Alton Towers Lost Media

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Really I think it would be a mess if this was given to most other channels even if well meaning, the YT format fuels clickbait and pumping out rushed videos to earn back just a couple quid when quality archive videos run up huge bills to make.

I whole heartedly agree. It would take a passionate videographer, who essentially would be making free marketing material for a large entertainment, to make the series really work. It would have to be a passion project, much like your own. Unfortunately there wouldn't be much financial reward, or incentive.

Great content takes years of planning, which doesn't translate into time well spent for most online creators. There's a story there to be told, that's for sure, but I'm not sure what the payoff is just yet. No happy ending, or any real ending of note yet. Perhaps the story isn't with Alton Towers alone, perhaps it's with the British theme park industry as a whole. Something worth thinking about, I suppose.

 

[Slugjc]

From a content marketing perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense to avoid investing in a proper YouTube channel, aside from the hundreds of other YouTubers doing a decent job of covering the park, and its history, for free.

It's a, finding the right person and B, giving them a wage that would keep hold of them long enough to make it worth while. Would someone with decent content creation skills be loosing money working for a big business.

I know firms like what culture get arsey with their providers for trying to do stuff independently. Demand a cut from revenue made from live streams done outside of work.

 

[Ash]

Seems a real shame the historical themes aren’t made available for digital purchase. Seems a real missed opportunity.

Seems odd Graham Smart and his family/INAScore have been able to do so but not Merlin…

Odd leaving money on the table

 

[Slugjc]

Speaking of lost Media for a second.

Hex. I remember John Wardley was on, I want to say on blue Peter/new around, Talking about this ride and it's construction when it opened. Maybe even prior. Love to see if that's excists, if memory serves me right, alot of images of the design process was on that bit of Tele.

Oblivion. I've been trying to find for years the hologram figure stuck to the front of Kellogg's cereals. But to no avail. Surely someone has kept that somewhere.

 

[jmc]

Speaking of lost Media for a second.

Hex. I remember John Wardley was on, I want to say on blue Peter/new around, Talking about this ride and it's construction when it opened. Maybe even prior. Love to see if that's excists, if memory serves me right, alot of images of the design process was on that bit of Tele.

Oblivion. I've been trying to find for years the hologram figure stuck to the front of Kellogg's cereals. But to no avail. Surely someone has kept that somewhere.

I have a very specific memory of watching a segment on CBBC Newsround showing the making of the ride, and they took a cast of the hosts hand to be used as a prop within the ride. I have no idea why I have always remembered this


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[Slugjc]

I have a very specific memory of watching a segment on CBBC Newsround showing the making of the ride, and they took a cast of the hosts hand to be used as a prop within the ride. I have no idea why I have always remembered this


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I remember seeing the concept art and on that segment and being narked off when I first went on it because it looked nothing like.

 

[Mykeprime]

I have a very specific memory of watching a segment on CBBC Newsround showing the making of the ride, and they took a cast of the hosts hand to be used as a prop within the ride. I have no idea why I have always remembered this

I think that was Blue Peter. Konnie Huq if I remember rightly

 

[Sazzle]

Kind of like a vault, sealed for 6 years!

And are the concept plans for the inverted Log Flume in there? I'd sell one of my children to be able to have unrestricted access to that room

Some of the TS team & members had supervised access to the archives in 2011/12 (it was so long ago I have forgotten exactly when!).

We managed to find the original SW plans, and I was absolutely fascinated by some pristine condition Battersea Project concept artwork that was there.

An incredible experience!

@Squiggs might want to share a few tidbits from the day, though I realise it’s off-topic!

 

[EarthlyKnight27]

This will be an interesting topic to keep an eye on...
Heck, I wonder how much lost media AT actually have from their early years to present.

 

[mo237]

Procrastinating, I had a little search around to gather some episode descriptions of Have your Cake and Eat It.

1. Sam Dawson has an affair while on a business trip. But his wife is closer tnan he realises.
2. As construction begins in Spain on Sam's dream rollercoaster, Allie decides she cannot continue their affair. At home Sam's wife Charlotte cannot understand his black mood but soon learns the truth.
3. Charlotte and Sam struggle to save their marriage, but when they eventually separate, Sam returns to Allie
4. The Dragon Khan roller coaster nears completion just as Allie's baby makes an early appearance. Sam is now "having his cake", shared by Charlotte and Allie, but can this situation last?

