The Blade (Alton Towers)
| The Blade | |||||||||||
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| Attraction type | Pirate ship | ||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Huss Rides | ||||||||||
| Model | Swinging Ship | ||||||||||
| G-force | 0 | ||||||||||
| Capacity | 900 riders per hour | ||||||||||
| Riders per row | 4 | ||||||||||
| Height restriction | 39 in (99 cm) | ||||||||||
The Blade is a HUSS Swinging Ship ride Located at Alton Towers Resort, Staffordshire. The ride is situated in Forbidden Valley along with Ripsaw. The Blade is a zero-gravity swinging ship, themed to look like a piece of discarded shrapnel.
History
The ride opened in 1980 as The Pirate Ship alongside other initial rides like the Corkscrew. It was first located on the site of Oblivion and other rides in the now 'X-Sector'. In 1996 The Thunder-looper closed to make way for the Blade and Ripsaw.
Alton Towers announced via social media on 12 March that The Blade would be closing to make way for future developments. Several days later, the park then confirmed the decision had been reconsidered and the ride would remain open for the foreseeable future.[1]
Ride experience
The Blade is a normal swinging ship ride where zero gravity is experienced. The ride starts with the lap bars closing, then the gondola starts to swing back and forth, getting higher (like a ship on a rough sea). Then the ride gently comes to a stop.