Its name reverted back to Action Park last year. It now features a laser gun shooting game, with a zombie theme. The worst theme park accident ever happened on May 11 1984 at the traditional and seemingly-safe haunted house. James, 29, was an Iraq War veteran who had lost both his legs in the conflict. Seasoned riders knew to bring a raincoat for the ride, as you would get absolutely soaked on the final drop. It is conveniently placed on our doorstep in North Staffordshire - and just so happens to boast some of the UK's best rollercoasters. This proved to be the tent's final use, as 2012 saw it demolished to make way for construction of The Smiler. 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Mindbender rollercoaster at Galaxyland, West Edmonton Mall. So let's take a look back at some of the rides which no longer set our pulses racing after being confined to the history books. The Black hole is a Schwarzkopf Jet star 2 coaster with a length of 1919ft, Height of 443 and a duration of 1min 50 seconds. It was originally brought to Alton Towers as the Black hole in 1983 before going through a couple of name changes, New Black Hole, Black Hole 2 and finally back to Black hole again. What rides and attractions do you miss? Six Flags Over Georgia Park, Georgia, USA. But on May 5, 2007 the Fujin Raijin II roller coaster was derailed, sending cars flying off the tracks. Following a special enthusiast event to say goodbye to the ride, Black Hole was closed in March 2005. [2], In late 2021, Furuvik Zoo put the rollercoaster up for sale. Arsonists were believed to have started a blaze which, whipped by winds, became a furnace, melting metal walls and leaving eight trapped teenagers torched beyond recognition. For a derailment to happen it would take the failure of several seperate wheels. and our However, it seems accidents of this have not previously dimmed people's appetite for peak-altitude, maximum-speed adventure. And there isn't just the main news email - there are Stoke City and Port Vale newsletters, our Way We Were nostalgia weekly email, and many others that might be of interest. 6 people could fit per car and there was only one car per train. Opening in 1983, The Black Hole was located inside a large green and yellow tent. Black Hole had an outer space theme, with the queueline and station featuring Jules Verne style scenery. Black Hole, Alton Towers - Theme Park James Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. A board celebrating the coaster's twenty years of operation appeared at its entrance, but the ride itself joined a long list of SBNO attractions in the park at that time. The ride stood in the X-Sector area of the park. In its early years the tent in which the attraction was housed was originally bright green and yellow in stark contrast to its gloomy innards, as well as its space based theme. The toadstool would then rotate and the seats would swing outwards, before it lowered back to ground level. Closed: The ride shut for a year after Hayley Williams death. The rollercoaster itself was a Jet Star II, designed and manufactured by the legendary Anton Schwarzkopf. A bit of History about the ride. Have you ever really been to Alton Towers if you don't have a photo of you and your friends or family on the log flume - your faces frozen in an expression of excitement or terror? [2] The track layout was enclosed within a large tent to provide a dark ride experience. They stated: "It's correct that we have Alton Towers old roller coaster Black Hole. Black Hole was standing but did not operate. The coaster remained SBNO into the following season, during which it was dismantled, though even then it remained on site awaiting its fate. The flume was originally designed around logs floating in a river, before it was sponsored by Imperial Leather in 2004, at which the point the logs were swapped out for giant bathtubs. The ride station was themed around the London docks and then went 'around the world', and had an animated Phileas in a hot air balloon. [/quote], as memery serves i did a bit of modeling of this ride in the late nineties and all i can think of is one of the wheels had burst as, ''holy crap lead wasps''. A planning application for the Black Hole site was submitted in early 2012 and approved by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. Has there ever been a death on the Black Hole ride or is this - Reddit The Black Hole accident happened in 1984, not very long after opening. Sign up to our newsletter. Some of the original theming still hanging about. The three other deaths involved an electrocution, a heart. I don,t know how or what happened but it happened the day after a bank holiday because we rode it that bank holiday monday prehaps a lot of use the day before. If so, then have I got a throwback for you. So how do I sign up? Three horrific deaths happened on the same day at King's Island in June 1991. The attraction opened to the public back in 1860 after originally being a private estate. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Thirty accidents at Alton Towers in three years, figures reveal It operated from 1984 until 2005. Eco-Adventure Valley Space Journey at Overseas Chinese Town East, Shenzhen, China. It was removed in 2010 - the iconic double inversion element is now situated at the park's entrance, where those of us who were tall enough to ride before its closure can fondly remember the bone-shuddering experience of Alton Tower's first huge coaster. It was previously named the Wave Swinger, and then the Ug Swinger, before its closure in 2016. