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Klondike Gold Mine/ Python

Theme Park Musician

Theme Park Musician

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A rollercoaster installed at Drayton in 1984 known as Python and in 1995, it was refurbished to become Klondike Gold Mine. Closed in 2005 along with the Pirate Ship and the Tea Cups to make way for G-Force which as we know currently has now been removed. What are your thoughts on this ride?
 
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Theme Park Musician said:
A rollercoaster installed at Drayton in 1984 known as Python and in 1995, it was refurbished to become Klondike Gold Mine. Closed in 2005 along with the Pirate Ship and the Tea Cups to make way for G-Force which as we know currently has now been removed. What are your thoughts on this ride?
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The python was the first ride I went on that went upside down. From memory it was pretty uncomfortable. The Klondike refurbishment of it made it a little better.

I’ver read before that Klondike was a different rollercoaster with the same layout, can anyone confirm if this is true or not?
 
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Recently I was speaking to someone on Twitter who said that Python and Klondike Gold Mine were two different rides. He directed me to an old Drayton Manor website, so it could be true.

(I also spent some time looking through that website, and it’s great to have a look at the park during the early 2000s. Tried to get a link to it, however it wasn’t working. Think it’s called ‘Unofficial Drayton Manor Site’ so some of you might remember it.)
 
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They were different coasters. Albeit with the same layout. Python was simply worn out so was replaced with the same type. I think Python opened in 1984 with Klondike opening for 1995. Klondike is still in operation now, in Rhyl, North Wales I believe. In response to the original posters comment. Klondike closed in 2004. Ready for Gforce opening in 2005.

I actually think Klondike provided a better ride than what Gforce did.

Both rides were off the shelf models by Pinfari. Both being the Pinfari ZL42 ride model. Very common ride and designed to be easily movable with no permanent foundations.

Here are some photos from the Unnoficial Drayton Manor Park site.
 

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Living near to Rhyl, and visiting many times during the year, I can tell you that Klondike never operated there. However there was a coaster (called Pepsi Cola Loop) that had the same layout (I think) at the Ocean Beach (shut for over a decade now, today it’s a shopping centre) so your probably confusing it with that. Klondike went to Funland Hayling Island and stayed there until 2015. Not sure where it went afterwards.
 
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Yes sorry you are correct. It went to Funland.

The ride was more than likely scrapped at that point. I guess the machinery operational hour counters were very high with fatigue setting in on the track due to its sheer age.
 
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It’s been sold to Florida and it’s been run by Deggeller-attactions
carnivalwarehouse.com

Deggeller Attractions adds 4th Major Roller Coaster

Deggeller Attractions announced on Thursday that the show has added a 4th spectacular roller coaster to its lineup, a Pinfari ZL42 Looping Roller Coaster. The coaster was purchased from a ...
carnivalwarehouse.com carnivalwarehouse.com

Good to see the coaster still working. Python was my 1st looping coaster I went on in Junior school in the late 80’s.
The main difference with Python and Klondike was Python had 2 trains while Klondike had 3 trains.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
It’s been sold to Florida and it’s been run by Deggeller-attactions
carnivalwarehouse.com

Deggeller Attractions adds 4th Major Roller Coaster

Deggeller Attractions announced on Thursday that the show has added a 4th spectacular roller coaster to its lineup, a Pinfari ZL42 Looping Roller Coaster. The coaster was purchased from a ...
carnivalwarehouse.com carnivalwarehouse.com

Good to see the coaster still working. Python was my 1st looping coaster I went on in Junior school in the late 80’s.
The main difference with Python and Klondike was Python had 2 trains while Klondike had 3 trains.
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Nice to see it’s still going. I remember Klondike was a little smoother than python as from memory python didn’t support your head as well as the Klondike cars.
 
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