HOME FORUMS PBASE KIDS CONTACT US MICK EDWARDS early SONIA REILLY TAXIMAN early TAXIMAN mid TAXIMAN late TAXIMAN final Terry Bobrowicz "Crew" of 76 Terry Bobrowicz Poolside STOCKLIST 1992 GO WILD GO WINDSOR QUICK QUIZ HOME FORUMS PBASE KIDS CONTACT US MICK EDWARDS early SONIA REILLY TAXIMAN early TAXIMAN mid TAXIMAN late TAXIMAN final Terry Bobrowicz "Crew" of 76 Terry Bobrowicz Poolside STOCKLIST 1992 GO WILD GO WINDSOR QUICK QUIZ

TAXIMAN 1989/ 1990 CONTACT US       FORUMS       PBASE Welcome to the new home for Windsor Safari Park - resited in the summer of 2008 after five years with fasthosts Okay, now we are somewhere else so I recommend that you look to your left at the left hand column menu. This lists the premier areas of the site and if you have any Windsor Safari photos up your sleeve, particularly the Safari Vehicles on site and the Park 1982 - 1992 then PLEASE contact us with your photos!! Taximan's Windsor Safari Park guide and postcards are incredible! Nice submissions Taximan! << Penguins, Tigers and view from the cafeteria; VOTE! Taximan has kindly submitted these terrific postcards - sold in Windsor Safari Park souvenirs shops. The postcard captions read : "Humboldt's Penguins from South America at Windsor Safari Park" "Tigers at Windsor Safari Park and Sea World" "View from the cafeteria showing lakes and Windsor Castle in background at Royal safari park." Remember the new Elephant viewing platform? The African Queen Riverboat ride? Just look! They're all featured (image above) See that Gold Pass info? Guess who was FIRST with a gold pass then? Just check out this incredible Windsor Safari Park guide believed issued 1989/ 1990. Wow this is just sheer joy to read. The centre shot is of a young baboon taken by Taximan, the other 2 are more of Taximan's great great "official" Windsor Safari Park postcards. What a fabulous collection, well pleased to have it here on the site. Although the giraffes and zebras appear quite separate, in reality the 2 species shared paddocks continually and with little or no problem. Visitors had to beware of getting "kicked" by a zebra or "headbutted" by a giraffe, but STAYING INSIDE your car normally allowed you sufficient protection against these hazards.        The map of the park in it's final few years! GOLDEN MAP AWARD this map actually zoooms once then - hold up - it zoooms again!! click on it once then wait a few seconds, click on it again!! Check that map out for some superb lists and locations for the lower half of the park!! the list of the park's "attractions" is totally impressive Hehe, just look at this superb map! Remember the new crocodile rides next to the African Queen Riverboat? How about the Arabian Knights Extravaganza? This opened only TWO YEARS before the park was CLOSED DOWN! Yes! A whole new stunning 'arabian area' was built in the bottom left of the park, real investment hot on the heels of the African Queen, they obviously had no idea that Windsor Safari Park was about to be see it's last years out.

DATING become a zoologist! OLD OLD FORUMS falkor videos WALTON ART DATING become a zoologist! OLD OLD FORUMS falkor videos WALTON ART

John Child cartoons! LOG ONTO HIS SITE RIGHT HERE for more cartoons and to contact him view his thread!

The centre photo (images right) is an official Windsor Safari Park photo, entitled "Winnie the Killer Whale in the Windsor Safari Park and Sea World." The remaining 2 photos are taken by Taximan himself at Windsor Safari Park. Top pictures of Sea World they are too, wow did they have zoom focus that good in those days Taximan? :-)

Zebras and giraffes roam together in this paddock

another great shot by taximan, nice one Denis!!

I just love this photo (images left) by taximan, of the last paddock on the safari route. Just to the right of that rightmost zebra was an exit gate for vehicles. The Giraffe House marked the end of the Giraffe and Zebras enclosure and the place where visitors could cheerfully feed the giraffes at 1pm each day. Fabulous fun - really!

Jesus, read this and weep: "From May 1990, new safari roadtrains will be introduced. Replacing cars, these unique trains, designed for the comfort of guests offer a guided tour through the reserves."

Check out the DATE: May 1990!! Yes and even better : "Opening Autumn 1990, the new African Entrance Village - new attractions exhibits and guest facilities."

The Treetops Tearooms, the Kilimanjaro Toboggan Run and the new Rhino observation platform were also particularly newly built and major achievements. Superb progress and then in 1992 ..... the gates shut? Total insanity, I'm going for a lie down! :-(

Well what a truly sensational contribution Taximan! I have thoroughly enjoyed looking over this lot, verging on tears occasionally and then with a chuckle I can remember this very special place so well with this lot to refer to.

So! On your left, 3 photos from seaworld, the far right is an official postcard entitled "Winnie the Killer Whale at Windsor Safari Park and Sea World," the other 2 are top photos taken by Taximan himself while at Seaworld.

The top photo is a fairly unusual one, I don't ever remember seeing that area of Seaworld but trust Taximan to get VIP access eh?

We loved our Rhinos at Windsor Safari Park, everybody remembers seeing them as they were right smack in the centre of the whole park!!

The first 2 are pictures taken by taximan at the safari park and the third is an official postcard entitled "Rhinos grazing at Safari Park"

Taximan's photos are great and I just love the pics of the baby Rhino and with his mother, looks like Taximan is IN THERE WITH THEM!!

In the postcard pic - look at the REPTILE HOUSE seen at the bottom of the hill. Did you ever go in there?

