Alton Towers Almanac: Gallery: 2005

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ATA › Gallery › Features › Winter Photography › 2005 - 2006

Adrenaline WeekUg Swinger, with the chairs removed for inspection.

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

Adrenaline WeekFrog Hopper is covered up now.

Adrenaline WeekA closer view of Frog Hopper.

Adrenaline WeekThe Congo River Rapids channel, having been drained of water.

Adrenaline WeekThe area around the Rapids' entrance is deserted, save for some ducks.

Adrenaline WeekAnother look at the empty Rapids channel.

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

Adrenaline WeekThe Flume's channel is also now empty.

Adrenaline WeekA skyride station - note the lack of gondolas!

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

Adrenaline WeekLooking over the Splash Kart Challenge towards the X-Sector.

November 19th 2005On a frosty November morning, we look at a rather icy piece of Forbidden Valley theming.

November 23rd 2005The main lake, frozen solid!

November 23rd 2005You can see the edge of the ice.

November 23rd 2005Another look at the half-frozen lake.

November 26th 2005Ug Swinger has been stripped, and had its winter checks already. It is already being reconstructed.

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.

November 26th 2005The lake next to the Forbidden Valley Sky Ride station is also frozen solid in the icy temperatures.

November 29th 2005A snowy Towers Street.

December 9th 2005Ug Swinger's winter overhaul is almost complete now.

December 9th 2005A misty shot of Rita - Queen of Speed and Corkscrew.

December 9th 2005A great shot of Rita's launch track fading into the mist.

December 9th 2005Rita gets its first proper break since it was constructed.

January 3rd 2006The Towers lit up, taken very early in the morning.

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.

January 17th 2006Rita - Queen of Speed, early in the morning. Both trains are in the maintenance shed.

January 17th 2006The sign that informs guests at Winter Weekends about Rita's downtime, due to the hydraulic drum needing to be replaced.

January 21st 2006All Tweenies logos and images were removed from the Theatre on Thursday.

January 21st 2006The Tweenies Shop also had any mention of the show removed from the exterior.

January 21st 2006Incredible Ices has now had much of its "identity" removed, in preparation for an overhaul.

January 21st 2006While difficult to see, the Oblivion 'Klaxons' have been spit polished and returned.

January 21st 2006Enterprise's cars sit in the Oblivion refreshment area.

January 21st 2006Enterprise's cars are on pallets in the Oblivion refreshment area at the moment.

January 21st 2006Enterprise Cars all lined up in the Oblivion refreshment area.

January 21st 2006An empty Rita platform. Work on the drum has yet to be started.

January 23rd 2006Next to Rita's queue lines, some landscaping work is being carried out. Eating tables may possibly be put here.

January 23rd 2006Looking towards the famous double corkscrew on Alton Towers' oldest roller coaster.

January 28th 2006The fourth Winter Weekend of 2006, and the entrance sign reminds everybody that the park is not fully open.

January 28th 2006The Flume's boats sat in storage behind the Duel warehouse.

January 28th 2006Entering the deserted Forbidden Valley.

January 28th 2006Plenty of scheduled winter maintenance for Nemesis, entering its 13th year at the park.

January 28th 2006A look at the scaffolding around the first inversion.

January 28th 2006The structure towards the end of the ride is also checked.

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.

January 28th 2006One train is in the station while the other is pulled apart in the maintenance shed.

January 28th 2006Ripsaw also has its closed season checks done - let's hope the fountains stay fully operational during the 2006 season!

January 28th 2006The first drop of Air.

January 28th 2006Perfect skies above Air, but no-one will be riding it today.

February 4th 2006The purple Rita train in the brake run. Note that the front of the train and all the seats are missing!

February 8th 2006Oblivion, now with the chain removed so it can be replaced.

February 8th 2006Submission's gondolas are being rebuilt at the moment, with the ride hopefully ready by early March.

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.

February 9th 2006Looking towards a deserted Merrie England from next to the Splash Kart Challenge.

February 9th 2006Enterprise cars surrounding the covered gondolas of Submission. Note the sign...

February 9th 2006Clear blue skies above Oblivion, which is still having work carried out.

February 11th 2006The seatless purple Rita train is now sat in the station.

February 12th 2006The next day, it's still there, in slightly less pleasant weather conditions.

February 12th 2006Rita's drum in the winch house, which is still having work done to it.

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.

February 14th 2006Rita's tester seat has been modified, so now it has a representation of the front of one of the trains attached.

February 15th 2006The inside of Incredible Ices has changed quite a bit now, with work progressing on its overhaul.

February 15th 2006A crane was in the X-Sector today, aiding in the installation of the new chain for Oblivion's lift hill.

February 25th 2006Rita's drum has now been repaired, and the ride should be ready for test runs by around March 10th.

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.

February 25th 2006An access ladder in the Cred Street Sky Ride station has been removed while some guards are fitted.

February 26th 2006Katanga Cabin gets a bit of a refurb.

February 28th 2006The gondolas have now been re-attached to Enterprise, and the ride is undergoing final testing before the new season begins.

February 28th 2006The huge crane that was used to replace Oblivion's lift chain is still situated at the park.

March 2nd 2006Cred Street, lightly covered in snow.

March 2nd 2006The X-Sector, also with added snow. Note that Enterprise is still testing.

March 2nd 2006Oblivion's track as it exits the underground section.

March 2nd 2006Oblivion, during testing. Can you tell this train has been sat outside?

March 2nd 2006Another snowy Oblivion train, on the vertical drop.

March 4th 2006Vintage Cars, which is now confirmed as being converted into the Peugeot Driving School over the next few months.

March 4th 2006Frog Hopper, awaiting chilly guests on this Winter Weekend.

March 4th 2006The entrance to Ug Land, with half the area covered in snow.

March 4th 2006Looking down towards Ug Swinger. Note to the right of the shot is the area that had landscaping work done to it.

March 4th 2006The entrance to Rita, with the modified test seat nearby.

March 4th 2006More snow at the bottom of the area. This shot is taken from Ug Swinger's platform.

March 4th 2006Looking back up towards Ug Swinger.

March 4th 2006A very frosty-looking Fountain Square.

March 4th 2006Later in the day, the sun came out. This is taken from the Corkscrew station platform.

March 4th 2006The new season starts in 2 weeks, and the Playground/Theatre are still unbranded.

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).

March 9th 2006The old Park Railway station. To the right you can see The Flume.

March 9th 2006The Runaway Mine Train, sat outside the station platform.

March 9th 2006Most of the Congo River Rapids boats are all lined up on the hill next to the ride.

March 9th 2006Next to the exit of The Flume, Knights Feast has been refitted to become a Mexican Cantina.

March 11th 2006Ripsaw's restraints have been repainted black.

March 14th 2006A nice shot of the Nemesis loop from one of the defunct queue lines.

March 14th 2006The Nemesis "blood" has been re-dyed for the start of the new season, so it's back to its full colour.

March 14th 2006Temperatures are so low that ice is forming on the cliffs surrounding Nemesis.

March 15th 2006Some new 'Alton Towers' flags for the entrance plaza.

March 15th 2006The Towers Street frogs now have a more realistic paint job than before, thanks to Tussauds Studios.

March 15th 2006Air's test seat has recently been away for refurbishment.

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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