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Nemesis (roller coaster)

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Not to be confused with its sister roller coaster at Thorpe Park, Nemesis Inferno.

Nemesis
Nemesis (roller coaster).png
Nemesis (Alton Towers) 01.jpg
The first corkscrew of Nemesis
Alton Towers
LocationAlton Towers
Park sectionForbidden Valley
Coordinates52°59′13″N 1°52′58″W / 52.98694°N 1.88278°W / 52.98694; -1.88278Coordinates: 52°59′13″N 1°52′58″W / 52.98694°N 1.88278°W / 52.98694; -1.88278
StatusOperating
Soft opening date16 March 1994 (1994-03-16)[2]
Opening date19 March 1994 (1994-03-19)[1]
Cost£10 million
General statistics
TypeSteel – Inverted
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelInverted Coaster – Custom
Track layoutTerrain
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height13 m (42.7 ft)
Drop31.7 m (104 ft)
Length716 m (2,349 ft)
Speed81 km/h (50 mph)
Inversions4
Duration1:20
Capacity1200 riders per hour
G-force3.5[1]
Height restriction140 cm (4 ft 7 in)
Trains2 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
WebsiteOfficial website
Slogan"Sit back, it’s fright time!"
Fastrack available
Nemesis at RCDB
Pictures of Nemesis at RCDB

Nemesis is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in England. It opened to the public on March 19, 1994. The ride was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard and designed by Werner Stengel, in collaboration with attraction developer John Wardley. It is located in the Forbidden Valley area of the park, adjacent to Galactica and The Blade attractions.

The 716-metre-long (2,349 ft) ride stands 13 metres (42.7 ft) tall and features a top speed of 81 km/h (50 mph). The four-inversion roller coaster was one of the first Bolliger & Mabillard rides to be installed outside of the United States and the first in Europe as an independent company.

History[]

Development history[]

In 1990, Alton Towers added the Thunder Looper roller coaster; the addition was only temporary due to planning restrictions imposed on its installation.[3][4] The park began planning for a new roller coaster on unused land adjacent to Thunder Looper.[5] They desired a roller coaster that was big, different and exciting, but they were constrained by the tree-level height limit imposed on the park.[6]

One of Nemesis' trains exiting the first corkscrew

Alton Towers approached Arrow Dynamics for the new roller coaster. The Utah-based company was working on a prototype of a pipeline roller coaster, similar to TOGO's Ultratwister design.[6] John Wardley proposed the concept for a ride themed as a secret military weapon, codenamed "Secret Weapon".[5] Due to the design of the ride and the height restriction imposed on the park, the Secret Weapon would only have a track length of 300 metres (980 ft). A year later, a revised layout was drawn up, dubbed "Secret Weapon 2". Rock blasting was used to excavate space for the planned ride.[6] However, the Arrow pipeline project was cancelled when Wardley rode the prototype, describing how it was "very slow (and rather boring), looked cumbersome, and was very energy inefficient". The park began to look for an alternative.[5][6]

Tussauds became aware of a new roller coaster model being built by Bolliger & Mabillard at Six Flags Great America and entered into discussions with Six Flags, who agreed to privately disclose information about the new ride.[6] Jim Wintrode, the general manager of Six Flags Great America at the time, proposed the concept of an inverted roller coaster that featured inversions and worked with Bolliger & Mabillard to develop Batman: The Ride.[7][8] Tussauds directors rode Batman: The Ride prior to its May 1992 opening and wanted to add a similar ride to Alton Towers.[6][9]

The inverted roller coaster, now dubbed "Secret Weapon 3", was planned throughout 1992. John Wardley and Nick Varney, marketing director of Alton Towers, came up with the theme for "Nemesis" as an alien creature excavated from the ground.[6] Wardley drafted the ride layout, from which the coaster was designed by Werner Stengel. Tussauds collaborated with a landscape architect to design the excavated area, to create a ride that could be exciting for both riders and non-riders; for example, the final inversion was built at the eye level of an observer and the queue makes its way all the way around the ride area.[1][6]

Operational history[]

The £10 million Nemesis officially opened to the public on 19 March 1994, following a soft opening three days prior.[1][2] It opened as one of the first Bolliger & Mabillard rides to be installed outside of the United States, along with Diavlo at Himeji Central Park, Japan, which opened four months later.[10]

In August 2004, Nemesis gained the Guinness World Record for the "Most Naked People on a Rollercoaster". The ride set the record at 32 riders – the number of seats on a single Nemesis train.[11] It took the record from Thorpe Park's Nemesis Inferno roller coaster which set the record at 28 just three months prior.[12][13] The ride lost the record in 2010 when 40 naked riders boarded Green Scream Rollercoaster at Adventure Island.[14]

In 2009, Alton Towers received several complaints from nearby residents regarding increased noise levels emitted from the ride. New wheels had to be installed on the two trains before the ride returned to normal operation.[15]

Characteristics[]

The themed station with the first corkscrew in the background

Nemesis stands 13 metres (42.7 ft) tall, but due to the modified terrain, features a drop height of 31.7 metres (104 ft). Its track length is 716 metres (2,349 ft), and riders reach a maximum speed of 81 km/h (50 mph). The four inversions include two corkscrews, a zero-g roll, and a vertical loop.[1] Riders experience approximately 3.5 times the force of gravity on the 1-minute, 20-second ride.[1][2] Nemesis operates with two steel and fiberglass trains, each containing eight cars. Each car seats four riders in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.[1]

