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Please note that Alton Towers Almanac is no longer maintained or updated, and almost all information will be out of date.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

Nov 06, 2005

Looking from the control tower at the station platform.Nov 06, 2005

The view of the launch section of track, from the steps by the control tower.Nov 06, 2005

What the operator can see from the control tower.Nov 06, 2005

Looking down the hydraulics shed room. At the end of the room is a computer with software monitoring and logging every single launch.Nov 06, 2005

When a launch happens, there is a quick and almost voilent noise as the drum spins, and then nothing for a second or so, until you hear the train rumbling above you at 60mph!Nov 06, 2005

Inside the hydraulics shed, you can see the massive steel drum that pulls the winch cable.Nov 06, 2005

The announcements console in the Rita control booth.Nov 06, 2005

The view the Operator gets of the starting lights.Nov 06, 2005

Near the end of the launch section, looking towards Ug Swinger.Nov 06, 2005

From the same position, looking back down the launch section of track.Nov 06, 2005

We move forwards a bit and have another look.Nov 06, 2005

At the top of the lift hill, looking downwards.Nov 06, 2005

The main console in the Operator's cabin.Nov 06, 2005

From above, looking down on the other train. As it's undergoing its annual overhaul, you'll notice that each row of the train has been seperated.Nov 06, 2005

And again.Nov 06, 2005

Inside the Maintenance Shed, we go to the upper level and take a look.Nov 06, 2005

The other train in the Maintenance Shed.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the front of the station from the lift platform.Nov 06, 2005

Again from Air's lift hill we look towards Nemesis. In this shot you can see a lot of the ride circuit.Nov 06, 2005

In the upper level, spare ride wheels are stacked together, as well as many other spare ride parts.Nov 06, 2005

Looking back down the Nemesis brake run.Nov 06, 2005

A look at Nemesis' final turn from Air's lift hill.Nov 06, 2005

A look down towards the rest of the rows.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the train from the entrance to the Maintenance Shed.Nov 06, 2005

At the top, looking back down the lift hill.Nov 06, 2005

Looking up Nemesis' lift hill.Nov 06, 2005

A train sitting in the station.Nov 06, 2005

Part of the console, notice the "themed" buttons - these trigger the breakdown/weather announcements around the ride area.Nov 06, 2005

The first drop, seen from the lift platform.Nov 06, 2005

The Operator's control panel in the station.Nov 06, 2005

The first Corkscrew, seen from the lift hill.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at Nemesis from Air's lift hill.Nov 06, 2005

Closeup of the top of the lift.Nov 06, 2005

From halfway up the lift hill, we have a look at the loop and stall turn.Nov 06, 2005

The Computer Room underneath the station.Nov 06, 2005

June 2004The current prehistoric Ug Land theme, which looks set to stay for 2005 at the very least. Will Rita blend in perfectly, or will the ride have its own standalone theme?Nov 06, 2005

January 2005The ride shop and photo booth under construction. It suggests a possible mix of the prehistoric Ug Land theme and the new, speedy racing theme.Nov 06, 2005

February 2005Continuing the "chequered" theme, some announcement masts (themed as claxons) have appeared on the station platform, as well as the control booth being themed as a race control box. Also, the words "Thunder Rock Rally" possibly point towards a merging of Rita and Ug Land - the font for the words "Race Control" is the Rita font, yet the font for "Thunder Rock Rally" is the font usually used for Ug Land...Nov 06, 2005

February 2005The Ug Land entrance arch now has foghorns attached, emphasizing the two themes to visitors.Nov 06, 2005

March 2005Even the backs of the trains are part of the racing theme - note the Cadillac-style sides.Nov 06, 2005

March 2005The Corkscrew dinosaur skull is back in Ug Land, to add to the prehistoric feel to the area which the park clearly don't want to lose just yet.Nov 06, 2005

May 2004The 2005 Ug Land uniform gives little away about the theming. The colour of the uniform has changed to fit with Rita, but the Ug Land logo remains.Nov 06, 2005

February 2005Rita's queue line entrance, themed as a half-tyre, reinforces the racing theme.Nov 06, 2005

