Gutted too, Corkscrew is a good ride and I've always defended it. Really don't know what else to say, but I'll definetely be there on 9th November.
Corkscrew: The End of an Era.
-
Luke
I am genuinely very shocked at this news, didn't think that this day would come for at least another 2 years in all honesty.
Gutted too, Corkscrew is a good ride and I've always defended it. Really don't know what else to say, but I'll definetely be there on 9th November.
Gutted too, Corkscrew is a good ride and I've always defended it. Really don't know what else to say, but I'll definetely be there on 9th November.
-
Kelly
- Member
- Posts: 2734
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:19 pm
I'm in too minds about this.
The part of me that absolutely LOATHES the ride, and believes it too be a waste of space, is delighted at the news, and welcomes it with open arms.
Then the other part of me. The part that loves the sound of the corkie lift hill as she enters UgLand, sparking off memories of her of her first visits to the park, is sad that that will disapear forever.
However much I hate riding Corkie, I will miss having it 'there'. Watching it while standing in the Rita Queueline, hearing the lifthill whir away as you approach. Will hopefully make it to the closing event, even just to hear that final 'whirrrrrr'.
The part of me that absolutely LOATHES the ride, and believes it too be a waste of space, is delighted at the news, and welcomes it with open arms.
Then the other part of me. The part that loves the sound of the corkie lift hill as she enters UgLand, sparking off memories of her of her first visits to the park, is sad that that will disapear forever.
However much I hate riding Corkie, I will miss having it 'there'. Watching it while standing in the Rita Queueline, hearing the lifthill whir away as you approach. Will hopefully make it to the closing event, even just to hear that final 'whirrrrrr'.
-
jonathan leake
- Member
- Posts: 314
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:59 pm
- Location: In the bin
- Contact:
Im going to try and get to this event i only rode the Corkscrew the first time this year as my dad told me to ride it. The last time my dad went to Alton Towers was when the Corkscrew was only 2 weeks old so im going to try and talk him in to taking me so we can both have a last ride.
R.I.P Corkscrew
R.I.P Corkscrew
-
Ash
- Member
- Posts: 5665
- Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 10:41 am
- Location: Stoke-On-Trent
- Contact:
This really is the end of an era for Alton Towers.
The ride that pretty much single handedly launched the UK theme park industry is on its way out!
Alas the 9th will be a sad sad day, and has been said in the news report if its not being sold i really do hope they keep part of the ride to help sculpt the entrance, or something of that nature.
And a leaving event as well, we are lucky.
"Note: Annual Pass holders receive entry to this event as part of their 12 month's unlimited entry."
So no wonder myself and Ryan saw Mr Wardley wandering all around the screw a few months back!
This ride was an icon, an icon for UK tourism, an icon for Alton Towers with its place set in history as the number one tourist destination in the UK and also an icon for Staffordshire and Stoke On Trent with Alton Towers being one of the cities biggest employers and its effects on the city far reaching in the train stations, the buses, the jobs, the job advertising billboards.
The collage under Stoke Station will never be the same again, but i do really, really hope they keep some sort of lasting memory of the ride, as well as replacing it with something that can hopefully become such an icon to the park and the city again. And hopefully, the council will be more leanient with planning laws knowing how much rests on this next installation!
Exciting, times ahead though!
The ride that pretty much single handedly launched the UK theme park industry is on its way out!
Alas the 9th will be a sad sad day, and has been said in the news report if its not being sold i really do hope they keep part of the ride to help sculpt the entrance, or something of that nature.
And a leaving event as well, we are lucky.
"Note: Annual Pass holders receive entry to this event as part of their 12 month's unlimited entry."
So no wonder myself and Ryan saw Mr Wardley wandering all around the screw a few months back!
This ride was an icon, an icon for UK tourism, an icon for Alton Towers with its place set in history as the number one tourist destination in the UK and also an icon for Staffordshire and Stoke On Trent with Alton Towers being one of the cities biggest employers and its effects on the city far reaching in the train stations, the buses, the jobs, the job advertising billboards.
The collage under Stoke Station will never be the same again, but i do really, really hope they keep some sort of lasting memory of the ride, as well as replacing it with something that can hopefully become such an icon to the park and the city again. And hopefully, the council will be more leanient with planning laws knowing how much rests on this next installation!
Exciting, times ahead though!
