The Flume (Alton Towers)

The Flume
Alton Towers
AreaMutiny Bay
Coordinates52°59′20″N 1°53′20″W / 52.988995°N 1.888847°W / 52.988995; -1.888847
StatusOperating
Opening date1981
General statistics
Manufacturer Mack Rides
Height 27 m (89 ft)
Drop 26 m (85 ft)
Length 886 m (2,907 ft)
Speed 45 km/h (28 mph)
Capacity 1,400 riders per hour
Duration 6minutes
Vehicle type Boat
Height restriction 100 cm (3 ft 3 in)
Site area 5 1/2 acres

The Flume is a Log Flume at Alton Towers in Staffordshire. It opened in 1981 and was rethemed in 2004 coinciding with its sponsorship by Imperial Leather. The ride is a bath time themed log flume with three drops. It was originally the longest log flume in the world when it opened in 1981. It is the second oldest attraction at Alton Towers after The Blade (Pirate Ship which opened in 1980).

Ride Experience

The ride is about 6 minutes long and starts by loading in the circular station. Once the 'bath' has dispatched from the station it goes round a few turns and up to the first lift hill. The car then drops down a small drop and winds around the woodland until it comes to the second lift hill which is enclosed in a building and then a drop which is in the dark. At the bottom there is a giant duck statue that you go past. Then it winds around the woodland again and then it goes 27m up a lift hill and then drops 26m down a drop into some brakes. Finally the car goes through two showers and back into the station.

History

In 1980, Alton Towers opened the ride Corkscrew along with a few other attractions. When these opened Alton Towers gained popularity so for the 1981 season they decided to open a new style of attraction that was becoming quite famous across the world a Log Flume. Construction started in late 1980 to open the ride for the 1981 season.

In 1981 the Log Flume opened to the public as the worlds longest log flume themed around the Canadian Falls for the next 23 years the ride operated as such.

In 2004, the ride was re-themed to The Flume and was given new boats (themed around baths) new lining, maintenance, a new theme about bath time.

In 2008, the ride operated in the new Mutiny Bay area that had opened.

Media gallery

route of The Flume

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, February 06, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.