Towers Loving Care

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Robert.W
Member
Member
Posts: 1200
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 12:38 am

I really like all these! The coverings of the concrete blocks are pretty good, and do seem to show that the resort are thinking of all the small details! :)
Image

Image
Image
User avatar
Justin
Member
Member
Posts: 2703
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:51 pm

I'm a big fan of Leek Signs as they certainly seem to do a great job with signage around the park. It is most definitely the little finishing touches which add to the overall experience.
User avatar
Ladyofthelake
Member
Member
Posts: 2661
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 12:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Having done Duel at the weekend have to say I have mixed feelings about what they've done to it. As good as it is that it has got some much needed attention, I really don't like how some of the neon and UV paint has been done - in places it's just too much, almost garish. There are a fair few elements which are working again, which is good to see, and hopefully the trommel will be working again soon as mentioned in a previous post. However, there still seems to be a significant number of targets not working - I would have hoped something as fundamental to the ride as the targets would have been something that would have been 100% working. I also can't get used to the new soundtrack. For some reason, for me, it just doesn't fit with Duel, but it may be that I'm so used to the old soundtrack that hearing something different is just a shock to the system, maybe it'll grow on me through the season.
User avatar
Luce
Member
Member
Posts: 1653
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:53 pm
Location: Sussex

I agree with you about the Duel soundtrack Lakey, it doesn't seem right to have different music and I'm not sure I like it but maybe I'll get used to it over time.
Image
User avatar
lewis97
Admin
Admin
Posts: 4373
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:41 am
Location: Hertfordshire

The start of season round-up article, published on TowersTimes News this evening, contains lots of photos covering some of the TLC work that has taken place as part of the programme's latest cycle.

Nemesis
I'm aware Justin has already posted a few of these shots in the Nemesis - General Discussion topic, however these copies are of better quality and hursty has now had the chance to work his magic on them to show the Nemesis Monster off in all its freshly-painted glory.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Duel
Here's a look at the works to the attraction's exterior and its interior queue area.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Entrance Plaza & Towers Street
The enhancements to these areas has obviously been well-documented now, but here's a few photos anyway.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Grand Conservatory
I think these photos really speak for themselves in terms of showing off how stunning the Conservatory now looks. You can check out the full collection of images, along with a couple of other updates from the restoration process on the respective page in the Restoration Archive.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
Chris
Admin
Admin
Posts: 2645
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 8:38 pm
Location: London
Contact:

The conservatories are crying out for a nice tea room or coffee shop inside. Would be so nice for them to be utlised in some way.
User avatar
Zach
Member
Member
Posts: 804
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2012 11:53 am

Yes I agree, it has also been thrown around that they are exploring heritage tours as a possibility too.
Image
User avatar
Robert.W
Member
Member
Posts: 1200
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 12:38 am

I don't know if I remember correctly, but wasn't the Monorail supposed to get TLC last closed season? I know they added the safety railings, but was that all they did? I didn't notice any changes to the trains or the stations (apart from the updated Resort map and Wicker Man video on the TVs), which is a shame really. I would have loved them to give the actual trains some proper TLC.
Image

Image
Image
User avatar
jackf1tz
Member
Member
Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:18 pm
Location: Near Mutiny Bay

Agreed, them trains need a deep clean or to be totally replaced. There's algae on the windows, they leak and they're just not a nice way to start/end your day.
User avatar
Dan
Member
Member
Posts: 2339
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:08 pm

Theme Park Guide have documented that Twirling Toadstool, which has been closed under the guise of TLC in the past couple of years, appears to be in a state of disrepair.

Image

Image

Image

In the above pictures, you can see various parts for the ride, including the Toadstool, chains for the chairs and the queue-line fence, seemingly abandoned on the site where the ride used to sit.

It is sad to see another Alton Towers flat ride go, but I’m not at all surprised, given its absence from the ride lineup.
Image
User avatar
Joel Allen
Member
Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2017 2:16 pm
Location: Bedfordshire
Contact:

Shocking... I do hope toadstool somehow makes a return, but the way it’s been left like that… I have so many childhood memories from that ride and can only hope I’ve not seen the last of the toadstool.
User avatar
Bert
Member
Member
Posts: 360
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:36 pm
Location: Somewhere

That's another flat ride gone. Honestly I don't see why Merlin hate flat rides, the general public love them. How many flats are left in the park now? 3? That's the same amount as Chessington. 

Drayton and Thorpe each have 6 flats in each park, and they are a fraction the size of Towers. I honestly want to know why Merlin are getting rid of all these rides, Surely flats can't be expensive if chains like Cedar Fair and Six Flags are buying them in bulks. 
[Insert Signature Here]
User avatar
Justin
Member
Member
Posts: 2703
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:51 pm

The actual ride may still be intact. To be honest, it only looks like the fiberglass shell has deteriorated. There is the potential for it to return with a retheme or in a different position.
User avatar
Dan
Member
Member
Posts: 2339
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:08 pm

Justin wrote:The actual ride may still be intact. To be honest, it only looks like the fiberglass shell has deteriorated. There is the potential for it to return with a retheme or in a different position.
If they were planning on bringing the ride back, surely they would have dismantled and stored it away indoors where it wasn’t exposed to the elements?
Image
User avatar
Justin
Member
Member
Posts: 2703
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:51 pm

Possibly, but it would be exposed if operating. It certainly isn't the best way to store it :|
User avatar
TheBeornen
Member
Member
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2017 7:28 pm

I feel like right now it might be in limbo, people have been talking about CCL rethemes for a while and maybe Merlin are unsure if this ride will carry over or not.
Reassess your modern lives and ignite your senses.

The Wicker Man comes for us all.

Be Chosen...
User avatar
Justin
Member
Member
Posts: 2703
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:51 pm

Personally, I'd like to see it returned to Dark Forest where Ug Swingers was and rethemed to a tree.
User avatar
TheBeornen
Member
Member
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2017 7:28 pm

Maybe leaving it out to get all dirty and weather-beaten is just Merlin retheming it for Dark Forest on the cheap ahaha.
Reassess your modern lives and ignite your senses.

The Wicker Man comes for us all.

Be Chosen...
User avatar
AltonOperator
Member
Member
Posts: 364
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 6:46 pm
Location: Exactly 65.38 miles from Nemesis' entrance

Justin wrote:Personally, I'd like to see it returned to Dark Forest where Ug Swingers was and rethemed to a tree.
Well it seems to be only the main shell that is in serious disrepair so this could be a possibility. I can't imagine this part would be too difficult to replace, and a new one would be perfect if it was getting a retheme.
Image
Image
Thanks Jack
User avatar
MakoMania
Member
Member
Posts: 1612
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 10:29 am
Location: Who knows?

Didn't the park say on twitter a few weeks/moths ago that they intend to reopen Twirling Toadstool in 2019?
SeaWorld has rescued over 35,000 animals in need![/i]
Post Reply