Ripsaw (Alton Towers)

Last updated

Ripsaw
Ripsaw.jpg
Alton Towers
AreaForbidden Valley
Coordinates 52°59′26″N1°53′33″W / 52.99056°N 1.89250°W / 52.99056; -1.89250
StatusRemoved
Opening date15 March 1997
Closing date8 November 2015
Replaced byForbidden Sweep (2016 only)
Funk'N'Fly (2021 – 2023)
Toxicator (2025 — present)
Ride statistics
Attraction typeTop Spin
Manufacturer Huss Rides
ModelTop Spin
Height restriction55 in (140 cm)
Restraint styleOver the shoulders

Ripsaw was a Top Spin ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. It opened in 1997 and closed at the end of 2015. [1] [2]

Contents

History

The ride opened on 15 March, 1997 alongside The Blade (originally the pirate ship), which replaced Thunder Looper - a Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop. The theming installed on and around the ride resembled that of heavy duty machinery, with the main centerpiece of a ride being a large twist drill bit located above the riders. [1]

Ripsaw was closed in the 2015 season. It was temporarily replaced by Forbidden Sweep, a small carnival game, for the 2016 season and then by the travelling ride, Funk ‘n’ Fly. [3]

In February 2024, Alton Towers submitted a planning application for a new 60 ft (18 m) tall flat ride on the site formerly occupied by Ripsaw. [4] This prompted speculation from enthusiasts about this new ride being a revival of Ripsaw, later revealed to be Toxicator. [5] Planning permission was approved in April 2024, [6] and construction began in May 2024. [7] The ride officially opened on 15 March 2025.

Ride experience

Riders sat in a 20-seat, two-tier gondola attached to a pair of counterweighted rotating arms. The gondola was able to freely pivot or be held by pneumatic brakes at controlled times during the ride cycle. Riders were also suspended above rising jets of water, similar to Rameses Revenge at Chessington World of Adventures Resort. The ride was located in the Forbidden Valley area of the park opposite Nemesis. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ripsaw - The Park of the Past - Your premier Alton Towers guide". towersstreet.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Alton Towers 'set to close SIX rides next year as Smiler crash due to "human error"'". Daily Mirror . 24 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Ripsaw - The Park of the Past - Your premier Alton Towers guide". towersstreet.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  4. ↑ Parker, Hayley; Ashdown, Kerry (15 February 2024). "Alton Towers unveils secretive plans for new towering 60ft attraction". Stoke on Trent Live. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  5. ↑ "Alton Towers Submit Plans For New Forbidden Valley Flat Ride | Theme Park Guide". themeparkguide.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "Project Ocean Plans Approved New Flat Ride Coming Soon | Theme Park Guide". themeparkguide.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  7. ↑ "Project Ocean Construction Works Begins | Theme Park Guide". themeparkguide.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Ripsaw".


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