I think I must rate that place as the least interesting facility that the park laid on for visitors, but please correct me! I would love to hear of anybody who enjoyed going in there.

Check out the mean Stegosaurus right next to the REPTILE HOUSE, (you can just see it if you ZOOOOM - then ZOOOOM again!) now that WAS an awesome statue to enjoy alright. Remember it?

Going further over again from the Stegosaurus - you come to the boating lake where Mums and Dads could take out some fun boats with their kids on a wild lake, sheesh there was just so much to do at this place and these photos do a fine job of bringing it all back don't they?

Taximan's submission continues with 2 postcards entitled "Group of cheetahs at Royal Windsor Safari Park" and "Lions basking on the rocks at Windsor Safari Park and Sea World"

The cheetahs look so flippin lean don't they? I guess they stay that way for their 75mph early morning runs and what about the Lions?

They certainly did seem to love those rocks didn't they? Maybe they enjoyed the heat that the rocks contained, they certainly don't look too comfortable but remember, a flat surface like that is actually good for the orthopaedics.

there was something amazing about driving through the Lions Paddock in your car, but sadly, all that stopped in 1990, when the "Land Trains" took over but I'm betting most people will remember the park, for the times they drove their own cars through, what do you reckon?

<< The third photo is taken by Taximan and is of the 1760 built mansion house "St Leonards House"

The estate of that mansion house had become an abandoned affair when in 1966 it was purchased by the Smart Family. Considerable work was done to the house and the grounds over the next four years until 1970 when it became Windsor Safari Park.

The mansion house survived and is still there even today. During the 1980s Mick Edwards ran spectacular discos for Berkshire youths at the St Leonards House, which contained amazing and impressive paintings, interiors and furniture.

During WW2 the American Ambassador, Joseph Kennedy and his family were accommodated at St Leonards. Before that, in 1932 Mr Horace Dodge of Motorcar fame bought the premises and virtually rebuilt it, retaining the Gothic outlines inaugurated by William Dawson in 1813.

John Child cartoons! LOG ONTO HIS SITE RIGHT HERE for more cartoons and to contact him view his thread!

See the "blue parrot" on there? There is the terrific "Parrot Island Show" that contained the packed shows, families just loving those wonderfully trained up parrots and right next to that, the spectacular new Kilimanjaro Toboggan Ride, what great fun this was.

Sometimes you would have the real grief of coming up behind some nervous and real slow learner though, WHAT A NIGHTMARE. You would be slowed up completely and as there was no overtaking allowed your trip around that crazy track would just be ruined.

Nothing for it - you'd have to trek back up to the top and TRY AGAIN! Wizzard track that, really top addition to the Safari Park. You had a brake and a turbo charger and not a lot else, anybody got any photos or video of this amazing construction please? Sea World is clearly shown top left and the new butterfly house, which also made welcome a couple of handsome alligators. What's your favourite?

<< Taximan's brilliant Windsor Safari Park shoulder patch

we should have this for all members of this site!!

Check out taximan's top shoulder patch. It does look superb kit indeed and of course there were the "almost as good" metal badges too !

When you think about it, there was a mountain of badges, car stickers and souvenirs that the safari park turned out, do YOU have any that would top the items that we have displayed so far? If you DO .... then click on 'metal badges' above and submit any scans you have. We want to see your prized badges or souvenirs on HERE!!

To think, the whole children's zoo was moved from the top of the site to the bottom - what a project!

Taximan took this great snap at the Children's Zoo.

This sanctuary for small and young animals was so popular with young families, who used to look forward to seeing the rabbits, goats, donkeys, chicks, calves - any small animals at all.

In the background of the photo, you can see coin operated FOOD machines. These dispensed good food for the animals so that our kids could hand out safe food and enjoy the visit even more!

Actually it reminds me a tad of the Children's Farm that used to exist for many years at Thorpe Park!!

Do you remember it? You had to get there by boat really or it was a heck of a long walk past Treasure Island :-)

Top park double helter tube at Windsor Safari Park

Remember this spectacular double down tube? Well spotted by taximan, kids just loved this awesome snake journey.

Fitted with an all weather canopy, the tower was capable of allowing kids views of Windsor Castle (do you think they noticed?)

But this must have been HILLTOP before Noah's Ark arrived!

<< The photo looks like it is showing exactly what was on HILLTOP before the construction of the awesome Noah's Ark kids area, what do you reckon?

Taximan was one of the first members on the site

Taximan was a local taxi driver for most of the operational life of Windsor Safari Park and so made frequent visits with both visitors and staff. Some of the staff used to return home very late to their "luxury" accommodation.

Taximan mentions in our forum that Windsor Safari Park was always a great place to visit, and he was sad when it finally closed.

It is interesting that since then he has been asked by visitors where the Safari Park is !

Often these visitors are returning to the UK for a holiday or are ex-pats on an emotional return. They cannot believe it has closed for 10 years !

Following on from that when I visited the old "Windsor Information Centre" opposite Windsor Castle in 2006 I got one heck of a telling off from the staff when they found out who I was.

They complained that they were getting phone calls and emails from people wanting an itinery to include Windsor Safari Park. These staff had to keep explaining that it was closed and wanted me to put up a 3' high notice on the website telling them it closed in 1992

When I asked them if they had any old Windsor Safari Park leaflets or maps they told me where to go! (I should have known better 15 years on but I just wondered if they had anything out the back)

Another superb achievement that left visitors in awe of the great new construction that had benefitted both animals and visitors. Compare this to what the elephants had before, they must have had four times more space in this new set up!

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