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ATAGalleryFeaturesWinter Photography › 2005 - 2006
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Adrenaline WeekUg Swinger, with the chairs removed for inspection.
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Adrenaline WeekThe chairs, sat on the platform next to the Operator's cabin.
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Adrenaline WeekFrog Hopper is covered up now.
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Adrenaline WeekA closer view of Frog Hopper.
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Adrenaline WeekThe Congo River Rapids channel, having been drained of water.
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Adrenaline WeekThe area around the Rapids' entrance is deserted, save for some ducks.
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Adrenaline WeekAnother look at the empty Rapids channel.
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Adrenaline WeekA nice shot of the Congo River Rapids, drained, with the Runaway Mine Train track alongside.
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Adrenaline WeekThe Flume's channel is also now empty.
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Adrenaline WeekA skyride station - note the lack of gondolas!
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Adrenaline WeekSquirrel Nutty cars, parked out of the back of the station.
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Adrenaline WeekLooking over the Splash Kart Challenge towards the X-Sector.
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November 19th 2005On a frosty November morning, we look at a rather icy piece of Forbidden Valley theming.
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November 23rd 2005The main lake, frozen solid!
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November 23rd 2005You can see the edge of the ice.
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November 23rd 2005Another look at the half-frozen lake.
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November 26th 2005Ug Swinger has been stripped, and had its winter checks already. It is already being reconstructed.
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November 26th 2005The main entrance plaza is deserted, as it will not be used until the Winter Weekends in January. Note that the trees have been removed.
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November 26th 2005The lake next to the Forbidden Valley Sky Ride station is also frozen solid in the icy temperatures.
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November 29th 2005A snowy Towers Street.
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December 9th 2005Ug Swinger's winter overhaul is almost complete now.
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December 9th 2005A misty shot of Rita - Queen of Speed and Corkscrew.
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December 9th 2005A great shot of Rita's launch track fading into the mist.
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December 9th 2005Rita gets its first proper break since it was constructed.
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January 3rd 2006The Towers lit up, taken very early in the morning.
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January 7th 2006The first winter weekend of 2006 - as you can see, it was very cold today! Spinball Whizzer and Corkscrew were quite busy, both getting queues up to 30 minutes.
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January 17th 2006Rita - Queen of Speed, early in the morning. Both trains are in the maintenance shed.
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January 17th 2006The sign that informs guests at Winter Weekends about Rita's downtime, due to the hydraulic drum needing to be replaced.
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January 21st 2006All Tweenies logos and images were removed from the Theatre on Thursday.
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January 21st 2006The Tweenies Shop also had any mention of the show removed from the exterior.
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January 21st 2006Incredible Ices has now had much of its "identity" removed, in preparation for an overhaul.
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January 21st 2006While difficult to see, the Oblivion 'Klaxons' have been spit polished and returned.
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January 21st 2006Enterprise's cars sit in the Oblivion refreshment area.
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January 21st 2006Enterprise's cars are on pallets in the Oblivion refreshment area at the moment.
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January 21st 2006Enterprise Cars all lined up in the Oblivion refreshment area.
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January 21st 2006An empty Rita platform. Work on the drum has yet to be started.
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January 23rd 2006Next to Rita's queue lines, some landscaping work is being carried out. Eating tables may possibly be put here.
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January 23rd 2006Looking towards the famous double corkscrew on Alton Towers' oldest roller coaster.
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January 28th 2006The fourth Winter Weekend of 2006, and the entrance sign reminds everybody that the park is not fully open.
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January 28th 2006The Flume's boats sat in storage behind the Duel warehouse.
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January 28th 2006Entering the deserted Forbidden Valley.
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January 28th 2006Plenty of scheduled winter maintenance for Nemesis, entering its 13th year at the park.
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January 28th 2006A look at the scaffolding around the first inversion.
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January 28th 2006The structure towards the end of the ride is also checked.
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January 28th 2006The point where the most stress is put upon the ride structure, at the bottom of the fast downward helix before the barrel roll over the station.
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January 28th 2006One train is in the station while the other is pulled apart in the maintenance shed.
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January 28th 2006Ripsaw also has its closed season checks done - let's hope the fountains stay fully operational during the 2006 season!
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January 28th 2006The first drop of Air.
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January 28th 2006Perfect skies above Air, but no-one will be riding it today.
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February 4th 2006The purple Rita train in the brake run. Note that the front of the train and all the seats are missing!
