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The Flume- Memories of a classic Towers ride

owenstreet7 said:
I do somewhat agree although at the same time, I'd say the likes of Phantasialand, Europa Park and even Efteling seems to run year round and have water rides that run most of the time.

I've heard that Phantasialand even run Chiapas at Christmas.

I'm sure it would still be worthwhile if the park chose to look into something like a Flume or a Water Coaster. Not all attractions at a year round park needs to be year round per say and I've heard some of the more modern water rides including water coasters and flumes can adjust the wetness based on when in the season it is.

Personally, this is exactly what both Thorpe Park and Alton Towers have been missing since 2016. The last pieces of the puzzle I'd say 🧩
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The Flume ran full season too. My point is that the attraction arrived at a point when the park had a peak season which aligned almost completely with hot months (or at least months which could be hot in the UK!), so it made sense. Since then the season has been extended out in both directions and now there is a second peak around halloween.

In a perfect world the park would absolutely have more water rides, but in reality it makes sense to prioritise investments which could theoretically run and be popular year-round. If you look at where investment has been since Merlin took over you can see a trend toward these sorts of attractions - roller coasters and enclosed rides. The park haven't yet really found their feet with their winter offerings but the intention is pretty clear, and I suspect post-Horizon we'll see a bigger push.
 
I suspect eventually there'll be a cholera (or some other waterborne disease) outbreak traced back to a legacy water ride which will eventually force the issue. Nothing lasts forever.

FWIW the Around the World in 80 Days system would be far easier to make compliant if ever there were the need. It's already a closed system.
 
I'll never forget one time I was on Stormforce 10. As we joined the second lift hill, all the water in the bottom of the boat sloshed to the back, and was deep enough to come over the top of the rear seats. One of the young lads in that row exclaimed,
"This isn't water, its muddy duck p¡ss!"
🤣
 
The original queueline was a horrendous lengthy cattlepen, and became so much nicer when it toured the lake and went under the last drop.
Combined with the rapids, it was a really good way of settling down after lunch, the walk around the lake was my first realisation that a decent queueline can make all the difference.
The ride itself was pretty average, but a nice shady rest high up through the trees.
I have ridden in far worse water...the swamp at Yarmouth comes to mind, real pee/pea soup.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
If anything could be read into this, it might secure Congo River Rapids long term future.
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I'd be interested if this will be the case or if they'll go down a path Carowinds took a few years back and removed every water ride.

I've seen recently that Carowinds are looking at reversing this change and install a new water ride from a survey they put out.

With the investment in the effects over the last year, I'd say it could very well being kept

I think this is appearing become it's own topic?
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
It doesn't impact existing systems, or any refurbishment of existing installations. It applies to new systems and installations only. If anything could be read into this, it might secure Congo River Rapids long term future.
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Still spelt the end of the flume and hex water effects (one of which gave a staff member a bad case of weils disease)

Suspect there may be a time in the future where all rides are asked to comply regardless. Regulations tend to go that way.
 
It’s sad but unlikely we get anything like it again :( lots of great memories.. that duck! 😂

Any water ride can be open almost all year around - just don’t build it to soak.. a light splatter and misting and we’re all good
 
There will come a time when H&S regs are so OTT that no theme park as we know it will be allowed to exist. Guests will be encased in bubble wrap upon entry, and only allowed to sit restrained in a chair, sipping £25 per bottle mineral water, while overwatched by police and paramedics. This will be considered an exciting, death-defying day of thrills.

I pray I am dead long before that day.
 
Alphe86 said:
It’s sad but unlikely we get anything like it again :( lots of great memories.. that duck! 😂

Any water ride can be open almost all year around - just don’t build it to soak.. a light splatter and misting and we’re all good
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Or, do a Chiapas and have the ability to adjust the wetness level depending on the season.
 
Ash said:
Still spelt the end of the flume and hex water effects (one of which gave a staff member a bad case of weils disease)
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No it didn't.

Hex's water effects were causing irreparable damage to a listed and protected landmark, which could otherwise be avoided. Nothing to do with having a dedicated reservoir built.

