Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / STAFFORDSHIRE
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

11:48 GMT, Thursday, 2 October 2008 12:48 UK

Iconic ride is to be dismantled

Corkscrew

An iconic rollercoaster at Alton Towers is to be taken down to make way for something bigger and better, bosses at the Staffordshire theme park have said.

The 28-year-old Corkscrew, which cost £1.25m, was Europe's first double-looped rollercoaster.

It has carried an estimated 43.5 million people and will be ridden for the last time on 9 November.

Bosses said rollercoasters had changed a lot in the last 30 years and it was time for a replacement.

The ride, which reaches speeds of up to 44mph (70km/h), opened on 4 April 1980.

Russell Barnes, from the theme park, said: "The corkscrew has played a key part in the heritage of the Alton Towers Resort, and I am sure millions of our guests will look back with fond memories of the first time they were inverted upside down, twice within three seconds.

"We are extremely proud to have hosted Europe's first double helix rollercoaster, but it is now the right time to say goodbye to the attraction as we look forward to continuing to pioneer fantastic family entertainment of the future."




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Theme park considers rain control (29 Aug 07 |  Staffordshire )
Theme park visitors can be tagged (15 Apr 06 |  Staffordshire )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Alton Towers
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©