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Ug Land and Storybook Land - Old and Construction Images (Picture Heavy)

James

TS Founding Member
Sometimes browsing the web you come across some gems and find a whole load of beautiful pictures from days gone by at Alton Towers.

Today I came across some construction pictures of Ug Land and Storybook Land which shows quite a lot of how much workmanship was put into these theming pieces, arguably these two areas host (and used to host) the most magnificent pieces of theming that you can (could) find at Alton Towers.

Those who experienced going through the entrance to the ice show, wandered around Ug Land from 1999 onwards, walked around Storybook Land when it was fresher will know that these pieces of theming were quite something when it came to detail and precision.




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The pieces of theming in these two areas were created by Theme Park Build. The full set of images above can be found in a higher quality on the Flickr page of Theme Park Build.

All pictures are copyrighted to Theme Park Build, the photographer(s) who took the images and any other copyright holders of this material. I'd recommend anyone who shares these provides a link back to the Theme Park Build website, just out of courtesy and recognition. All too often do people share these things elsewhere without any source, it only takes a minute to provide a link back. :)
 
Brilliant photographs! Glimpses from the past like these really add to my appreciation of Alton Towers. You see - even Squirrel Nutty has some merit.

I know it's easy to look back at Ug Land and moan about what happened to it, but you can see it really was one of the most original, vibrant and fully realised areas in the park - and was ruined in just 5 years. What kind of a lifespan is that? Almost everything in those photos was removed to make way for Rita and its maintenance building.
 
I really miss the UG Land theme :( It really brings back alot of memories and how well the themeing was in the area!
 
James said:

This was a personal favourite :p

I did used to really love UG Land, some gorgeous theming, just a shame it had a REALLY UGLY (if lovely and awesome) coaster in the middle of it.
 
Amazing pictures ;D

Storybook Land is, I feel, the most underrated area of the park. The themeing and attention to detail is awesome, and the way it seems to merge seamlessly into the farm is flawless. I love just wandering round there, such a nice break from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the park.

I remember visiting in 2000 the year after Ug Land had opened and being in awe of the whole area. I really had a soft spot for Ug Land, even in it's final, less polished and shabbier looking years :)
 
Ug Land looks really weird without Rita to me. Even though it kinda ruined the look of the land, I can't imagine it without.
 
Gosh, I forgot all about that shop in Storybook land! Just had one of those strange flashbacks of being in there when much younger! Can anyone remember what they used to sell?
 
Just look at the attention to detail in Ug Land, so many little details around that worked really well, but over the years these got old and never re-painted, now we have the dark forest. Which basicly just got painted grey and brown with some ivy. One of the most half arsed rethemed.

Rita really did ruin Ug Land!

As for Storybook land, it's in one hell of a sorry state now! When the park reopens I will try get a photo of the old shop/ice tent enterance and you will see how bad it is now. I know all the roof has now fallen away. Lets hope for 2014 they will sort it all out!
 
rightbackgranty said:
Gosh, I forgot all about that shop in Storybook land! Just had one of those strange flashbacks of being in there when much younger! Can anyone remember what they used to sell?

They sold lots of Betrix potter merch, including some very nice candles.
 
To add to the above, in the later years after Peter Rabbit left the ice tent it was mainly used as a shop to sell general merchandise and as well as sweets (I remember there being a small sweet station in there). I swear at one point there was some merchandise for Webmaster on Ice too (although I have no vivid memory of any other ice show merchandise).

I've got a Petter Rabbit on Ice souvenir booklet from 1996 lying around somewhere which has got some great promotional pictures used for the ice show (if the team are interested I can scan the booklet in if you guys want anything like that for the archives) - I may upload it on here sometime.
 
Some brilliant pictures there, especially for someone like me who only visited for the first time in 2005! It is a shame when you look at all those little details in Ug Land and how watered down things got before Dark Forest came in.

Of course anything you have James is as always much appreciated, and the same goes for anyone else who has anything they'd like to contribute to the site :). Drop myself or another member of the team a PM or an e-mail if you have anything or need any help getting it to us!
 
It shows the shoddinss of the Dark Forest retheme of Ug Land.

Sadly, though - Ug Land was gradually dumbed down over the years:

1999: Opening - tree house, Ug Family entertainers, water fountains etc.
2005: Rita opened, considerable amount of theming removed even if the coaster was good.
2010: Dark Forest re-theme. Any remaining theming removed, facades only rethemed cheaply.
2011/12: Elements of Ug Land begin to reappear through shoddy paint jobs...

It's shocking that a decent area theme only lasted in its proper form for 7 seasons.

As for Storybookland, it's lovely - I hope they keep the quality if the area is redeveloped for 2014.

:)
 
Some amazing photographs from back in the days themeing was brilliant :) thanks for these pictures
 
Great memories of Storybook Land and Ugland there, i remember having those peddals on the Squirrel Nutty Ride.

Over in Ugland i'm sure anyone might remember Boneshaker, that was a fun ride to look at if you wasn't one of those types who had your hips bashed to one-side to another. I saw it SBNO in 2004, and i thought that they got rid of it because of Rita was coming in '05.
 
Grrrr! I'm not right happy about this! I really liked UG Land, and it brings home how much I miss Corkscrew too, and Bone Shaker.

Great pics however, and its good to see the construction of Storybook Land too.

Ash
 
AltonTowersNerd said:
Great memories of Storybook Land and Ugland there, i remember having those peddals on the Squirrel Nutty Ride.

Over in Ugland i'm sure anyone might remember Boneshaker, that was a fun ride to look at if you wasn't one of those types who had your hips bashed to one-side to another. I saw it SBNO in 2004, and i thought that they got rid of it because of Rita was coming in '05.

I belive the Boneshaker had some major issue (gear box springs to mind) and for the last season or two it was ran on a very rubbish setting, in the end they just got rid of it because it would cost too much to fix.
 
The 'Energizer', later known as 'Boneshaker', really did throw you around A LOT when it was first installed. I remember it being great for a matter of years then on a subsequent trip during a following year it was evident that the setting had changed or something, as it had become quite tame. It continued that way until they got rid of it. I vaguely remember it not being a good idea to be sitting on the end of a row of seating ;)
 
For James who posted the images.

Thanks for the great article and it is lovely to read all that people have posted in regard to the quality and detail of the Theme work for Ug Land and Storybook Land.

Sadly though this work was not done and never has been done by "Theme Park Build Ltd". This is a company (not even sure if an actual registered company) that is using lots of work from another company from around the world and passing it off. The offender is a one Rick Lewin, a small time construction worker and labourer who is attempting to gain work from the hard work of others. Such a shame.

The actual work was done by Themed Structures, Inc a company that has been operating all over the globe for almost 30 years and has done some of the world's most fantastic Theme Park work to date, not to mention Storybook Land and Ugland all those moons ago.
 
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