The Flume was at the end of its serviceable life and was rotting away in parts. Rather than replacing like for like, the park / company decided that a wooden rollercoaster would be a better fit. An attraction which guests would like to ride regardless of the temperature, or other weather conditions. Nothing to do with having to have a dedicated reservoir built.

To further drive the point home, when the decisions to turn Hex's water effects off and close The Log Flume were made, the regulations on having a dedicated water reservoir source for rides wasn't a factor. It didn't exist.
Ash said:
Suspect there may be a time in the future where all rides are asked to comply regardless. Regulations tend to go that way.
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This also isn't the case. Regulations are hardly ever applied retrospectively. Talk to anyone who has a flat in a building covered in the same type of cladding as Grenfell.

You can only regulate in planning for what comes next, you're not allowed to retroactively apply regulations for something which has already been granted planning permission, or is deemed to be up to code.

The only thing which might get in the way, is insurers insisting on a dedicated reservoir, or upgrade to a system, if they deem it to be a substantial risk (which they wouldn't cover), but that too is quite rare.
 
Not sure it was at the end of its useful life...
Blackpool's had another ten years of use, and was very heavily used, compared to Alton's flume.
It was in need of refurbishment again, and further patch repairs...all could be done.
I would say the desire for another headline attraction in that location was as much of a reason for closure.
 
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GooseOnTheLoose said:
The only thing which might get in the way, is insurers insisting on a dedicated reservoir, or upgrade to a system, if they deem it to be a substantial risk (which they wouldn't cover), but that too is quite rare.
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and I think this comes back to the point @WillPS said that if there is a waterborne disease outbreak amongst guests that is traced back to a ride, then it may be a combination of insurers and HSE asking for changes. Although I think the risk of getting something from the rapids is incredibly low. Stormforce10 is probably the "riskiest" water ride now for splashing in your face?
 
They removed the wrong water ride, obviously they could not foresee the incident at Drayton and the health and safety fiasco that followed it. But the Rapids obviously has much higher running/staff costs than the log flume. I imagine most people would prefer the log flume over the rapids in their current state. I imagine in the coming years both will be no more.
 
RIPCorky said:
They removed the wrong water ride, obviously they could not foresee the incident at Drayton and the health and safety fiasco that followed it. But the Rapids obviously has much higher running/staff costs than the log flume. I imagine most people would prefer the log flume over the rapids in their current state. I imagine in the coming years both will be no more.
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Loved The Flume. More so than CRR but each ride has their place in the park. Totally hypothetical, but I would’ve loved to have seen a full refurb of The Flume and a new theme to fit in more with Mutiny Bay. The Mexican Cantina could’ve stayed too.

Not sure it would fit without a redesign, but an alternative could have been to remove Rita, demolish some of the games stalls and put a woodie in Dark Forest, which would fit in quite well.

The lack of a powerful launch on park could then be reintroduced on Project Horizon.
 
s_g_k said:
Loved The Flume. More so than CRR but each ride has their place in the park. Totally hypothetical, but I would’ve loved to have seen a full refurb of The Flume and a new theme to fit in more with Mutiny Bay. The Mexican Cantina could’ve stayed too.

Not sure it would fit without a redesign, but an alternative could have been to remove Rita, demolish some of the games stalls and put a woodie in Dark Forest, which would fit in quite well.

The lack of a powerful launch on park could then be reintroduced on Project Horizon.
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How about for the cross valley coaster, let's try something out of the box by having a cross valley flume as imagine one great muckle flume drop into the valley?

That would be wild as hell surely!
 
RIPCorky said:
They removed the wrong water ride, obviously they could not foresee the incident at Drayton and the health and safety fiasco that followed it. But the Rapids obviously has much higher running/staff costs than the log flume. I imagine most people would prefer the log flume over the rapids in their current state. I imagine in the coming years both will be no more.
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Although overall the rapids is the less intimidating ride. I never liked log flumes due to the big drop with no restraint.
 
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