I do find it very interesting that - despite being a BBC Production, it hasn't been aired since, or dumped on iPlayer - heck, I can't even find a copy of it using the piratical method. Of course, we have a few clips available (see the first post for a link), but it is unusual. Not sure if the synopsis of each episode is news to anyone or if I'm just late to it - but it does allude to the fact that the show wasn't just filmed at PortAventura, but possibly set there as well.

As well as being inspired some what by the familiar Wardley chap, it seems to have been based off a book of the same name by Victoria Sabatowski. This particular edition was published a month beforehand, so it does make me wonder if it was just a tie-in to drum up interest in the show. This might be clarified in Wardley's first book, but off the top of my head I'm unsure.

People will have taped the broadcast, but the question is not only do they still have the tapes, but will they even be aware that I'm going mad for some obscure show?

 

[DiogoJ42]

I remember watching the opening sequence, filmed in Vampire's station..... Then it all got boring and young me lost interest.

Thanks for the info!

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Procrastinating, I had a little search around to gather some episode descriptions of Have your Cake and Eat It.



I do find it very interesting that - despite being a BBC Production, it hasn't been aired since, or dumped on iPlayer - heck, I can't even find a copy of it using the piratical method. Of course, we have a few clips available (see the first post for a link), but it is unusual. Not sure if the synopsis of each episode is news to anyone or if I'm just late to it - but it does allude to the fact that the show wasn't just filmed at PortAventura, but possibly set there as well.

As well as being inspired some what by the familiar Wardley chap, it seems to have been based off a book of the same name by Victoria Sabatowski. This particular edition was published a month beforehand, so it does make me wonder if it was just a tie-in to drum up interest in the show. This might be clarified in Wardley's first book, but off the top of my head I'm unsure.

People will have taped the broadcast, but the question is not only do they still have the tapes, but will they even be aware that I'm going mad for some obscure show?

Although it was shown on BBC One, the programmed was created by Initial Film and Television under comission / spec. The rights for rebroadcasting, distribution on media and streaming will remain with them. Although more common these days, independent production company commissions for the BBC was rarer in the 90s, but this is why media becomes "lost".

The BBC had the television channel that the show was originally aired on, but it wasn't exciting enough to comission a second series and they're unlikely to pay for the streaming rights. Netflix and Amazon wouldn't be interested, as it's one very short season and done, without a big cult following. Britbox would have been the programme's best bet, but that died a death as soon as it was born.

What we can hope is that the BFI picks it up for it's archive. Actually, might not be a bad shout if someone were to ask them to archive it. They might even make it available again through BFI Player.

 

[mo237]

What we can hope is that the BFI picks it up for it's archive. Actually, might not be a bad shout if someone were to ask them to archive it. They might even make it available again through BFI Player.

An excellent shout, but unfortunately their online collection search confirms they don't have a copy of it. I attended an open day at their Archive site in Berkhamsted last year and they said that the Beeb run their own archive, and very much like to keep it to themselves.

However, it does give us a much beefier synopsis for each episode...

1. Sam is happily married to Charlotte and has five children. On a business trip he has an affair with his colleague Allie. He thinks he can put it behind him then they are both sent to Spain on a trip to design a new rollercoaster for the Spanish theme park Port Aventura. Sam and Allie embark on a passionate affiar. Back in England, Charlotte is under stress from her new job as a lawyer with an unpleasant boss. Her friend suggest she fly out to Spain to surprise Sam one weekend, she does only to find him not at the hotel.

2. In Spain, Sam calls home from Michel's house where he and Allie are staying only to find that Charlotte is at his hotel waiting for him. He returns in a panic and manages to keep the affair from Charlotte but their weekend together is not a success. Back in England Allie decides to break off the affair and resigns her job. Sam is devasted and becomes moody and difficult to live with. Charlotte thinks it is because of her return to work. After getting information on the Martin case and falling out with her boss she resigns and returns home to celebrate with the children. Sam has a car crash and on his return home confesses all about the affair to Charlotte. Meanwhile Ben, Allie's old friend arrives at her house hoping she will go out with him. She tells him that she is on the rebound and that she is pregnant.

