Rollercoasters

Written by: Matt

For years, man has tried to overcome gravity. Even as far back as Icarus and the wax wings, people have wanted to have the freedom that they are being lifted above the Earth. Only recently have people discovered how to, and since then, this feeling of soaring above the object has expanded into many ways. Transport, Communication, and the one that I am talking about today.

Rollercoasters.

Now, I am British and I apologise for that now, but that means that I live in Britain, surprisingly. That also means that, like the minority of people, I am most aware of British rollercoasters. So, for those of you are American or Canadian or even Dutch, look at this as an oppurtunity to find out more about different rollercoasters. This article details the rollercoasters right here on this island. A sequel might come out in next issue's article.

Vampire, at Chessington: World of Adventures

Before I went to Chessington, I did a bit of research, and it used to be a rockin' and rollin' rollercoaster. It used to be a standard rollercoaster with normal cars that you sat in and this meant that it was able to be a lot more adventurous with what it did. However, when it started breaking down a little too much, the owners of Chessington decided to replace it with something revolutionary at the time, in which it was a hanging rollercoaster. It was the first of its kind, but then Alton Towers came along, but more about that later.

I was lucky enough the day I went to Chessington that it was absolutely dead, which meant, luckily for me, that I was able to get on the ride much more quickly and many more times, so you have my benefit of experience. The ride starts, typically of rollercoasters, with the standard clack-clack-clack ascent up the slope, but at the top that's when it kicks in... or would've done except that it moves jerkily and slowly. In fact, it was so jerk, I had to lean forward and hold on tightly just to stop my head whacking against the side of my head rest. Incidentally, those of you who are above the average height, keep your legs tucked it. Metal poles are not your friend. Not really what you'd expect from a rollercoaster that kept Chessington on the map for so many years. The rollercoaster never really gets going. Perhaps this is due to the technological limits of a dangling rollercoaster, but that doesn't suggest why the ride stops in the middle for a good 20 to 30 seconds before it ascends another slope.

I think another problem with this ride, as I've said, is that it was revolutionary at one point, but now there are many dangling rollercoasters about, all more modern, meaning that they have better capabilities and more oomph to them. The stake in the heart for Vampire was Alton Towers' ride Air, which works on exactly the same premise as this; but just achieves it so much more elegantly. In fact, since I'm talking about that, why not turn our attention to...

Air, at Alton Towers

In 1992, Alton Towers opened its doors to reveal Nemesis, a revolutionary rollercoaster. Six years on and Thorpe Park, Chessington and Drayton Manor were challenging its right to be known as the king of Theme Parks, and so Tussauds wanted to build the first "Aerial Inversion Rollercoaster" (Air for short), but due to technological limitations, it revealed Oblivion. Four years later, it revealed what it was trying to do in vain earlier: Air.

Air is marketed as the experience of flying, and it doesn't disappoint. The first thing that happens after you leave the terminal is approaching a tunnel. This may seem anti-climatic; but means that you are not left for ages on the slope, a benefit since the initial slope can be quite painful for those whose restraint system is a little askew. After that, however, is when the ride really takes off: literally. Following a little stutter at the top of slope, the ride just feels so natural; and not wanting to sound cliché, you actually forget that you are on a rollercoaster: Perfect.

Oblivion, at Alton Towers

Oblivion was marketed as the first vertical drop roller coaster, and as far as the internet assures, currently the only one; and I can see why. Once you have done it once, it's very... "So What?" The first time, excellent. I was actually a bit nervous on the approach, and then as the ride clicked and started the journey up the slope; they tilt the seats back so you feel horizontal. The best part of the ride is the approach to the drop, though. The tension is visible and as you are held over the drop, the view is enough to actually make someone scream, and not just because they want to seem loud on a rollercoaster. After that, though, the rest of the ride is just a method of getting back to the loading station.

