Hyperia (roller coaster)

Last updated

Hyperia
Thorpe Park Hyperia 2024-03-25.jpg
Hyperia (March 2024)
Thorpe Park
Location Thorpe Park
Coordinates 51°24′06″N0°30′44″W / 51.401661°N 0.512266°W / 51.401661; -0.512266
StatusOperating
Opening date24 May 2024
Cost£18 million [1]
Replaced Loggers Leap, Rocky Express, Timber Tug Boat [2]
General statistics
Type Steel  – Hypercoaster
Manufacturer Mack Rides
ModelHypercoaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height71.93 m (236.0 ft)
Length995.4 m (3,266 ft)
Speed81 mph (130 km/h)
Inversions 2
Duration2:00
Height restriction130 cm (4 ft 3 in)
Trains2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train.
Website Official site
Single rider line availability icon.svg Single rider line Yes
Hyperia at RCDB

Hyperia is a steel hypercoaster located at Thorpe Park in Chertsey, Surrey, England. As of March 2024, it is the tallest roller coaster in the UK, however, while not open, The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is still the tallest operating roller coaster in the UK. It is also the fastest rollercoaster in the UK reaching speeds exceeding 81 miles per hour, taking the record from Stealth which is also located at Thorpe Park.

Contents

Hyperia was built on the site formerly occupied by both Loggers Leap and Rocky Express, [3] and is scheduled to open on Friday 24th May 2024. [4]

History

Background

Loggers Leap opened in 1989 in the southern corner of the park, where it became the tallest log flume in the UK at the time of its debut. The ride operated through to 2015, but failed to open the following year and was addressed by park representatives as being "under redevelopment". [5] In February 2019, Thorpe Park confirmed that the attraction had been permanently closed, stating that "the area [which] Logger's Leap once dominated will be forming part of our long term development plans". [6] The rest of Old Town closed permanently in October 2021, which included the retirement of the park's Rocky Express and Timber Tug Boat. [2] Lumber Jump was rethemed as High Striker and relocated to the Amity area of the park for the 2022 season. [7]

Planning process

In December 2021, Thorpe Park held a public consultation for their new coaster project in Old Town, releasing various renders and information online. [8] Codenamed Project Exodus, the proposed ride promised to become the tallest coaster in the UK at 236 feet (72 m) tall, displacing The Big One's 213-foot (65 m) height at Blackpool Pleasure Beach after nearly three decades. [9] Although a manufacturer was not listed at the time, park officials confirmed that they had conducted noise tests on "a similar ride in Turkey" (correctly assumed to be Mack Rides' Hyper Coaster at Land of Legends Theme Park). [10]

On 14 March 2022, Thorpe Park submitted an extensive planning application to Runnymede Borough Council detailing the proposed redevelopments of Old Town and Project Exodus' construction. [1] [11] While the council eventually supported the park's development, sustained flood risk concerns from the Environment Agency prompted a project referral to the Secretary of State, who made no objections to the project. [12] The council officially granted permission for Project Exodus on 2 November 2022, although the application's case officer would later criticise the Environment Agency's communication during the planning process, stating that: "A rollercoaster which was partly in the functional flood plain was never going to be straight forward planning application but it should not have been as difficult as it was. We had a positive working relationship with both the planning agents, Lichfields UK and the applicant Thorpe Park. The difficulty was the lack of ability to engage effectively with the Environment Agency. I'm sure the level of service they are providing or lack thereof, is not how they want to deal with matters". [13] [14]

Announcement

On 9 February 2023, Thorpe Park launched Club 236, a passholder competition to visit the park with the chance of being among the coaster's first public riders in 2024. [15] It was also confirmed that Project Exodus would be built by Mack Rides. [16] Further details were submitted to the council in May, depicting a pearl gold and papyrus white colour scheme – the structure's upper sections would be painted white in order to reduce its visual impact outside of the park. [17] In August 2023, it was announced that Project Exodus would not only be the UK's tallest coaster, but also the fastest. [18]

