Vekoma

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Vekoma Rides Manufacturing
TypeSubsidiary
Founded1926
FounderHendrik op het Veld
Headquarters
Vlodrop
,
The Netherlands
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsAmusement rides
ParentSansei Technologies
WebsiteOfficial website

Vekoma Rides Manufacturing is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturer.[1] Vekoma is an abbreviation of Veld Koning Machinefabriek (Veld Koning Machine Factory)[2] and was established in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld. They originally manufactured farm equipment and later made steel constructions for the coal mining industry in the 1950s, After the closure of Dutch mines in 1965, they manufactured steel pipes for the petrochemical industry. Since the 1970s, they have manufactured amusement rides. In 2018, Vekoma was acquired by Sansei Technologies, the parent company of American ride manufacturer S&S Sansei.

Roller coasters[edit]

Main article: List of Vekoma roller coasters

As of May 2018, there are over 349 roller coasters around the world from Vekoma, some of which are either under construction or have been removed.[3]

Models[edit]

Model First produced Description
Bermuda Blitz 2017 A sit down multi-inversion roller coaster with new generation trains and restraints. An off the shelf layout is available replicating Lech Coaster, whilst custom layouts are also available. Only one installation of this model exists, It is in Legendia in Poland. [4]
Big Air 2010 Formerly known as a hammerhead stall due to the spinning function it previously possessed. There is only one installation of this roller coaster, It is in E-DA Theme park in Taiwan. [5]
Boomerang 1984 Shuttle roller coaster with three inversions, height of 117 feet, and speed of 47 mph.
Corkscrew with Bayerncurve (discontinued) 1979 Vekoma corkscrew designed by Arrow Dynamics and manufactured by Vekoma.
Dive Pretzel Coaster[6][7] 2014[8] A roller coaster with a 90 degree climb and several pretzel loop elements.
Double Loop-Corkscrew 1981 A modified version of the MK-1200, it consisted of four inversions (two vertical loopings and two corkscres and a standard track.
Flying Dutchman 2000 First large-scale flying roller coaster built. There are two of these coasters.
Giant Inverted Boomerang 2001 Like Invertigo but with vertical lift hills and slightly different layout.
Hurricane 1989 Has a vertical loop and a double corkscrew. There were only ever 2 installations.[9]
Invertigo 1996 An inverted model of the Boomerang.
Motorbike roller coaster 2004 Vekoma-launched roller coaster with trains like motorbikes.
LSM Launch Coaster 1999 Roller coaster with three inversions. Launched around 55 mph using LSM technology.
Space Warp Launch Coaster 2016 A sit down LSM launch coaster built with new-generation track and trains in a layout with multiple inversions. Only one installation of this model exists.[10]
Splash Party 2013 An inverted slower-paced roller coaster that is designed with several water gun and water bomb placements. Only one installation of this model exists.[11]
Stingray 2009 A compact flying roller coaster designed as the successor to the Flying Dutchman. Only one example has been installed.[12]
Suspended Family Coaster 2001 Similar to the SLC but no inversions and more appropriate for families.
Suspended Looping Coaster (discontinued) 1994 Inverted coaster with several different models.
Loop-Corkscrew 1986 A modified version of the MK-1200, it consisted of two inversions (a vertical looping and a corkscrew) and a standard track.[13] Three installations exist in the world and are all still operating.
Mine train Coaster 1992 A roller coaster with a Western, mountain or mine themed style. 785m and MK-900 M models.
Junior Coaster 1990 Roller coaster aimed at children. 207 m and 335 m models.
Shockwave Coaster 2019 A sit down LSM launch coaster built with new-generation track and trains with multiple inversions and features sometimes tunnels. 1095m and 1320m models.
Top Gun Launch Coaster 2020 A sit down LSM launch coaster built with new-generation track and trains but with a different layout and multiple inversions.
Suspended Thrill Coaster 2020 A suspended coaster based on the suspended family coaster but with inversions, the replacement for SLC. Debuted with Hals Über Kopf at Erlebnispark Tripsdrill.
Wooden roller coaster 2000 Classic wooden coaster produced by Vekoma. There are two examples: the Thundercoaster at TusenFryd, and Weerwolf at Walibi Belgium. The removed one was at Walibi Holland and was called Robin Hood.

