Project - Alton Towers Black Hole
Structure
Client - Alton Towers - Location - Staffordshire,
UK - Year - 1983
A Steel framed, PVC clad structure to house
the famous 'Black Hole' ride. The Black Hole was a mysterious ride that
was hidden away from the prying eyes of riders and spectators alike as
the he six hundred metre long ride took place in almost total darkness
with the only illumination came from stars and asteroids. It was a vast
undercover roller coaster, where you travelled through helixes upwards
until you were completely disorientated and then suddenly you were
dropped straight down a fifteen metre drop into the Black Hole
itself.
To build this ride, the rail framework had to be
covered completely with a canopy, but not before a quarter of a million
tonnes of soil had been dug away from the hillside. The ride was
originally green and yellow, but in 1998 when Oblivion was installed it
was rethemed and painted blue.
Because the ride was totally hidden
from view it means guests didn't know what to expect until they had
ridden it and so for first time riders the queue was quite intimidating
not knowing what you were queuing for. Once in the station it was the
first time you could see the trains with passengers sitting in twos, one
behind the other rather like sitting on a sledge. Spiralling upwards the
train climbed fairly high, before you heard a voice say 'sit back-hold
tight', you were then plunged down large drops and tight corners before
a quick return into the brakes. The ride had a very poor through-put,
because of this queues often built up.