AstroDan

Delighted to see Winjas so high (even if I only rate Fear...!). However, I think the poll is terribly unfair on other Maurer Spinners... Dragons Fury was very high last year (top 40) but this year has been lumped with Tarantula, Spinball Whizzer etc. when they're all different rides. Why is Crush allowed a spot when it's basically a cloned travelling model!?!

Alton Towers Almanac have reported that the codename for Alton Towers' 2010 project is to be "Secret Weapon 6". For those of you not aware, the SW's have been Alton's biggest developments to date (Rita was not a SW, it was comparitavely low budget). SW3: Nemesis (1994) (B&M Invert) SW4: Oblivion (1998) (B&M Dive Machine) SW5: Air (2002) (B&M Flyer) SW6: TH13TEEN (2010) This is a major piece of news and confirms that Alton Towers' are set to embark on an 18-month construction programme from November 2008 on the site of Corkscrew and further over into Ug Land. All previous SW's have been constructed by Bolliger & Mabillard although this is by no means confirmation of any manufacturer for 2010. I believe a number of names are in the frame, although funding appears to have been secured.

I don't think a Eurofighter is on the cards for Alton Towers. RE: Corkscrew - it is rumoured that the double inversions will be retained and be placed as some kind of lasting monument to the ride which started it all. Ug Swinger is likely to be moving to Cred Street, which would leave only Rita for 2009 - allowing lots of development time for a 2010 attraction.

Corkscrew is a poor rollercoaster and it's right to remove/replace it. But there's no denying the impact it had in Britain - it was the foundation for everything Alton Towers has become today. A very important day in rollercoaster history in the UK, and a very sad day at the same time. Alton Towers is losing a true warrior, a dinosaur - it will never be the same again. As an ex Corkscrew ride host, it's quite emotional in all honesty! I look forward to the special day on 9th November.

1> Nemesis 2> Black Mamba 3> Nemesis Inferno 4> ? 5> ?

Detonator, at Thorpe Park. Oblivion, at Alton Towers. Apocalypse, at Drayton Manor.

Glad to see EGF has improved. We (Towers Times) visited as part of our Tipi Trouble trip to Phantasialand, Holiday Park & Europa-Park in August 2007 and hated the place - we left at 3.30pm it was so bad and we didn't even rate EGF (it was our first time there)... I guess it comes and goes from amazing one year to meh the next. We even considered Silver Star better in some respects! Shock! Horror! Still, great pics.

The good thing is at least, Alton Towers would not let that happen. The management are very good at ensuring that trains are all in working order, and even on quiet days, coasters tend to run on two trains or more. On the odd occasion that say one of the 'Screw trains needs maintainence work, the queue can reach 45 minutes...

I think fans of the park would like to perhaps see one of the Corkscrew elements take up residence in some kind of garden as a lasting memorial. The ride may suck, but its place as the foundation stone for Alton Towers cannot be underestimated!

From inverted coasters I have been on: 1. Nemesis 2. Black Mamba 3. Nemesis Inferno 4. Kumali 5. Infusion

The ride is in need of major refurbishment at the end of the next season. This would require replacement of both the trains and some other work. In total, the cost for all this would be considerable, and it is likely that the park will simply remove it in favour of a replacement attraction - most likely a rollercoaster. It is no secret that John Wardley (designer of Nemesis, Air & Oblivion) along with a number of senior managers and other industry dignitaries have been spotted on a frequent basis, holding various plans - in the Ug Land area over recent weeks. I would put money on the ride going by the end of next season - possibly even earlier. 2010 is Alton Towers' 30th anniversary. Something big could well be in the works.

This rollercoaster will be a Mack Ride. I envisage a RnR style launch followed by a Maverick style layout. However, it is not true that only Silver Star is not Mack. Vindjammer is Huss, Fjord Rafting is Intamin, Euro-Tower is Intamin, Crazy Taxi and London Bus are Zamperla

We had a chat with the assisting general manager (could be the same guy you saw, Michael Von Byern?) in May when I went over with Towers Times, and he said he couldn't give much away at the stage, but that it would be a coaster aimed more at the thrill market. I do feel that EP is nice the way it's so non inverted, but I can't help but feel this ride is vital given the thrill rides arriving at Phantasialand and at Disneyland Paris.

This will be a Mack prototype. In any case, there's plenty of Intamin Accelerator's in Europe as it is.

The following has appeared on Europa's website today, 7th July 08: http://www.europa-park.de/lang-en/c1160/default.html 2.5 seconds, which change your life! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. Everything depends on your point of view! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. You are allowed to panic - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. Start your spin cycle! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. Take off like a bat out of hell... in 2.5 seconds! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. Spinning (panic) allowed! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. Start your spin cycle! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009. Not really inverted! - The ride of your life: World's first 2009.

