Planned But Never Built
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 6:29 pm
This topic is dedicated to the rides and attractions that were planned to be built but the plans ended up being scrapped, shelved or changed. For some of them there isnt much information out there so it would be great if anyone has anything to add.
Unknown 1988 ride - [1988]
in April 1988 Alton Towers submitted planning permision for a temporary ride next to the flag tower in (at the time) Coaster Corner. The application was refused and it is unknown what type of ride this was and to this day is a mystery.
http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov ... PKID=34888 - Link to application
Secret Weapon 1 - [1990]
Secret Weapon 1 was an Arrow Dynamics Pipeline roller coaster that was to be built on the site where Nemesis is today. The coaster was to have many inversions and was to go underground many times. John Wardely rode the Arrow prototype and found it very boring and not thrilling so scrapped the plans but revisited the pipeline coaster for secret weapon 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smJaSPbESD4 - Video of prototype Pipeline coaster
http://www.towerstimes.co.uk/history/th ... -weapon-1/ - Pictures of SW1's plans
Secret Weapon 2 - [1991]
Secret Weapon 2 was to also be an Arrow Dynamics Pipeline Roller coaster that was planned for the same place as SW1 but featured a different layout. These plans were also scrapped as the prototype wasnt thrilling enough.
Giant Schwarzkopf Coaster - [1991]
This roller coaster was designed by Schwarzkopf and was said to be built in the area next to or behind Corkscrew. It would feature 3 Lift hills, 2 of which were next to each other like a racer. It would have been very similer to Lisebergbanan at Lisebergpark and it was rumered to possibly be the biggest steel roller coaster ever built at the time. The coaster was possibly scrapped because of Schwarzkopf going bankrupt. It is thought that if the coaster was built, it would have been a "disaster".
Original Ripsaw - [1997]
Ripsaw was originally going to be called "The Screw" and featured more themeing.
Original Oblivion - [1998]
This drawing below was featured in the patent for the B&M dive machine. It is unknown if this was to be Oblivions original layout or if it was just a layout plan for the patent.
Balloon Ride - [2005?]
there was a balloon ride planned for the space where dynamo once was. It was also planned for at the time Cred Street. It was scrapped possibly due to being over tree height.
Cross Valley Wooden Coaster - [2005]
A wooden roller coaster was planned to stretch accross the valley from (at the time) Ug Land to Forbidden Valley. The coaster would have massive drops possibly reaching 200ft and could have had the largest drops on any wooden roller coaster in history. However, the plans submitted were withdrawn and the coaster was shelved for many reasons such as the noise it would create as well as the height.
http://www.towerstimes.co.uk/history/th ... n-coaster/ - More info on the coaster
Vertigo zip line - [2006]
There was a zip line planned to start from the top of the towers to the grass below. The plans were scrapped.
Original Th13teen - [2010]
There was many other layouts planned for Th13teen before the one we see today. They were not much different and only the outside was different.
Duelling Deadstars - [2010?]
Duelling Deadstars were two Technical Park Vortex rides planned to be built inside the Black Hole tent. The plans were scrapped.
RoboArms - [2010?]
Also planned for Alton Towers was to build many RoboArm rides. There was different plans to install these in many areas of the park aswell as new areas. Themes included the Dark Forest, rock blasting and robots. There was also Plans to install 10 of these in the Black Hole tent.
Katanga Canyon B&M Stand Up Coaster - [2013?]
John Wardley has stated that there was to be a giant B&M Stand up coaster that circled around Katanga Canyon and dived down into a big hole. It was scrapped possibly due to how massive and expensive it would have been.
Original Smiler - [2013]
John Wardley mentioned that the original smiler layout was almost the same but didnt reach up above the toilet block and was more compact than the layout we see today.
Others / More info needed
John Wardley also mentioned a few other wooden roller coasters were planned for Alton Towers these include:
Wallace and Gromit woodie - [2009] (unknown if this was for Alton Towers or another park)
"Spookie Horror Circus Woodie" (unknown if this was for Alton Towers or another park)
1001 Nights woodie - to be built on the site where 1001 Nights was
Towers Woodie - to be built next to the Towers
There was also mood boards that revealed many ideas for roller coasters that were considered for the Dark Forest instead of Th13teen:
Vertical Launch Coaster
A Tilt Coaster
An Inverted Coaster
Thats the main ones I can think of now. If anyone has any corrections or Information that would be very helpful.
