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HLY523V - the Leyland National 'Scare Bus'

WillPS

TS Member
Hi there,
Picked up in the 2019 General Discussion thread that an old bus which had been sat at Alton Towers has now moved on to preservation.

Does anyone know what purpose this served (or was supposed to serve) at Alton Towers? It's quite unusual having exit doors on both sides, owing to its former life as an airport shuttle.

How long has it been sat doing nothing?

Which group now own it?
 
I have no idea if it’s be same one but I *think* a bus featured in the Zombie Scarezone behind Dark Forest?

You walked through it as part of the zone.

Edit: just found this photo, no idea if it’s the bus you are referring to?

20131020_img_9340_hursty.jpg
 
I love when sometimes a gem of a question pops up and I think I might be able to help.

In 2008 the 2nd version of Field of a 1000 Screams was sat next to the Alton Towers Hotel, continuing the story from the previous year. With a rural village overcome by a virus turning everyone into Zombies. The 2nd year saw the budget increase and sets included a slaughter house made of metal and a story you were being evacuated.

The finale, which was brilliant, included you all getting into a bus to escape. The driver started the engine and it failed, with a puff of smoke from the front and all the lights going out. You then saw him dragged past the windscreen by the zombies who has access to the bus.
Everyone crammed to the back of the bus to try and survive, as the secondary doors opened to allow everyone to escape.

Theres a Flikr account I found that has a few photos post Scarefest. url=

It did appear again during other Scarefest events. It was in another zombie themed scare zone near Spinball but guests didnt get on it. I think it might have been used again for another Scarefest event too. Towers love recycling a prop.
 
Ah that's brilliant, thanks for your insight! I took from the moss that it had perhaps been sat there a lot longer than that, but I guess given it was used only for a few days at a time as a mostly static exhibit, that makes sense.
 
For a long time it was parked near spinball (if walking towards smiler sh!tters) it was behind the fence on the right. It even had a sticker on it saying it was property of Ents and not to be removed.

I suspect after 10 years of no one ever touching the things its knackered though [color]
 

In 2008 the 2nd version of Field of a 1000 Screams was sat next to the Alton Towers Hotel, continuing the story from the previous year. With a rural village overcome by a virus turning everyone into Zombies. The 2nd year saw the budget increase and sets included a slaughter house made of metal and a story you were being evacuated.

The finale, which was brilliant, included you all getting into a bus to escape. The driver started the engine and it failed, with a puff of smoke from the front and all the lights going out. You then saw him dragged past the windscreen by the zombies who has access to the bus.
Everyone crammed to the back of the bus to try and survive, as the secondary doors opened to allow everyone to escape.


This is probably the most fun I've ever had in a Scre maze. I still reminisce about this scene today. Was a stunning finale to the maze and absolutely terrifying seeing the zombies under strobes getting closer and closer to you all as you scrambled to the back of the bus.
 
The field was excellent that year. I wish we still had the same quality now. Those bloody hutches are there now aren’t they?
 
For the past five or so years it’s been sat behind Dark Forest, towards the gardens. You would see it if you went the back way to get to the dark forest from in front of the towers. And was last used when the zombies scare zone was there. However you just walked past it and pretty much only smoke came out the doors.

Surprised it still works with it being sat there for so long rotting away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Update on the bus. You may know that I stated that someone was given it to restore.

Some of you may noticed that, it is still there. The person I know that was offered the bus, had to decline as he couldn't get it going and no means to get it moved. The offer to restore was declined.
 
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