"We had a really positive start to the season this year," commented Helen Pawley-Tuft, general manager for central services at the UK theme park. "We had a better Easter than in 2007, and have had very good numbers since then. Hopefully it shows what the season holds for the rest of the year and proves that people are still determined to have a good day out, despite the poor economic climate."

Thomas Land officially celebrated its first birthday over the weekend of April 18 and 19, while just prior to that yet another attraction was added to the area in the shape of a third engine, Rosie, which joins Thomas and Percy to provide train rides from Thomas Land to Farmer McColl's Farm and the Tidmouth Hault Station.

Increased catering capacity was also added for 2009 to satisfy customer demand, with other outlets being refurbished, while an additional admissions area and 1,000 vehicle car park have also been opened, the former now operating six extra OmniTicket Network sales points using hand held scanners to speed up entry.

The 2009 season is also witnessing a wide variety of live entertainment at Drayton Manor, once again provided by Hamagination. Two new outdoor stages will be utilised for shows, while street entertainment is also playing an important role. For the main summer period, a new show featuring clowns from Romania, low wire acts, hand balancing and more will be introduced, while a show for younger guests will also be on offer on the Centre Stage just outside Thomas Land.