Alton Towers Almanac: Gallery: Last additions

Please note that Alton Towers Almanac is no longer maintained or updated, and almost all information will be out of date.

For the latest information, please visit Alton Towers’ official website.

Last additions

The space left when the Alton Beast was removed.Nov 09, 2005

Staff on board the Alton Beast.Nov 09, 2005

The Operator's control console.Nov 09, 2005

A train comes hurtling round the bend.Nov 09, 2005

On-board the Alton Beast.Nov 09, 2005

The spiral lift hill.Nov 09, 2005

A train in the station. Note the Alton Mouse supports in the background.Nov 09, 2005

Nov 09, 2005

An amazing view of the Forbidden Valley, taken from the top of the rear spire of Thunder Looper.Nov 09, 2005

One of the first two loaded test launches of Thunder Looper, in 1990.Nov 09, 2005

Looking at Thunder Looper from the New Beast's lift hill.Nov 09, 2005

One of the first two loaded test launches of Thunder Looper, in 1990.Nov 09, 2005

Looking at the tall end tower of Thunder Looper from the New Beast.Nov 09, 2005

The view on board Thunder Looper.Nov 09, 2005

One of the first two loaded test launches of Thunder Looper, in 1990.Nov 09, 2005

Looking at the station platform from the Operator's cabin.Nov 09, 2005

Here are parts of bodywork, removed to allow technicians access to the inner workings of the crafts.Nov 08, 2005

Nov 08, 2005

Looking inside the room with the motors in.Nov 08, 2005

Nov 08, 2005

Nov 07, 2005

Around one third of the ride's steel track is now in place.Nov 07, 2005

A superb view of the Nemesis construction site, taken from the top of Thunder Looper.Nov 07, 2005

The station is now being constructed, and major landscaping has been done.Nov 07, 2005

The bridge over what will become the final corkscrew of the ride circuit.Nov 07, 2005

One of the construction vehicles on site.Nov 07, 2005

The Nemesis layout in plan view. The thick line shows the "safety envelope" of the trains as they complete a circuit.Nov 07, 2005

Nov 07, 2005

From Corkscrew's lift hill, looking through the first corkscrew. You can see that the outlets to the side of the area have not been touched.Nov 07, 2005

Nov 07, 2005

Dynamo in action at night.Nov 07, 2005

Nov 07, 2005

Back in the main building which houses the vault, we look at the sound system for the ride.Nov 07, 2005

Looking up towards the roof of the shed that houses the vault.Nov 07, 2005

After the Octagon, when you turn left towards the vault, you actually leave the "real" towers and head into a fake section. If you continued forwards rather than turning left, this is the view you'd get.Nov 07, 2005

A look inside the Octagon room with the lights on. Notice the lighting rig at the top used for thunder/lighning effects during the ride - this can be lowered down to floor level for maintenance purposes.Nov 07, 2005

The Hex control room, which is situated to the side of the vault.Nov 07, 2005

The cameras located throughout the ride give the Operator the ability to keep track on where each group of guests is, amongst other things.Nov 07, 2005

The "vault" moves at a very high speed when the ride is in progress.Nov 07, 2005

A closer look at the control panel.Nov 07, 2005

We go down a level and take a look at the underside of the vault.Nov 07, 2005

This building is very large - the vault itself isn't exactly small, and then you have this other building around it.Nov 07, 2005

Looking from the Octagon back towards the passageway.Nov 07, 2005

The panels can be removed if the technicians need to access something in the vault that can't be easily reached.Nov 07, 2005

Theming relating to the central character in the ride's storyline, the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury, Charles Talbot.Nov 07, 2005

The "window" where effects happen during the ride.Nov 07, 2005

This motif is on the wall inbetween the two doors to the vault.Nov 07, 2005

Outside the vault, we take a look at the "room within a room".Nov 07, 2005

The bookcase which, in the legend, you discover a secret passage behind.Nov 07, 2005

These panels are usually covered up.Nov 07, 2005

Smoke effects around the "fallen branch".Nov 07, 2005

One of the stained glass windows.Nov 07, 2005

The old woman statue in the Octagon.Nov 07, 2005

On the wall are several drawings which again, you'd normally not notice unless you were looking out for them.Nov 07, 2005

Another look at the fallen branch in the vault.Nov 07, 2005

Into the next room, and the passageway before the Octagon.Nov 07, 2005

The control panel at the front of the queue line.Nov 07, 2005

Inside the vault, with the lights on.Nov 07, 2005

Another board filled with faux archaeological photos.Nov 07, 2005

The indoor queue line, with the lights switched on.Nov 07, 2005

One of the many unique pieces of theming, which normally you wouldn't notice unless you were really paying attention.Nov 07, 2005

