Amusement Technical Solutions completes UK and overseas projects

THE UK company Amusement Technical Solutions (ATS) has completed refurbishment and installation work on a variety of projects in recent months, while reporting full order books until the end of the year.

Specialising in the provision of a range of services to the amusement ride industry, in addition to manufacturing its own attractions, ATS carries out work both in the UK and overseas, recent projects seeing the company working at several UK parks as well as in South Africa and Pakistan.

At the start of the 2008 season, ATS completed the full “as new” refurbishment and installation of a Log Flume ride at the UK’s Wicksteed Park. Originally built by WGH Transportation in 1987, the attraction previously operated at the Rotunda amusement park in Folkestone, Kent, and features six boats and a 9m. high drop. ATS completed a 50 per cent remanufacture of the troughs while also extensively refurbishing the boats. The work involved all other areas of the ride too, along with the addition of theming elements including a water curtain and explosion effects.

“We are very happy with the Log Flume we refurbished for Wicksteed Park,” noted ATS’ Sean Brian, “which we were able to supply at a fraction of the cost of a new ride.”

The company has also continued to work on the Knightmare roller coaster at Camelot Theme Park, again in the UK. The Schwarzkopf-built ride, previously in operation at Portopialand in Japan where it was known as the BMRX, opened at Camelot in 2007 and for 2008, ATS fitted a new control system to comply with current requirements. And not too far away, at Knowsley Safari Park near Liverpool, ATS is due to carry out refurbishment work on a 48-seat Pirate Ship, to be completed in readiness for the 2009 season.

Projects outside the UK have included a package of refurbished rides for a new park in Pakistan, including several from the now defunct Metroland indoor park at the MetroCentre shopping centre in Gateshead, in north east England, along with others from Funland Hayling Island on the south coast. Additionally, a package of three refurbished children’s rides has recently been shipped to an operator in Capetown, South Africa.

“We are extremely busy at the moment,” noted Sean Brian, “even at a time of year when traditionally things are usually quieter for manufacturers and suppliers. The services we offer, including ride installation, re-location, refurbishment and repair, are proving to be highly sought after, while the attractions we currently manufacture ourselves - the Rodeo Trail and Jungle Safari children’s rides - are also proving popular.”