Europa-Park is a better park than DLP in my view. Great pictures, I can't wait to get back. Staying the the Colosseo's Presidential Suite in May!

I am quite suprised by the results this year. Obviously a lot of you havr ridden Eagles Fortress and it must be good, the POV does look good (I must confess never to having heard of it). I'm a bit gutted to see Nemesis drop from 3 to 6, especially that it's not even new coasters that have pushed it out! I really must get on Katun now if it's better than Nemesis. As for others, Black Mamba at 30 is far too low. For me, it was nearly up there with Nemesis and should be between 10 and 15 at least.

Well it isn't doing anyone any harm, and anyway, people who arrive as a Pirate will get 1/2 price admission. I think it's pretty cool anyway, should be a laugh. *prepares outfit*

www.altontowersworldrecord.com Alton Towers are attempting to get 1,200 pirates on park on opening day to co-incide with the opening of Mutiny Bay on Saturday, 15th March 2008. It sounds like it should be a right laugh this! It's nice to see Alton Towers getting into the swing with their marketing - check out the 8-page spread in The Sun on Wednesday!

You may think Thorpe was busy, but there were actually only 3,500 there on opening day - which is less than were at Alton Towers where the longest queue was 15 minutes for Air... Indeed, Alton Towers attratced over 6,000 guests the weekend just gone (23/24 Feb) yet queue's were still low with 15 minutes for Air & Spinball Whizzer whilst Nemesis & Oblivion were less than 10 minutes all day. I was at Thorpe on this day too, and waited 1 1/2 hours for Stealth. It's a pity the park seem to have these problems - after last season I thought they may look to get off to a good start. You just never seem to be able to go to Thorpe and not have to wait!

Alton Towers intend to re-invigorate the Merrie England area of the park for the 2008 season. After a fairly "challenging" 2007 season with the appalling weather reducing gate figures along with the really mediocre new additions (Haunted Hollow and Dung Heap) the park will clearly be hoping for better stuff next season. As part of the parks current trend to lure more families into the resort, it is hoped to transform Merrie England into a newly themed Pirate adventure zone. The Tea Cup ride will be re-themed and a new kiddie round-ride introduced. The rumoured star attraction will be a new large scale Splash Battle which will be well themed. All of this is subject to planning approval in the coming weeks. There will also be entertainment, shopping and food outlets. Thoughts? PS: Just to tag on, in case you didn't know the parks halloween microsite is now up at www.altontowers.com/halloween - enjoy!

I wouldn't say Silver Star sucks... sure it may not have the airtime or layout of EGF, but it's still one of the better European coasters. It was my first hyper outside of Blackpool, so it was amazing for me at the time - and to this day it's still a great ride. Ticks boxes for Europa, anyway. It seems a shame that EGF, like Silver Star, is prone to damage from over use of Trim Brakes... Maybe Holiday Park have been chatting to Europa?

From coasters that I have ridden and, bare in mind this can change at any given moment (and it no doubt will given my trips to Holiday Park & Phantasialand next month!): 10> Nemesis Inferior, Thorpe Park 9> Tonnerre de Zeus, Parc Asterix 8> Euro Mir, Europa-Park 7> Grand National, Blackpool Pleasure Beach 6> Rock n Roller Coaster, Disney Studios Paris 5> Stealth, Thorpe Park 4> Rita - Queen of Speed, Alton Towers 3> Oblivion, Alton Towers 2> Silver Star, Europa-Park 1> Nemesis, Alton Towers

There are certainly parks in Europa that have unthemed rides - take Expedition Ge Force, for example. Or Super Wirbel - both at Holiday Park. You could take a check on some of the North European parks - or those at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, or even the smaller English parks. The Tussauds parks generally have theming on their rides, albeit loose in some cases (Rita, Spinball Whizzer, Stealth) - but it is there. Continental Europe certainly houses some fabulous theming (Black Mamba, Winjas, Poseidon, Euro Mir) and some parks have great theming - such as PortAventura, Europa-Park and Phantasialand. Although we can still do 'car park coasters' - check Silver Star as an example of this.

I am sure at the Towers at one point it was being referred to as XRT (exclusive ride time)? Daily from 9:00-10:00, there is an ERT session for Annual Pass Holders and Hotel guests to ride a selection of attractions. At the start of the season it was Nemesis, Air and Blade. Now it is Oblivion, Spinball Whizzer and Beastie and come the autumn/fall it will go to Rita, Corkscrew and Ug Swinger.