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Corkscrew's Removal (Alton Towers)

:( my 1st full inverting coaster and the last coaster I ever rode with my dad.

I still remember the 1st adverts for it and saying we must go lol.

Have to get 1 last go on it.

I never found it rough tbh there are alot of rougher newer coasters out there.

I will miss it even though for years its sort of been away in the corner and people forget about it.
 
I'm actually gutted. Like, seriously gutted. I don't know why, as I'm not majorly attatched to the ride, and have no real story behind being so fond of it. I just think it has such a charm about it. It's a massive ride for them to lose, not in terms of it's attraction to the crowds, but the signifance of it's mere presence. I pray to god that they put A)Another coaster there, and B)A ****ing good one. Now's the time to show us what they can really do. I'm hoping for a terrain hugging woodie, or a looper of some kind.
 
It just got mentioned on the Radio 5 news, AT rep mentioned how it was old technology.

Corkie was my first inverted coaster, and was a big thing when I was a kid, so I'm nostalgic about it - but will be more than happy if they replace it with something decent :D.

Might have to turn up for the last day!
 
This was actually the last coaster my Dad rode on... That was in 1980, and it put him off riding any other coaster, ever again! :)

Corkscrew is an odd one. It's a clone, it's old and it's long past it's sell by date. As a ride, or exemplar, it's nothing special. As the key to unlocking the Theme Park industry though, it probably does deserve that title. I think that without Corkscrew, the Theme Park landscape in the UK would be a much worse place.

Corkscrew showed the UK that you didn't need to be at the seaside to enjoy a fairground. It brought all that into central ground which was accessible as a day trip purely for the rides - the seaside the rides have ALWAYS been an addition to the traditional seaside day out/holiday. It created an entirely new industry in the UK - at a time when you'd have thought this kind of thing was long dead.

For the previous 20 years, the seaside amusement park industry had died on it's feet. Blackpool was investing though and seeing some returns, and I think John Broom recognised this, and took as bold a step as Geoffery Thompson did at Blackpool. They invested heavily into a dead industry and created something new. Certainly the next fifteen years saw a superb rivalry between Alton and Blackpool, which led to the bouyant industry we had in the 90's.

Corkscrew was certainly the catalyst to all of this, in it's location at Alton Towers - it wouldn't have worked anywhere else in the country (remember, another Vekoma Corkscrew also opened in the UK in 1980).

So as a pivotal, key piece in the development of the UK park industry, it deserves a special place.

However, as a ride, and a piece of actual history - with archeological interest let's say - it's worthless today. There are still Vekoma Corkscrew clones remaining (even in the UK) - even if there weren't, it's not important as it's part of a machine built, assembly line manufacture. Okay, so is a Model-T Ford, and it's nice enthusiasts restore them and run them so we can view a piece of automotive history. The Corkscrew is just like that, it's an object rather than a structure. I know I fought to save the Cyclone, but it was the last remaining example of that ride type left in the world, and it was built in-situ, by hand. That made it a designed and architectured structure, rather than a simple object (again, it was a rubbish ride :lol: ).

I hope people can understand it. There is an attachment to the Corkscrew we can all have (in the UK) because of what it did for us within the industry. It's not something which should be forgotten, but it's no reason why the ride should be kept going on and on and on forever, at a massive cost to Alton Towers.

It's a tough call, and 20 years down the line I'd be fighting for Corkscrew to stay. right now though, it really is too young...
 
I have no love or hate for this coaster. It's just a "meh" and I won't be swept up in the hype of it's removal just because it's at Alton Towers.

So yeah, it's a shame that one of AT's oldest attractions is going but as for the ride itself. meh.
 
I wonder will Flamingoland change their advertising now for their own Corkscrew next year. How long before they get rid of theirs too.
 
I doubt they'd spend much money advertising on that tbh, because if rumours are to be believed that one ain't lasting too much longer either (it is technically as old as Alton's but theirs was a relocation).

