Alton Towers‘ oldest current ride, The Blade, is closing after 44 years to make room for a “new weapon” in the park’s Forbidden Valley.
In an update, Alton Towers said it is making some changes to its rides and attractions lineup. This includes the closure of The Blade, which is being retired after 44 years of operation.
The UK theme park said evaluating its lineup 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”.
Alton Towers evaluating attractions
Also being retired is Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango, and the Alton Towers Dungeon. This was closed and reimagined to create a new Scarefest attraction earlier this year, and Alton Towers has now confirmed that it will not return in 2025.
The Blade, a post-apocalyptic-themed swinging ride, originally opened as the Pirate Ship attraction in 1980. It is part of Alton Towers’ Forbidden Valley area, which also houses the iconic Nemesis Reborn coaster.
Alton Towers said the Phalanx, the secret organisation tasked with controlling the Nemesis beast, has “maxed out the potential of its swinging blade” but is “committed to bringing a new weapon to Forbidden Valley ready for 2025”.
The Blade has welcomed 500,000 riders each year since opening.
“I’ve worked on The Blade for 30 years in all weather conditions and it’s been a joy. I’ll be sad to see it go, but it’s time for its retirement,” said Mark Hambelton, mechanical engineer at Alton Towers.
Nemesis Reborn opened earlier this year after an 18-month transformation. Alton Towers has replaced the coaster’s 250-tonne, 716-metre-long track, which is now covered with red veins.
The ride also features new storytelling elements and a redesigned mythical beast, brought to life through state-of-the-art audiovisual (AV) technology.
Images courtesy of Merlin
