Hawkesbury Show 2009 (Review and Show Photos now added)

[Force10]

WOW great photo's Top Gunner, fantastic line-up of rides. How does Ranger, Hangover and Top - Gun compete? Does a bit of price war go on?

[redhot]

Excellent pics Topgun.
Wish i could get up there this weekend.
To anyone thats going (half your luck!) have a great time!

[Top Gunner14]

Thanks again guys. I will be there all weekend so hopefully we have good weather. This is the first year Hangover and Top Gun have been to the show. Ranger has been every year for as I can remember and we used to get Watkin's Kamikaze a long time ago. But each 3 rides aren't very close to each other so it should be good. Ranger on the front street, Hangover on the back and Top Gun right at the front gate, its the first ride you see if you enter from there. But Top Gun has the disadvantage only having the one arm so should be interesting.

Top Gun will probably only run for $6 as it was at Penrith and I'm guessing Hangover will be $7 and so will Ranger as it was last year.

[Top Gunner14]

The Euroslide has turned up so has Zacchini's Zipper. Aswell as Young's Gravitron

[Force10]

Thats a resonable price!, Nah Top Gun isn't at a disadvantage with one arm, because I haven't seen a Kamikaze or Hangover operate with a full load for a very very long time! Its good they have them all spread out. I remember the first time Hangover did the Bundaberg Regional Show, it was right beside Watkins Kamikaze! It looked pretty wicked when they were both running, but I'm sure it wasn't good for business... they fought it out for a couple of years but eventually watkins stopped bring Kamikaze

[Top Gunner14]

Ah kk sounds interesting. Yeh Top Gun is quicker to load with both others you have the 2 arms to load. Ranger usually operates full loads Saturday night at the busiest time at the show. Top Gun will definately do full loads all night Saturday and the occasional on Friday night. Should be good for us. I'll be working on the ride again on Saturday night too

[Top Gunner14]

Yeh sitting in the control booth of the gun. Not as busy as first thought but neither are the Hangover and Ranger. All the big gear is busy No Limit is pretty packed same with the coaster and Speed. The Magic Circus won first placed ride so well done to Cetek. Photos will be up in next few days.

Cheers
Top Gunner14

[Force10]

Ah that's a shame, but I thought that would be the case. I hope it was busy enough so u didn't go home with a loss. I can't believe cetek sold Ali baba and replaced it with a fun house!! I guess it's a sensible business strategy since there is so many awesome thrill rides on the circut, but it still woulda been nice to hve one more!!

[Top Gunner14]

I kinda think it was better for Cetek to buy the fun house. It is one amazing piece of gear, just the looks and the presentation of the ride during the day and night are magnificent and great to have such a big European funhouse over here. Yeh but with all these new big lots of gear I think its good we're still seeing the family and kids gear still coming in (which it always will). But personally I'd rather own the funfacory than an Ali Baba.

[Zamperla]

Fantastic put-up photos - I'd say the best ever be posted! well done once again.

A question about TopGun, I notice one of the restraints is fully padded up - is this some sort of trial? The restraints on it look fairly modern compared to a lot of the Fabbri ones I've seen.

[princess]

Topgunner do you think you can do a review for Ben, I am sending him anything interesting on AAF, he has specifically asked if there is a review for Hawkesbury.

[Top Gunner14]

Yeh I'm definately doing the review. Just sorting through all my photos atm.

Zamperla, I'm not 100% sure with the seat witht the pick restrain but I think the old restrain that used to be there broke or something. Itsfun could answer this for you. And yeh the restrains are more modern, all A.R.M Skymaster cars had the same restrains and don't have the lapbar like Fabbri have.

[itsfun]

The pink lap bar is a new design that we have done. (it has far more padding that the arm version).There are another 15 to go on to the ride.They need to be replaced every 5 years the manufacturer informed every one last year as a safety precaution.

[Top Gunner14]

Yeh mate I actually found a document on the net here written by A.R.M about the Skymaster's restrains. About the metal frames inside corroding away and needing to be replaced every five years. I'll try and find it.

[Top Gunner14]

Here it is: http://www.ltci.co.uk/LTC_Technical_Bul ... hflyer.pdf

[itsfun]

Wheres your review topgunner 23.

[Zamperla]

thanks for answering that. sounds pretty standard. I know Fabbri has a similar 'shelf life' (Ranger has even had its original cars replaced many years ago)

Topgun is looking good.

[Top Gunner14]

Is this O'Neill's Ranger your talking about Zamperla? And how long ago was this?