Ride experience[]

A train travelling the stall turn

Riders enter the station and choose between the standard queue or front row (which adds significant queuing time). Riders are batched into rows of 4. Once the train is ready for dispatch the floor beneath it is lowered before the train then departs the station making a 45-degree, right-hand turn towards the lift hill. Once at the top of the 13-metre (43 ft) hill, the train makes a small dip and turns around 180 degrees to the left. The train then descends down a small drop into the first inversion, a right-handed corkscrew. The train then navigates a right-handed, 270-degree downward helix that features 90 degree banking. Then the train rises up into the second inversion, a zero-g roll, where riders experience the feeling of weightlessness. It then makes a 180-degree right-handed stall turn into the third inversion, a vertical loop. After a left stall turn the train enters the second corkscrew. The train then passes through an underground tunnel, and through one more 180-degree turn, before being stopped by the brake run and returning to the station.[1][16]

Reception[]

Nemesis received positive reception by park visitors and the attraction industry as a whole since its opening.[17] More than 50 million people have ridden Nemesis since opening.[18] In Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards, Nemesis has consistently ranked highly. It is also one of only seven roller coasters to appear in the top 50 every year since the award's inception in 1998. It debuted at position 10 in 1998,[19] before peaking at position 7 in 2003.[19][20]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Ranking 10[19] 13[21] 14[22] 19[23] 18[24] 7[20] 17[25] 16[26] 16[27] 14[28] 13[29] 20[30] 18[31] 12[32] 16[33] 20[34] 21[35] 9[36] 11[37] 20[38] 20[39] 16[40]

Two further rides with the Nemesis brand were later opened at Merlin Entertainments theme parks. The first was Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park, another Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster. The ride opened in 2003.[41] Alton Towers hosted the second related ride, Nemesis: Sub-Terra. The drop tower opened on the former Dynamo site in 2012[42] and is currently closed.

Nemesis has ranked favourably in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards, being one of only seven roller coasters to appear in the top 50 steel roller coasters for all 15 years. Nemesis Inferno has never made an appearance.[43] In a poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times, Nemesis received 37.93% of the vote for title of best roller coaster in England, while Nemesis Inferno received 0.32%.[44]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Marden, Duane. "Nemesis  (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  2. ^ a b c "Nemesis". Alton Towers. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  3. ^ Ralph, Owen (9 August 2010). "John Wardley". Park World Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  4. ^ Marden, Duane. "Thunderlooper  (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  5. ^ a b c "John Wardley Looks Back" (PDF). First Drop: 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Wardley, John (15 March 2004). Nemesis 10th Birthday (MP3). Alton Towers Almanac. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Coaster Landmark Award - Batman: The Ride". American Coaster Enthusiasts. 20 June 2005. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  8. ^ O'Brien, Tim (24 March 2003). "In my office: Jim Wintrode". Amusement Business. 115 (12).
  9. ^ Marden, Duane. "Batman The Ride  (Six Flags Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  10. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Bolliger & Mabillard)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  11. ^ "Naked Thrill-Seekers Meet Their Nemesis". Sky News. 27 August 2004. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  12. ^ "Naked rollercoaster record feat". BBC. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  13. ^ "Naked Students In Rude Ride Record". Sky News. 23 May 2004. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  14. ^ "New naked rollercoaster record!". Park World Magazine. 10 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  15. ^ "Towers says sorry for rumble grumble". The Sentinel. 21 April 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  16. ^ Alvey, Robb (9 December 2011). "Nemesis Roller Coaster POV Front Seat Alton Towers UK England Inverted B&M Onride". Theme Park Review. YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  17. ^ "UK parks under the spotlight". Park World Magazine. 7 May 2007. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  18. ^ Abbott, Kate (13 March 2012). "How we made: John Wardley and Candy Holland on the Nemesis rollercoaster". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  19. ^ a b c "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. August 1998.
  20. ^ a b "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  21. ^ "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. August 1999.
  22. ^ "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000.
  23. ^ "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  24. ^ "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  25. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 18–19B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2007.
  26. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  27. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  28. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 36–37. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  29. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 36–37. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  30. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 32–33. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  31. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 34–35. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  32. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 38–39. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  33. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 36–37. September 2012.
  34. ^ "2013 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 34–35. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  35. ^ "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014.
  36. ^ "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015.
  37. ^ "2016 top 50 steel roller coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016.
  38. ^ "2017 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017.
  39. ^ "2018 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018.
  40. ^ "2019 Top Steel". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019.
  41. ^ Koranteng, Juliana (27 January 2003). "Tussauds pumps up its park offerings". Amusement Business. 115 (4): 5, 10.
  42. ^ "Nemesis Sub Terra (Alton Towers)". Parkz.
  43. ^ "Issue Archive". Amusement Today. 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  44. ^ MacDonald, Brady (22 July 2012). "Poll: Vote for your favorite in the All-England Coaster Olympics". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 4 August 2013.

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