Last edited by Ash on Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
jonathan leake
- Member
- Posts: 314
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:59 pm
- Location: In the bin
- Contact:
-
PeteB
- Member
- Posts: 3500
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:02 pm
- Location: Sunderland
- Contact:
I'm not impressed! Why is it that Blackpool can acquire an enormous collection of rides far older than Corkscrew, but Alton Towers have to get rid of them?
Alton Towers are never going to expand if they only ever keep 6-7 coasters, and theres plenty of room in the grounds for major new rides.
I just hope that whatever replaces Corky will be a HUGE ride on par with the likes of Nemesis, Oblivlion or Air, and not some crappy little family ride.
Alton Towers are never going to expand if they only ever keep 6-7 coasters, and theres plenty of room in the grounds for major new rides.
I just hope that whatever replaces Corky will be a HUGE ride on par with the likes of Nemesis, Oblivlion or Air, and not some crappy little family ride.
Last edited by PeteB on Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
AstroDan
Because, unlike the Wild Mouse and Grand National, Corkscrew does not offer a very good ride anymore. Alton Towers should not live in the past, as sad as this is.
-
Craig
Aside from the view from the top and obvious nostalgic value due to its history, there's nothing that would really make me put it in the same class as some of Blackpool's selection of rides.
The first drop is "nice", nothing particularly special about it, the ride itself is nothing more than average (not to mention painful!) and the design is bog standard off the shelf, there's nothing really unique about it all.
Compare that with the likes of Revolution at Blackpool, which still gets me on that drop no matter how many times I go on it and Nash with it's relentless pace (one of very few woodies we have in the UK) I think it's unfair to take a dig at Alton for not keeping it.
Yes it gets the queues on busy days, but an increasing number of guests (including non enthusiast friends of mine) either moan about it or don't ride it at all now a days.
The first drop is "nice", nothing particularly special about it, the ride itself is nothing more than average (not to mention painful!) and the design is bog standard off the shelf, there's nothing really unique about it all.
Compare that with the likes of Revolution at Blackpool, which still gets me on that drop no matter how many times I go on it and Nash with it's relentless pace (one of very few woodies we have in the UK) I think it's unfair to take a dig at Alton for not keeping it.
Yes it gets the queues on busy days, but an increasing number of guests (including non enthusiast friends of mine) either moan about it or don't ride it at all now a days.
-
PeteB
- Member
- Posts: 3500
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:02 pm
- Location: Sunderland
- Contact:
[quote=""AstroDan""]Because, unlike the Wild Mouse and Grand National, Corkscrew does not offer a very good ride anymore. Alton Towers should not live in the past, as sad as this is.[/quote]
Well you could argue that point for every ride. In the next 5, 10 or 15 years will the likes of Nemesis, Air, Spinball or Rita no longer offer a good ride? In which case they must be removed...
Well you could argue that point for every ride. In the next 5, 10 or 15 years will the likes of Nemesis, Air, Spinball or Rita no longer offer a good ride? In which case they must be removed...
-
Craig
If and more a case of when the time comes for the likes of one of the "big three" to go, then so be it. AT are a business at the end of the day and if something is no longer financially viable to maintain then it needs to go. It's happened with Black Hole in the past, and now Corkscrew. I would imagine it'd need a hell of a lot of structural maintenance work doing soon, as well as brand new trains after the old ones are practically falling apart.
Blackpool have a reputation for tradition and hence they keep their old rides, whereas as Alton, as well as their family image have one for innovation. That reputation was kick started with Corkscrew, the introduction of which will never be forgotten. But, much has changed since then and it's time for it to make way for what I hope to be a massive new addition to put the park back in the headlines. Much in the same way the likes of Nemesis, Oblivion and indeed Corkscrew did.
Blackpool have a reputation for tradition and hence they keep their old rides, whereas as Alton, as well as their family image have one for innovation. That reputation was kick started with Corkscrew, the introduction of which will never be forgotten. But, much has changed since then and it's time for it to make way for what I hope to be a massive new addition to put the park back in the headlines. Much in the same way the likes of Nemesis, Oblivion and indeed Corkscrew did.
-
Luke
[quote=""AstroDan""]Because, unlike the Wild Mouse and Grand National, Corkscrew does not offer a very good ride anymore.[/quote]
... in your opinion. Some people, myself included still enjoy riding the Corkscrew, however rough it has become over the years.
... in your opinion. Some people, myself included still enjoy riding the Corkscrew, however rough it has become over the years.
