Black Hole (roller coaster)
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| Black Hole | |
| Location | Alton Towers |
|---|---|
| Park section | X-Sector |
| Type | Steel - Enclosed |
| Status | Removed |
| Opened | 1984 |
| Closed | 3 May 2005 |
| Manufacturer | Anton Schwarzkopf |
| Designer | Anton Schwarzkopf / Ingenieur Büro Stengel GmbH |
| Model | Jet Star 2 |
| Track layout | custom twister |
| Lift/launch system | Electric Spiral Lift |
| Height | 44.25 ft (13.49 m) |
| Drop | 27 ft (8.2 m) |
| Length | 1,919.25 ft (584.99 m) |
| Max speed | 32 mph (51 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:50 |
| Max vertical angle | 33° |
| Capacity | 900 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | no launch |
| Max g-force | 2.9 |
| Height restriction | 3 ft 6 in (110 cm) |
| Black Hole at RCDB Pictures of Black Hole at RCDB |
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Black Hole was an enclosed steel roller coaster at Alton Towers. It opened in 1984, underneath a huge green and yellow tent, which ensured the ride took place in total darkness. The coaster itself was a Jet Star 2 designed from Anton Schwarzkopf. During the time that the ride operated, the park also operated an outdoor Jet Star 3 designed, first with the Alton Beast, and then the New Beast
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[edit] Changes in 1985
In 1985, a number of changes were made. Firstly, the bottom of the first drop was modified slightly to make the ride run smoother. An oil based smoke machine was also added, but it was found that this sped the ride up too much. As a result, it was changed to a water based smoke machine. When the ride first opened, the ride was completely dark. However, lights were added to the lift section of the ride, so that riders were able to brace themselves for the first drop.
[edit] Location and Theming
The ride was originally constructed in Fantasy Land in 1984. The ride took the place of the "Dinosaur Land" attraction which was then moved into storage. Although the ride itself was space themed, this was not reflected in the ride's exterior appearance.
[edit] Area Re-theme
For the 1988 season, the coaster was dismantled, and transported to Europe where it had an overhaul, which then allowed the ride to use dual car trains. The reconstructed ride, complete with minor overhaul of the internal special effects, then operated briefly as the "Black Hole II", before reverting to the original name. The outside of the tent received a major paint job when Fantasy World became X-Sector in 1998 as a result of the installation of Oblivion. It's original colour scheme was changed to a black and silver mixture after the re-theme in 1998.
[edit] Closure in 2005
The Black Hole ride closed to the public in March 2005. It was closed partially because the management believed running it was far too costly and that it was an old ride and simply was at the end of its life. New Health & Safety laws also required stairs to the top of the ride, which would have cost too much to build. It was dismantled but still remains in the tent, after the sale to a Brazilian park fell through due to a change in governments and import law. The tented structure remains on the site, its future uncertain.
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
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