Remembering Metroland - Gateshead's Long Lost Theme Park.

Remembering Metroland – Gateshead’s Long Lost Theme Park.

Metroland was a staple part of many a visit to the Metro Centre in Gateshead for families growing up in the 1990’s

The now defunct indoor theme park (formerly located inside the yellow mall building of the Metro Centre) was the largest of it’s kind when it first opened to the public in 1988 and played host to a full range of different, family friendly theme park rides and attractions.

Rides included a ferris wheel, dodgems, a pirate ship, a wave swinger and perhaps most famously, an indoor roller coaster which used to weave it’s way around the park above visitors below.

Although highly popular, the park sadly closed it’s doors for the last time back in 2008 to make way for future development & Metroland was, as they say, resigned to the history books.

Mertroland first opened at the Metro Centre in Gateshead near Newcastle in 1988 and was the largest park of it’s kind in Europe at the time of opening.

So, what happened to the park’s 9 different rides and attractions after Metroland closed and what became of the space the park once formerly occupied?

Upon closing in 2008 many of Metroland’s rides and attractions managed to find new homes at other UK based theme parks, but some sadly went straight to be scrapped.

New Roller Coaster (Metroland’s iconic indoor Zierer family roller coaster) saw relocation to the Big Sheep and other rides such as Wonderful Waveswinger moved to Clacton Pier, but other rides such as Terrific Train and Whirling Waltzer were not so lucky and were scapped.

Metroland really was a vibrant, colourful indoor theme park and managed to create many a memory for adults and children alike during it’s 20 year life span.

Following Metroland’s closure in 2008 the park’s iconic indoor roller coaster saw relocation to Big Sheep where it now operates un the name Rampage.

Metroland’s former footprint has now since been occupied by a cinema, restaurtants and arcades with all traces of the former indoor amusement park now long gone.

The park also saw two different owners during it’s lifetime too after undergoing a sale to Arlington Leisure in 1996 who continued to invest a further £2 million into the park.

During it’s construction a total of £20 million was spent to bring the park to life and was financed by the Church Commissioners of England with the construction itself being carried out by contractors Rush & Tompkins.

Overall, Metroland was a real piece of UK theme park history and stands out firmly in many people’s memories to this day with the colourful theming and vibrantly coloured rides and attractions featuring in many a family photo.

Did you visit Metroland during your childhood? If so, which ride or attraction did you enjoy riding most? Let us know your memories of Metroland in the comments below!