Inside the Cinema room, with the lights on.Nov 07, 2005

The final part of the ride.Nov 07, 2005

Now we head out the back of the station, and take a closer look at the two trains in the transfer track.Nov 07, 2005

The station again, with the Maintenance Shed attached to it to the left of this picture.Nov 07, 2005

A nice shot of Oblivion and the X-Sector, taken from the end of Oblivion's brake run.Nov 07, 2005

The X-Sector, from Oblivion's lift hill.Nov 07, 2005

Further down the brake run, looking towards the station.Nov 07, 2005

A control panel at the top of the lift hill.Nov 07, 2005

Looking towards the drop.Nov 07, 2005

This shot shows you a large section of Oblivion's queue line from above.Nov 07, 2005

Another control panel, this time on the brake run.Nov 07, 2005

From the same position, looking out of the front of the station.Nov 07, 2005

From the lift hill, looking down on the X-Sector.Nov 07, 2005

In the station, looking back out of the exit.Nov 07, 2005

This shot really shows you how the track curves once it goes underground.Nov 07, 2005

Down in the tunnel, looking towards the exit.Nov 07, 2005

Underneath the train, we look at the wheel housing.Nov 07, 2005

The Operator's console in the station.Nov 07, 2005

From the exit, we look back down the huge hole.Nov 07, 2005

Again looking towards the exit of the tunnel.Nov 07, 2005

A train sat on the transfer track.Nov 07, 2005

One of the trains in the Maintenance Shed.Nov 07, 2005

Looking back towards the drop. Note the bars on the floor - as the incline of the floor increases, these bars become stepladders upwards.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekAnother look at the empty Rapids channel.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekThe chairs, sat on the platform next to the Operator's cabin.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekA nice shot of the Congo River Rapids, drained, with the Runaway Mine Train track alongside.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekSquirrel Nutty cars, parked out of the back of the station.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekThe Flume's channel is also now empty.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekLooking over the Splash Kart Challenge towards the X-Sector.Nov 07, 2005

Adrenaline WeekA skyride station - note the lack of gondolas!Nov 07, 2005

Floodlights are required, with the light fading so early now.Nov 06, 2005

A digger outside the entrance. You can still see part of the old theming inside the building.Nov 06, 2005

As darkness falls, construction workers continue to do their job.Nov 06, 2005

Hopefully we will begin to see some major changes in the area soon.Nov 06, 2005

No visible changes to the front of the building yet.Nov 06, 2005

There is plenty of work going on inside, however, to modify the existing water channel.Nov 06, 2005

The deep trenches in the ground outside.Nov 06, 2005

Even more scaffolding has been erected on the outside of the building now.Nov 06, 2005

A closeup view of one of the train's wheel assemblies.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the same section of track, from higher up on the hill.Nov 06, 2005

From the upper level, looking down on the "naked" train. Note that just as with Nemesis, the cars are separated.Nov 06, 2005

Looking back out of the station.Nov 06, 2005

In the control cabin, looking at the announcements console.Nov 06, 2005

Looking down on the wheel assembly and the rest of the car.Nov 06, 2005

And also some wheel rims.Nov 06, 2005

You can see ever more wiring on the top of the car.Nov 06, 2005

More plugs and wires at the back of the car.Nov 06, 2005

On the upper floor, we find plenty of spare leg holders.Nov 06, 2005

Inside the Maintenance Shed, looking at the third train.Nov 06, 2005

A train sat in the station, under normal lighting conditions.Nov 06, 2005

The front of the ventral cushions (the gray objects resting on tool boxes here) have been opened up for maintenance.Nov 06, 2005

Looking down the brake run.Nov 06, 2005

A closeup on part of the back of the car. Note the seatbelt - this is part of the restraint locking mechanism.Nov 06, 2005

The train was undergoing its winter overhaul and so it was stripped of its aesthetic covers.Nov 06, 2005

Looking back down the lift hill towards the tunnel.Nov 06, 2005

An overall view of the car from behind.Nov 06, 2005

Another row, again with its ventral cushions opened up.Nov 06, 2005

A hut to the side of the brake run.Nov 06, 2005

The same shot from a bit further up the lift.Nov 06, 2005

Looking down towards the back of the very long Maintenance Shed.Nov 06, 2005

Focussing on that inversion.Nov 06, 2005

Zoomed in to the central plaza, from the lift.Nov 06, 2005

Back on the ground, we go through the mid-ride tunnel and up the grass bank below the inversion that flips you from your back to your front.Nov 06, 2005

Looking towards the Air Shop from the lift hill.Nov 06, 2005

And again, this time showing the final barrel roll.Nov 06, 2005

Looking down the train with the turquoise glow still on.Nov 06, 2005

The Operator's console in the control cabin. The main panel is a touch-screen, from which the Operator can control many different parts of the ride and access any level of detailed information they want.Nov 06, 2005