The oldest operating rollercoaster in the country opens to the public on Saturday for what could be its last ever summer season.

The 83-year-old ride at Margate’s Dreamland pleasure park has been awarded listed building status. The Scenic Railway Trust was set up earlier this year to repair the ride and operate it for the 2003 season, with a view to ensuring its long-term survival.

Colin Kiddell, the man behind the Trust, is delighted that the ride is to finally open. He said: “It has taken a huge amount of investment and a lot of work to reopen the ride, but we are sure it going to be a huge success.

"The Trust is currently a limited company, but we are working towards securing charitable status, which we hope will enable us to ensure the long-term survival of this important part of Margate’s history.”

Dreamland opened for the 2003 season in April, and is being run by David Wallis, who has revamped the park and added some exciting new rides.

Park owner, businessman Jimmy Godden, is to close Dreamland at the end of the season because he says it is not viable and that visitor numbers are dwindling.

The impending closure has resulted in the formation of the Save Dreamland Campaign, an organisation that says it has 13,000 supporters including residents, businesses, and organisations including Margate Civic Society, the Margate Hotel and Guest House Association, the European Coaster Club and the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain.

Campaign leader, Nick Laister, said: “We would like to congratulate Mr Kiddell and his colleagues on their hard work in bringing this fantastic historical ride back into action.

“We hope this is the first step in a bright future for the ride and the park. Over the last few weeks, we have been working closely with one of the world’s leading theme park operators on exciting proposals for the Dreamland site which should see it become one of the south of England’s major tourist destinations. We are confident that the Scenic Railway can form the centrepiece of a revitalised Dreamland site.”

The history of the Scenic Railway is being celebrated in a special event at Margate’s historic Theatre Royal on June 1. Rare films showing the park from the 1920s will be shown. There will also be talks from various speakers on the history of Dreamland, the Scenic Railway and the Save Dreamland Campaign.