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AIBU to want to be frightened by a plastic skeleton in every seaside town in Britain?

63 replies

strangelynumb · Yesterday 21:55

I’ve apparently reached the stage of life where I need a complete list of the UK’s permanently located ghost trains. Some people take up running. I want to trundle through a dark shed while a skeleton makes a noise at me.

Can you help me check my list?

I mean the traditional funfair rides where you sit in a little carriage and travel through dark rooms full of monsters, skeletons and questionable wiring. They don’t have to be called “Ghost Train” — Horror Hotel, Terror Castle and similar all count. Gentle children’s versions count too. My standards for terror are accommodating.

They must stay at the same venue, although seasonal opening is fine. So piers, seaside fairgrounds, theme parks, museums and small family attractions all qualify. Not travelling fairs, walk-through haunted houses or Halloween events on ordinary railways.

The list so far is below. Do you know one I’ve missed? Or, equally useful, have I included one that has closed, moved or become a café?

Please share the name, venue and town — especially if you’ve seen it operating recently. Local knowledge very welcome before I embark on a pilgrimage to an empty shed.

List to follow

OP posts:
strangelynumb · Yesterday 21:56

THE LIST SO FAR
Horror Hotel — Brighton Palace Pier, Brighton, East Sussex
Permanent ghost train through haunted hotel rooms.
Ghost Train — Flamingo Park, Hastings, East Sussex
Traditional seaside ghost train. Current operation needs checking.
Ghost Train — Dreamland, Margate, Kent
Traditional fairground ghost train with spooky figures and sudden surprises.
Over the Hill 2: Spooksville — Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Family-friendly spooky ride-through with cartoonish ghosts and monsters.
Demons Revenge — Rainbow Park, Hunstanton, Norfolk
Traditional ghost train replacing the former Nightmare ride. Current operation needs checking.
Haunted Hotel — Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Traditional two-level ghost train through haunted hotel scenes.
Ghost Train — Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Classic seaside ghost train, separate from the Pleasure Beach attraction.
Ghost Train — Southside Funfair, Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth, Dorset
Horror movie themed ghost train at the fairground formerly called Fantasy Island.
Terror Castle — Brean Theme Park, Brean, Somerset
Traditional ghost train featuring horror scenes and sudden shocks.
House of Horrors — The Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
Indoor ghost train through spooky scenes on the pier.
Halloween Express Ghost Train — Springfields Fun Park, St Columb Major, Cornwall
Traditional ghost train listed among the park’s regular family attractions.
Dr Umboto’s Catacombs — West Midlands Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire
Ghost train through a mad scientist’s castle and supernatural experiments.
Brett’s Ghost Train — National Fairground Museum at Statfold, near Tamworth, Staffordshire
Preserved 1947 ghost train with historic fairground artwork, formerly at Dingles.
Ghost Train — Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
Vintage ghost train in the museum’s traditional fairground.
The Curse at Alton Manor — Alton Towers, Alton, Staffordshire
Haunted manor ride-through with elaborate scenes, special effects and sudden scares.
Ghost Train — Botton’s Pleasure Beach, Skegness, Lincolnshire
Classic traditional seaside ghost train.
Ghost Train — Mablethorpe Funfair / Dunes Leisure, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire
Traditional ghost train at the permanent seafront fairground.
Ghost Train — Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire
Classic multi-level ghost train with an outdoor drop.
The Ghost Train — Adventure Coast Southport, Southport, Merseyside
Permanent spooky ride-through at the park formerly called Pleasureland.
Ghost Train — Scarborough Fair Collection, Lebberston, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Working vintage ghost train inside a fairground and transport museum.
Mischief Mansion — Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton, near Malton, North Yorkshire
Gentle family ghost train featuring little monsters and colourful spooky scenes.
Zombie — Ocean Beach Pleasure Park, South Shields, Tyne and Wear
Zombie-themed ghost train that replaced the park’s former Ghost Hunt ride.
Ghost Train — Barry Island Pleasure Park, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Traditional enclosed ghost train with spooky scenes and sudden shocks.
Ghost Train — Folly Farm, Begelly, Pembrokeshire
Preserved traditional fairground ghost train with relatively gentle scares.
Ghost Train — Funland Pwllheli, Pwllheli, Gwynedd
Traditional ghost train at the permanent town-centre fairground.
Ghost Train — Curry’s Fun Park, Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Traditional indoor ghost train at the attraction formerly called Barry’s Amusements.
TWO INTERACTIVE ONES I’M ALSO COUNTING
Pirate Quest / Ghost Train — Coral Island, Blackpool, Lancashire
Ghostly pirate shipwreck ride with a ruby-spotting buzzer game.
Tomb Blaster — Chessington World of Adventures, Chessington, Greater London
Egyptian tomb ride with mummies, skeletons and laser targets.
A DIFFERENT FORMAT, BUT WORTH A MENTION
Ghost Train — Thorpe Park, Chertsey, Surrey
Theatrical horror experience using train sets, live actors and walk-through sections.
TWO I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM
Ghost Train — Hollycombe Steam in the Country, near Liphook, Hampshire
A separate tracked ghost train is listed by a specialist directory, but I need to confirm it is there and operating.
Ghost Train / Monster Express — Funland at Tir Prince, Towyn, Conwy
The operator lists a ghost train, but other records suggest Monster Express moved on. Does anyone know what’s currently there?
I haven’t confirmed any current fixed-location examples in Scotland — please tell me if you know otherwise!
All corrections gratefully received. Particularly from anyone whose local plastic skeleton has been unfairly overlooked.