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The ride opened seven months later with new safety measures, and since then has had an excellent safety record. No replacement was ever built inside the tent, although the park considered various ideas including flat ride and rollercoaster concepts. Sporting a vivid new colour scheme, and no longer hidden within a tent, the ride lives on to hopefully thrill many more Swedish guests in the years to come. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Due to the pitch blackness, occasionally punctuated by illuminated asteroids and other space objects, Black Hole felt more intense than the ride perhaps really was. After a few seasons the effect was removed from the park, amid rumours of several unfortunate incidents where the microphone powering the alien's voice was left on accidentally. This ride, that opened in 1983, was spooky in the fact it took place in total . Its interior was redesigned, featuring a modified queue layout and station, which were restyled with a Jules Verne theme. All three suffered electric shocks and the rescuers, William Haithcoat and Darrel Robertson, both 20, were killed. The 12 lost Alton Towers rollercoasters as well-loved Nemesis comes to By the mid-2000s, however, it was becoming unreliable and costly to both maintain and keep in line with modern safety standards. The large tent which housed the now former Black Hole was eventually dismantled in April 2012 to make way for The Smiler. For more information, please see our Black Hole underwent another refurbishment and was integrated into the new themed area. Welcome! We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. On June 29, 2010 one of the cars came loose and lost all power. All it'll cost you is the time to input your email address and chose which newsletters you want to receive. 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The ride was closed for a year after Hayleys death and then renamed Drenched.. It was a Jet Star 2 (Jet Star I did not have a spiral lift hill i don't think) as far as I know, a smaller (45ft) version of Jet Star 3 (Alton Beast). The article above has it about right (according to all the other reports I remember reading at the time). The following season the traditional yellow and green tented was also repainted in Black and Silver, so the older ride blended seamlessly into the X-Sector when it launched. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The Battersea Fun Fair closed two years later due to the accident. Black Hole, briefly known as Black Hole II (1988) and New Black Hole (1989), was an enclosed steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers theme park near Alton in the English shire county of Staffordshire, United Kingdom. This money helps me to carry on running the channel and posting high quality videos for you guys to enjoy! In 2013 the new ride to replace the Black hole was announced as "The Smiler", to open on the 31st of May 2013. If you want to use any photographs on this blog please get in touch paul@ridemad.com im quite happy to share and have high resolution copies of everything used, to see the complete gallery visit the Ridemad Gallery, Copyright ridemad.com | All Right Reserved. The ride was closed in 2006. It was a Jet Star 2 (Jet Star I did not have a spiral lift hill i don't think) as far as I know, a smaller (45ft) version of Jet Star 3 (Alton Beast). Roller coaster disasters: The 11 worst the world has seen, Fun on the Big Dipper at Battersea Funfair, London, 1966. The park reopened closed down that December. US Army Sergeant James Hackemer was thrown from the roller coaster and fell to his death in July 2011. February 2007 saw the coaster finally departed the park to shores unknown, though the tent remained as an empty shell for several more seasons, dominating the X Sector skyline. r/altontowers is not associated with Merlin Entertainments or Alton Towers Resort, Scan this QR code to download the app now. For the 1988 season, the coaster was dismantled and transported to Europe, where it had an overhaul, which then allowed the ride to use dual car trains. The ride began with an unusual spiral lift hill, before plunging down a 44 foot drop into the "black hole". Black Hole | Alton Towers Wiki | Fandom Thunder Looper attracted hoards of visitors during its six-year stint at Alton Towers as it hit a whopping 53 mph. In 1998, the opening of Oblivion in the area brought about the redevelopment of Fantasy Land into X-Sector; the Black Hole was integrated into the new themed area with another refurbishment. [3], Media related to Black Hole (Alton Towers) at Wikimedia Commons, Last edited on 10 November 2022, at 03:20, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Furuvik zet Schwarzkopf achtbaan Rocket te koop (Furuvik puts Schwarzkopf roller coaster Rocket up for sale)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_Hole_(roller_coaster)&oldid=1121026397, This page was last edited on 10 November 2022, at 03:20. It was constructed in what was then known as Fantasy World, which has now been re-dubbed with the more futuristic name of X-Sector. The Smiler is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. Some of the animations experienced technical problems in the first season and were replaced, including one where a phantom flew above the riders on an overhead track. So why in 2005 would the Black Hole roller coaster be removed and the tent left abandon many years later? This rocket simulator ride had a multi-car centrifuge that whirled inside a domed screen showing movies about space. The devastating crash on The Smiler has capture the attention of the nation, but it is not the first time thrills have turned to horror on the biggest rides. Links. The ride, which closed in 1992, was the resort's first 'dark ride' taking its smaller visitors on a trip based on Phileas Fogg, and the 1873 novel, called - you guessed it - Around the World in 80 Days. It