Last edited by Luke on Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Spike
- Member
- Posts: 4271
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:14 pm
- Location: Curled up in Nemmies claws. Sound asleep and purring like a kitten.
It would be nice to see a part of the ride made into some kind of historic monument displayed somewhere, or is that too far? 
MY HAND IS A DOLPHIN!!! >:O
*Honest Cint!*
-
furie
- Member
- Posts: 926
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 9:50 am
- Location: Stafford
- Contact:
No, because they're also 'unique' do a degree.
What Blackpool has, and what many of the other Alton rides have is that you can't ride them anywhere else in the world.
Corkscrew was an off the shelf model, production line built and installed alongside another in the UK (which is STILL operating).
Love Corkscrew coasters? Go to Flamingoland and ride theirs to your hearts content.
Love The Nash, Nemesis or Oblivion... Go, erm... Well, there IS only one of them in the world. Yes, there are others of their type around the world, but none identical.
Also, the Corkscrew coasters were essentially throw away models (if £1.25 million can be classed as throw away
). They were built to run for as long as they could, until they became too expensive to maintain.
Fair play to Vekoma, they've done exceptionally well, but they're not even a 'static' ride. They don't have foundations or anything. They just aren't in the same kind of league as many other rides built as a fully integrated part of the park. Just because Alton have managed to eek out an extra amount of time from these coasters is no reason to keep it.
I'm sure that Oblivion, Nemesis, etc all have a 'lifespan'. Alton will have a date after which, they will no longer worry about replacing those rides - when they have paid back their cost. However, being more major installs, and better quality builds, they should give a very long time of good service.
It's sad to see the ride go as an 'icon' as Ash points out, but not sad to see it go as an actual ride.
I'll be there on the 9th, I was there in April 1980 - so it seems fitting - but I'm not going to massively lament the loss of the ride. I'll give it a good send off, but hurray for the advancement opportunity it gives.
What Blackpool has, and what many of the other Alton rides have is that you can't ride them anywhere else in the world.
Corkscrew was an off the shelf model, production line built and installed alongside another in the UK (which is STILL operating).
Love Corkscrew coasters? Go to Flamingoland and ride theirs to your hearts content.
Love The Nash, Nemesis or Oblivion... Go, erm... Well, there IS only one of them in the world. Yes, there are others of their type around the world, but none identical.
Also, the Corkscrew coasters were essentially throw away models (if £1.25 million can be classed as throw away
). They were built to run for as long as they could, until they became too expensive to maintain.Fair play to Vekoma, they've done exceptionally well, but they're not even a 'static' ride. They don't have foundations or anything. They just aren't in the same kind of league as many other rides built as a fully integrated part of the park. Just because Alton have managed to eek out an extra amount of time from these coasters is no reason to keep it.
I'm sure that Oblivion, Nemesis, etc all have a 'lifespan'. Alton will have a date after which, they will no longer worry about replacing those rides - when they have paid back their cost. However, being more major installs, and better quality builds, they should give a very long time of good service.
It's sad to see the ride go as an 'icon' as Ash points out, but not sad to see it go as an actual ride.
I'll be there on the 9th, I was there in April 1980 - so it seems fitting - but I'm not going to massively lament the loss of the ride. I'll give it a good send off, but hurray for the advancement opportunity it gives.
If you\'ve got a problem, stuff a worm in it!
Come and Visit the Family_Furie family review site here
Come and Visit the Family_Furie family review site here
-
Sam
- Member
- Posts: 4869
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 7:18 pm
- Location: People's Socialist Republic of Sheffield
- Contact:
It sounds a little silly but this genuinely felt like a bit of a bolt from the blue. Seeing this topic with no replies bleary eyed at about 10 in the morning surprised me :P. We all knew it was coming but it is still a bit of a shock to see "32 DAYS LEFT" clearly printed on the website. I don't like the ride, but I liked it being there - just not me going on it. I think this is how many of us felt. I think we all like the idea of Corkscrew but not the actual ride itself.
The other thing is, everyone always says "without Corkscrew their would be no AT and without AT their would be no Nemesis". Is this really true? Surely they would have installed an Arrow shuttle looper or Vekoma Boomerang instead, both of which would probably be giving a better ride today :P
Still, I bet Nemmie is getting a little worried...
