It’s not a great time to be a theme park lover. Only a few weeks ago Cornwall’s beloved Flambards made public that it was closing for good, and now Alton Towers, the country’s biggest theme park, has announced that its oldest ride will not reopen after it shut earlier this week.
The Blade, which opened back in 1980, then simply called ‘the Pirate Ship’, swings back and forth, at one point reaching a point of zero gravity, according to the park. Its description on Alton Towers website says: ‘Float free from your seat and leave your stomach floating somewhere above you.’
Or maybe we should say it reached points of zero gravity, as it has officially been retired for good. According to a spokesperson for Alton Towers, the ride has ‘reach[ed] the end of its technical life’ and it was time to say goodbye.
It’s estimated that the Blade saw as many as 500,000 visitors a year, welcoming up to 450 people every hour, so it’s no surprise that it’s a bit tired.
The Blade isn’t alone, as Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango and the Alton Towers Dungeon will also be bidding farewell to the park. Representatives have assured customers that this is all for the best, stating: ‘Evaluating our line-up of attractions is an ongoing process that occurs at the end of each theme park season, with continued reinvestment in our world-class rides and attractions always front and centre as we look to deliver fantabulous memories to everyone that visits our Resort.’
We don’t know much about what will replace any of these attractions, other than that the team at Alton Towers have promised they won’t disappoint. Although nothing will have the legacy of the Blade, it will be interesting to see if its substitute will be worthy of the position.
Theme park thrills on Time Out
For more loop-the-loops, drop towers and haunted trains, check out Time Out’s list of the very best theme parks in the UK. In other rollercoaster news, the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster is about to open in Thorpe Park and one of the UK’s most legendary rollercoasters has had a massive makeover.
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