Other Vekoma coaster models include Wild Mouse, Hyper Space Warp, Firestorm, Swinging Turns, Enigma, Illusion, Family Boomerang, Tilt Coaster, Energy Storm and Powered Coasters.

In 2013, Vekoma signed a deal with Idaho-based Rocky Mountain Construction. The agreement allows Vekoma to sell Rocky Mountain Construction's roller coasters outside the North American market.[14]

Vekoma is also the constructor of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT in Walt Disney World, designing innovative new cars that can turn and spin as it proceeds on the track. This will be one of the longest and most ambitious indoor coasters ever constructed.

Other attractions[edit]

Ferris wheels[edit]

In 2008, Vekoma Rides Manufacturing acquired the Wheels of Excellence range of Ferris wheels from Ronald Bussink, to be handled by a new Vekoma division, Dutch Wheels BV.[15] The Dutch Wheels product range includes the R40, R50, and R60 models, each available in three different types.[16]

Notable installations[edit]

Ferris wheel name Location Opened Status
Giant Wheel Six Flags Darien Lake, US
1983
 Operating [17]
Giant Wheel Morey's Piers, Wildwood, New Jersey, US
1985
 Operating [18]
Navy Pier Ferris Wheel Pier Park, Navy Pier, Chicago, US
1995
 Closed [19][20][21]
Delhi Eye (R50) Kalindi Kunj Park, Okhla, Delhi, India
2014
 [22][23]
Hong Kong Observation Wheel Central, Hong Kong
2014
 Operating [24]
Grande roue de Montréal Montreal, Canada
2017
 Operating [25]

Madhouse[edit]

Main article: Madhouse (ride)

A madhouse is a flat ride that gives the impression that the rider is upside-down, when in reality the room they are in rotates around them.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ (in Dutch) Vekoma neemt bedrijf over, Limburgschs Dagblad, July 13, 1993
  2. ^ (in Dutch) Vekoma - Themeparkfreaks.eu
  3. ^ Vekoma - rcdb.com
  4. ^ Marden, Duane. "Lech Coaster  (Legendia Śląskie Wesołe Miasteczko rcdb_number=11034)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  5. ^ Marden, Duane. "Big Air  (E-DA Theme Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  6. ^ "Raadselachtige nieuwe achtbaan opgebouwd in Limburg". looping.nl (in Dutch). April 23, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  7. ^ Marden, Duane. "Unknown  (Great Mall of China)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  8. ^ Marden, Duane. "Dive Pretzel Coaster  (Limburg)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  9. ^ "Hurricane (Vekoma Model)". Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Space Warp Launch Coaster | Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV". www.vekoma.com. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  11. ^ Marden, Duane. "Bandit Bomber  (Yas Waterworldrcdb_number=6536)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  12. ^ "Stingray".
  13. ^ Marden, Duane. "Tornado  (Vlodrop)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  14. ^ "Vekoma rides on". Park World Magazine: 30. November 2013.
  15. ^ Giant Wheels go Dutch - Vekoma takes over Bussink range
  16. ^ Dutch Wheels - our product range
  17. ^ [1]
  18. ^ Ride experts call 11-year-old Pleasantville girl's fatal fall from Wildwood's Morey's Pier Ferris wheel a freak occurrence
  19. ^ Navy Pier's new attractions deemed 'critical' to luring variety of patrons.
  20. ^ Historic Navy Pier Attractions - Pier Park
  21. ^ 10 millionth rider goes for spin on Navy Pier ferris wheel
  22. ^ Delhi Eye thrown open to the public
  23. ^ Giant wheel a monumental treat
  24. ^ Partners - The Hong Kong Observation Wheel
  25. ^ "Accueil | La Grande roue de Montréal". www.lagranderouedemontreal.com.

External links[edit]

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