Towers Loving Care

[Dungeon-X-Smile]

Yeah!! I love the idea of the monorails being themed to the Big 6 (soon big 7). It'd bring the park full circle a little more and it'd just be awesome. It would also make a great talking piece when entering the park and create some hype (which would make much more sense than jelly beans... can someone pls explain to me why that's a thing?)

I know this is going back a little, but I think it's really important for Alton Towers to keep Duel. I'll be the first to admit I'm one for history over new, but with everyone racing towards virtual reality (such as the ghost train), I feel it's important to keep some rides physical. There should be variety! I think that towers love and care could do a really good job at reviving old effects and simply keeping it going, cause soon in the future, when everything is VR this and that, we'll all be wanting physical tricks again. And this is why it's important that towers love and care deal with it instead of simply ripping it out and starting from scratch. 

[Zach]

I know this is going back a little, but I think it's really important for Alton Towers to keep Duel. I'll be the first to admit I'm one for history over new, but with everyone racing towards virtual reality (such as the ghost train), I feel it's important to keep some rides physical. There should be variety! I think that towers love and care could do a really good job at reviving old effects and simply keeping it going, cause soon in the future, when everything is VR this and that, we'll all be wanting physical tricks again. And this is why it's important that towers love and care deal with it instead of simply ripping it out and starting from scratch. 

Coming to the End of the season, TLC is becoming prominent again as Duel has been targeted (see what I did there) for a re-vamp this closed season. Now I don’t think it’s going to be a major over haul but I have to agree with S-x-S here, physical tricks and sights work well, theming, space and darkness are what makes Duel work well. Hopefully with re-vamp and re-fresh rather complete change Duel can once again be something fantastic, perhaps with a few new scares and sounds in there to keep public interest up. 

[jackf1tz]

Ha! Re-VAMP!

[Ripsaw Raver]

Im still hoping Sub Terra will find a place under TLC there are ways of making the ending scary/jumpy without actors, Think Krake-Lebt , Well time animatronics and strobes.It would be very sad to see Sub Terra SBNO for yet another year

[Justin]

The gates have closed, the water from Congo River Rapids has been drained and the smoke machine has been turned off on Rita. The 2017 season is now over, which means one thing... Towers Loving Care.

Returning for the third year, the TLC team will be making improvements to Duel this winter, but watch this space for even more updates.  I for one will be looking forward to the updates provided by the resort, but while we wait; what realistically would you like to see improve?

[MakoMania]

The Smiler queue line, please just sort out The Smiler queue line. Needs improved drainage, repainting and bins need to be installed. Looked like a junk yard at Scarefest.

[S.J_O'Grady]

-Theming back on River Rapids roof
-Sub Terra ready to reopen with improvements
-The Smiler queue line
-Tidy up some Battle Galleons theming
-I would say CCL but it needs far more than TLC

[Capt.Barnacles]

The bins were removed from The Smiler's queue line earlier this season, unofficially to do with the heightened threat of attack on the country at the time. They were never completely put back but a few were placed back in towards the end of the season. The queue is cleaned at the beginning and end of every day by the hosts of the ride, any mess you saw would have generated on the same day.
Much of the ride track/stanchions had paint touch ups during the LAST winter season, so I highly doubt it'll be any priority for this one. Take the rainbow staircase for instance. The only way that's staying visible and looking good is if its cleaned at the end of every single day. I promise you that is the last thing on any of the rides teams minds at the end of a day of dealing with guests. 
As for the drainage, this can't really be changed/upgraded easily at this point. It would require significant removal of fencing in the queue to access areas where the drainage channels are, or cutting fresh grooves in the concrete which would have a potential risk of severely damaging the now secure foundations for the ride stanchions. At the end of the day, that water can be easily swept away once the queue is empty.

[Dan]

The bins were removed from The Smiler's queue line earlier this season, unofficially to do with the heightened threat of attack on the country at the time. They were never completely put back but a few were placed back in towards the end of the season. The queue is cleaned at the beginning and end of every day by the hosts of the ride, any mess you saw would have generated on the same day.
Much of the ride track/stanchions had paint touch ups during the LAST winter season, so I highly doubt it'll be any priority for this one. Take the rainbow staircase for instance. The only way that's staying visible and looking good is if its cleaned at the end of every single day. I promise you that is the last thing on any of the rides teams minds at the end of a day of dealing with guests. 
As for the drainage, this can't really be changed/upgraded easily at this point. It would require significant removal of fencing in the queue to access areas where the drainage channels are, or cutting fresh grooves in the concrete which would have a potential risk of severely damaging the now secure foundations for the ride stanchions. At the end of the day, that water can be easily swept away once the queue is empty.

