Last Ride Into Alton's Black Hole

[Stu]

It seems the Black Hole, enclosed coaster at Alton Towers will become SBNO from the 2005 season, as the park have decided it's not finically viable to operate the ride, as the track is extensively cracked and in need of repair and an evacuation platform has to be installed at a cost of £80k

Gerstlauer bobsled anyone?

[stu]

forgot to say the coaster will be offered as part of the winter weekend breaks over the current closed season . . . there's an advert for the hotel lol

so it's your last chance to ride it for now, maybe forever

[Graeme]

I hope they use this opportunity to install a full-on, high-capacity (1500 pph) coaster. Even if it won't fit in the Black Hole's footprint, they could just use that for the biggest bit of the ride.

[Stu]

I think there's a lot of potential to spill out into the woods between black hole and spinball whizzer, i believe there used to be some kind of car track ride in those woods years ago

I could just about see a very, very tight version of balder squeezed into the coaster's site, (maybe with a "surprise" dart off into the woods and back)

i think there's been too many "new" versions of the black hole and it would be difficult to convince the public of an actual new enclosed coaster (or even dark ride) on the same site

[Stu]

Just back from an X Sector winter weekend at the park, a ride op confirmed that the Black Hoel isn't been removed and will open for the 2005 season at least

For a full report from the weekend and photos see here