snoflake15

^^ There's some space beside the Science Centre for some holiday cottages!

^ agreed on the transport issue. It was perfectly accessible for those wanting to go. From my point of view it was missing a big attraction to pull in the punters. By the way without being insulting to anyone, can you think of anything worse than a holiday lodge in Galston?

You've taken that too far!

Divv - I suppose I am an example. My visits this year: Alton Towers 1 Loudoun Castle 0. I don't think it's location is that much of an issue. It's not that much further from Glasgow than M & D's. And look at how inaccessible AT is. If a park is worth going to it will get visitors whatever the location.

When I look at the original ride and the Italian and French equivalents one word springs to mind.... DANGEROUS!!!!

I suppose I can't complain given it's almost on my doorstep and I've only been there once. It was way nicer than M & D's which I also tend to avoid.

Scotland already had a poor selection of parks and it has just got worse! http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks/end-of-the-ride-for-theme-park-1.1058668 "One of Scotland’s most popular theme parks has been forced to close its doors after a cash crisis. The Loudoun Castle theme park, which boasted 25 fairground rides, has shut permanently after the owner said the park “was no longer economically viable”. The closure will see 11 full-time and more 100 seasonal part-time posts axed. Dutch owner Henk Bembom blamed a looming VAT increase, bad weather and the rise in publicly-funded tourist attractions for his decision to shut the 600-acre park, near Galston, Ayrshire, The theme park, which has been owned by Mr Bembom for seven years, is popular with families from all over the West of Scotland and beyond. It has the UKs biggest portable rollercoaster among its many rides, an animal park for younger visitors, restaurants and cafes as well as daily diving shows. Last year the Galston site played host to Europe’s biggest celebration of 80s music – Retrofest, after a late switch from Glasgow. Acts such as ABC, Gloria Gaynor, Midge Ure and Showaddywaddy played to a crowd of thousands in August. But even that left the owners out of pocket after the organisers went to the wall. Mr Bembom, 52, said today: “I would like to thank all our staff for their unwavering loyalty and support over the years.” The Dutchman – who reportedly invested £9 million at Loudoun – told staff and the local authority the site was shutting down earlier this week. Council bosses have held a meeting with Mr Bembom in an attempt to come up with a rescue package to save some, or all of the threatened jobs." The council’s planning chief, Alan Neish, said: “Countless families have enjoyed this major attraction over the years and we are heartened to learn that Mr Bembom plans to take the park in a new direction. “We look forward to discussing his new proposals in the near future.” A spokesman for VisitScotland said the closure was “disappointing”. But East Ayrshire Council council claimed Mr Bembom was not pulling out and that luxury holiday lodges could now be built in the grounds of the country park.

Adding a tunnel plus effects would really add something to the ride. I suspect they may make do with just reversing the cars though. Wasn't the '10 foot' quote '10 foot from the brakes' by the way?

^ I was there in 2006 and was really disappointed with the state of the park. I went last month and I saw a massive improvement.

That video shows that it really isn't going that far up the track at all at the moment. If it hopes to make a real impact facing down it will need to go higher imo.

^ & ^^ I should have known there would be even more pedantic people on here than me.

Great TR but just to be picky and FYI Dr Who lives in a blue phonebox not a red one.

I find the whole refill thing cumbersome and as has been said already I prefer to travel light. At Alton Towers last week my brother got a refill cup, stuck it in his bag (stupid I know ) and it leaked over his 2 souvenir photos. He found it out just before we got on Oblivion and I quickly had to put it to the side of the ride only to see it leaking all over the floor under the area for the bags. Stuff the environment, the souvenir and the added cost. Individual drinks for me always.

^^ Not sure a Eurofighter would meet the expectations of those spoilt SFMM regulars.

Would it be too early to have a bigger version of Th13teen? And without the hype!

^ In fairness the same thing would happy in Scotland if we needed queue lines long enough! I would hope that something more fruitful could be done with the area black hole was in. As it stands it's a gloomy reminder of times gone by.

I visited AT on Friday. I had a great day. I will do a wee TR but will start with my opinion on Trimteen and end with a couple of questions if you can't be bothered reading my ramblings. Firstly Trimteen. The outside part of the ride was a real disappointment. Completely unmemorable. The indoor part was good fun and redeemed the ride a bit but as has been said time and time again on here it was not worth the hype. or the hour's queue even getting there at 1015. Would have liked to have got back on it to give it a second opinion but the queues were long all day even at closing. As for the rest of the day I fell back in love with AT. I was there in 2006 and felt the park was tired and dirty looking. On Friday I felt it was tidier, despite the crowds and there seemed a better atmosphere than last time. Since 2006 I have been to SFMM and KBF and thought the low ride versions may be dull but actually Oblivion and Air in particular were better than I remembered. We had ERT for an online booking so headed straight for Rita. Got on there quick and queued for 13 (did it that way cos my young nephew wasn't going on 13 but did go on Rita). Apart from 13 we had fasttracks for pretty much everything else which we needed due to the queues. Got on Hex, then Oblivion, Rapids, Mine Train, Flume, Duel, AIr, Nemesis x 2, Ripsaw, Oblivion x 2, Submission then Rita again. Air was slow in dispatching - 70 min wait at 4pm and only had one car each side. Is it normally more than that? Oblivion was dispatching very quickly. Nemesis was dispatching well but two of the staff flirting at the main queue meant more gaps for single riders which is how we got our second ride on it. Sonic had long lines all day - a minimum 45 minute wait even at closing. That was the only ride I missed out on. My questions: 1) Was it just me or is Nemesis getting a bit rougher in her old age? 2) Why do they still have the outer casing for the Black Hole? 3) Why do morons feel the need to grafitti the fences in the lines for 13?

Making the trip tomorrow so can't wait to try out 13 to give my uneducated view on it. Any tips for getting round the park these days? We have ERT at 9am but that's just Nemesis and Oblivion (of the thrill rides). I was thinking Oblivion then get to Rita and 13 early before the crowds. We have scream fasttracks so can get on nemesis and air whenever. Good strategy or is there a better way?

My first ever credit is probably the closest I can get to claiming a 'rare' one. It was the Coca-Cola Roller at the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988. http://www.rcdb.com/2873.htm It only had that guise for one summer although I accept it lived a long life as other things.

Thinking of heading to AT this friday. Can any of the regulars tell me how busy it is likely to be? Thanks in advance.

It would also be an improvement if the cars could be more open. If you're not in the front row you don't get much of a view of anything. Could they make the cars floorless?

I am hoping to be back across in California next summer and if I do I will get to go to one park (my wife doesn't do coasters). I loved KBF when I went last year but unless it had a new coaster I am more likely to return to SFMM particularly if they have tarted up S:TE. But hey that's just my opinion.

^^ I liked that noise.

Were the OTSR's in case it knocked down any more terrorists? *ducks for cover expecting that joke has probably been cracked several times in the previous 1300 pages* Living the UK it simply defies belief that even those for whom SFMM is their local park they can still criticise it. Probably any of the top 10 coasters at SFMM would be a MAJOR attraction in the UK. And most wouldn't be allowed anywhere near AT for height reasons.

If that had been me I would have asked the park to refund me for the new underwear I would have needed.