A mysterious new development commenced at Thorpe Park in 2015, with the construction of a new dark ride, later announced as Derren Brown’s Ghost Train which opened during the 2016 season.
14th August 2015
Vertical construction was continuing at a rapid pace with the roof now installed on the first section of the building. Metal supports were attached around the sides to support exterior cladding. Inside, a frame for what looks like a tunnel had been installed, which resembles a certain London subway system.
29th August 2015
The first part of the building constructed received red corrugated cladding on the exterior, which matches the nearby X. The concrete foundations for the other part of the building had been poured. New promotional posters advertising the ‘MindsWanted’ website replaced those previously on the construction walls.
1st November 2015
Almost all of the structural steelwork had now been erected, with the tallest section of the building having the first stages of its themed cladding applied. At the very front of the building, a brick wall was being constructed, as the interior became increasingly enclosed, keeping its secrets out of sight.
Closed Season 2015/16
With the park closed until March 2016, construction was able to progress away from the prying eyes of guests. By January, the structure was largely complete with the main ride building already receiving a significant amount of its ‘Thorpe Junction’ theming, whilst the lower section began to receive its cladding, and the queue line its canopy framework.
Images credit to THORPE PARK Resort social media.
13th March 2016
When the park opened for the Annual Pass Preview Day, the building looked vastly different to what it did at the end of the 2015 season. The warehouse exterior was fully themed, including painted signage along with distressed and broken windows. The majority of the queue line had been installed, including the gated entrance to the ride and its signage. Unfortunately there was no sign of the tower theming feature shown on the plans, suggesting it had been scrapped.
16th April 2016
With less than three weeks to go until the attraction’s original opening date, work was progressing on the finishing touches to the exterior of the main building. Posters (which seem to indicate a fracking theme) and painted signs had been applied to some of the exterior walls in the queue line, whilst the main entrance sign now had a blue background, giving it the same appearance as the logo published online. The attraction shop opened to the public, featuring a range of themed merchandise, as well as giving a peek at the photo counter which guests will pass after exiting the attraction.
6th May 2016
On the day that the attraction was originally supposed to open to the public, the exterior appeared to be largely finished. A photo opportunity in the queue line looked complete, with appropriate signage added. Finishing touches had also been added to the canopy of the queue line, with themed brackets and a rusty paintwork effect being applied to the supports. At the entrance to the attraction, signage detailing the restrictions, highlighting the height restriction, and identifying the queue lines had all been added, along with the LED panel that would display the queue time. The photo kiosk at the end of the attraction inside the shop also looked complete, with the screens and a uniquely projected ‘head in a jar’ displays now functioning, along with the addition of signage.