was later found the safety barriers were not designed for amputees and he should never have been allowed on. Asia Ferguson, 17, had lost his hat while on the ride but ignored warning signs to go and fetch it. Most recently, the ride system has been reused again as part of the Alton Towers Dungeon. Certainly. John heard about two similar rides which were opening in Europe by Dutch manufacturer Vekoma. Attraction Source Events & Meetup Archive, http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p281 cu0009.jpg. You can make donations VIA By Me A Ko-fi.Donation page: https://ko-fi.com/themeparkenthusiastWhat is the Black Hole?Black Hole, briefly known as Black Hole II and New Black Hole, was an enclosed steel roller coaster at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BLACK HOLE | ALTON TOWERS - YouTube And according to an Alton Towers archivist, caused roads to be blocked at its opening as visitors joined queues of up to nine hours for the chance to ride this beast of a rollercoaster. Not so much a rollercoaster, but instead purely a product of its time, before 3D was even a thing. An oil-based smoke machine was added, but it was found that this sped the ride up too much. However, it did not become a theme park as we know it today until the 1980s. From here, the layout comprised mainly a set of clockwise and anti-clockwise helixes. Easter 1984. For more pictures of the Black Hole and Alton Towers, check out this website:http://orchardoo.com/school/altontowers.htmlBuy Defunctland T-Shirts:https://teespring.com/stores/defunctlandDonate on Patreon:https://patreon.com/defunctlandIn Defunctland's first international addition, Kevin explores the history of Alton Towers and its Space Mountain rip-off coaster, the Black Hole. She later died of internal injuries. We take a look back at the rides that have been lost to the sands of time, Want Stoke-on-Trent news emailed to you direct from our journalists? The audience had no means of steady themselves which meant quite a few often fell over, which probably means it wouldn't get past health and safety today. The Black Hole was constructed in Fantasy Land for the 1984 season taking the place of the "Dinosaur Land" attraction which was then moved into storage. Black Hole. Just click here and you're ready to go. When researching the article, this is the one that stood out most to my mother, who said she was "fascinated" by the ride, at the tender age of around eight when it opened in 1981. It was originally brought to Alton Towers as the Black hole in 1983 before going through a couple of name changes, New Black Hole, Black Hole 2 and finally back to Black hole again. The Black Hole's queue line sported a stage with an animatronic floating alien's head that would interact with passers-by and actually speak with customers waiting in the queue, using what was then a sophisticated set up of cameras and communication devices. Initially the Black Hole tent was bright yellow and green, although this was changed to a midnight blue when the area was converted into X-Sector with the arrival of Oblivion in 1998. The Black Hole was built on the site of the former Dinosaur Land in 1984, becoming the park's second major coaster and quickly establishing itself as a perennial favourite with park guests. It didn't reopen for the 2017 season, and despite being advertised as closed for refurbishment, it instead deteriorated for the next two years, and Alton Towers confirmed it wouldn't return in 2019. It was then reopened, and named Black Hole II, the New Black Hole, before going back to its original name. Any donations would be highly appreciated big or small! If you decide you don't want to receive the newsletters any more, just click the unsubscribe box and you won't get them again. It opened in 1992 as the longest ghost-train in Europe at the time. The Black Hole accident happened in 1984, not very long after opening. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! In 1996 the Black Hole received a makeover, with a new look inspired by the novels of Jules Verne. The ride stood in the X-Sector area of the park. wait wait wait.. did the black hole not have the under wheel? Manufactured by Gerstlauer, it opened in 2013 as the world's first Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster. Recent history is littered with catastrophes involving high-adrenaline attractions - and some have claimed lives in the most terrifying circumstances. The wave pool became known as the "Grave Pool" after a series of deaths in the 1980s. Boy, 11, 'pricked by used needle' in Stoke-on-Trent taxi, Yak Yak Land's back as one family find man upside down in their bin, 'Never-ending' roadworks leave Tunstall traders in turmoil, 11 abusive Stoke-on-Trent men who put their partners through hell, Former Dudson worker, 69, died six days after positive Covid test. The Cine 2000 (back when 2000 seemed a long way away) came to the park in 1980 - it offered visitors an unusual viewing experience, and the predecessor to 3D, by surrounding them with the film. Black Hole went where no man had gone before! They're a digest of all the most important local headlines of the day in an easy to read format. If you have an email address, then you're sorted. Taking the place of the former Dinosaur Land attraction, which had then been moved into storage, the modular steel track for Black Hole was constructed by Anton Schwarzkopf. Situated next to Corkscrew, it attracted long wait times. Oblivion, Alton Towers' Secret Weapon 4, was the fourth of the Ministry of Joy's experiments in X-Sector. Click this link and you'll see what you can expect. Join me as I take a look at the history of one Alton Towers most iconic ride The Black Hole. Nearly all of us have enjoyed a day out at Alton Towers over the years. I don't think AT ever revealed what happened, but obviously it was deemed safe to ride after inspection. Ever since the 2016 crash the news are all over anything the smiler does. New Black Hole (1989) Black Hole II (1988) Black Hole (1983 to 1987) Former status: SBNO from 3/6/2005 to 2006 Operated from 1983 to 3/5/2005: Relocations: Alton Towers as Black Hole Furuvik as Rocket: Capacity: 900 riders per hour: Dimensions: 82.0 ft x 152.6 ft: Designer: Ing.