Sorry Dan but The Smiler on the whole is in such a state (it really pains me to say it such is my love for it)

The station building needs a good jetwash (as does the queue line); you can hardly tell the track/supports were touched up last winter as within a month they looked awful again; the second tv over the vertical lift needs re-installing; the marmaliser needs its effects fixing (bulbs out on the Flasher and the Tickler being stationary most of the time); the strip lighting on the stairs up to the station needs fixing and they need to turn the area music up again.

I’m sure there’s more that needs doing to it but that’s just a few things off the top of my head. Annoyingly you’re right about the drainage issue, that was just shoddy design and execution from the word go but it still doesn’t make puddle-hopping any better.

[Capt.Barnacles]

Oh don't get me wrong, by all means I agree the ride is in an awful state, it's just sad to think that there are reasons for believing that Merlin won't make it a priority this time round

[Justin]

The complete queue line certainly needs cleaning with a pressure washer at least. Ideally, the drainage should be sorted too, but in general, The Smiler still needs work as it feels tired. As Dan mentioned, the vertical lift hill screen has been missing all season and the effects on the Marmaliser need some TLC. Although work was done inside the station building, there is still more to be done. It is still my No 1 coaster, but it would be nice to see some time invested in it. 

X-Sector is an area which needs small adjustments though. For me taking down the hoardings in X-Sell would be a quick fix, ideally with a shop or at a push more arcade machines. I also think a little more theming is needed around the area, including the reintroduction of edited entrance boards. Oblivion's queue line also needs work with a little more theming.

[lewis97]

The restoration of the Pagoda Fountain was completed just before the end of the season, and CTD architects, the company who completed the project, have recently updated their website with details of the works they carried out, as well as some photos from throughout the process and a video of it fully functioning (which you may have seen on TowersTimes Facebook this evening).

[Justin]

It is certainly restored to its formal glory. Great to see that Alton are investing in the gardens (even if advised).

[Dungeon-X-Smile]

I'm so glad that this was restored! It looks so beautiful. I always find the little buildings within the gardens magical when I see them!

[Robert.W]

Towers Street yesterday posted pictures from around the theme park, one showing some work being carried out on Nemesis' station.
https://mobile.twitter.com/TowersStreet/status/939901804325818368

[Justin]

The Towers Loving Care Facebook page has posted for the first time, this year, with more updates planned from tomorrow!

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry we’ve been so quiet, we’ve been busy doing tons of Towers Loving Care projects all over the Resort! We will start posting about them tomorrow with pictures and magical info but for now here’s a tiny teaser of what’s to come...

[TheDuke]

The Towers Loving Care Facebook page has posted for the first time, this year, with more updates planned from tomorrow!

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry we’ve been so quiet, we’ve been busy doing tons of Towers Loving Care projects all over the Resort! We will start posting about them tomorrow with pictures and magical info but for now here’s a tiny teaser of what’s to come...

Woo it begins!

[Dan]

The Towers Loving Care Facebook page has posted an update on the restoration project currently taking place on the Grand Garden Conservatory.

The Grand Garden Conservatory completed c.1820
Designed for Charles Talbot the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury by Robert Abraham

This Grade II listed building forms part of the important layout and garden composition at Alton Towers and is architecturally significant. This restoration project cost alone is in excess of £1 million which is part of a continual investment programme we are very proud of here at the Alton Towers Resort.
Found on top of one of the shallower domes and central to the structure of it there is a colourful red pine cone surrounded by vivid green acanthus leaves. It’s actually made of stone and its weight and placement means the cast iron glazing bars around the central boss don't move an inch.The colours are informed by the landscape architect and specialist architectural paint analysis and evidence found when preparing the stonework. Acanthus are most seen in the Mediterranean so may have hinted at what was being grown inside, or that acanthus leaves often are used to represent long life and immortality. Either way, the beautiful restoration work undertaken on this feature was well worth the time and workmanship. More to follow soon...

[S.J_O'Grady]

And I thought it was a strawberry. 

[Justin]

Or a remodeled acorn from Ice Age.

In all seriousness, the Towers are part of what makes the resort, therefore it is very important for restoration to continue. The history should be preserved for future generations.