Squirrel Nutty Ride construction photos

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Whilst browsing Flickr I came across a few interesting pictures of Squirrel Nutty whilst it was under construction and just after completion. It certainly looked great then, whereas now its just old and faded.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/themeddeve ... otostream/

If you scroll across the photostream you can discover some of the other work that this "themed developer" has done over the years, which includes theming for parks such as Chessington and Islands of Adventure.

Storybook Land is just one of the many original 90's themed areas at Alton Towers in dire need of some TLC. I hope we see it get the attention it deserves instead of becoming a Shrek land (or similar).

[seanyboyuk]

Great find!

Reminds me of the days of so much excitement and progress going on in the park! I queued 2 hrs for the nutty ride on my first ever visit to AT!

[Stelios7]

It looks so Magical!

Thanks for this!

[.Will]

[quote=""Flickr""]Squirrel Nutkin[/quote]

Fail.

:no:

[Stelios7]

[quote="".Will""][quote=""Flickr""]Squirrel Nutkin[/quote]

Fail.

:no:[/quote]

I found that quite amusing actually.
:P

[.Will]

I did too. I was just pointing out the fact that it is an epic fail.

:P

[Stelios7]

Indeed.

[AstroDan]

Back when magic oozed out of every corner of Alton Towers!



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[oldgitBEN]

what was that little shop?

[themealgang]

Not the first time I have heard Squirrel Nutty to be called" Squirrel Nutkin"! #-o

Anyway, great find here so thank you. Storybook Land certainly looked the business back in '96! Wasn't this ride originally powered by the riders through them pedalling, or is that just me?

[atarobert97]

Wow great thanks for finding loving them.

[djtruefitt]

[quote=""themealgang""]Not the first time I have heard Squirrel Nutty to be called" Squirrel Nutkin"! #-o

Anyway, great find here so thank you. Storybook Land certainly looked the business back in '96! Wasn't this ride originally powered by the riders through them pedalling, or is that just me?[/quote]

There was a discussion about that recently, and I think the pedals didnt very little if anything. They were mainly there for show (and for kids to have a bit of fun really).

[.Will]

Why do people call it Squirrel Nutkin? Where do they get it from?

[djtruefitt]

[quote=""oldgitBEN""] what was that little shop? [/quote]

Im not to sure what it was then, but on this old photo from TTF it was a shop next to the ice tent, they have just taken the shop front out. Im not really sure if its still open now as the ice tent is closed.

[Big Dave]

In peter rabbit time, it was a gift shop. Later it got modified and was a sweet shop.

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[Sam]

Wow, in those days Alton was installing theming that nearly came up to the standards of Efteling! It all looks so fresh!

[Squiggles]

[quote=""oldgitBEN""] what was that little shop? [/quote]

Like Big Dave said, Ginger and Pickles originally opened as a gift shop where you could buy all sorts of Beatrix Potter goodies. It was also home to Peter Rabbit's burrow where you could have your photo taken with the Rabbit himself.

After Peter left, the front was knocked through to become the entrance to the ice arena (the entrance had originally been through the tree next door), with obligatory shop.

[quote="".Will""]Why do people call it Squirrel Nutkin? Where do they get it from?

[/quote]

I believe the original project name was Squirrel Nutkin (obviously named after the Beatrix Potter character) and it is called that more or less universally by the companies that worked on Storybook Land.

[AltonTowersNerd]

Great pics from the past, shame i couldn't visit from alton towers in the younger years. But i am listening to the Peter Rabbit and Friends, through a converted MP3. Its great to see that show in the background.