Which is the reason why I'm like Ian, but thats me spiting because of my fanboyism, an exact carbon copy of Corkscrew opened in an amusement park up here the same year, look what it did for them (closed!) the only difference was Alton knew how to market it, the ride itself is very "meh" to me.
 
That's what I was saying Ian/Pierre. As a ride - it's bollocks really. For what it did, it's something special, but that's not the ride, but the location, marketing, etc, etc, etc.

Though Pierre, I went to Spanish City around 1989, the place was empty, but (a smuch as I loved visiting the North East) it just wasn't a tourist type of place. They needed more land and to invest massively, but Spanish City was slaughtered in the 70's by the park recession, and the North East coast massacred by the scumbag package holiday trade. A Corkscrew coaster was never going to save the place sadly.
 
Oh well.

It wasn't that good, nor was it too bad, but I'm looking forward to something most likely better taking its place. And I'm not going back for one last ride lol.
 
Im pissed. Really pissed. One thing I really wanted to do was ride Corky for a final time next year as I know I cant get up the Alton this year now (unless I walk 230 miles). It WILL NOT be the same without it. ****ing pissed as. I never even got to do the smooth seat :cry:

So surely the Ugland theme will be removed aswell. Nothing to keep it without Corky.
 
I just thought, its going to be so weird to be at Alton and not hear the Banshee like wailing of the Corkscrew's lift hill motor, I love that sound!

I hope they don't cut it up like they did with Tornado


p15219.jpg



:cry:
 
I'm quite sad it's going. Sure it wasn't the most pleasant or enjoyable ride to ride but I feel sad knowing that there's going to be an empty space in Ugland where it once stood.

I hope this means that Ugland will get a major re-furbish though to fit in with Rita.
 
A-Kid said:
So surely the Ugland theme will be removed aswell. Nothing to keep it without Corky.

Yeah, I think that Ugland's demise is a given seeing as all that will be left is Rita, which never fitted :lol:

And Leigh, I'll ride the smooth seat for you on the 9th :)
 
I've never been a fan of Corkscrew, but I shall be sad to see this go!

I'm sure for many it was their first looping coaster (It sure was mine) and for me it was my first Vekoma.

It shall be strange to see such a big plot of land with nothing standing on when the season re starts next year. The noise of the lifthill is not the most pleasent one but it is one that can be heard in some areas of the park and even in the toilets.

But, this does leave a decent amount of space and with Mutiny Bay/Project Dylan done by Merlin, this can only looking promising for the future.

:cry:
 
I love Corkscrew! Ok, you get a slight headache but oh well. It will be a stupid move from Alton if/when they remove it. :x
 
I wish we had more warning of it's removal so we actually had time to 'try' and enjoy it before it went. My last memory of it will be that it broke my digital camera that was in my pocket. :lol:
I hope they keep the two corkscrews as a memorial sort of thing. :)
 
Ian said:
I have no love or hate for this coaster. It's just a "meh" and I won't be swept up in the hype of it's removal just because it's at Alton Towers.

So yeah, it's a shame that one of AT's oldest attractions is going but as for the ride itself. meh.

This.

Also, it's confirmed that there will be a area re-theme for next year.
Ugland anyone?
 
Nah, the retheme of Ugland will happen when the new stuff goes in. Then it's an entire new area, with new ride(s). Retheming Ugland would ruin the 2010 'surprise'.

In my opinion anyway, Alton Towers are hard to second guess...
 
furie said:
Nah, the retheme of Ugland will happen when the new stuff goes in. Then it's an entire new area, with new ride(s). Retheming Ugland would ruin the 2010 'surprise'.

In my opinion anyway, Alton Towers are hard to second guess...

Yeah, never thought of that.
It would make more sense for them to market is as a new area with new rides etc.
 
i sure wil be sad to see this old fellow go as much as it did hurt.

does anybody know if any of it is going to go up for sale/auction because not being funny the money they could meke from selling the diffrent parts to enthusiasts could be large and then they could use the money to invest in the 2010 suprise?
 
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