Baffles

Horizontal shooting mode on the iPhone is always good!

Great pics. Taron looks breathtaking and it's about a quarter done..

Thanks for the great report - I'm visiting here next week. £100 ($150) for two tickets - ouch! Hope it's worth it..

Fantastic photos. Especially loved the ones of the park (and more) from the tower.

Beautiful. I like how even the railings on the lift hill steps are custom.

All of the wing coaster inlines look like that - it's due to the strange position of the heartline. B&M just don't screw up with these kinda things..

Photo of the new lodges development 'Enchanted Village'. http://www.towerstimes.co.uk/blog/2015/01/07/mi7-strikes-again-alton-towers-resort-aerial-update-part-2/

Further photos of the base here: http://www.towerstimes.co.uk/blog/2015/01/06/mi7-strikes-again-alton-towers-resort-aerial-update-part-1/ Apparently it will be a Zamperla clone, not sure which model yet.

Attached is a pic of the beer hall - amazing atmosphere. The food is pretty genuine - bratwurst, currywurst, chocolate covered fruit etc - just damn expensive. Bavarian Village

Jee.. how fast does Ka go in that video!! No pause at the top!

Nice pics! You photographed our group on Balder during our ERT in the morning! As Robb has stated - the hospitality at this park is incredible, and I have never been somewhere where they treat fans so well.

It would not be such a bad thing if Cyclone went under the RMC treatment. Yes it is a classic, but ridership is low and generally it is not seen as an exciting ride by the GP. People ride, experience how uncomfortable it is and don't bother coming back.

The Swarm will be accessible from both directions in the future, when they develop the land on the adjacent island next it. Eventually this will form a loop and connect with the area behind Rumba Rapids. There's already a space for the future path between the low turnaround and final turn.

Some more photos of opening weekend here. As much as the rock work is missed - they have done a really good job with the Runaway Train.

Yes, but your opinion is irrelevant to a park - that wants a good looking, high capacity, reliable, fun ride that will still pull in the crowds like an Intamin can.

The trains on Vampire do not track half as well as the Arrow versions, and are a nightmare with capacity due to sticky restraints you have to pull down to release. Plus there's the seatbelts. Better off keeping the current ones - especially as they will have Banshee next door.

I liked the purple and green - that colour scheme seems to be in decline!

Love the bat head, such a beautiful design. Note that this was then used on Vampire at Chessington, before that was neutered! Do we know what is happening to the trains? Just a paint?

True - however they have not started putting them back yet. Nice update from the 20th here.

I love how they have slotted the ride in a tight space, but have been so sympathetic to the surroundings. It's a beautiful park.

Does anyone know how the park is doing now? I haven't been keeping that up to date, but last I heard is that the government were planning to close the railway line which serves the park, which was a bit of a concern!

Hmm, yes the Batmen may not have the scenery and the landscape, but they are equally as good as Nemesis in my books. The back to back loops and Zero-G are nuts.

I wouldn't say it is rough, but lots of shuffling is felt towards the back of the train. Like Saw, it has crazy transitions which just throws you around in the seat - and the OTSR's are not the most comfortable out there.

Ditto - it's a very photogeneic ride! Loved it, but have got serious bruises on my shoulders from four rides over the last two days.

In this instance though the dog is on the chain rather than the car. This also works as the anti rollback, and the magnetic brakes prevent the car from rolling backwards should the chain snap.