Can Anyone Remember the Planned Southend Scenic?
Do you remember, about five years ago, Adventure Island planned to build a scenic railway type coaster that went all along the park and over the pier? Can you remember what it was called?
If I recall correctly, they couldn't get planning permission to go over the pier. I just thought it's a great shame it didn't get built, as it probably would have been a fantastic ride. Just think: lots of drops, no loops. I think Southend still needs something like that.
at 7/31/10 12:00:55 PM
I don't remember hearing about that...That would have been amazing.
Hi Graeme!
Was it called The Swine???????
at 7/31/10 6:12:02 PM
Thanks d_n_s_u. Oh, the SWINE... Southend WhIte kNuckle Enterprises. What a coaster. ;)
But no, I've remembered now. It was called... Pier Drop!
at 8/5/10 4:42:20 AM
I don't think Pier Drop was ever planned to be a scenic railway... I'm not completely convinced it was ever actually planned at all! I know Adventure Island looked in to the possibility of going over / under the pier, with different ideas from different manufacturers (even B&M!) but it never reached the next stage.
The Swine would have been built and operated by a company called Epic World Leisure, nothing to do with AI, but Epic didn't have any money the first time round when it was approved and still didn't when they re-applied and got turned down a few years ago - still claiming it would be built by Arrow.
at 8/6/10 12:23:29 AM
Oy! Talk about Pier pressure...;)
at 8/17/22 2:32:24 PM
He adds that the park has attempted to add further significant ride additions over the years, only to be scuppered by the local council, but investment in the park continues nonetheless.“We have looked and tried for various other big hitters over the years, but the council nearly always find a way of stopping us,” he says.
“We once went for a giant coaster to go over and under the Pier – the planners thought we were mad!
at 8/18/22 4:10:49 AM
They do need a successor to Rage, it would be interesting to see a custom coaster, with their creativity I'm sure they could squeeze in an amazing ride
at 8/18/22 10:39:47 AM
the_winged_beast said:
They do need a successor to Rage, it would be interesting to see a custom coaster, with their creativity I'm sure they could squeeze in an amazing ride
I always found it hard to articulate what I thought about Southend, but RCDB's system of rating coasters as "Family", "Thrill" or "Extreme" helps me a lot.
The coasters jump from being quite tame to fairly extreme, with nothing in between. I always thought they'd benefit from something with steep drops (but not vertical) and airtime. I guess there are just fewer "thrill" coasters in general these days, even down to the ride types on offer.
Out of interest, how thrilling are the Gerstlauer family coasters such as Pégase Express at Parc Asterix?
at 10/14/25 12:06:19 AM
