X-Sector
The Ministry of Joy has taken over this former government testing facility for their top secret experiments. X Sector is a stark industrial landscape of concrete and metal, contrasting with the leafy Staffordshire countryside that surrounds it.
As guests enter the area, they are greeted by imposing metal fencing and flashing warning beacons, with various health warnings adding to the foreboding atmosphere.
Descending into the area, the view is dominated on one side by the twisted metal of The Smiler, with The Marmaliser towering over the track. This is complimented on the other side of the path by the imposing drop of Oblivion, which drops through the billowing mist into its vast pit. The air is filled with the warped music billowing from The Smiler, which both contrasts but blends seamlessly into the heavy techno soundtrack of Oblivion.
Area History
The area began its life as Springfield Centre, playing host to the Pirate Ship, Cine 2000, and Dinosaur Land. In 1984, the opening of the Turbo Star and Black Hole, in the place of the Dinosaurs, prompted a re-theme to Fantasy World. Turbo Star was later removed after five years in favour of Gravitron, though this only lasted three seasons, being removed in 1992.
The area's most significant change, however, was in 1997, when almost all the rides bar the Black Hole were removed to make way for the construction of Alton Towers' latest Secret Weapon: Oblivion.
Oblivion opened the following year, accompanied by the relocation of both Enterprise and Energizer to the newly re-themed X Sector. In 2001, Energizer returned to its original home in Ug Land, and in its place came Submission.
In 2005, after 20 years of service, the Black Hole was closed down and subsequently sold, though its tent remained right up until 2012 when it was removed to make way for The Smiler, which opened the following year. More recently, Submission was retired from the area at the start of 2014, making way for the near legendry Submission Memorial Garden.
Between 2021 and 2023 the bottom of X Sector became home to the Retro Squad, bringing temporary extra thrills to the area. The Submission Memorial Garden made way first for Mixtape, followed by Spinjam in 2022. And after the Enterprise closed in 2021, Twistatron took over its spot for 2023 for the season.
