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Alton Towers | Nemesis Reborn | B&M Retrack | 2024

Matt N

CF Legend
I’ve updated the topic title now this is confirmed. If I’ve done it wrong, mods, feel free to update.
 

nadroJ

CF Legend
I though that too but they aren't replacing the lift hill, brake run or station tho. Did they fully replace Hulk or leave the launch track?
I think they left the launch track on Hulk, and I recounted that. Imo if the majority of the track is replaced it’s +1.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I though that too but they aren't replacing the lift hill, brake run or station tho. Did they fully replace Hulk or leave the launch track?
I think Hulk left the utility track (launch, station, final brake run) in place, so it wasn’t quite a full replacement.
 

DelPiero

Strata Poster
So murky with this kind of thing but I actually tend to agree, if the majority of the ride is replaced in one go then a +1.
Hulk
Lightning Rod
Nemesis
Sure there's a bunch of others too.
 

ScottLann

Mega Poster
^ True 😂
It is a shame about the sand - the classic B&M roar will be a miss but if it means keeping Nemesis for another 30-40 (possibly?) years, I'm all for it.
 

Nitefly

Hyper Poster
Really pleased with this. For the sake of compromise, I think it’s reasonable to tone down the noise and I can make peace with that. It really doesn’t need to be noisy and it would be a little obnoxious for AT to not offer to tone it down.

Great to see them keeping a true classic 👍
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
This is incredible news... Not even upset about the sand, the roar in the pit will still be effective enough, and if it gives them a trump card in the future to say 'we care about our locals, we didn't have to fill a 27 year old coaster with sand' then so be it. Honestly cannot overstate how happy I am with these proposals.

Hope this is a good omen for the way the rest of this week is going to go... The future of my favourite UK coaster looks secure, now please somebody save my football club!
 

CrashCoaster

CF Legend
Is there any mention as to whether the trains/ride system will be replaced with newer technology? I'm really hoping so, but I'm just glad the coaster will be staying around for likely at least another 20 years.
 

ScottLann

Mega Poster
I wonder what the chances are of it actually being open this season? It has made me wonder if they've submitted these plans due to there being current issues with the coaster that require a large overhaul? (I.e. foundation work)
If this wasn't the case and it'll be open this season, do we think they might have a final send off for the ride before the retracking takes place?
 

Matt N

CF Legend
With the talk of +1s; am I the only person on here who wouldn’t personally class these types of like-for-like retracks as a new credit? I get why people do, but I decided against it.

For me, the essence of the ride is still the same, so I’d keep it as the same credit. If there were significant layout changes or something materially different about the coaster post-refurb other than that the track’s been replaced, I would perhaps consider making it a new credit, but as it’s the same layout and the same “ride experience” in the same location and all, and by the same manufacturer, that keeps it the same credit for me.

And I’m not just saying that because I’ve never ridden a coaster that’s been fully retracked and wouldn’t stand to gain creds either way; I’ve ridden both Hulk V1 and Hulk V2, so technically, I would gain an extra cred if I counted like-for-like retracks, but I don’t, so I only have the one Hulk credit.
 

Peet

Giga Poster
I would love to know why this is needed, it isn't rough at all, there must be some structural issues I guess. Still, great to know that it has a long term future. It can't be cheap so well done Merlin for finding the cash.

As for the +1, each to their own but there is no way I'd count it as a new cred.
 

Tonkso

Hyper Poster
27 years of a coaster that intense is going to be hell on the track, it's probably way worse than it looks. I'm so pleased this is happening, with what Nemesis is I'd love to see it listed (with track replacements allowed) like the woodies at Blackpool.

Not too upset about the sand, it's a good compromise to be honest.
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
Is there any mention as to whether the trains/ride system will be replaced with newer technology? I'm really hoping so, but I'm just glad the coaster will be staying around for likely at least another 20 years.
Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure Incredible Hulk still rocks it's original friction brakes, and didn't add magnetic brakes during the refurb. In turn however, Rougarou and Patriot floorless upfits did add magnetic brakes during their upgrade process.

So sure, here's hoping to brake hardware upgrade. Just please keep the OG invert trains.
 

Jared

Hyper Poster
I would assume alongside the retrack they'll purchase new trains. I can't imagine they'd want to keep the same 27-year-old trains on the new track. They bought new trains when they retracked Colossos at Heide Park.
 

roomraider

Best Topic Starter
Great news.

But mainly because Nemesis is one of the inverts we don't have the B&M code for in the big spreadsheet. 🤣 And if B&M stick to the way they retracked Hulk (SC-C for original and SC-CR for retrack) we should be able to find out the original ride designation.

And hopefully it won't take as long as it did with SFFTs DM. 🤣
 

Archie

Mega Poster
I would assume alongside the retrack they'll purchase new trains. I can't imagine they'd want to keep the same 27-year-old trains on the new track. They bought new trains when they retracked Colossos at Heide Park.
maybe merlin could put a special order in for B&M to build new trains using the original design, that is if they still have the designs and capability.
 

MouseAT

Hyper Poster
The sand filling was probably inevitable, but is a little disappointing nonetheless. It's part of the ride's atmosphere, and not just when you're riding or queuing for the ride. The way in which you enter Forbidden Valley, and hear the ride before you see it, or the fact that you can hear it all the way over near the Towers really adds something intangible to the ride's presence in the park. I can't help but feel that changing the sound of the ride is going to lessen the experience, even if I understand the park's reasons for doing so.

That said, if it keeps the ride running in top form, then I'm ultimately going to come down in favour of this. As long as the ride experience doesn't lose any of its insanity, I consider this a worthwhile trade-off. I reckon I'll be trying to squeeze in a load of rides during the 2022 season, though, just in case.
 
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