Twist and turn through the Hampshire countryside on the snakey Cobra coaster...
Twist and turn through the Hampshire countryside on the snakey Cobra coaster...
| Theme Park | Paultons Park |
|---|---|
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Older Families |
| Opened | 18 March 2006 |
| Manufacturer | Gerstlauer |
| Model | Bobsled Coaster |
| Height | 54 ft |
| Length | 1476 ft |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max Speed | 31 mph |
| Duration | 1½ minutes |
Cobra's final helix
As it opened in 2006, Cobra became the first of Paultons' "big" rides, expanding the park's target market from young children to something the whole family could begin to enjoy.
Cobra is a Gerstlauer Bobsled Coaster, which shares characteristics in common with Wild Mouse style rollercoasters but stretches the layout over a much wider area and adds interesting new elements and new technologies.
Riders sit two-by-two in four seater cars which are decorated at the front with friendly-looking cartoon style cobra faces. After they climb the 54ft lift hill the cars drop down a sweeping circular helix, before entering a wild mouse switchback style track section. Following this comes another downward spiral followed by one of the highlights of the ride: a series of airtime filled hills culminating in the cars passing through "the shed of doom", a wooden shed placed over the track. Cobra's finale comes as a banked helix taken at a good speed, before the cars are slowed to a stop by the rollercoaster's extremely smooth magnetic braking system.
Cobra is exciting enough to enthral teenagers, but not too intense as to be inaccessible to younger children. It is a superb family ride, and a perfect addition to Paultons. While it does attract a queue, this is never too long - just as well, as the rollercoaster is very re-ridable!
Cobra at Paultons Park
Cobra station
Looking up at the lift hill
Climbing the lift
A car at the top of the lift hill
View from the top of the lift hill
Cobra in the sky
The first helix
Coming up to a set of trim brakes
Starting the switchback section
Wild mouse style track
Switchbacks
Downward spirals
Helix
Airtime hills
Plummeting down
Climbing up
Over the top
Airtime hill
Enjoying the hills
Over the hills
The "Shed of Doom"
Inside the shed
A car exits the shed
Cobra was joined by The Edge a few years after it opened
Finale helix
Accelerating around the corner
Final track section
Into the magnetic brakes
On the brake run
Inside the station
Preparing to disembark
Ornamental bush
Cobra Opening Day - 18th March 2006