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February 8th 2006Oblivion, now with the chain removed so it can be replaced.
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February 8th 2006Submission's gondolas are being rebuilt at the moment, with the ride hopefully ready by early March.
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February 8th 2006There's still at least a week or two's work needs to be done on Enterprise before the cars can be re-attached.
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February 9th 2006Looking towards a deserted Merrie England from next to the Splash Kart Challenge.
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February 9th 2006Enterprise cars surrounding the covered gondolas of Submission. Note the sign...
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February 9th 2006Clear blue skies above Oblivion, which is still having work carried out.
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February 11th 2006The seatless purple Rita train is now sat in the station.
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February 12th 2006The next day, it's still there, in slightly less pleasant weather conditions.
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February 12th 2006Rita's drum in the winch house, which is still having work done to it.
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February 12th 2006An extra block section has been added to Rita. Here you can see one of two sets of new brakes on the launch section to stop a train that's rolling back from entering the station.
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February 14th 2006Rita's tester seat has been modified, so now it has a representation of the front of one of the trains attached.
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February 15th 2006The inside of Incredible Ices has changed quite a bit now, with work progressing on its overhaul.
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February 15th 2006A crane was in the X-Sector today, aiding in the installation of the new chain for Oblivion's lift hill.
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February 25th 2006Rita's drum has now been repaired, and the ride should be ready for test runs by around March 10th.
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February 25th 2006This sign has now been put up behind the Rita test seat. It will no doubt help the effort to reduce queue times.
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February 25th 2006An access ladder in the Cred Street Sky Ride station has been removed while some guards are fitted.
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February 26th 2006Katanga Cabin gets a bit of a refurb.
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February 28th 2006The gondolas have now been re-attached to Enterprise, and the ride is undergoing final testing before the new season begins.
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February 28th 2006The huge crane that was used to replace Oblivion's lift chain is still situated at the park.
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March 2nd 2006Cred Street, lightly covered in snow.
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March 2nd 2006The X-Sector, also with added snow. Note that Enterprise is still testing.
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March 2nd 2006Oblivion's track as it exits the underground section.
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March 2nd 2006Oblivion, during testing. Can you tell this train has been sat outside?
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March 2nd 2006Another snowy Oblivion train, on the vertical drop.
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March 4th 2006Vintage Cars, which is now confirmed as being converted into the Peugeot Driving School over the next few months.
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March 4th 2006Frog Hopper, awaiting chilly guests on this Winter Weekend.
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March 4th 2006The entrance to Ug Land, with half the area covered in snow.
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March 4th 2006Looking down towards Ug Swinger. Note to the right of the shot is the area that had landscaping work done to it.
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March 4th 2006The entrance to Rita, with the modified test seat nearby.
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March 4th 2006More snow at the bottom of the area. This shot is taken from Ug Swinger's platform.
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March 4th 2006Looking back up towards Ug Swinger.
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March 4th 2006A very frosty-looking Fountain Square.
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March 4th 2006Later in the day, the sun came out. This is taken from the Corkscrew station platform.
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March 4th 2006The new season starts in 2 weeks, and the Playground/Theatre are still unbranded.
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March 4th 2006Rita is now testing, as you can see from the dummies riding this train. The whole ride is not only quieter than last year, but also quicker - the brake sections have been made less severe, making the ride time shorter (but also lessening queue times).
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March 9th 2006The old Park Railway station. To the right you can see The Flume.
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March 9th 2006The Runaway Mine Train, sat outside the station platform.
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March 9th 2006Most of the Congo River Rapids boats are all lined up on the hill next to the ride.
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March 9th 2006Next to the exit of The Flume, Knights Feast has been refitted to become a Mexican Cantina.
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March 11th 2006Ripsaw's restraints have been repainted black.
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March 14th 2006A nice shot of the Nemesis loop from one of the defunct queue lines.
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March 14th 2006The Nemesis "blood" has been re-dyed for the start of the new season, so it's back to its full colour.
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March 14th 2006Temperatures are so low that ice is forming on the cliffs surrounding Nemesis.
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March 15th 2006Some new 'Alton Towers' flags for the entrance plaza.
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March 15th 2006The Towers Street frogs now have a more realistic paint job than before, thanks to Tussauds Studios.
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March 15th 2006Air's test seat has recently been away for refurbishment.
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March 16th 2006Preparation for the Driving School - barriers have been put in place for the fire exits and disabled route to Hex, and a fire exit from the Cred Street Playground.
     
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