Its in the working mate. Fair few photos to go through and alot of writting. Will be up soon

[Zamperla]

Yeah, I think it was Wittingslow that had the cars replaced. (late 80's / early 90's)

Maybe someone has some photos of them. (they are still sitting in a yard somewhere)

[princess]

Topgunner, do you think you could review, Hawkesbury, even without the pictures, cause pictures for Ben, are neither here nor there, but your words will be fantastic, he is waiting. Please

[Top Gunner14]

Yeh sorry, been busy. So lets kick it off.

Hawkesbury show come and gone for another year. Always an enjoyable show whether I'm with mates around the cattle or down in Sideshow Alley which is always a craker. So was there all 3 days, worked on the Top Gun saturday night even though we weren't as busy as we thought sadly but we had a great attendance at the show with all gear looking great and the community getting out to support the show. With a down lineup last year a few rides returned such as Speed and a few newies like the Top Gun, Hangover, Gill's Ali baba the Magic Circus Funhouse, Sizzler and a few others.

First something different with my reviews. I and someone else decided I'll do a review of the East Coast Amusement's Slushee van. These are probably the best tasting slurpees I have ever had. With 6 great tasting flavours to choose from such as pineapple, watermelon, cola and a few others they are all great. The van looks good and they were very popular over the weekend. I've even included a photo of me with the Rainbow cup (all flavours). Don't take any notice of me please lol.





A few midway shots something new aswell. Got up on the Skyview Wheel and took my camera up on Speed.







Now onto the rides:

Ali Baba: This units forst time at the show, was pretty popular over the weekend with the young and old. Was in a different position to what Marshalls used to have. Looking pretty good nice artwork with all the Disney characters over the ride. Good long ride cycles from what I saw and a bit of interaction from the operator. Also looking nice and colourful at night with all the lighting working.





Alpine Express: Was very popular running half to full loads most of the time when I saw it. I was going to ride it but ran out of time of forgot about it. But running pretty fast with the cars swinging up and over the hills then swinging back down through the valleys. Looked pretty good too but a few dud light bulbs on the main sign.





Cha Cha: What else can I say, see it every weekend in our show season but still haven't ridden it unfortunately. Was popular throughout the weekend.



Cliff Hanger: Must say I like the new paintjob on the ride. Looks more sharp and presentable in my opinion and the green was getting a bit tired too I thought. But pretty popular consantly running when I saw it, popular with the younger ones getting a thrill like hang gliding.





Ghost Pirates: Saw this at St Mary's and wasn't really running but this was another popular ride. Looked good, must say takes up a fair bit of frontage. Had some good spooky characters out the front and I really liked and got freaked out by the pirate painted into the loading area with the eyes that looked like they were looking at you and they were always moving, looked computesed. But a nice looking piece of gear. Good to see it at the show.





Hangover: Looked pretty good and they pump out some good tunes during the night. Like a night club feel around the ride during the night and with the blue flood lights at night. Wasn't to popular and not running some of the time. Didn't see it run a full load all weekend.



Haunted Hotel: Another ride I see alot, not much to say was popular too probably a tad more tan Ghost Pirates. But always looking fantastic day or night.







Hurricane: Another ride I see alot. Was pretty popular, looking the same as always.





Magic Circus: Wow is what I said when I saw this. This thing is massive and is a beautiful machine. The artwork on the ride is top notch and during the night it looks fantastic with 1000's of lights covering the ride. Didn't get on there but had alot of challenges and animatrics throughout it. Alot of people getting up on there and was very popular, all the children were having a ball as were the adults on there. Nice to see such a great European funhouse here.







No Limit: Don't know how many times I have ridden this in the past 5 months but this ride is great fun. Very populoar saturday night and throughout the day it wasn't to busy which I was suprised about. But looking good as usual, the ride cycles were great fun, hopped on for one last ride until I see it at Xmas hopefully. But this ride runs very good, lots of flipping, was positioned right on the street so it would look like your going to slam into the people down below.







Ranger: This wasn't as busy as it has been in recent years. But looking good with most lights working in the night. Good cycles the loops were pretty quick and love the sound of the machine.



Rok N Roll: Looking good and had a few people riding. Another ride I see alot too so not else much to say.



Sizzler: Looking pretty nice, nice paintjob, pretty eyecatching. First time I've seen this one at a show. Was pretty popular. Jumped on and had a ride and was running pretty fast too. Quickest Sizzler I've ridden. Nice long cycle too.





Skyview Wheel: Nice to see the wheel back for another year and its 3rd year at this show. Was always popular with all ages of people riding. Very good views from the top of the RAAF base, the sideshow area, the whole showground and the hawkesbury area. Looks great at night love the sequences the lights run in looks very good. Nice relaxing ride too.







