Get ready for take-off.
Christchurch Adventure Park is launching a new ride called The Rush, a motorised uphill cable ride.
The new attraction is the first of its kind in the world and is the brainchild of Hornby engineering firm Holmes Solutions.
“We wanted to create a new rider experience, better than what is being offered in adventure parks and ski resorts around the world. We focused on creating a ride system than uses motorised trolleys that run on cables and rails, allowing them to zoom uphill or downhill while flying around corners and accelerating along long straights, all while being suspended up in the air. We call the ride system Switchback®, and it’s a real game changer in the industry.” says Switchback® Engineer Dave Lewis “It’s catching on quick on a global scale. We already have plans for new rides with companies in the UK, US, and elsewhere. The industry has been waiting for technology that allows this type of ride to exist, it’s really quite a breakthrough innovation for them.”
Christchurch Adventure Park General Manager, Anne Newman has been working with the Switchback® team to test the ride at the park and is excited to see it come to market and open to the public.
“This is home grown tech developed and tested here in Christchurch. I am super proud to be part of this project and see it now operating.”
“What makes this ride different from our zip lines the fact it goes uphill, you sit in a seat so there are fewer weight or height restrictions and makes it very accessible for all ages. It’s also an up and back ride so it doesn’t take as long as a full zip line tour. So it’s also great for people who maybe are a bit short on time.”
“As it takes off, you really do get a bit of a head-rush hence the name.”
“We are excited to be part of this journey with the Switchback® team and it’s another really unique experience for people to try exclusively here at Christchurch Adventure Park. I love the fact that we have been part of this innovation which is the first of its’ kind in the world.”
Dave Lewis added “It’s different than a traditional zip line. Those can only go downhill using gravity and have to follow straight lines. We wanted to evolve that experience, while making it safer and easier to operate. So, we add a motorised vehicle with power and speed which gives the rider the ability to go uphill as well as down.”
“The Rush ride at CAP is a straight up and back ride. It doesn’t have a corner in this first phase because of the space we had to test it, but that technology is already tested and ready to go, so you’ll see a ride combining the two in a few months’ time which is super exciting. The possibilities when you don’t have to rely on gravity and you can turn corners are endless.”
