Blackgang Chine's New Train Ride Has Opened, and It's Not the Coaster We Hoped For
Blackgang Express has opened behind Blackgang Beach. It is a sweet little family train, but after losing Cliffhanger we were hoping for something with more bite.
Blackgang Chine has opened its newly refurbished Blackgang Express, a gentle family train ride behind Blackgang Beach. The ride takes guests past bits inspired by the park's history, with dinosaurs, cavemen and familiar Blackgang-style characters along the way.
The train is not completely new. Islanders may recognise it from its old life as the Cows Express at Robin Hill. It has now been refurbished, repainted bright blue, given a rebuilt station and rethemed around Blackgang Chine's heritage.
It sits in one of the park's busiest areas, near Blackgang Beach, sea views, seating, iScream and nearby attractions including Shipwrecked, Waterforce, the Hall of Mirrors and the Whale Room. It also opened around the park's Wild West Week half-term celebrations, so it is clearly meant to add more for families while the park is busy.
The Blackgang Express has a 90cm height restriction, which tells you exactly who it is aimed at: younger children and families with toddlers. For them, it is probably a nice little ride. But from a TobesVerse point of view, this is where it gets frustrating.
We knew last year that Blackgang was bringing in a new "train ride", and I really hoped it might turn into something more like a Rocky Mountain-style family coaster. Not a massive thrill machine, just something with a bit of speed and energy, especially because Blackgang took away Cliffhanger, its only roller coaster, and never really replaced that gap.
Instead, the Blackgang Express is a little train that pootles gently around the park. That is fine for small kids, but Blackgang already has a lot for younger children. The park feels like it is leaning further and further towards a very young audience, which is a shame because it is the only real theme park on the Isle of Wight.
Right now Extinction, the 360-degree pendulum ride, is really the only proper thrill attraction left. Blackgang does not need to compete with Alton Towers, Chessington or Thorpe Park. Nobody is asking for that. But it does need to give tweens and teens a bit more to do, because older kids want more than just another gentle ride.