Certain destinations are crafted to evoke immense joy and excitement in individuals, and it is accurate to state that theme parks are prominently featured on such a list. A multitude of theme parks globally have provided people with cherished recollections that they hold dear, even many years later, with cherished excursions to amusement parks forming the bedrock of countless childhoods.
One such theme park once existed in Britain, specifically in Cornwall, and those who visited the amusement park during its peak remember experiencing some of the most wonderful times of their lives there. It is regrettable, therefore, that this beloved theme park now lies forgotten, utterly unrecognisable and existing only in people’s memories, a mere phantom of its former grandeur.
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Read more: Beloved theme park open for 53 years abandoned and now something very different
Read more: Family-favourite theme park from 1906 frozen in time and left to rot for decades
Dobwalls Adventure Park in Cornwall’s Liskeard was a family-run theme park established in the 1970s that brought immeasurable happiness to thousands.
Founded by John Southern, the amusement park commenced operations in 1970 and held the distinction of being Cornwall’s premier visitor attraction for years.
The theme park’s primary attractions were its two miniature railway locomotive systems, which were complemented by recreational zones and extensive play areas, both indoors and outdoors, in addition to an art gallery and lovely woodland trails, reports the Mirror.
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John established himself as a pioneer in tourism after he transformed his modest pig farm into one of the South West’s most adored (and earliest established) attractions.
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Dobwalls Adventure Park’s cherished grounds saw locomotives traversing its two-mile tracks for over 35 years, with the attraction rapidly becoming a firm favourite among schools for day excursions.
A single admission ticket granted visitors entry to the Krazee Kavern play barn, unlimited rides on the park’s locomotives, access to the Rocky Ridge water and sand play area, entertainment with Mr Blobby, exploration of the locomotive depot, and the opportunity to experience the Steam Back in Time exhibition.
The steam and diesel trains, however, consistently remained the attraction’s standout features throughout the years.
Guests could select between two tracks – the Rio Grande and the Union Pacific Railroad.
The Rio Grande line began operations in 1970, and notably featured a gradient of four per cent or 1:25, earning it the distinction of the world’s steepest ascent on any passenger-carrying miniature railway.
Tunnels and steep inclines only enhanced its unique charm, with the route meandering through woodland in an effort to emulate the Colorado railroads.
The Rio Grande’s popularity surged quickly, leading to the introduction of the Pacific track in 1979, which closely resembled the Union Pacific Sherman Hill line in Wyoming, USA, and featured a governing gradient of 1.51 per cent (1:66).
Winding through canyons and across bridges and trestles, the locomotive routes provided visitors with a level of excitement that was scarcely imaginable in that era. The adventure park’s theme was inspired by successful American amusement parks, featuring ‘cowboys and Native Americans’.
Regrettably, the much-loved theme park experienced declining visitor numbers and waning appeal, struggling against competition from newer, larger, and more impressive amusement parks emerging across the UK.
Cherished older attractions like the Go Kart track fell into disrepair, contributing to the park’s decline.
Towards the end of 2006, the theme park began closing its railway lines, and by June 2007, it was confirmed that Dobwalls Adventure Park’s redevelopment plans had stalled, meaning the amusement park would not reopen in its original configuration.
The adventure park’s entire locomotive collection was put up for sale, and by early 2008, eight had been acquired by a buyer in Dorset to operate at Dorset’s Plowman’s Railroad near Ferndown.
The locomotives have since been transported all the way to Australia, with some social media users reporting sightings of them in the Land Down Under.
The 22-acre plot where Dobwalls once stood was listed for sale in 2012 with a guide price of £400,000 through a sealed bid auction.
Today, Charteroak operates popular holiday cottage accommodation, Southern Halt, on the site where the adventure park previously operated.
Abandoned but never forgotten
Countless British people still fondly recall their experiences at Dobwalls Adventure Park, with numerous social media users flocking to Facebook to share nostalgic memories of the theme park’s golden era and reflect on the treasured moments they created at the renowned South West attraction.
In a post on the public Facebook group 7 1/4″ Railways, one user reminisced: “It was always busy when we went. I remember my 1st visit and all the steam locos were in steam.”
While another visitor emotionally shared: “Loved my visit there as a kid in the summer of 1982. Fascinating place to visit. Never had that many holidays in Cornwall.
“Intended to return around ten years later to try and take some photos of the trains in operation, but found that much of the routes had been built over, so never bothered in the end. Just watched the Big Boy depart from outside the fence!”
Another user wrote, “Was a fantastic place when I visited in the mid 1980’s,” while one fondly recalled, “Only managed one visit but enjoyed every minute.”
One visitor who had hoped to bring their grandchildren to the attraction wrote: “We went there many times when holidaying in Devon and Cornwall. Bought the t-shirts and other memorabilia. I had hoped to take my grandchildren there, but sadly that’s now not to be.”
Some even shared seeing the famous locomotives in Australia, with one individual writing, “Saw one of the big diesels at Diamond Valley Railroad near Melbourne about 10 years ago,” while another shared, “Quite a few of them are in Victoria Australia.”
One user fondly commented, “This was a fantastic place spent a lot of time in Cornwall and visited a lot,” while another shared, “Went there every year for probably ten years when we were going to vacation to Cornwall.”