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Oblivion: General Discussion

Secret Weapon said:
I remember hearing about Oblivion, but I didn't see it as any different from drop towers such as Apocalypse at Drayton Manor
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Well, Apocalypse - a ride quite obviously aesthetically inspired by Oblivion - didn't open for another two years, in 2000. At the time Oblivion opened, the only comparable ride was Playstation/Ice Blast at BPB, which obviously centres more on up, not down. There were no major drop rides available in the UK, and few in Europe. I first rode Oblivion when I was ten, one year after opening, and the hype for it was massive even twelve months later.

The sensation of the drop knocked my socks off, and aside from the inevitable commentary on how short the experience was and comparisons to Nemesis, the ride was received pretty rapturously at the time.
 
Plastic Person said:
Well, Apocalypse - a ride quite obviously aesthetically inspired by Oblivion - didn't open for another two years, in 2000. At the time Oblivion opened, the only comparable ride was Playstation/Ice Blast at BPB, which obviously centres more on up, not down. There were no major drop rides available in the UK, and few in Europe. I first rode Oblivion when I was ten, one year after opening, and the hype for it was massive even twelve months later.

The sensation of the drop knocked my socks off, and aside from the inevitable commentary on how short the experience was and comparisons to Nemesis, the ride was received pretty rapturously at the time.
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Fair enough. I rode Apocalypse before Oblivion (even though Oblivion opened first), and I'd always assumed that drop towers had been around for a while, as Drayton Manor never marketed it as a first-of-its-kind (aside from the stand-up element)
 
Secret Weapon said:
Fair enough. I rode Apocalypse before Oblivion (even though Oblivion opened first), and I'd always assumed that drop towers had been around for a while, as Drayton Manor never marketed it as a first-of-its-kind (aside from the stand-up element)
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The first 2nd Gen drop Towers was in 1995, they needed magnetic brake technology to be developed to work. Think the first one in Europe was 1997.

There were some 1st gen drop towers in the late 80’s but they are very different beasts (cross between a drop tower and a rollercoaster).
 
Bit late for a tape measure though mate.

Proud to say I was thrown out of the Troc for drunkenness forty years ago.

Strange history.

Edit...just been googling, no clear figures, but TPR (sorry) have a video, looks about sixty foot, ish.

Other comments are 20 to 30 foot, ranging to 100 foot.

Further research required, as we used to say at the end of hand written essays.

oh double edit...

Moved on to Funland Hayling Island, with a freestanding tower, then Luna Park Sunny Beach in Bulgaria.

Claimed, (not convinced, don't think the building is that big, even with a basement) at 100 feet.

Absolutely off topic, but there you go, indeed, our first "large scale" free fall drop tower of significance, a couple of years before Blivvy.
 
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I just remembered all those relocations, and came here to say exactly that myself.
I was about to hit post when I scrolled up and saw your edit. You swine.

So it was the first vertical drop un the UK then? No wonder it put me off drop towers for life. :tearsofjoy:

EDIT back at you:
Found this, and I'll agree 100 feet is optimistic.


From: https://youtu.be/8IMKGO3PMZo
 
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