The other thing is, everyone always says "without Corkscrew their would be no AT and without AT their would be no Nemesis". Is this really true? Surely they would have installed an Arrow shuttle looper or Vekoma Boomerang instead, both of which would probably be giving a better ride today :P
Still, I bet Nemmie is getting a little worried...
-
Ash
- Member
- Posts: 5665
- Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 10:41 am
- Location: Stoke-On-Trent
- Contact:
An interesting point has been brought up though, is ride being removed due to lack of space? Or this was the only place for the next ride of such calibre? Or was it really too much too look after it?
-
Spike
- Member
- Posts: 4271
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:14 pm
- Location: Curled up in Nemmies claws. Sound asleep and purring like a kitten.
[quote=""ShootTheCore""]
Still, I bet Nemmie is getting a little worried...[/quote]
She's fine I rang her this morning and her official comments were as follows..
"I ain't worried, that bitch is too old to hack it in this world and the sooner people realise that I'm just a skyride away to dish out some proper S&M punishment the better....She thought she was better because she was older than me well "who's laughing now bitch!!"... I ain't going anywhere and even if they do decided my "torture equipment" is to expensive then at least I will be SBNO for many years like old Holey, and I can be admired like the whore I am"
She seems to have taken the news rather well.
Still, I bet Nemmie is getting a little worried...[/quote]
She's fine I rang her this morning and her official comments were as follows..
"I ain't worried, that bitch is too old to hack it in this world and the sooner people realise that I'm just a skyride away to dish out some proper S&M punishment the better....She thought she was better because she was older than me well "who's laughing now bitch!!"... I ain't going anywhere and even if they do decided my "torture equipment" is to expensive then at least I will be SBNO for many years like old Holey, and I can be admired like the whore I am"
She seems to have taken the news rather well.
MY HAND IS A DOLPHIN!!! >:O
*Honest Cint!*
-
Sam
- Member
- Posts: 4869
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 7:18 pm
- Location: People's Socialist Republic of Sheffield
- Contact:
[quote=""Ash""]An interesting point has been brought up though, is ride being removed due to lack of space? Or this was the only place for the next ride of such calibre? Or was it really too much too look after it?[/quote]
I would guess part of it is simply down to guest complaints about roughness. It was getting to the point where it started to hurt and we know how stringent health and safety are about anything remotely likely to cause injury.
LOL @ the video on their site
"And all for only £2.50!"
How many inversions does this leave in the park now?
6, a quarter of our inversions have gone.
[quote=""Spike""]
"I ain't worried, that bitch is too old to hack it in this world and the sooner people realise that I'm just a skyride away to dish out some proper S&M punishment the better....She thought she was better because she was older than me well "who's laughing now bitch!!"... I ain't going anywhere and even if they do decided my "torture equipment" is to expensive then at least I will be SBNO for many years like old Holey, and I can be admired like the whore I am"
She seems to have taken the news rather well.[/quote]
Oh god Nemmy, you're still the only girl for me...
I would guess part of it is simply down to guest complaints about roughness. It was getting to the point where it started to hurt and we know how stringent health and safety are about anything remotely likely to cause injury.
LOL @ the video on their site
"And all for only £2.50!"
How many inversions does this leave in the park now?
6, a quarter of our inversions have gone.
[quote=""Spike""]
"I ain't worried, that bitch is too old to hack it in this world and the sooner people realise that I'm just a skyride away to dish out some proper S&M punishment the better....She thought she was better because she was older than me well "who's laughing now bitch!!"... I ain't going anywhere and even if they do decided my "torture equipment" is to expensive then at least I will be SBNO for many years like old Holey, and I can be admired like the whore I am"
She seems to have taken the news rather well.
[/quote]Oh god Nemmy, you're still the only girl for me...
-
Sanbrooke Productions
- Member
- Posts: 548
- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:39 pm
Very sad news and i didn't expect 2008 to be its last year. Hopuly this will let the resort expand with a new addition on the site for 2010. I will be there on the 9th 100% .
I feel quite upset.
and i didn't expect 2008 to be its last year. Hopuly this will let the resort expand with a new addition on the site for 2010. I will be there on the 9th 100% . I feel quite upset.
-
Anonymous
Horrray!!! At last its going , Thank god!
I will be pleased to see the back of it, I personally hate the thing and only ride it as there never seems to be a queue for it.
Should have been scrapped years ago.
I will be pleased to see the back of it, I personally hate the thing and only ride it as there never seems to be a queue for it.
Should have been scrapped years ago.