The Wave (formerly Shockwave) is a steel looping roller coaster located in the Adventure Cove area at Drayton Manor Resort in Staffordshire, England. Reaching top speeds of 53mph (85km/h) and standing 120ft (36m) tall, this historic coaster features four thrilling inversions, including a vertical loop, a famous zero-gravity roll, and a double corkscrew.
The Wave at Drayton Manor: From Shockwave to The Wave
When the roller coaster originally opened on 26th March 1994 as Shockwave, it made history as Europe’s only stand-up roller coaster and the only stand-up coaster in the world to feature a zero-gravity roll. Engineered by Intamin (with track fabrication by Giovanola and layout design by Werner Stengel), it debuted alongside Alton Towers’ Nemesis and Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s The Big One as part of the UK’s legendary 1994 “Year of the Roller Coaster”.
In November 2023, the coaster closed for a major transformation ahead of its 30th anniversary. Reopening on 26th April 2024 as The Wave, the original stand-up trains were replaced with brand-new, comfortable sit-down trains manufactured by ART Engineering GmbH. This conversion significantly reduced the ride’s minimum height restriction from 1.4m to just 1.2m (with an accompanying adult), transforming an extreme thrill ride into the UK’s most thrilling family roller coaster!
Before planning your trip to Adventure Cove, make sure to browse our dedicated Drayton Manor Offers Page to find active ticket discounts, 2-for-1 entry vouchers, and short break deals.
The Wave Ride Statistics
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- Top Speed: 85 km/h (53 mph)
- Original Cost: £4.2m (Estimated cost today: £8.5m)
- Track Length: 500m (1,640 ft)
- Height: 36m (120 ft)
- Manufacturer: Intamin Amusement Rides (New Sit-Down Trains by ART Engineering)
- Type: Steel Sit-Down / Looping Coaster (Formerly Stand-Up Coaster)
- Lift/Launch Mechanism: Chain Lift Hill
- Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Zero-G Roll, Double Corkscrew)
- G-Force: 4.0 G
- Ride Duration: 1 min 36 secs
- Trains: 2 trains with 6 cars per train (24 riders per train)
- Minimum Height Requirement: 1.2m (Riders between 1.2m and 1.32m must be accompanied by an adult aged 16+)
- Theme Park Area: Adventure Cove at Drayton Manor Resort
- Year Opened: 26th March 1994 (as Shockwave) / 26th April 2024 (reimagined as The Wave)
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Unique Inversion & Zero-G Roll History
The Wave uses the historic steel track layout originally fabricated for Shockwave. Notably, it was the only stand-up roller coaster in history to feature a zero-gravity roll – a specialised inversion where the track twists 360 degrees while rising and falling over an airtime hill, subjecting riders to a momentary weightless effect.
When operating in its original stand-up configuration, riders stood upright with bicycle-style padded seats and shoulder harnesses, taking full G-forces through their legs during inversions. Standing rides were a distinctive feature at Drayton Manor for many years, as the park’s former Apocalypse drop tower also included standing floorless drop carriages. The 2024 conversion to ergonomically designed sit-down trains preserves all four original inversions while making the coaster far smoother and more accessible for families.
Top 10 Listings
The Wave is featured across several of our popular theme park guide rankings:
Plan Your Visit to Drayton Manor
Explore our detailed visitor resources to help plan your trip to Drayton Manor Resort:
- Attractions Near Me – Drayton Manor Directory
- Drayton Manor Official Website
- Christmas at Drayton Manor Review
UK Roller Coaster Rides
If you enjoyed reading about The Wave at Drayton Manor, check out these other signature roller coasters operating at theme parks across the UK:
UK Record-Breaking Statistics
Discover where Drayton Manor’s coasters rank on our national leaderboards by visiting the Tallest Roller Coasters in the UK, the Longest Roller Coasters in the UK, the Fastest Roller Coasters in the UK, and our guide to UK Roller Coasters with the Most Inversions.
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