During the development phase, Merlin Entertainments – through the alias Vista Maxima Services Ltd – initially filed a trademark for ICARUS in March 2023. However, HYPERIA was submitted later on in August, and would go on to become the final name of the ride. [19] Hyperia was formally announced on 5 October 2023 and was accompanied by a promotional video that not only introduced the coaster's name but also presented its slogan, "Find your fearless". The video further provided a point-of-view (POV) glimpse into the ride experience. [20] [21]

Throughout its construction phase, Thorpe Park made substantial efforts to keep the public engaged on the coaster's progress. On 27 March 2024, an opening day was set for 24 May. [22] The coaster's trains were subsequently unveiled to the public on 12 April. [23]

Construction timeline

2022
  • 2 November 2022; Project Exodus approved by Runnymede Borough Council. [13]
  • December 2022; Demolition begins on Logger's Leap and the Old Town area. [24]
2023
  • 9 January; Ride foundation cages delivered to the park. [25]
  • April; Construction crews mark out locations for the structure's foundations. [26]
  • 22 July; First delivery of coaster supports arrive from Mack Rides. [27]
  • 28 September; First coaster track pieces arrive at Thorpe Park. [28]
  • 9 October; First support structure pieces installed at the ride's outerbank. [29]
  • 11 October; First track sections lifted into place. [30]
  • 16 October; Steel framework begins to be set up for the coaster's station. [31]
  • 22 October; A separate set of steel framework begins going up for the maintenance shed. [32]
2024
  • 29 February; The first drop has been mostly completed, with only lift hill track pieces left to be installed.
  • 1 March; The last piece of track, a straight lift hill piece, has been delivered to the construction site.
  • 6 March; Hyperia's track is completed with the crest of the lift hill being placed in, making it the tallest roller coaster in the UK by 23 feet (7.0 m), overtaking the previous record held by The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach at 213 feet (65 m). [33]
  • 6 April; Hyperia starts test preparations and the transfer tracks started moving. [34]
  • 16 April; Hyperia completes its first test run cycle.
  • 24 April; The first humans riders (Mack Engineers) were found on the train going around the track

Characteristics

Statistics

Hyperia is 236 feet (72 m) tall, has a track length of 3,265.7 feet (995.4 m), and can reach speeds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h). The coaster features two inversions, with those being a barrel roll into a drop and dive loop. Sources differ in opinion on whether the coaster's first-non-inverting Immelmann is considered to be a true inversion or not. Hyperia will run with two 20-passenger trains, each of which contains five cars seating riders in two rows of two.

Etymology

The choice of the name "Hyperia" is a reference to the coaster's classification as a "hypercoaster", with the theming of the ride being inspired by the fearless goddess, Hyperia, aligning with the slogan "Find your fearless". [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roller coaster</span> Rail-based amusement park ride

A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railroad track that carries passengers on a train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements designed to produce a thrilling experience. Trains consist of open cars connected in a single line, and the rides are often found in theme parks around the world. Roller coasters first appeared in the 17th century, and LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained one of the first known patents for a roller coaster design in 1885, based on the Switchback Railway which opened a year earlier at Coney Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steel roller coaster</span> Roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel

A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world. Incorporating tubular steel track and polyurethane-coated wheels, the steel roller coasters can provide a taller, smoother, and faster ride with more inversions than a traditional wooden roller coaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorpe Park</span> Resort Theme Park

Thorpe Park, formerly also known as Thorpe Park Resort, is a theme park located in the village of Thorpe between the towns of Chertsey and Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey, England, 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Central London. It is operated by Merlin Entertainments and includes rides, themed cabins, live events and Hyperia, the United Kingdom's tallest and fastest rollercoaster. In 2019, Thorpe Park was the UK's third most visited theme park, behind Alton Towers and Legoland Windsor. However, in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the park only had a 125-day operation season, along with limited capacity, leading to massively reduced visitor numbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Top Thrill 2</span> Launched roller coaster at Cedar Point

