A short update, but an exciting one none the less.  Thanet Council have voted unanimously to demand the rebuilding of the Scenic Railway, deciding it’s restoration must should be made a legal requirement.

This is very encouraging news indeed - it’s rare for councils to commit like this  - TDC have said they think it is reasonable to expect the coaster to be repaired and operational by Easter 2009.

Members of the Save Dreamland Campaign were in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, and have begun to post their reactions to the news on the campaign forum.

No doubt you will already be aware that the Scenic Railway caught light earlier this evening. I have just returned from the the sea front, and at the time of writing (7pm), the fire seems to have been extinguished and bought under control. I would estimate that at least a quarter of the railway has collapsed.

Police are regarding the fire as suspicious- what with Dreamland’s recent firey reputation, it seemed only a matter of time before an attempt would be made to clear the listed structure.

I’ll go out on a limb, and suggest that any arson attempt has fallen short. The majority of the coaster is still intact - we must of course wait for any police verdict, but it should now pass to Thanet District Council to put their foot down and stand up for Thanet residents, by demanding the swift repair and restoration of Margate’s most treasured listed landmark.

We need to take action here, to resist further demolition and for everything the Save Dreamland Campaign has worked for. Those that care for Margate and for Dreamland simply can’t lie down and admit defeat - the interests of a few businessmen cannot be allowed to dictate. We must be vocal and demand that the interests of local people are at the forefront of any decisions made regarding Dreamland’s future.

Update
09/04/08: Thanet Police have confirmed that they are treating Monday’s fire as arson.

Despite this, I regret to say that I have needed to edit several potentially libelous comments regarding the fire. I would ask you to please keep any accusations non specific.

Now the credits have rolled for the final time, the Thanet Extra reports that Roy Jackson, the manager of Dreamland Cinema believes the cinema would make an ideal alternative site for Turner Contemporary.

Mr Jackson is absolutely right in his view that the art deco cinema building deserves a grand future, but I’m not sure I agree that it ”fits the bill as a high profile centre for the Turner Contemporary”.

The Dreamland ‘fin’ is an utterly iconic fixture of Margate seafront, but totally unsuitable as a gallery. In terms of modern gallery aesthetics and vision, the cinema building falls short of what is required - if Margate is to house a successful gallery it should be in a building fit for purpose. It must encourage contemporary art (both internationally and locally) and act as a catalyst for the further regeneration of Margate.

What is certain is that considerable thought must now be directed towards this fantastic old building and it’s future.

Last Saturday, Dreamland Cinema played host to two packed screenings of “Exodus”, the Channel 4/Artangel film that was produced in the town last year. In attendance were townspeople and local artists who had worked on the film, as well as director Penny Woolcock and Artangel co-director Michael Morris.

So what about the film? Exodus is not a shiny happy film. There are no sequins or Hollywood smiles.

Exodus is grimy and political, and all the better for it. Have no doubts, this is a professional film with serious ambition - it’s beautifully designed and executed.
Antony Gormley’s Wasteman and the hundreds of extras look spectacular on film, and the scenic railway is utterly iconic as the backdrop for the Dreamland shanty town.

I heard alot of talk about Exodus acting as a launch pad for many local people - there are a number of faces that look great on screen and are bound to be noticed - and if Exodus wins any awards it must surely be for it’s direction and visual appeal.

The film is due to have it’s official première at the Venice Film Festival this summer; the earliest it will hit Channel 4 screens will be this December. It’s worth the wait.

As you are no doubt aware, the self styled ‘Margate’s Big Event’ takes place over this weekend, filling the gap left after sponsorship troubles led to the cancellation of the annual air show which had proven to be a popular summer event.

In certain respects this should be a great success story - particularly since it’s free - and something that the organisers can be proud of. When I visited this evening, palm bay was already host to fair ground attractions and commercial stalls ready for the air show and variety acts to commence at the weekend.

Can I be the only one thinking it’s a shame the council can commit to supporting a second rate travelling fairground but have so far failed to stick up for Dreamland?

The airshow, fireworks, parachute display, quad bikes, birds of prey should, as Cllr Latchford has said, prove to be superb free event for the whole family.

You can find the full programme of events at the Thanet Council Website.

Dreamland Workshed, Margate, 2006

Hidden within the body of the Scenic Railway, this musty workshed continues to house these spectacular railway trains. They seem to have worn well over time, the carved heads even looked as if they had been recently painted.

In an article written for The Guardian, Iain Aitch explains his connection with the railway (and gives some interesting background to days gone by in these sheds).

“My grandfather worked at Dreamland for 30 years, starting in catering and finishing up in charge of ride maintenance. When I was about nine years old, it dawned on me that he had what must be the most exciting job in the world. Of course, he spent most of his day up to his elbows in grease and had to carry out dangerous tasks atop tall ladders (once taking a nasty fall and nearly killing himself), but every morning, before the crowds arrived, he got to do a test run on the Scenic Railway. I had long been impressed by his abilities as a storyteller and knew that he worked as an engineer at Dreamland, but this piece of knowledge took him to new heights in my eyes. Who needed a Neil Armstrong or a James Hunt to admire when you had a Bill Sedgwick?”

Read the rest of Iain’s article on The Guardian website.