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Alton Towers | Nemesis Reborn | B&M Retrack | 2024

Nitefly said:
Interesting to read the inference that it’s not Wardley’s worldwide number one… I wonder what that is…
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He’s said before that his favourite ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland because he says it’s great fun for all, and he likes how it uses its train theme to make the roller coaster itself more accessible and less intimidating.
 
Matt N said:
He’s said before that his favourite ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland because he says it’s great fun for all, and he likes how it uses its train theme to make the roller coaster itself more accessible and less intimidating.
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Of course he'd say that. What a nerd. :D
 
The curtain has now officially fallen on Nemesis V1 after 28 years of operation, with John Wardley and John Burton (Creative Lead for Merlin’s Resort Theme Parks) being on the front row of the last train:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1589395955522375680
Nice to see such an icon of Alton Towers history going out with a bang! (In its initial form, at least)

Thanks for the memories, Nemesis. You will be missed next season, but here’s to you coming back even better in 2024!
 
I know I've put it as my status, but I'll say it again, what a fantastic send off. I wasn't expecting that turnout or that incredible atmosphere... Every train clapping and cheering. Alton Towers staff having to beg a thousand goons to please disperse and leave the park. Brilliant, every last second of it.

I took a video of the last train returning to the station to cheers and applause, but I can't post it here.
 
Yeah Alton really impressed yesterday, after the fireworks having the announcement that Nemesis was closing (although I think everyone was expecting something more) and then having the pilgrimage over to Nemesis to seeing the phalanx posters and logo plastered over everything along the way and the place swarming with operatives. Then having Nemesis all lit up with research tents in the pit with sounds of the monster screaming. It was really over the top and silly and camp.

Really loved seeing people from CF about and familiar faces I haven't seen in years. And then the emotional wait for the final train completely knackered me out, it really was peak goonery and I'm glad I got to witness it.


There's an irony is the fact that it was running fantastically as well, I had some the smoothest and most intense rides I've ever had on the thing. Here's hoping they dont mess this refurb up.

 
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The send off was fabulous - you could really feel the love. Having all of the actors and monster (elephant?) noises really made it special.

It’s such a weird and disturbing theme. Totally ****ed up aesthetically (it reminds me of 80s horror classics The Thing and The Fly), backed up with a musical score that’s intense, harrowing and tragic. The whole experience just makes me feel anxious, as if something was ‘terribly wrong’. I love it.

The ride is still super hot fire too. That helix exit and roll over the station… phwoar!

Just one of those ‘lightening in the bottle’ things, really. Intelligently designed and created but still better than the sum of its parts, capturing the imagination of generations.

As a side note, the fireworks were spectacular - very impressive indeed.
 
bob_3_ said:
There's an irony is the fact that it was running fantastically as well, I had some the smoothest and most intense rides I've ever had on the thing. Here's hoping they dont mess this refurb up.
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Do we think the retracking could have a detrimental effect to the ride experience at all?

The Hulk retrack gives me hope for an idential ride experience..

As long as we don't get vest restraints or they change any of the track banking or anything silly like that we should be good.. right?
 
spicy said:
Do we think the retracking could have a detrimental effect to the ride experience at all?

The Hulk retrack gives me hope for an idential ride experience..

As long as we don't get vest restraints or they change any of the track banking or anything silly like that we should be good.. right?
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Vest restraints would require additional clearance, I think. Monster at Gröna Lund got the standard restraints, so B&M's still making them.
 
Merlin will do something silly to "up" the excitement level and give it a selling point I'm sure. Backwards facing car for an upcharge maybe?
 
Whilst I think about it (and no this isn't connected to my last post) I want to give a shout out to Andy.

A lot is said about John Wardley, but Andy has been working Nemesis since the very first day, he operated the very first train, and last night he operated the very last one on the original.

Never really spoken to him much since 2003, and I didn't even recognise him at first, but this weekend we got chatting. And if anybody here knows him, he's an absolute top bloke, please send him my love, tell him he did an incredible job last night, Nemesis was running incredibly and operations were flawless from the moment I started riding none stop (shortly after 6pm.)

It was an emotional night for him, we saw him by the exit, I think crying, but definitely filled with emotion, after the last rides. I hope it wasn't too much for him and I think he definitely deserves some recognition and love from the community.

I hope he's there on day one of the rebirth!
 
Feels weird how one of my two favorite British coasters got this insane send-off for a retrack, while the other one got quietly demolished over the Winter break after the park kept reassuring the public that it was there to stay...
 
And if anybody here knows him, he's an absolute top bloke, please send him my love, tell him he did an incredible job last night, Nemesis was running incredibly and operations were flawless from the moment I started riding none stop (shortly after 6pm.)
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Yeh Andy is a complete Legend and a father figure to a lot of people who have worked at Nemesis over the years, even if sometimes he causes just as much trouble as the younger staff members. It is crazy to think he's operated nemmy from day one.
 
Love to see the send off - really glad everyone had a good time. Can't wait for the next chapter, myself.

Also - after this post, the first person to ask why this thread hasn't (or when this thread will be) moved into Ride Construction will get a six month ban. ;)
 
Matt N said:
He’s said before that his favourite ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland because he says it’s great fun for all, and he likes how it uses its train theme to make the roller coaster itself more accessible and less intimidating.
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I remember my grandparents went on it by mistake thinking it was the train that goes around the park.
 
TilenB said:
Feels weird how one of my two favorite British coasters got this insane send-off for a retrack, while the other one got quietly demolished over the Winter break after the park kept reassuring the public that it was there to stay...
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I keep asking myself, which coaster you could mean. The only one, which comes to my mind is the wild mouse at BPB. So how wrong am I?
 
Trax said:
I keep asking myself, which coaster you could mean. The only one, which comes to my mind is the wild mouse at BPB. So how wrong am I?
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Yeah, I meant Wild Mouse. There was an interview with Amanda Thompson in First Drop (the ECC magazine) that came out a month after they removed it where she still maintained Wild Mouse wasn't going anywhere (obviously the interview was taken before the removal, but it still couldn't have been that much earlier).
 
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