Top Thrill 2, formerly known as Top Thrill Dragster, is an upcoming launched roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Originally manufactured by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel, Top Thrill Dragster opened in 2003 as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, as well as the first strata coaster. It debuted with a height of 420 feet (130 m), a maximum speed of 120 mph (190 km/h), and a total track length of 2,800 feet (850 m). Its speed and height records were surpassed in 2005 by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six Flags Great America</span> Amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois

Six Flags Great America is a 304-acre (123 ha) amusement park located in Gurnee, Illinois, within the northern Chicago metropolitan area. The amusement park originally opened as Marriott's Great America on May 29, 1976, as one of two theme parks built by the Marriott Corporation. Six Flags acquired the amusement park in 1984 after the theme park division was an earnings disappointment for Marriott. The sale gave Six Flags rights to the Looney Tunes intellectual properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wicked Twister</span> Defunct roller coaster

Wicked Twister was an inverted roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Designed by Werner Stengel, it was a second-generation, double-twisting Impulse model manufactured by Intamin. Wicked Twister opened as the tallest and fastest inverted coaster in the world on May 5, 2002. It was retired by the park on September 6, 2021, closed on September 7, and gave over 16 million rides during its lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nemesis Reborn</span> Inverted coaster at Alton Towers

Nemesis Reborn, previously Nemesis, is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, England. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the ride was designed by Werner Stengel, while overall development was overseen by attraction developer John Wardley. It opened in the Forbidden Valley area of the park on 19 March 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stealth (roller coaster)</span> Steel launched roller coaster

Stealth is a launched roller coaster in the Amity area of Thorpe Park located in Surrey, England. Built and designed by Intamin of Switzerland for £12 million, the Accelerator Coaster model opened in 2006 as the fastest roller coaster in the UK, and is the third tallest in the UK after Hyperia and the Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. It reaches a height of 62.5 metres (205 ft) and accelerates from 0 to 80 mph (129 km/h) in 1.8 seconds, making it the world's fastest accelerating rollercoaster currently in operation. Riders experience a maximum of 4.7 g.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oblivion (roller coaster)</span> Steel dive roller coaster

Oblivion is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. The prototype Dive Coaster model from Bolliger & Mabillard opened to the public on 14 March 1998 and was marketed as the "world's first vertical drop roller coaster". With a maximum speed of 68 mph (109.4 km/h), it is the third fastest roller coaster in the UK, behind The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Stealth at Thorpe Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logger's Leap</span> Closed Log Flume water ride

Logger's Leap was a log flume ride at Thorpe Park, UK. It was the tallest log flume in the UK. The ride closed in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T Express</span> Wooden roller coaster in South Korea

T Express is a hybrid roller coaster at the Everland theme park in Yongin, South Korea. Prior to April 2024, it was a fully wooden coaster until it went through a retracking procedure using steel track on part of the coaster. T Express opened on March 14, 2008 in the European Adventure section of the park, and is themed after a small town in the Alps. The coaster was constructed by Intamin, a Swiss manufacturing company, and designed by Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH, a German roller coaster design facility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Odyssey (UK Roller Coaster)</span> Roller coaster in Ingoldmells, England

The Odyssey is a roller coaster at Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells, England. Built by Vekoma of the Netherlands in 2002, it was named to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It is Vekoma's tallest example of their Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC) design in the world. Standing at 167 feet, it is the fourth tallest roller coaster in the UK, after Hyperia the Big One and Stealth. And the joint second tallest full circuit inverted rollercoaster in the world. It has a maximum speed of 63 mph and is capable of forces up to 4.8g.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Swarm (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Thorpe Park