However, after the first time, it turns into a very "Meh" ride. Visitors to Alton Towers will find that they go on Oblivion a lot becuase of its high turnover and tiny queues, and each trip after the first makes the ride less and less exciting. The view from the top is a "seen there, done that" and you no longer have the feeling of falling. You can't sense the drop is vertical and it just feels like any other drop on any other rollercoaster. It's special status is just looking onto it. Overall, not meaning to sound like a bit of a lifeless robot, it's a bit of a boring ride after your first experience.

Tidal Wave, at Thorpe Park

For those of you who aren't really great with big rollercoasters, log flumes are generally a little bit more acceptable, I've found. However, when you see Tidal Wave, you often think how can someone go on this thing and then not on something Oblivion. Tidal Wave used to be marketed as the tallest log flume in the world. While I'm not sure that it still is any more, it's still pretty darn big!

In my opinion, I think that the best bit about this is the queue and the just general feel about the environment and the back story, something that British rollercoasters often lack. The idea is that you are evacuating a town which has been struck by a Tidal Wave; however, just as you try to leave the town, another one strikes! The uphill slope is slow and big, which just drags the ride out. All that you really want to be doing is falling and getting soaked. You don't want a slow ascent - that's what a Ferris wheel is for. The drop is great, but it's nothing special. As I said before, when you are falling you aren't noticing that it's the biggest drop in Europe or that it's veritcal or whatever is special about it. A fall is a fall, and this just falls like a big fall, with nothing else special about the ride.

You get wet, I guess...

Dragon's Fury, at Chessington: World of Adventure

Dragon's Fury looks boring. It's tne first thing you see when you enter the park, and it looks like "Oo, that would be fun ... for a three year old". It follows the same format as a ride called "Wild Mouse". You get into a cart with four seats that spins around manically whilst heading around a fairly standard rollercoaster track. I managed to get to Chessington early; so when we arrived at the track with it rather empty, and I have to say, this is by far the best ride in Chessington. I managed to ride it atleast six times between 9:30 when I arrived, and 10:00 when the rest of the park opened, and each time it was brilliant because it is different every time.

I was criticising Oblivion for being the same every time, but because the spinning is not operated by a motor or anything on the trick, but rather by the weight distribution in the cart, so it will never be the same. There's a section of the cart in which you go up and then down on a vertical horse-shoe, and atleast four different ways you can travel it, each with a different way of doing so. For example, you may go forward going up and going down which feels like a vertical drop; but you may go backwards both ways, which is just scary because you have no idea what it feels like.

Colossus, at Thorpe Park

Colossus, made in 2002, is what single-handedly put Thorpe Park on the map, managing to silhouette the release of Air from Alton Towers. This rollercoaster, having 10 inversions is not for the faint of heart; and not for those who are a little shy of pain. The first time I go on a ride, I always try to head to the front, because it has the best experience. Sure, you generally have to wait a little longer, but it's worth it. The experience of the ride is absolutely brilliant. The placement, size and number of inversions were designed to maximum the experience, and there is no way I can fault that.

What I can fault is how rough the ride is. Sure, we don't really expect an armchair as I head around the track, but I do expect a seat that doesn't hurt to sit on. The shoulder restraints, as usual, did not fit my slightly bulkier build; digging into me and meaning that as we went around the bends and inversions, it dag even further into it. I came of the ride with my torso bleeding. You have to ask yourself if an excellent ride experience is worth this bumpy and pain-ridden ride.

To those of you who have a favourite rollercoaster that I haven't mentioned, I'm sorry. I accept that Drayton Manor Park has a number of superb rollercoasters, and Alton Towers has Nemesis and Thorpe Park has Stealth and Inferno; but I simply cannot mention every rollercoaster; which is something I'm glad of. Too many rollercoasters in three parks for an article means that spending a day at any of those parks is a great day out, which is, after all the point of a rollercoaster.

Of course, the one thought that goes through my mind as I head through a rollercoaster is not: "This is excellent," but, "If a ride is this excellent, imagine what the future will be like..."