Bring Back the Park Railway.....

[sku11dude123]

The route should be the same from the 1990 park map. The train should be more magical and colourful and the station could play happy music

[dmmosh1]

Personaly I would love to have this back and have it go to forbidden valley, im not sure of its route but hasnt a chunk of it been taken by the haunted hallow ?

[LordOfDarkness]

Pretty sure they still have one Loco somewhere, Just they ripped up the track and replaced it with haunted hollow...

[crofty2009]

yes please.

i love railways, and i think the park really does need a second form of transport as a backup and support for the sky ride during busy periods.

i would turn it into a loop, it could run down into the valley and back up on the towers side with stations at the gatehouse, adventure land, mutiny bay and near forbidden valley.

this also wouldn't require the removal of too many trees as the railway is of a small gauge, it should also provide a nice way to view the park and gardens.

[crofty2009]

i have been doing some digging and i found this video of the towers from the 60's which featured an overhead view of the railway:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=2129

[The its man]

No offence, but it's not coming back. There was a topic not a while back about them selling off the loco in 2010 and, as already said, a large chunck is now occupied by haunted hollow. Besides, I couldn't see Merlin doing this :P

[seanyboyuk]

I doubt the park would have something like that again im afraid. The next transport system to be installed will be a round the park system to replace the cable car more than likely but that wont be happening soon either.

[BigAl]

Hmm how about a train that went from the Farmyard, to Adventure Land then off up to Cloud Cukoo land? That would link all the children's areas on that side up. It could go from the old ice show tent (open the shop back up there for it too) then over the Beastie site then down through the tress under the maintenance road and then up again and continue through the trees, then across the path near the toilets leading up to the Towers, turn down the side path along the Towers and then through the trees and under one last tunnel under the maintenance road before finishing up at a new train station in coaster corner. It would be a task getting something like that done but a train appeals to adults, not just children. It would also show many parts of the Towers that guests wouldn't normally see. These sorts of trains are very popular wherever you see them, right from village fête's and garden centres to much larger tourist models. Alton Towers was a very traditional style visitor attraction before it became the theme park we see today so a return of some more nostalgic attractions might be a good move for them. People have fond memories of some of these old attractions and new generations could be creating their own.

In my honest opinion though, the big Merlin corporation that owns Alton Towers don't really care about nostalgia when it would cost that much to bring something of this scale to life. There's nothing in it for them (unless they charged for it) and business is business. No matter how much we'd like to see a train it's highly unlikely we ever will whilst Merlin is still in control. It's a shame they don't realise that Alton Towers is a firm British icon and holds a place in many peoples hearts and that there are more things in life than lining their own pockets. £5 to park your car when there's nowhere else to park it just proves how down right greedy they really are!

[mrbrightside]

But, however much we all bemoan Merlin - their big business model and thus their big pockets have saved AT from turning into a steaming turd pile. They run the place as a business and for the most part they do a damn good job. Yes, they upsell, and yes they overcharge - but if they weren't making a healthy profit then they'd just be desperately trying to sell the place.

Whilst a train might be a nice attraction for children, and I like the idea you have said... I don't think it's fair to say Merlin don't care about the place because they're too busy money grabbing.

[Stelios7]

I think BigAl's idea is great, very good.

But, I could see Tussauds doing it, but were in the Merlin days now.

[BigAl]

With the likes of [s:1qsnlosa]Fanta[/s:1qsnlosa] X-Sector and so many other sponsor's advertisements, the extortionate price for pretty much everything, the lack of any decent theming compared with other world class theme parks, lack of many quality attractions installed, no care for some of the existing attractions (X-Sector), only a handful of decent places to eat. I understand they need some profit to keep all the attractions they own running but if they sacrificed some of that profit for the attractions we'd have a much better theme park. Who the hell pays £15 to park their car a bit nearer to the theme park entrance? I want to go to a theme park to escape the outside world but when there's so many adverts and products being shown to you it just makes me feel like I'm still in the real world. Remember when we had Nemesis and Toyland Tours in the same year? Remember when we had the Runaway Mine Train and the Haunted House in the same year?