Unknown 1988 ride - [1988]
in April 1988 Alton Towers submitted planning permision for a temporary ride next to the flag tower in (at the time) Coaster Corner. The application was refused and it is unknown what type of ride this was and to this day is a mystery.
http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov ... PKID=34888 - Link to application
Secret Weapon 1 - [1990]
Secret Weapon 1 was an Arrow Dynamics Pipeline roller coaster that was to be built on the site where Nemesis is today. The coaster was to have many inversions and was to go underground many times. John Wardely rode the Arrow prototype and found it very boring and not thrilling so scrapped the plans but revisited the pipeline coaster for secret weapon 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smJaSPbESD4 - Video of prototype Pipeline coaster
http://www.towerstimes.co.uk/history/th ... -weapon-1/ - Pictures of SW1's plans
Secret Weapon 2 - [1991]
Secret Weapon 2 was to also be an Arrow Dynamics Pipeline Roller coaster that was planned for the same place as SW1 but featured a different layout. These plans were also scrapped as the prototype wasnt thrilling enough.
Giant Schwarzkopf Coaster - [1991]
This roller coaster was designed by Schwarzkopf and was said to be built in the area next to or behind Corkscrew. It would feature 3 Lift hills, 2 of which were next to each other like a racer. It would have been very similer to Lisebergbanan at Lisebergpark and it was rumered to possibly be the biggest steel roller coaster ever built at the time. The coaster was possibly scrapped because of Schwarzkopf going bankrupt. It is thought that if the coaster was built, it would have been a "disaster".
Original Ripsaw - [1997]
Ripsaw was originally going to be called "The Screw" and featured more themeing.
Original Oblivion - [1998]
This drawing below was featured in the patent for the B&M dive machine. It is unknown if this was to be Oblivions original layout or if it was just a layout plan for the patent.
Balloon Ride - [2005?]
there was a balloon ride planned for the space where dynamo once was. It was also planned for at the time Cred Street. It was scrapped possibly due to being over tree height.
Cross Valley Wooden Coaster - [2005]
A wooden roller coaster was planned to stretch accross the valley from (at the time) Ug Land to Forbidden Valley. The coaster would have massive drops possibly reaching 200ft and could have had the largest drops on any wooden roller coaster in history. However, the plans submitted were withdrawn and the coaster was shelved for many reasons such as the noise it would create as well as the height.
http://www.towerstimes.co.uk/history/th ... n-coaster/ - More info on the coaster
Vertigo zip line - [2006]
There was a zip line planned to start from the top of the towers to the grass below. The plans were scrapped.
Original Th13teen - [2010]
There was many other layouts planned for Th13teen before the one we see today. They were not much different and only the outside was different.
Duelling Deadstars - [2010?]
Duelling Deadstars were two Technical Park Vortex rides planned to be built inside the Black Hole tent. The plans were scrapped.
RoboArms - [2010?]
Also planned for Alton Towers was to build many RoboArm rides. There was different plans to install these in many areas of the park aswell as new areas. Themes included the Dark Forest, rock blasting and robots. There was also Plans to install 10 of these in the Black Hole tent.
Katanga Canyon B&M Stand Up Coaster - [2013?]
John Wardley has stated that there was to be a giant B&M Stand up coaster that circled around Katanga Canyon and dived down into a big hole. It was scrapped possibly due to how massive and expensive it would have been.
Original Smiler - [2013]
John Wardley mentioned that the original smiler layout was almost the same but didnt reach up above the toilet block and was more compact than the layout we see today.
Others / More info needed
John Wardley also mentioned a few other wooden roller coasters were planned for Alton Towers these include:
Wallace and Gromit woodie - [2009] (unknown if this was for Alton Towers or another park)
"Spookie Horror Circus Woodie" (unknown if this was for Alton Towers or another park)
1001 Nights woodie - to be built on the site where 1001 Nights was
Towers Woodie - to be built next to the Towers
There was also mood boards that revealed many ideas for roller coasters that were considered for the Dark Forest instead of Th13teen:
Vertical Launch Coaster
A Tilt Coaster
An Inverted Coaster
Thats the main ones I can think of now. If anyone has any corrections or Information that would be very helpful.