-Bro Stengel GmbH It operated from 1984 until 2005. To capitalise on the effect of the projection, the films used were typically motion-based with the camera mounted onto a variety of moving vehicles, whether that be as part of a car chase, a helicopter journey or even a rollercoaster ride. It operated from 1983 until 2005. Defunctland: The History of Alton Towers' Black Hole - YouTube Cookie Info Did you grow up in the 80s? The loading bay, still pretty much intact. The coaster was located within a huge silvery black tent (formerly green and yellow) that ensured the ride took place in total darkness. Clearly showing the supports still in place. An hour later, Candy Taylor, 32, fell from a ride called Flight Commander and died from the impact. You're usually too busy shooting at the various ghouls to actually be scared as obviously you need to try and score a higher number than whoever is sitting next to you. Few rides, either before or since have captured the imagination and affection of park guests quite like The Black Hole. Probably the people at the front of the train would of got hurt the most I would imagine, do you think it would if been on the brake run? However, lights were added to the lift section of the ride, so that riders were able to brace themselves for the first drop. Defunctland: The History of Alton Towers' Black Hole Defunctland 1.58M subscribers 1.2M views 4 years ago For more pictures of the Black Hole and Alton Towers, check out this. Share your memories of Alton Towers' extensive past here. However, this does take the anticipation and tension out of what originally was so scary. It is located in the X-Sector area of the park. Black Hole was an enclosed steel roller coaster at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. This situation was somewhat rectified at the end of 1987, when the coaster was dismantled and taken away to be re-profiled in order to accommodate coupled trains, greatly improving the ride's capacity. Hidden away from sight, the ride was located in a large tented structure which gave away little about the thrills that could be found within. It took you on an (initially quite relaxing) winding ride around some of the park, before featuring three drops. [quote=""Blaze""]Just to clear it up, it did not 'derail'. [2], In 1985, the bottom of the first drop was modified slightly to make the ride run more smoothly. Three people fell to their deaths and the fourth suffered serious neck and chest injuries. The Black Hole lift hill music composed by Andy Quin called Encounter which was used in the attraction was also reused for advertising Space Mountain in Disneyland Paris. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The park operator Six Flags escaped prosecution for not having sprinklers and smoke detectors as it was deemed a temporary building. Let me know in the comments down below! Reports say the tragedy was caused by a faulty, loose screw. In April 2004, Hayley Williams, 16, visited Oakwood with her family. In June 2008 a teenager was decapitated by the roller coaster after he hopped over two fences into a restricted area to retrieve a hat. It was also a UK first, following successful launches in Germany and Belgium. When the ride first opened, the ride was completely dark. The worst roller coaster tragedy in history happened in May 1972, on the old wooden roller coaster. Most recently, the ride system has been reused again as part of the Alton Towers Dungeon. As you can read, minor injuries all around. Inside Alton Towers Black Hole Tent - Best Theme Park Attractions and As a result, it was changed to a water-based smoke machine. Following a special enthusiast event to say goodbye to the ride, Black Hole was closed in March 2005. The Black Hole took its final voyage on March 5th 2005, much to the dismay of enthusiasts and guests alike, and then not a lot. Opening in 1980, Corkscrew was a landmark investment for the park, and one which literally doubled attendance in a couple of years due to its popularity.In 1979, John Broom, one of the original Directors of Alton Towers, wanted to install a flagship attraction that would be unique to the UK, and set the benchmark for thrills in the theme park industry. The Black hole is a Schwarzkopf Jet star 2 coaster with a length of 1919ft, Height of 44'3 and a duration of 1min 50 seconds. Here, you're welcome to talk about all things Alton Towers! The dome plunged 35 feet to the ground, on fire, with more than 44 people inside. Enclosed within a giant tent, Black Hole was a rollercoaster which took place in near complete darkness. It caused a chain of cars to hurtle back into the boarding area, smashing into a wall and killing five children and injuring 13 more. In its earlier years the ride suffered from through put problems due to its single car trains, which resulted in long queue times for the popular attraction. Spectators stood in the middle of the room as a film was projected onto one half of the dome's interior, meaning the edges of action were just outside their periphery. 6 people could fit per car and there was only one car per train. It was not until Scarefest 2011 that the tent finally found a new occupier when it housed the two paid mazes, when The Boiler House and Carnival of Screams came on park for the first time.