Thanks to both D and Dawg Byte for pointing this out…
From a press release:
Canadian park to debut new attraction for 2006 season
For Immediate Release
Bremen, Germany (January 26th, 2006) – Major German ride manufacturer HUSS Park Attractions has announced the sale of another Topple Tower, the latest version of the popular family thrill ride being destined for Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
Launched just over 12 months ago as part of the company’s Classic Range of rides, the Topple Tower is proving a very successful addition to the HUSS range of attractions. Indeed, when this latest model opens, the ride will be operating in a total of six different countries around the world, others including Belgium, France, China, the US and Denmark. To date, three new versions are set to open for 2006, the others being at Dollywood in the US and Djurs Sommerland in Denmark.
The Marineland attraction will incorporate a walrus theme, with a large walrus head being featured at the top of the central tower section, while the whole ride will be built into themed surroundings. The attraction will also utilise HUSS © recently developed suspended seats, which feature new safety systems that allow patrons from 120cm in height (47.2 ins.) to be accommodated.
Up to 40 passengers can enjoy the ride at any one time and they are seated facing outwards on a circular gondola. As the experience begins, they are lifted to a height of over 50ft. while also rotating at 9rpm. Once at the maximum height, the central column holding the gondola begins to sway from side to side, down to an angle of 60 degrees, creating a feeling of “toppling” over, with the walrus’ head turning above the riders at the same time. Simultaneously, the whole ride rotates on a bearing at ground level at 0.5rpm, adding further to the overall experience.
The Topple Tower features a number of newly developed safety elements, including those incorporated into the passenger restraint system and seat. The seats have two independent restraint locking systems, the primary device providing fine locking intervals and the second device offering a more “coarse” system. This allows for smaller children to ride as well as older patrons. Other features include a ride recorder with internet connection for data retrieval and remote diagnostics. Additionally, various standard theming options are available, while individual custom themes can also be supplied.
“The Topple Tower is proving to be an extremely popular addition to our range of attractions,” noted HUSS President and CEO Wolfgang Richter, “and I am very happy to be able to announce this latest sale to Marineland in Canada. It offers a truly unique ride experience, exciting and thrilling but at the same time suitable for a very wide age group, a combination which makes it attractive to both operators and riders. Also, however, the new seat technology we have now developed for this and other attractions adds even more appeal to the Topple Tower thus creating an impressive overall family thrill ride package. I am sure it will be a very successful addition to the attractions at Marineland.”
Topple Tower seats to be exhibited at at EAS, Vienna
The HUSS booth at this year’s EAS event in Vienna ( no. 1606B ) from February 3-5, will feature an example of the company’s latest seat design, as first introduced on the Topple Tower.
The new seat will greatly widen the user base of any ride on which it is incorporated and as a result will increase potential revenues. It will not only be fitted to all new HUSS rides, but is also available as an update item on a number of existing attractions, including the Giant Top Spin, Giant Frisbee, Jump2, the new Top Spin with suspended seats and the new 34-passenger Frisbee with outward facing seats.
A fully functional seat with pneumatic restraint activation (opening/closing/locking) will be on display at the EAS event, while another seat will be “sliced” to show the interior functions, the workmanship and the safety elements of the locking bar.
Headquartered in Bremen, Germany, HUSS Maschinenfabrik is a market leader in the development, manufacture and sale of amusement rides throughout the world. The company was founded in 1919 and is a limited partnership.
For more information visit www.hussrides.com or call + (49) 421 499 0079. For press inquiries please contact Andrew Mellor (AM Leisure Consultancy) on +44 (0)1743 872200, email andrewfmellor@aol.com
You can read more about the ride on the HUSS web site.