• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Corkscrew Memories

The Corkscrew was the first ever coaster I went on, back in 1999! And I remember getting off and thinking, I am now obsessed with roller coasters! Lets go on again... :p
 
I'd actually rather still have Corky there than Thirteen. And I agree- that lift hill noise always used to put a smile on my face, especially walking through the gardens towards that area on a nice summers day.
 
As much as some people do say "I would rather still have it" - I recall from old TT meets back in 06/07/08, most of the group would rather sit out Corkscrew than ride it. That is not the case for Th13teen, where everyone goes on.

I worked on this coaster in 2007, really feel quite priviledged to have done so!

:)
 
Corkscrew Memories

This ride was amazing and as a child too small to ride, it used to terrify me the way the inversions shook. The sound of the lift hill is the inherent sound of a theme park. A true classic lost.


-Sent from a mobile phone-
 
My brother's ex didn't half laugh when I was praying on the way up the lift hill.

It was my first upside down coaster. Fond memories. I got her to go on the rapids with me in return for me doing the corkscrew.
 
I never got a chance to ride Corkie, though I had been to Alton when it was there...

NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

That is all :p
 
Can anyone else sometimes hear the lift hill sound in their head? Just me? Okay... :p

Corkscrew was my first inverting roller coaster back in the summer of 2008. Sadly this was just before it was announced that Corkscrew would be leaving the resort so it was quite sad to find out a ride I'd just fallen in love with would be gone on my next visit in 2009! It still has a place in my heart. The lift hill sound was very iconic and something that sparks childhood memories of Alton Towers.

One thing I never understood is why people felt it was rough. I cannot say much as I had only ridden it a few times on one day, however I've ridden so god awfully rough coasters over the years, Corkscrew never felt that rough to me.
 
James said:
Can anyone else sometimes hear the lift hill sound in their head? Just me? Okay... :p

One thing I never understood is why people felt it was rough. I cannot say much as I had only ridden it a few times on one day, however I've ridden so god awfully rough coasters over the years, Corkscrew never felt that rough to me.
Click to expand...

Yes I hear it too! Memories! Happy days!

I agree about the roughness. I found if I tilted my head slightly out of the harness I wouldnt get bashed about. Like you, I had been on much worse coasters!
 
Its just a case of bracing yourself. No worse than some other coasters out there! I just think it wasn't pulling the crowds in and was costing a fair bit to maintain. I still wish they kept it though.
 
Hmm while I disagree with the crowds (as it always had a queue), your probably right in terms of its maintenance costs. Similar with Black Hole, that always had the queues but was too expensive to maintain the end (plus new H&S rules).

Mind you - I think Corkscrew was probably one of Alton's most reliable rides, hardly ever any downtime from what I recall.

Wish they would bring back 1001 Nights next to it as well, loved that ride, stopped up above the trees looking at the view (above the trees, hence why it was removed!)
 
Rode the Corkscrew for the first time in 1994, on my first visit to Alton and really enjoyed it! It looked really good when UG Land came along in 1999, and I think I am one of the few who thinks it even worked well with Rita in Thunder Rock Rally, the rock and roll music suited the rides personality rather well.

I made the final day too and was one of the final people down the queue line (I do remember some people waiting for the final train 'encouraging' me to go infront of them. I told them I dont do queue jumping, so I was happy to wait behind them, just inside the queue line to ensure a place on the final public train)

2008_11092ndNovPBB080081.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080067.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080063.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080059.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080058.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080051.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080041.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080038.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080033.jpg


2008_11092ndNovPBB080030.jpg


Ash
 
Ash84 said:
I made the final day too and was one of the final people down the queue line (I do remember some people waiting for the final train 'encouraging' me to go infront of them. I told them I dont do queue jumping, so I was happy to wait behind them, just inside the queue line to ensure a place on the final public train)
Click to expand...
Haha, I reckon I was probably one of those people - I was there on the last day and the last train as well, and have fond memories of that day (was nice to see the BIG group photo again as well, though I've changed a fair bit since then!), which as a result make me look back on Corkscrew with a lot more sentimentality than I might have done otherwise - it was my first major coaster as well, way back in 1997...
Anyway, here's my photos from November 9th, 2008 - I'll let them speak for themselves...:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.44954030863.69459.503140863&type=1&l=598e57b447
 
I've seen the group pic on page 1 I am there at the back just about staying out of the way! It was great to see people from all differnt forums unite to see the Corkscrew off.

Ash
 
I wasn't all that keen on Corkscrew initially. On my first visit, I'd had 3 goes on Rita, but it was Corkscrew that made me feel ill. I guess I wasn't prepared for its roughness. On my second trip I got bored of waiting for Rita so I decided to go back on Corkscrew again. My on-ride photo shows just how rough it was - I was grimacing throughout.
Despite all this, I felt I had to pay my respects to the ride on its last day. I remember running through the torrential rain to Ug Land, being able to hear the lift hill motor in the distance. I was on the second train of the day, and it gave me the best ride I'd had. Beautifully smooth. Then rather typically the rain stopped.
228740_1019828349766_623_n.jpg

223410_1019828469769_1253_n.jpg

I only went on it once that day. It was all I needed.
 
Re: Corkscrew Memories

I have to admit. ..I was never a massive fan of the corkscrew. ..I used to loose alot of earrings on that ride and I always remember feeling unsafe due to the restraints!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
auntiiimartiii said:
I got her to go on the rapids with me in return for me doing the corkscrew.
Click to expand...

Is this a euphemism?

Anyway. Yeah, loved the Corkscrew. But it's time definitely had come. It was showing it's age - a relic of a different coaster era. Largely unthemed, and pretty crude. But - good times.
 
I have a lot of fond memories of the Corkscrew with it being my first ever Roller Coaster, One memory that burns bright in my mind was me stepping out of the train at the end of the ride only for the Pop group 'Steps' to jump in for the next cycle! At the time they were a huge sensation, before they all got addicted to crack.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top