Theme parks · South East England
Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate)
In or near Westwood.
The Scenic Railway was a wooden roller coaster located at the Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, United Kingdom. First opened in 1920, the ride was distinctive compared to modern-day roller coasters
Nigel Cox — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 4 h–8 h
- Best time of year
- School holidays (Apr–Oct)
- Nearest railway station
- Margate · 0.4 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit the Scenic Railway at Dreamland Margate, the nearest railway station is Margate, located 0.4 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is CT9 1XJ, and the venue is wheelchair accessible.
About
The Scenic Railway was a wooden roller coaster located at the Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, United Kingdom. First opened in 1920, the ride was distinctive compared to modern-day roller coasters, as a brakeman was required to travel with the train to control its speed, manually applying brakes when needed. UK's English Heritage granted the roller coaster Grade II listed status in 2002 and Grade II* listed status in 2011, when it was the oldest operating roller coaster in the UK and one of only eight scenic railways in the world. The Scenic Railway was non-operational from 2006 until 2015 amid park closure and restoration following an arson attack. The ride was closed in August 2024 due to a derailing incident, and has remained standing but not operating since. In January 2026 it was announced that the ride would no longer operate.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Dreamland Margate is a vintage amusement park featuring a variety of rides and attractions, including the iconic Scenic Railway. Visitors can enjoy a nostalgic experience with classic fairground rides and entertainment options.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Thanet Coast SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
- Ramsar wetland: Thanet Coast & Sandwich Bay
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Scenic Railway was a wooden roller coaster located at the Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, United Kingdom. First opened in 1920, the ride was distinctive compared to modern-day roller coasters, as a brakeman was required to travel with the train to control its speed, manually applying brakes when needed. UK's English Heritage granted the roller coaster Grade II listed status in 2002 and Grade II* listed status in 2011, when it was the oldest operating roller coaster in the UK and one of only eight scenic railways in the world. The Scenic Railway was non-operational from 2006 until 2015 amid park closure and restoration following an arson attack. The ride was closed in August 2024 due to a derailing incident, and has remained standing but not operating since. In January 2026 it was announced that the ride would no longer operate.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In 1919, John Henry Iles bought the European usage rights to the scenic railway from LaMarcus Adna Thompson, who had patented the scenic railway design in 1884. Iles was a co-owner of Dreamland and had the Scenic Railway constructed at Dreamland from local timber and had mechanical parts for the ride shipped over from the US. The ride drew on ideas from several other designers, but was constructed by local carpenters within the area specified by Iles. The Scenic Railway was owned by Iles until 1938, when the ownership was passed to his son Henry Frederick "Eric" Iles. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the Scenic Railway ceased operations until June 1946. Fire destroyed part of…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.3853, 1.3775
- County
- Kent
- District
- Thanet
- Parish
- Thanet, unparished area
- Postcode
- CT9 1XJ
- Parliamentary constituency
- East Thanet
- Phone
- +44 1843 295877
- Established
- 1920
- Nearest railway station
- Margate — 0.4 km
- Opening
- Weekends and school holidays throughout the season; closed during winter.
- Official site
- www.dreamland.co.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
The Scenic Railway
Natural landmarks · 0.0 km
Dreamland Margate
Theme parks · 0.2 km
Dreamland Cinema, Margate
Theatres · 0.2 km
Cinque Ports Public House
Historic pubs · 0.2 km
Margate railway station
Heritage railway stations · 0.4 km
Friend Of All Nations RNLI Surf Boat Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Hawley Projects
Galleries · 0.4 km
Marine Terrace Tidal Pool
National landscapes (AONB) · 0.4 km
Margate
Beaches · 0.4 km
Former Methodist Chapel
Chapels · 0.5 km
The Black Gallery
Galleries · 0.5 km
Water Tower At Margate Station
Memorials & monuments · 0.5 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate)?
- Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode CT9 1XJ), in the parish of Thanet, unparished area.
- What is Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate)?
- The Scenic Railway was a wooden roller coaster located at the Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, United Kingdom. First opened in 1920, the ride was distinctive compared to modern-day roller coasters
- How do I get to Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate)?
- The nearest railway station is Margate, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can use postcode CT9 1XJ.
- When was Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) built?
- Built or established in 1920.
- Is Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) a protected site?
- Yes — Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) is part of the Thanet Coast SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) charge admission?
- Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate)?
- The nearest railway station is Margate, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CT9 1XJ.
- Is Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) suitable for children?
- Yes — Scenic Railway (Dreamland Margate) is a family attraction designed for children. Most rides and attractions are aimed at the under-12 age band.