February 2005The test train on track, complete with hot-rod style flames along the side of the car. This ties in to the racing theme.Nov 06, 2005

February 2005And more checked patterns, here seen on the side of the hydraulics shed. There will probably be some games machines in front of the building. Note the dinosaur bones in the foreground too, directing guests to the entrance of Corkscrew's queue line.Nov 06, 2005

February 2005Rita's queue line is starting to be marked out. The checked theme is continued here.Nov 06, 2005

October 2004This poster appears at the bottom of Towers Street. It has the slogan "Phwoarrr!!!", and informs the public of how fast the new ride will be. It also advertises the park's website for the new ride.Nov 06, 2005

February 2005The first piece of promotional material for the new ride, which was distributed around the Hotels. It states that the ride is scheduled to open on March 28th.Nov 06, 2005

March 2005A faux "Speeding Ticket" marketing leaflet for Rita.Nov 06, 2005

October 2004This poster is displayed to the right of the now closed Ug Land entrance arch. It is very similar to the Towers Street poster.Nov 06, 2005

January 2005The official logo for the ride has now been revealed on the park's press website. It features "speed lines" on it, similar to those of the Formula One logo (which surely can't be a coincidence when you consider the theme involved), and a woman in a running pose.Nov 06, 2005

March 2005This is an advert that appeared in Heat Magazine in the final week of March. The text says, "0-100 in 2.5 seconds. The new ride at Alton Towers. Launches 1st April", and also, "Make some great memories. You might need them some day".Nov 06, 2005

March 2005This is how Ug Land looks on the 2005 park map.Nov 06, 2005

12th February 2005From the back of the construction site, we can see the now completed ride circuit The building towards the left of the photo is the Corkscrew on-ride photo shop.Nov 06, 2005

12th February 2005This is where the track "wraps around" Corkscrew's photo shop, and heads into another airtime hill (to the right of the photo).Nov 06, 2005

19th February 2005The construction site, as seen through the Ug Land entrance arch.Nov 06, 2005

12th February 2005Another shot of the first and third banked turns, this time from a more distant perspective.Nov 06, 2005

12th February 2005Here's a wider view of the above.Nov 06, 2005

19th February 2005Rita's final turn, with one of the trains sat in the brake run.Nov 06, 2005

26th March 2005A train launches as guests look on.Nov 06, 2005

12th February 2005This is the first turn as it flies over the hydraulics building (far right), and also the third twist that comes very close to the first one.Nov 06, 2005

Rita merchandise, on sale in the Rita on-ride photo shop.Nov 06, 2005

Rita on-ride photo sleeve - Back CoverNov 06, 2005

Rita merchandise, on sale in the Rita on-ride photo shop.Nov 06, 2005

Rita merchandise, on sale in Towers Trading.Nov 06, 2005

Rita on-ride photo sleeve - Front CoverNov 06, 2005

Rita merchandise, on sale in Towers Trading.Nov 06, 2005

Rita on-ride photo sleeve - Inside LeftNov 06, 2005

Rita on-ride photo sleeve - Inside RightNov 06, 2005

Looking up through the netting that covers part of Rita's queue line, to stop falling objects from injuring guests.Nov 06, 2005

Rita, in mid-launch. The ride's first day of official operation went smoothly, congratulations to the park on another successful installation!Nov 06, 2005

The first day of Rita's opening to the public, and the main queue line is used for the first time.Nov 06, 2005

By 10am, the queue line was already getting full. This was partly due to the fact that the second train had still not been signed over to the park by Intamin. it is hoped to be running by Sunday or Monday.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the huge dinosaur skull from Rita's queue line.Nov 06, 2005

A train full of guests flies past Corkscrew's station.Nov 06, 2005

Rita had absolutely no technical problems or downtime today, which is amazing to think about when a lot of the "established" rides were having problems!Nov 06, 2005

Corkscrew was also only running one train, due to problems with the second train. However Corkscrew's queue was understandably much shorter than Rita's.Nov 06, 2005

The inside of the food stall next to Rita's queue line. Not much equipment has been fitted yet, so for the time being, the only item being sold is Cornetto Soft ice creams.Nov 06, 2005