3. Charlotte and Sam have separated over his affair with Allie and Charlotte is staying with her parents. Things are going wrong with the rollercoaster in Spain and it looks as though Sam and Zief may be threatened with financial ruin. Charlotte and Sam spend a night in a hotel and it seems as though they are reconciled until Sam meets Allie again unexpectadly. Charlotte agrees that Sam should see Allie one last time to resolve his feelings. Sam and Allie end up in bed and Sam discovers that she is pregnant. He doesn't go back to Charlotte that night and when he returns the next day she has packed his bags. He visits the children and spends the night with Charlotte again. The three have an arrangement where by he spends the week with Allie and the weekends with Charlotte and the children. At New Year Charlotte blurts this out to her assembled guests which includes her parents.

4. As Charlotte, Allie and Sam continue with their unusual living arrangements, Charlotte gets on with the complex Martin legal case and is working closely with Nat Oliver. Six weeks early Allie's waters break. She tries to call Sam but he is in Spain working on the rollercoaster. She gets hold of Charlotte instead, who had no idea she was pregnant, though she is shocked she gets Nat to drive her to the hospital. Allie gives birth to a girl- Olivia. They along with Charlotte and the children go to Spain with Sam for the opening of the new ride. When they return to England the tide begins to turn. With Nat's help Charlotte wins the Martin case and Allie tells Sam that she wants a full time father for Olivia- maybe Ben. Sam is upset and returns home only to find that Charlotte has gone to a hotel with Nat.

It does mention though that they have copies of some articles relating to the show, available at their Reuben Library at their Southbank site. I'm heading there next month to see Anora, so if I remember/have time I'll investigate a bit more.

 

[mo237]

Alas, I didn't manage to find anything at the BFI! Didn't expect to find anything but I didn't loose anything trying.

Someone will have a copy on a tape I bet - whether we'll see it surface though...

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Alas, I didn't manage to find anything at the BFI! Didn't expect to find anything but I didn't loose anything trying.

Someone will have a copy on a tape I bet - whether we'll see it surface though...

Any leads on who the production company were? They'd be my next port of call.

 

[mo237]

Production was by Initial Film and Television - seems they rebranded simply to Initial when merged with Banijay.

 

[Ted]

A lot of this stuff might still exist. There's a room just to the right of the archive in the Towers (which used to serve as the cash office during the John Broome years) and up until I left Alton Towers in 2018, it was crammed wall to wall with VHS tapes of anything and everything. Until 2016 there was actually a part time archivist who helped to document stuff but when the Smiler redundancies happened (the first big wave) that was one of the roles that went

Lost media in general is like this. A huge chunk of it is not really "lost" as much as it sitting in storage somewhere under the original distributor, it's just that it's not easily accessible to the public in the way of if it not being released on home media, it rarely aired on TV, it can't be found online etc. Stuff like the episodes of Doctor Who that were wiped are truly lost unless they find them in a shed in someone's back garden or at a studio in Nigeria or Hong Kong

It does fascinate me all the same though. Things made by the likes of the BBC or ITV to air to millions across the country and even the world and yet one day it just vanishes with only hazy memories in the noggin!

The one lost media piece of Towers I'm super familiar with is the Parklife documentary. I remember seeing it in like 2006/7 on the Sky Travel channel which is where a lot of my coaster enthusiasm stems from. I recall a documentary about the "top 10" coasters from the late 90s that reran about 2004-ish that had Nemesis at number 10, Megafobia somewhere in the middle, Steel Phantom, Raptor at Cedar Point and Coney's Island Cyclone (Which was number 1) also featured

 

[VerticalLoop123]

Lost media in general is like this. A huge chunk of it is not really "lost" as much as it sitting in storage somewhere under the original distributor, it's just that it's not easily accessible to the public in the way of if it not being released on home media, it rarely aired on TV, it can't be found online etc. Stuff like the episodes of Doctor Who that were wiped are truly lost unless they find them in a shed in someone's back garden or at a studio in Nigeria or Hong Kong

It does fascinate me all the same though. Things made by the likes of the BBC or ITV to air to millions across the country and even the world and yet one day it just vanishes with only hazy memories in the noggin!

The one lost media piece of Towers I'm super familiar with is the Parklife documentary. I remember seeing it in like 2006/7 on the Sky Travel channel which is where a lot of my coaster enthusiasm stems from. I recall a documentary about the "top 10" coasters from the late 90s that reran about 2004-ish that had Nemesis at number 10, Megafobia somewhere in the middle, Steel Phantom, Raptor at Cedar Point and Coney's Island Cyclone (Which was number 1) also featured

Parklife Park life documentary is all here I believe. Alas the days when they had permanent entertainments venues!