The Astroglide was a giant, six-lane slide, which was added to the Amusement Park at Alton Towers around 1974. It started life as a standard open-air model but a roof was later added, probably in 1978, allowing it to be open in most weathers.
It is thought to be the only ride in the Alton Towers Amusement Park not to have been operated by Brian Collins. But keeping it in the family, the Astroglide was instead operated by his father in Law - John Hall. In those pay-per-ride days, 40p would get you five slides.
When the Amusement Park shut down and Brian Collins left Alton Towers, the Astroglide was one of only two attractions to continue to operate in the park (the other being the Penny Arcade). In 1981 the Astroglide was moved to the end of Talbot Street and surrounded by a selection of rides designed for children, including the Fun Centre, which was added in the cavernous space underneath the slide.
The following year, this new area became known as Adventureland 4-11, though the entrance/exit of the Astro Glide remained off Talbot Street, making the ride more available to older guests as well. For the next decade, the Astroglide dominated the skyline in this corner of the park.
Astroglide survived the closure of Adventureland 4-11 in 1991, but only operated for one more season before it closed at the end of 1992.
But the Story didn't end there... after it left Alton Towers, the Astroglide went on to operate at Pleasure Island in Cleethorpes, and more recently it has found itself in Iraq, operating at Baghdad Island.