One of Corkscrew's trains in the brake run. Riders really get a great view of Rita as it speeds above them.Nov 06, 2005

Corkscrew in the fading daylight.Nov 06, 2005

The drag queens put their arms up just before Rita is launched.Nov 06, 2005

A close-up on the two beauties sat on the front row waiting for the ride to be dispatched.Nov 06, 2005

A train flies around the track with the drag queens aboard. Some of their wigs even flew off mid-ride!Nov 06, 2005

Today, the park were doing publicity shots with drag queens riding Rita, as predicted here on ATA.Nov 06, 2005

Ug Swinger re-opened yesterday, giving guests a unique view of Rita rocketing around the track.Nov 06, 2005

One of the loading bays on the platform, with a sign telling guests not to use mobile phones during the ride.Nov 06, 2005

The train as it is transferred from the offload platform to the onload platform. They were only running one train today.Nov 06, 2005

As the lights go green, the car is launched at a terrifying speed.Nov 06, 2005

Underneath the launch, in the queue line. The boards above your head shake as a train flies above you.Nov 06, 2005

A train, just after being launched.Nov 06, 2005

The front of the train, which offers the best view of the ride.Nov 06, 2005

Waiting for guests to board the train.Nov 06, 2005

Another board showing the loading instructions.Nov 06, 2005

This sign was displayed at the entrance to the park.Nov 06, 2005

A great view of Rita during a launch, taken from the Sky Ride.Nov 06, 2005

The main queue is on the left now, with the Single Riders Queue to the right. The SRQ was not open today.Nov 06, 2005

Lucky guests board the new roller coaster for the first time.Nov 06, 2005

Looking down the platform. Note the staff member on the left stood in a "cage" to prevent any accidents as the ride moves from the offload to onload platform.Nov 06, 2005

One of the lovely ladies shows off for the camera.Nov 06, 2005

Today, entertainers were being trialled in the area. We hope they are kept as they provided much amusement for guests queueing for Rita.Nov 06, 2005

The queue line at the point where the front row queue (on the right, empty) starts.Nov 06, 2005

Entertainment for all the family...Nov 06, 2005

The great view of Corkscrew that you get from Rita's station platform.Nov 06, 2005

As you near the station from the queue line, this sign tells you the dos and the don'ts for the ride.Nov 06, 2005

Guests nervously await their first ride on the launched coaster.Nov 06, 2005

Looking towards the Ug Land entrance from Rita's station platform. The ride was open to hotel guests and members of the public for several hours today.Nov 06, 2005

The control booth, seen from the station platform. Notice the curved mirror that allows the ride operator to see the entire platform at once.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the dinosaur skull from Corkscrew's queue line.Nov 06, 2005

Following on from the tests done by Health and Safety, this netting has been put in place to protect guests below from falling objects. The station is also possibly going to have netting installed above it soon.Nov 06, 2005

The on-ride photo shop for Corkscrew... with yet more fog horns attached.Nov 06, 2005

The starting lights, now switched on.Nov 06, 2005

This photo shows just how close the track comes to the people stood below.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the airtime hills from the path next to Corkscrew's on-ride photo booth.Nov 06, 2005

Theming next to Corkscrew's entrance.Nov 06, 2005

After the disappointment of no rides today, guests would be hoping that Rita would be open to the public the following day.Nov 06, 2005

The ride, silhouetted against the fading light.Nov 06, 2005

A train during testing in the evening.Nov 06, 2005

Train 1, sat in the station platform.Nov 06, 2005

Corkscrew's station, with the reprofiled queue line in front of it.Nov 06, 2005

Corkscrew's loading bays, now a bold red after their repaint.Nov 06, 2005

A stark contrast between the two types of track now residing in Ug Land.Nov 06, 2005

Notice the bunting attached to the supports - it was everywhere!Nov 06, 2005

Guests finally get to go on Corkscrew, after half a year of not being able to ride.Nov 06, 2005

Late on in the day, and the ride was being tested with two trains. This one (the purple one) however, did not have the front "car theming" of the train attached.Nov 06, 2005

