Credit: Landmark Forest Adventure ParkA theme park is being sued after its popular roller coaster lost its roller coaster and derailed mid-ride.
There’s a reason roller coaster accidents always make the headlines—they’re so rare that they’re worth talking about. Whether it’s Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios, or any other theme park, every location builds its attractions to strict codes designed to ensure the safety of all.
Sometimes, however, things can still go wrong. This can be due to human error, technical malfunctions, or guests outright flouting the rules there to keep them safe—or sometimes a little bit of everything.
For example, when Universal Studios Hollywood’s tram crash occurred earlier this year – hospitalizing 15 passengers with “minor to moderate injuries” – during a standard run of the famous Universal Studio Tour, the cause was pinned on an issue with the brakes. As per the California Highway Patrol, the car collided with a metal guardrail, “causing it to tilt and eject multiple passengers.”
Similarly, the fatal accident that hit ICON Park in March 2022 was pinned on a harness sensor that had been “manually loosened, adjusted and tightened” to allow for larger guests to ride the Orlando FreeFall drop tower. When 14-year-old Tyre Sampson rode the attraction, the harness was then not in the correct position to keep him safe, ultimately allowing him to slip from his seat as the ride descended.
This week, there was an update on another incident at a theme park – although this time, the cause was a defect in the ride.
The incident occurred at Landmark Forest Adventure Park in Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, in August 2021. The park’s popular, now-closed Runaway Timber Train lost a set of wheels mid-ride and jolted off its rail towards the ground, leaving guests dangling. Two children were treated for minor injuries at the scene.
According to The Scottish Sun, the father of one victim—both of whom suffered neck injuries, whiplash, and psychological trauma—said: “The ride was at the highest point when I heard a bang, saw smoke and a set of wheels flying off one of the carriages. We could see our daughters were terrified and in pain. I genuinely thought my girl was going to die.”
Now, court papers have alleged that bosses were told in February 2014—a whopping seven years before the accident—that there potentially was a crack in the main support shaft connected to the wheels. This followed previous incidents in England and India.
The families of both victims (who’ve both made full physical recoveries) have now filed a five-figure lawsuit against Landmark Forest Adventure Park.
Runaway Timber Train has not reopened since the incident. A spokesperson for the park confirmed in December 2021 that it would remain closed. “We are sad to say goodbye to one of our long-standing attractions, the Runaway Timber Train,” they said. “This was due to be replaced in a few years, but we have made the decision to replace it sooner than originally planned.”
Promoted as Scotland’s number one theme park, Landmark Forest Adventure Park features a variety of nature-inspired attractions, including Wild Water Coasters, Red Squirrel Trail, and Dinosaur Kingdom.
Do you think theme parks do enough to ensure the safety of their guests?