Super Star (ride)
Super Star is a fairground ride once manufactured by Northern Amusements (NA Superides) now by Superides International in the UK.[1]
Carol and David Ward of Northern Amusements, already a well experienced company due to their family’s single-handed development of the Meteorite into the UK. Spring 1996 saw the sketches of their proposed Super Star, and the Autumn of the year saw a ride debut for Patrick Burton. The ride features a different approach to obtaining the looping and spinning motions, lifting a single boom arm which then twists around its own axle, lifting a spinning frame of 8 main arms with a 4-person seat gondolas In the rear of the gondola there is a hydraulic ram which pulls the seating units into an outward position. Once in this position the riders will be at a 90 degree angle when the ride is lifted to its 45 degree position. A safety system will then engage at the bottom of the ride to prevent the gondola from coming down in the event of an emergency.
When the ride is in its elevated position, the operator has the choice of rotating the main boom clockwise, or anti-clockwise. On some Super Stars, the boom can be lowered while the ride is in the fully inverted position. This form of operation is only used on one Super Star worldwide. The ride is packed onto one semi-trailer and has a fairly quick build-up time.
Super Star rides are capable of having a complete back-flash fitted with airbrushed artwork and neon lighting.
The Super Star is loosely related to the Move-It.
References
Machine List UK
Super Star - Northern Amusements / NA Superides
SS1 Patrick Burton (1996) - Thomas Stringfellow (1999) – Martin Holland (2004) – Michael Cowie (2005) themed ‘Super Star’
SS2 Maryanne Benson (1998) themed 'Body Count'
SS3 Jason Price (1998) – Paul Smith (2003) – Freddie Mattia (2004) – James Cole (2005) - John Noyce (2009) themed 'Destructor'
SS4 Michael Phillips (1998) themed 'Airwolf'
SS5 Joe White (1998) themed 'Devastator'
SS6 Scott Manning (1999) – Flambards AP (2001) themed ‘Wild Thing’ then ‘Thunderbolt’
SS7 Roland Devey (4/2000) themed 'Phantom Menace'
(SS7a Vienna Park (2001) themed ‘Outbreak’ now with Stessl family in Australia)
SS8 Barry Island (2001) - John Wall (2008)
SS9 Edward Danter (2002) themed ‘Outrage’
SS10 John Thurston (2003) - Michael Houghton (2008)themed ‘Top Star’
(SS10a Albers (Netherlands) (2004) themed ‘Super Star’)
Super Star - Protech
SS13 John Collins (1998) – Robert Bell (Ireland) (2002) themed 'Mega Star'
(SS13a Netherlands (1998))