X:\ No Way Out

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X:\ No Way Out
Location	Thorpe Park
Park Section	Lost City
Type	Steel
Status	Open
Opened	1996
Manufacturer	Vekoma
Model	Enigma
Height	42 ft (12.8 m)
Length	1312 ft (399.9 m)
Max speed	27.7 mph (44.6 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	2:00
Capacity	1,000 riders per hour
X:\ No Way Out at RCDB
Pictures of X:\ No Way Out at RCDB

X:\ No Way Out (commonly referred to as X and no way out) is a roller coaster located in the Lost City area of Thorpe Park, England. It was the park's very first non-powered Roller-Coaster. An odd name for an equally odd ride. Marketed as the "world's first backwards roller coaster in the dark", and was built themed around the idea of 'being trapped in a computer virus', hence the name. The ride is situated inside a blue and burgundy pyramid. The ride once had a long indoor queue line through black corridors and a few themed rooms, including a revolving tunnel. This has since been cut short, and used for Thorpe Park's Fright Nights.

The coaster itself is somewhat tame, although some excitement can be derived from the unusual sensation of travelling backwards on a roller coaster. Realizing how unreliable the on-train sound effects (helicopter noises) were, the park has now added sound effects around the ride, including some rather evil laughter and some incomprehensible speech. Previously on the ride, at three points, the train would stop and shudder back and forth with riders assaulted with wind, mist and scent, although these effects were generally unreliable.

[edit] The Ride

As you approach the entrance you queue up in an outside queue, separated from the indoor queue due to it being cut short. You are then let in the building by a staff member, following the narrow corridors, until you eventually get to a small queue outside the station. Depending on the popularity of the ride, a small room with a staff member inside takes loose items. You then walk through into the compact station, and stand behind the air gates. The empty train then rolls in backwards from the exit platform into the station. The air gates are opened, and you take your seat in what seems to be a very roomy type of train. You lower the lapbars, and they are checked. The air gates are closed, and a very formal recording plays the message twice, "The ride is about to begin. Please keep your arms and legs inside the train at all times". Just as the second recording starts, the train is shot off backwards into the pitch black darkness.

The train curves, straight into the drive tyre lift hill. A strobe light flashes, lighting up the whole pyramid. You are immedantly sent into a helix, and over a small top hat, straight into the first set of brakes. Depending on whether they are working, pipes of air must squirt above from you as the train shudders back and forth. The train then shoots off backwards again. This is said to be the most thrilling part of the ride if you're sitting at the front, as you a flung forward. Another second brake run then occurs while strobe lights flash. The ride is then sent into a short brake run, then sent into the unloading station, as a recording plays "The ride has come to an end. Please exit to your left".

Onride photos are no longer available on this ride. It is said it was sent to Stealth.

Staff also share a belief this ride is haunted.

It is believed that due to the lack of customer interest in this ride, Thorpe Park is planning to remove it and put a new ride in its place. However, the owners of Thorpe Park have given no comment and so the fate of this ride is unconfirmed.