Euro Slide: This showed up pretty late. I didn't think it was coming this year but it did which was good. Had a good number of people riding and is very well presented, nice colours and paintwork down the actual slide and well lite at night.



Space Roller: This would have to be one of my favourites. Great fun ride, hoped on only once but twice would've been better. Looking pretty nice and during the day was only running 2 sets of cars. But didn't have to wait that long. Great long cycle in forwards and reverse. Forwards is great fun, backwards is crazy. Especially when the hub just starts spinning backwards and your just flung through the air. Great ride always great to see it wherever. Don't think you could get sick of this either.











Speed: Love the new LED's on the ride. Looks great at night. But overall the ride is well presented and was pretty popular. Had 2 rides on it. First ride wasn't that good but second ride was very fun and alot longer. The siren runs as the ride gains speed then after that your at full speed flying through the air. Makes the feet go a bit numb at times but always fun. Another thing I love is that they slow down the arm a bit so you are rocking then you go back to full speed so you tip and flip more. Love the seat design on here too, very comfortable, good to see the ride back.







Energy Storm: Looking different to last time I saw it. Looks better than before I think but alot of smashed lights on the centre piece. Like the LEDs on the cars looks good at night. Decided to have a ride and I kinda regret this. The harnesses are so painful probably more painful than Skywalker which is hard to beat. And I had a belt on too so it dug into my stomach and was a shocker. The ride runs pretty quick, was a good fun ride until it started to go past 90 degress, then it was just pain and aggony. Then the arms went back down then back up again oh no, very painful again, got off and thank goodness I was off. Next time if I do ride again, I'm not wearing a belt lol. But a good long cycle at least.









Top Gun: Had fun working on the ride even though we weren't that busy. Was good it got on for starters but not the best weekend for the crew. Was stuck behind a few games and most people just walked past not noticing the ride. Did alot of spruking to get the riders but most of the time I was just wasting my breath. But the ride was looking great, had a few things painted during the week with a few starts painted on the car and the sides of the ticket booth repainted. Had a few rides and the ride is really smooth and great long cycles. Even had the ride doing some very fast loops which I've never seen the ride do before and was a bit suprised. Some hangtime aswell, got held there for about 8 seconds i counted lol. Was good to see it on and hopefully if its back, a better position or the full frontage of the site next time.









Music Trip: See this alot too, looking good and was pretty popular.





Twister: Young's just purchased this from TPA a short time before the show. This was the first time I saw this too. Was nicely presented and looked great at night with all the lights running and chasing. Didn't have a chance to ride as I haven't ridden a Gravitron since I was at Dreamworld in 03. Hopefully will see it a bit next time and will definately have a ride. A good purchase for Young's as we never see any gravitrons around NSW's shows.





Waveswinger: Looking nice and well presented. Was pretty popular aswell. Didn't have a ride but sadly I heard it broke down again Saturday night the same time as it did last year. But was running the rest of the weekend.





Zipper: Must say the ride is looking real tired. Was looking very nice some years ago but not at the moment. At night the lights on the boom were those LED tubes which don't really suit the ride. But I noticed the ride was running pretty quick. So I jumped on and wow it was quite fun, a great long cycle a ton of flipping eben got a bit dizzy while I was on there. Was popular over the weekend too.









Had a great weekend, few other rides that I didn't include like Crazy Coaster, Ferrari 500's Chant's wheel etc. All rides were running well and looking good. Was good fun working on the gun had a good time. Was also nice to meet a few new people such as Chippa and Cassie Chant, Jaime Pickert, Clint Johnson and a few others. And good to see a few others I have recently met. Well that ends up my show season had a great time. Hope you have all enjoyed my reviews and photos. I do my best as always. Next show for me will be Penrith in August.

Anyway as always Enjoy!! PS if the photos come up with the little box instead with the x in the middle, just right click and click show picture and they should work

Cheers
Top Gunner14

[Paulie123]

Excellent review as always with great pics Adam! Most of the rides are looking pretty good. I dont think Energy Storm looks as good as it use to though. Shame about Topgun not being too busy..

[princess]

Wow look at the size of this show, very impressive. I have sent onto to Ben.

Thanks Topgunner

[Hurricane]

Great review mate, and we now finally know what you look like! Also... what the hell is with march's swinger and breaking down?!

[Force10]

Thanks for the review Top Gunner! Great photo's, i finally got to see new rides people have been talking about.. The Hawkesbury show is massive! I can't believe the amount of space thats left in behind everything though! I'm use to seeing everything tightly packed together. The Ekka should be great this year with all these new rides and ones on the way that should be around in time!! (hopefully they make it though)