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Guidebook 1990

Rick

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Crux
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I spot an error in the guide.
King Ina's rock as number 5 on the gardens map!
Nope.
It is about a mile further on, below the new hotel.
The footpath to it was via the pagoda fountain, so not even close.
 
Is there any reference to Ina's rock in any literature? By design or by obligation, the path is in great condition and it's literally 2 or 3 mins walk from CB hotel.
 
Was mentioned in a couple of the guidebooks, failed to find it with my mum in corkys opening season...very long walk past the pagoda fountain, but got confused on the long overgrown bottom paths...now fenced off.
Used to be known as the "cheap entry" route!
Shame they fenced off half the park.
Easy to find down the drop behind the new hotel, or the tricky way...about half an hours wander through ancient woods from the riverside walk at the bottom of the valley.
Really nice place for a stroll after a few beers in the village, good way to get completely lost on the way back to the hotels using a short cut!
I used the o.s.map and Mr Zolas excellent Alton Towers Memories site, that seems to have sadly vanished.
 
Most of the 1980s ones are a variation on a theme. Even where the design changes the copy and images are the same.
 
I have one from 1989 that's almost exactly the same, but with a page about John Broome that was taken out of this one. So really it was produced before Tussauds but with their logo slapped on and any references to old management gone.
However the 1990 version includes the Thunderlooper, I am surprised it is not more prominent in the brochure as it was the new ride for that year.
 
I have one from 1989 that's almost exactly the same, but with a page about John Broome that was taken out of this one. So really it was produced before Tussauds but with their logo slapped on and any references to old management gone.

I'd be fascinated to see that. I have a 1989 brochure that is veeeeery different with lots and lots and lots (and lots) of text.

However the 1990 version includes the Thunderlooper, I am surprised it is not more prominent in the brochure as it was the new ride for that year.

I think that was probably because of the Tussauds takeover. The 1990 additions were not called out in any way in the brochures that year, which I think was because they hadn't been added by Tussauds and they had already flagged them as attractions they wanted to get rid of ASAP, so it made more sense to 'bury' them, so to speak.

Is there any reference to Ina's rock in any literature? By design or by obligation, the path is in great condition and it's literally 2 or 3 mins walk from CB hotel.

I've seen it referenced quite a lot, but very few maps have it in the right location. More often then not I've seen it labelled out by Cuckoo Rock behind Dark Forest.
 
I've seen it referenced quite a lot, but very few maps have it in the right location. More often then not I've seen it labelled out by Cuckoo Rock behind Dark Forest.
Indeed - apologies, I missed out the word 'contemporary' when asking if it' mentioned in guides and the like - it's always mentioned in Broome era literature, but after the new security fence went up, there's hardly anything.
 
I think that was probably because of the Tussauds takeover. The 1990 additions were not called out in any way in the brochures that year, which I think was because they hadn't been added by Tussauds and they had already flagged them as attractions they wanted to get rid of ASAP, so it made more sense to 'bury' them, so to speak.
I thought the park fought pretty hard to keep Thunder Looper operating?
 
I'd be fascinated to see that. I have a 1989 brochure that is veeeeery different with lots and lots and lots (and lots) of text.
You're absolutely right, turns out I totally misremembered the 89 one and apart from the blue cover and general style they're actually completely different.
 
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