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Dreamland

Margate, England, United Kingdom

    Dreamland sits on the shores of the North Sea, just slightly north of the famous white cliffs of Dover.  Its storied history began in 1863 when a dance hall was built in an unused railway station.  The park was known as Hall by the Sea, and rides were first added in the 1880s.  John Henry Iles, who started a handful of other theme parks throughout the world, acquired the park in 1919, changed its name to Dreamland, added more rides, and installed the Scenic Railway coaster.  The Iles family operated Dreamland until it was sold to Associated Leisure in 1968.  The Bembom Brothers from the Netherlands bought the park in 1981 and changed the park's name to Bembom Brothers White Knuckle Theme Park, but the name reverted back to Dreamland in 1990.  The park continued to add many new rides in the 1980s and 1990s, but many of the rides were removed when the Bembom family sold the park to Jimmy Godden in 1996.  From then, the park entered a state of decline, and a plan was made to close the park and redevelop the land.  Public support was against that plan, so the Margate Town Center Regeneration Company purchased the park in 2005.  Several buildings, as well as the Scenic Railway, were placed on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest which ensured they would not be demolished or altered without permission from the local planning authority.  The park closed to the public in 2005, and every ride was removed except the listed Scenic Railway.  Tragically, the coaster was burned in an arson attack in 2008.

    Nearly £18m in public funding and £10m in private funding was used to restore Dreamland including money from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  After sitting dormant, a nearly completely new Dreamland amusement park opened on June 19, 2015.   The Scenic Railway is being rebuilt and is expected to open very soon.

Nearly one dozen coasters have left Dreamland.  Here are some of the most notable:


Counter Culture Caterpillar
click to enlarge click to enlarge Dreamland pictures Counter Culture Caterpillar roller coaster Wacky Worm kiddie roller coaster Pictures of the small roller coaster at Dreamland, Margate, England, United Kindgom CoasterGallery.com - Your source for roller coaster pictures and videos Aerial view of the Counter Culture Caterpillar ride at Dreamland Aerial view of the Counter Culture Caterpillar ride at Dreamland Aerial view of the Counter Culture Caterpillar ride at Dreamland

Crazy Mouse
click to enlarge Crazy Mouse picture Spinning Crazy Mouse roller coaster pictures Images of amusement parks in the UK Spinning roller coaster Shots of the rollercoaster at Dreamland New English roller coaster and amusement park Modern thrill rides New amusement park rides The Dreamland Crazy Mouse POV Video of the Dreamland Crazy Mouse

Scenic Railway
click to enlarge Scenic Railway Dreamland Scenic Railway Coaster in England Pictures of the Scenic Railway at Dreamland Margate Dreamland Amusement Park Roller coaster photography Roller coaster tycoon pictures Roller coaster in Europe Historic amusement park Rebuilding Dreamland Listed historic buildings Family Coaster Dreamland Train Train Ride News about Dreamland Margate coaster train pictures Coaster Track Brakeman on a Coaster Side Friction Coaster Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway Scenic Railway click to enlarge pictures from Margate, England


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