OP posts:
bababamama · Yesterday 21:59

Interesting quest op! You have my only offering on your list already but I wish you luck!🍀

BravebutBroken · Yesterday 22:00

Nothing to add or amend. But I now weirdly want to try out a ghost train (or seventeen) too.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Brigittebidet · Yesterday 22:01

This is by far the most random thing I have read on here - and it is a high bar! That said, I’m here for it and I wish you well. I am in Plymouth and we don’t have one so I can’t help.

nomoreforks · Yesterday 22:02

I love this level of strangeness OP ! Portsmouth? Skegness? Good luck !

ThatRatBastard · Yesterday 22:02

Great ambition! Littlehampton, West Sussex. Harbour Park has one. Or did last time I went a couple of years back. Have fun!

MamaNell · Yesterday 22:04

There is not one in Portsmouth, unfortunately

Dragononawagon · Yesterday 22:10

I admire your rigour. I’m more hoping to follow in the footsteps of the woman who ate a scone in every National Trust teashop in the UK a couple of years ago.

DailyEnergyCrisis · Yesterday 22:10

There was one at Gullivers world when I went a few years ago.

Meraviglioso · Yesterday 22:13

Can i just say I think I love you?

There was one in Dymchurch amusement park (Kent) but it closed two years ago and was replaced by a funhouse. I am still sad.

SockQueen · Yesterday 22:14

It's not in the UK, but if you ever find yourself in the Netherlands, Danse Macabre at Efteling is an absolute top notch spooky ride.

feliciabirthgiver · Yesterday 22:18

ThatRatBastard · Yesterday 22:02

Great ambition! Littlehampton, West Sussex. Harbour Park has one. Or did last time I went a couple of years back. Have fun!

Edited

sorry there isn’t one at Harbour Park anymore, and I’ve just read the ghost tunnel at Fishers Farm has been retired.

not quite what your looking for, but you’ve just missed the ghost train on the Bluebell Railway, maybe check it out for next year?

good luck on your mission !

tatyr · Yesterday 22:23

Barry island pleasure park Ghost train is correct, but park is seasonal- check their Facebook page before you plan a trip.
Congrats on setting yourself a convoluted challenge! I approve!!

Ifeeltheneedtheneedforcoffee · Yesterday 22:23

There is one at gullivers kingdom in matlock bath. At the very top of the hill /park in the western town
Although its been a few years since ive been
On a similar theme there may be one at sundown adventure land? Which would be very child orientated. I vant remember but it has a few of those sort of rides

Good luck in your crazy quest

TokyoSushi · Yesterday 22:25

Quite the quest you have here OP - amazing!! 👻

TheChosenTwo · Yesterday 22:26

I have nothing further to offer to what’s already on your list but can I just applaud your enthusiasm?! I love it when people are into slightly quirky/niche and yet totally acceptable and achievable hobbies 😂
I wish you well op 🥳

shuffleofftobuffalo · Yesterday 22:28

You’ve no idea how happy this makes me. I’m with you OP. The first one is my local, I’ll report back.

Puppalicious · Yesterday 22:36

Impressive, I was all ready to add my contribution which i thought you might miss but its on the list 😁 Good luck with it all!

MotherOfCrocodiles · Yesterday 22:54

There used to be one at Walton on the Naze pier called the Roller Ghoster. But apparently that one is now at Barry Island so is on your list already

ruethewhirl · Yesterday 22:57

OP, I think you win the internet for today just for that thread title. 😂 Love it!

Lurleene · Yesterday 23:01

Wow OP that is a quest and a half- and to be honest I think you have quite enough on your list to get going with! My suggestions are already covered. I look forward to seeing your updates....

TheVexatiousGrapefruit · Yesterday 23:08

A most excellent quest.
I haven’t been but checked locally and found:
Ghostly Manor at Paultons Park 👻

BoogieWonder · Yesterday 23:12

Havanananana · Yesterday 23:07

Legoland Windsor has a Haunted House (there's one in the original Legoland in Billund, Denmark too)
Haunted House Monster Party | LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort

You don't actually travel on this one though, it's just sitting in a room that moves about a bit.

The one at Paultons is more like a ghost train.

strangelynumb · Today 00:03

Woah! I wasn’t expecting quite so much appreciation for the mission 😂 I have found my people!

I’ve already completed a self-inflicted challenge to visit all the UK’s model villages, so I now have a quest-shaped hole in my life that needs filling.

I’ve done a few on the list already. In fact, Fantasy Island at Bowleaze Cove inspired this whole thing — I want to see if anything can top it. You travel through a series of insanely scary, eighties slasher-inspired rooms, then right in the middle you pass through an indoor children’s soft play. A truly unsettling change of atmosphere 😂

Thank you for all the fact-checking, suggestions and lovely well wishes. Please keep the additions and corrections coming — you’re helping turn a perfectly ridiculous idea into a perfectly ridiculous itinerary.

OP posts: