Alton Towers Almanac: Gallery: March 25th 2005

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ATA › Gallery › Construction › Rita - Queen of Speed › March 25th 2005

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

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

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

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

Looking at the station platform from the exit.

Two signs directing people in the queue line to the front row queue.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Looking back towards the entrane of Corkscrew's queue line.

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

From Ug Swinger, looking back towards Corkscrew.

Corkscrew's theming near to the queue line entrance.

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

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

The entrance to Rita's queue line would stay closed all day.

Fog horns on top of Rita's hydraulics building.

Looking up at the track from the queue line entrance.

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

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

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.

Another look at the air time hills.

Notice the bunting attached to the supports - it was everywhere!

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

A stark contrast between the two types of track now residing in Ug Land.

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

The on-ride photo shop for Corkscrew... with yet more fog horns attached.

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.