[CoasterCrazyChris]

[quote=""BigAl""]With the likes of [s:9yffezvw]Fanta[/s:9yffezvw] X-Sector and so many other sponsor's advertisements, the extortionate price for pretty much everything, the lack of any decent theming compared with other world class theme parks, lack of many quality attractions installed, no care for some of the existing attractions (X-Sector), only a handful of decent places to eat. I understand they need some profit to keep all the attractions they own running but if they sacrificed some of that profit for the attractions we'd have a much better theme park. Who the hell pays £15 to park their car a bit nearer to the theme park entrance? I want to go to a theme park to escape the outside world but when there's so many adverts and products being shown to you it just makes me feel like I'm still in the real world. Remember when we had Nemesis and Toyland Tours in the same year? Remember when we had the Runaway Mine Train and the Haunted House in the same year?[/quote]

I have to agree.

They harp on about "escapism" but every brand under the sun seems to be shoved under your nose in every part of the park. In places it feels like your at a fun fair, or much worse, your local high street.

As ludicrous and snobby as it may sound I sometimes wish there weren't offers and deal around for cheap entry, just so the park won't feel the need to upsell as much and the majority of those who have no respect for anything or anyone (chavs) are kept away.

The sad thing is the majority of visitors to Alton Towers (and most major UK theme parks) are only looking for a day of cheap thrills and ride cramming, with the opportunity to consume as much junk as possible along the way. Alton Towers are only advertising what they think people want. And lets face it, people buy cheap merchandise, bags of sugary snacks, fizzy drinks and fast food by the bucket load at Merlin parks. If anything, people want to indulge more in their favourite brands at a theme park than at home and during their daily routine.

There was a very brief period beginning around 1998 when 'magic' met commercialisation and they worked in harmony together. This was demonstrated with Oblivion and, to an extent, Air. There were high street brands, but integrated almost seamlessly into the fabric of the park.

There are people who notice the state of Alton Towers today with its highly commercialised ways - but they don't care because to them, at the end of the day, it is just a theme park.

It's a great shame that many families nowadays seem to accept that being ripped off is acceptable at theme parks, and as for most people its a once annually occasion, seem to embrace this. Especially if there are kids in tow. That's not to say they won't have a quiet moan about it afterwards.

The 90s, whilst leaving a huge legacy at Alton Towers, are long gone. Highly themed experiences and eateries, authentic merchandise and subtle branding is not what the public care for anymore. Neither are old locomotives.

[seanyboyuk]

Does anybody think its not possible that the monorail will be brought into the park when the new entrance is built and it is used as the sole form of transport around the park? Surely there is enough track already to cover the whole of the park? Of course new footers would have to be placed for the track and stations etc but i think it would be cheaper than looking for a new form of transport. While the cable car is good its not good for the whole of the park and it does need replacing soon i think.

[TowersJake]

This would be great as it gives visitors a different type of transport and more magical way from the skyride. You can experience and see the beautiful gardens, it would be much better as people often moan walking through the gardens as they get tired, maybe using the old route, this would be so magical .

[TowersJake]

[quote=""seanyboyuk""]Does anybody think its not possible that the monorail will be brought into the park when the new entrance is built and it is used as the sole form of transport around the park? Surely there is enough track already to cover the whole of the park? Of course new footers would have to be placed for the track and stations etc but i think it would be cheaper than looking for a new form of transport. While the cable car is good its not good for the whole of the park and it does need replacing soon i think.[/quote]

A monorail wouldnt be needed on park it would also look out of place and wreck the scenery. We already have the skyride which completes it mainly if it is open. But a park railway would be another nice optional way.

[BigAl]

It would take up too much space too. A railway is more traditional and would fit in with the gardens, etc...