Friday, April 11, 2008

Scenic May 'Rise From the Ashes'

For the benefit of all you off-islanders who have been cramming onto my blog from as far away as the US and Australia since the dreadful Dreamland arson attack earlier this week, here's the front page of today's weekly local paper.

The Gazunder scoops an exclusive interview with Dreamland's head honcho Toby Hunter who has pledged to rebuild the Scenic, if he can find the original plans. Hunter says: 'Once we have determined what needs to be done to make the scenic safe, then our engineers will be piecing together if there is enough information to replace what's been burnt down.'

Hunter, boss of the Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company, which has funfair king Jimmy Godden as a major shareholder, added that he had no idea to what extent the historic ride was insured. He said the fire had in no way helped the company's redevelopment plans for the site as they had hoped to 'sink the railway into tanks of water and illuminate it to create a pier effect'. Hmm. If you ask me, it's a shame they didn't think of that earlier.

Click here for full story in the Isle of Thanet Gazette

13 comments:

Peter C said...

I like the totally non-libelous comment by Gerry O'Donnell in the Isle of Thanet Gazette:

"Thanet has been blighted by too many substantial fires in recent years. These cannot be held, any more, to be acts of God and/or accident, without intensive assessment."

Richard Eastcliff said...

Yes, I saw that too!

Anonymous said...

BREAKING NEWS

Thanet's Independent Action Party has disbanded, according to its leadership.
http://www.yourthanet.co.uk/kent-news/Political-group-calls-it-a-day-newsinkent11784.aspx

Anonymous said...

I can't quie see Mr Hunter getting Listed Building Consent for the tank effect.

Anyhow, EH has said it should be rebuilt, plans or no plans.

Thanet is to issue a Repairs Notice, hopefully.

Anonymous said...

Finding it increasingly difficult to care to be honest. Time to move on people.

Anonymous said...

The town planner ahead of his time armed only with a box of swan vestas. (Your blog Jethro)

We now recognise the greatest social reformer of the 19th century as Jack the Ripper.

So it seems you could have a point.

Anonymous said...

Sink the railway in a tank of water.

Would that be local Dreamland water full of Tivoli Brook faecal coliforms ?

I can see a possible benefit of that.

If the blue drainage tracing dye were to be put into Dreamland housing development lavatories and flushed. Would there be a pleasing blue bloom appear to enhance the night time illuminated pier effect ?

Perhaps not just Mr Hunter's dreams floating about the Scenic Railway ?

Anonymous said...

The tracks were on fire


The tracks were on fire but the train kept rolling. The
tracks were on fire and it was enough to make a young
pyromaniac cum his pants. The tracks were on fire while I
snorted vicodin in Vermont. The
tracks were on fire while I thought about France. The tracks were on fire and I
didn’t have a name, or a face, or a body, or a soul, I was just something dreamt up
by some
imbalanced kid
in a dark room. The tracks were on fire and the train kept rolling. The tracks were on fire and I was typing Dempsey-brand poetry
in my bedroom with the lights off. The tracks were on fire while men shot at each other. The tracks were on fire and the world was on a handcart
rolling
through it all. The tracks were on fire while the guy
down the block
thought of being sucked off by 2 virgins
with braces and pigtails. The tracks were on fire while addicts waited for phone calls. The tracks were on fire while Castro remembered that
trick with the dove. The tracks were on fire as painters put brushes
to cathedral
ceilings. The tracks were on fire and the conductor just kept laughing,
laughing,
laughing at us all.

John Dempsey

Anonymous said...

The Marine Conservation Society report into beach litter this week found one dead dog during its survey of Britain's coastline. I think it was called Margate.

Ramsgate Tez said...

anon 8:36 like the poem

Louise Oldfield said...

I must admit I was very confused about the plans to submerge the scenic in water to create 'a pier effect'. I was just as confused to read that 'believe it or not' they don't know how much it the ne's insured for. I should take notice the next time I arrange my house insurance.

Peter C said...

I'm also confused by the "submerged pier effect" (?)

Richard Eastcliff said...

Toby Hunter is actually quoted in the Gazette as saying: 'The ride can only be open 150 days a year and the rest of the time it sits on the ground looking very dull. By putting it 'under water' and illuminating it, we were creating something that would complement the shopping and homes we want to build.'

Has anyone wondered what it would be like to live next to a 'heritage theme park'? Not for tranquility seekers one would assume.