A nice shot of the track as it loops around Corkscrew's on-ride photo shop.Nov 06, 2005

Fog horns on top of Rita's hydraulics building.Nov 06, 2005

Another look at the air time hills.Nov 06, 2005

The entrance to Rita's queue line would stay closed all day.Nov 06, 2005

Looking up at the track from the queue line entrance.Nov 06, 2005

The on-ride photo camera is being attached to a large pole, and then pivoted into place.Nov 06, 2005

At the back of Ug Land, it is less busy than around Rita's entrance.Nov 06, 2005

Corkscrew's theming near to the queue line entrance.Nov 06, 2005

Ug Swinger, which is not ready to be opened to the public yet.Nov 06, 2005

Looking back towards the entrane of Corkscrew's queue line.Nov 06, 2005

The end of Rita's launch. You can see the new Cave Games building still under construction, to the left of this photo.Nov 06, 2005

From Ug Swinger, looking back towards Corkscrew.Nov 06, 2005

Here you can see the on-ride photo camera in place, in front of the Sky Ride gondola.Nov 06, 2005

Ug Swinger's entrance sign, which has had a repaint.Nov 06, 2005

The cattle pen queue line for Rita, as yet unused.Nov 06, 2005

The fog horns on the station platform have now been reattached. The "TRRR" at the top stands for "Thunder Rock Rally Radio", which is the name given to the faux radio station being played around the area.Nov 06, 2005

Two signs directing people in the queue line to the front row queue.Nov 06, 2005

The inside of the now completed Rita on-ride photo shop. The camera for ride photos had not been fitted at this point.Nov 06, 2005

At Rita's queue line entrance. Note that a 3D sign of the ride's logo has been added to the top of the tyre theming.Nov 06, 2005

The starting lights, which are now at the stage of being synchronised with the launch.Nov 06, 2005

Unfortunately, no Hotel guests or member of the public got a ride today, as there were technical problems in the morning.Nov 06, 2005

The control booth, with what looks like emergency exit steps on the right.Nov 06, 2005

The people in the foreground really put into perspective just how tall this roller coaster is.Nov 06, 2005

The first day of Ug Land being open to the public, and guests are flocking to the area.Nov 06, 2005

Looking at the station platform from the exit.Nov 06, 2005

The test dummies have been removed from the trains and are now sat on the platform.Nov 06, 2005

All these guests were hoping for a ride on Rita today - sadly it wasn't possible as the ride wasn't ready yet.Nov 06, 2005

A train gets ready to launch. The start lights are also now being tested out, as you can see.Nov 06, 2005

Train 2, in the onload section with the restraints open.Nov 06, 2005

The point where the main queue line and the SRQ join the loading platform. Note the lockers on the right of the photo.Nov 06, 2005

A corkscrew train heads into the second corkscrew during testing.Nov 06, 2005

The front of Train 1, lying on the exit platform.Nov 06, 2005

Train 1, without the front of the car attached, sits in the brake run, whilst Train 2 is in the maintenance garage.Nov 06, 2005

A portable starter for industrial trucks and vehicles is used on the back of Train 2.Nov 06, 2005

Looking across at the loading bays from a staff area.Nov 06, 2005

On the other half of the station, you can see the original red railing colour underneath the brown coating.Nov 06, 2005

Ug Swinger's new operator cabin is under construction. Up until this year, the operator has sat in the centre of the ride.Nov 06, 2005

The loading bay railings in the Corkscrew station are being repainted a bold red, matching Rita's track colour.Nov 06, 2005

Ever more testing going on. With 4 days left until the first guests are due to ride Rita, it hasn't even had a single person go around the track yet!Nov 06, 2005

An empty train flies overhead during testing.Nov 06, 2005

A look underneath the station, with Train 1 above.Nov 06, 2005

A great photo showing old and new in Ug Land this year.Nov 06, 2005

A train heading around Corkscrew's on-ride photo booth and up towards the second airtime hill.Nov 06, 2005

Unlike previous years, the ride's operator cabin will no longer be in a booth on the platform. Now, a new cabin will be constructed to one side of the ride.Nov 06, 2005

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