The Swarm is a steel roller coaster located at Thorpe Park in the United Kingdom. The Swarm was the world's second Wing Coaster model designed by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and the first one located in the United Kingdom. Construction commenced in May 2011, and the coaster opened on 15 March 2012. From 2013 until 2015, the last two rows of each train faced backwards, while the first five rows faced forward. This was restored to the original configuration in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackpool Pleasure Beach</span> Amusement park in England

Pleasure Beach Resort, formerly known as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, is an amusement park situated on Blackpool's South Shore, in the county of Lancashire, North West England. The park was founded in 1896 by A. W. G. Bean and his partner John Outhwaite. The current managing director is Amanda Thompson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smiler</span> Roller coaster in Staffordshire, England

The Smiler is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. It opened in 2013 as the first Infinity Coaster model from Gerstlauer and was built in the X-Sector area of the park. The Smiler features 14 inversions, which is a world record for most inversions on a roller coaster.

This is a list of events and openings related to amusement parks that occurred in 2014. These various lists are not exhaustive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skyscraper (roller coaster)</span> Cancelled roller coaster concept

Skyscraper was a roller coaster concept originally planned for a future Skyplex entertainment complex located in Orlando, Florida. Development began in 2012 by American manufacturer US Thrill Rides and Swiss manufacturer Intamin, with both companies designing the attraction as the first Polercoaster model utilizing an observation tower for its main support structure. Skyscraper would have been the tallest roller coaster in the world at over 500 feet (150 m), and it would have featured both the steepest drop and highest inversion in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fury 325</span> Steel roller coaster at Carowinds

Fury 325 is a steel roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, Fury 325 opened to the public on March 28, 2015. It features a 6,602-foot-long (2,012 m) track that reaches a maximum height of 325 feet (99 m), making it the fifth-tallest roller coaster in the world and the tallest overall among roller coasters that use a traditional chain lift hill. Riders experience speeds of up to 95 mph (153 km/h), winding through high-speed curves and passing over and under the park's main entrance. Beginning in 2016, Fury 325 has consistently ranked as the world's best steel coaster in the annual Golden Ticket Awards published by Amusement Today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time Traveler (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster in Missouri

Time Traveler is a spinning roller coaster located at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. The roller coaster was manufactured by Mack Rides in collaboration with the park's in-house team. The original concept for the roller coaster was conceived from a prototype train tested on another roller coaster, Blue Fire, at Europa-Park in Germany. Time Traveler opened in 2018 and is themed to a fictional backstory about time travel involving characters Charles Henry, a clockmaker, and his daughter. The roller coaster reaches a height of 100 feet (30 m) and a maximum speed of 50.3 mph (81.0 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mardi Gras Hangover</span> Amusement ride at Niagara Amusement Park

Mardi Gras Hangover is a fire ball attraction currently in storage at Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World in Grand Island, New York, United States. The attraction was previously located at Six Flags Great America from 2018 to 2023, before being delivered to Niagara Amusement Park in February 2024. Manufactured by Larson International, it is one of the tallest fire ball amusement ride in the world at a height of 100 feet (30 m) tall.

