandy Ezekiel, who visited the site last night, said: "It's a scene of devastation.

"It looks like a third of the Scenic Railway has been completely lost and all the carriages appear to have gone, if they were in the building next door which went up."

Mr Ezekiel said the damage caused by the fire was a great loss for the residents of Margate, but maintained the rollercoaster could be rebuilt.

The rollercoaster, which was built in 1920 by John Henry Iles, was damaged by one previous major fire in the 1940s, when half the ride was destroyed.

Since the ride stopped operating two years ago, a campaign has been under way to boost the town's tourism by reopening the ride.

Nick Laister, head of the Save Dreamland Campaign which secured the ride's listed status in 2002, said: "It's something I have been dreading for the last five years.

"I've always had my suspicions something like this might happen. It's been a vulnerable structure since it stopped operating."

Mr Laister said the council had just adopted a brief for the park's restoration at the start of the year, pledging the famous ride would remain.

He added: "The sad thing is, we were almost there."

The site is owned by Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company.

Any witnesses to the fire should contact Margate Police Station on 01843
222076 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.