Richard Bannister

Tykkimaki is one of the big amusement parks in Finland, albeit a poor relation from the enthusiast perspective due to it not having any proper roller coasters. Be that as it may, it does have free admission with a pay per ride scheme, so we decided to call in to try Idän Pikajuna. This powered coaster, built by Mack, completes three bone-shaking laps of the course at a wild speed; it's certainly thrilling, though it could do with better padding.

With ample spare time we wandered around the park to see what else was there. There were a number of fairly old spin rides, but all appeared to be in good condition other than the Taifun which was under obvious maintenance. There was also a brand new Star Flyer which looked to be very popular. One wonders what the next new attraction will be; I know what I'd like!

Our first stop at Särkänniemi was always going to be at the coaster we'd missed four years ago. The imaginatively named Half Pipe (#1667) was the first ride of this design to be sold by Intamin, and as such it lacks the polish of the later models; the car produces a rather disconcerting groan as it passes through the station, though the sound effects didn't hurt the ride quality in any way. From there we went to the brand new MotoGee (#1668), also a first; in this case, the debut European installation of the Zamperla motorbike coaster. If guest reactions were anything to go by the park has a winner on its hands.

With no time pressure at all we spent a leisurely few hours enjoying the ambience of the park. Jet Star has acquired new rolling stock since our last visit, and the replacement is probably an improvement over the original (and when have you ever heard me say that?). Tornado has developed a distinct rattle since my last visit, to the point that once was enough; it was telling that the ride was a walk-on today. We also took the lift up the observation tower; the outdoor deck is now closed permanently "due to a risk of mischief", but there are still plenty of good photo opportunities from the indoor area.