References

  1. 1 2 "Thorpe Park submits £18m rollercoaster plans". riderater.co.uk. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 Ross (30 November 2021). "Thorpe Park – Goodbye Old Town Rides!". themeparkrm.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  3. ↑ Site Plan as Existing. Thorpe Park. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022
  4. ↑ "Hyperia". Thorpe Park. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024. From 24th May, we're taking thrills to incredible new heights with 'Hyperia' — the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster. Reaching heights of 236ft and speeds of over 80mph, once you've experienced Hyperia you'll never fear again.
  5. ↑ Talbot, Charlotte (25 January 2017). "Thorpe Park's Logger's Leap to remain closed for 2017 for 'redevelopment'". Surrey Advertiser . Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Will Loggers Leap be re-opening?". thorpepark.com. Thorpe Park Resort. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  7. ↑ "High Striker, Thorpe Park". themeparkjames.co.uk. Theme Park James. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Thorpe Park 2024 Rollercoaster Public Consultation Plans Uploaded". themeparkguide.co.uk. Theme Park Guide. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  9. ↑ White, Steven (14 December 2021). "Thorpe Park new rollercoaster: 5 new things we just learned from public consultation". Surrey Advertiser . Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  10. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Hyper Coaster  (Land of Legends Theme Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  11. ↑ "Planning Application: Redevelopment of 'Old Town' area within Thorpe Park". runnymede.gov.uk. Runnymede Borough Council. 14 March 2022.
  12. ↑ Lewis (3 November 2022). "UK's tallest rollercoaster Project Exodus approved for Thorpe Park Resort". attractionsource.com. Attraction Source. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Town And Country Planning (Development Management Procedure)(England) Order 2015". runnymede.gov.uk. Runnymede Borough Council. 2 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Christine Ellera". linkedin.com. LinkedIn. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  15. ↑ @THORPEPARK (9 February 2023). "Who wants to be on the FIRST public ride of our BRAND NEW..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ↑ "Thorpe Park – Hyperia (Project Exodus)". 18 October 2023.
  17. ↑ Carly (4 May 2023). "Thorpe Park Resort submit details of external materials for Project Exodus". attractionsource.com. Attraction Source. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  18. ↑ @THORPEPARK (16 August 2023). "We couldn't let #NationalRollercoasterDay go by without mentioning a little thing we call 'Project Exodus'-our new #coaster coming soon to #ThorpePark😉🎢
    Not only is it going to be the UK's tallest #rollercoaster, but it'll also be the UK's fastest!🎢✨
    orlo.uk/News_U5POL"     (Tweet). Retrieved 18 October 2023– via Twitter.
  19. ↑ @jaystocky (16 August 2023). "hmmm" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ↑ Boyd, Milo (6 October 2023). "Thorpe Park's new ride will be 'UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster' and it looks epic". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  21. ↑ Graves, Kieran (11 October 2023). "New Thorpe Park rollercoaster named as on-board video teased". Surrey Advertiser . Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  22. ↑ @THORPEPARK (27 March 2024). "What are you doing 24th May? Us? We're celebrating our 45th birthday..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ "Hyperia at Thorpe Park - Train Reveal". YouTube . Thorpe Park. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  24. ↑ "Thorpe Park Old Town Demolition Begins". themeparkguide.co.uk. Theme Park Guide. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  25. ↑ "Project Exodus Ride Foundation Footers Delivered". themeparkguide.co.uk. Theme Park Guide. 9 January 2023.
  26. ↑ "Project Exodus Footer Markings Appear On The Construction Site For Thorpe Park's New Roller Coaster!". themeparkinsanity.co.uk. Theme Park Insanity. 22 April 2023.
  27. ↑ "Ride Supports For Project Exodus Delivered". themeparkguide.co.uk. Theme Park Guide. 22 July 2023.
  28. ↑ "Thorpe Park: Project Exodus track arrives!". ukthemeparkspy.co.uk. UK Theme Park Spy. 28 September 2023.
  29. ↑ @ParkWorldMag (13 October 2023). "Hyperia- the UK's soon to be fastest and tallest rollercoaster..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. ↑ @ThorpeParkMania (11 October 2023). "Hyperia - up close and personal!..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  31. ↑ @J_Silkstone (16 October 2023). "Latest Hyperia construction!! 🏗️🎢..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  32. ↑ @AttractionSc (22 October 2023). "Hyperia's train storage garage foundation is complete, and the building..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  33. ↑ @ThrillPix (6 March 2024). "🏗️ Hyperia @THORPEPARK has now reached its highest point, 236ft..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  34. ↑ @ThemeParkGuide (6 April 2024). "Breaking news!..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  35. ↑ "Hyperia Construction Updates – Thorpe Park's new rollercoaster for 2024". thorpepark.com. Thorpe Park Resort. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.