Energizer
1995 was a relatively quiet year for additions at Alton Towers but, following on from their success with Nemesis the previous season, Tussauds were keen to keep thrill-seekers engaged by investing in a support thrill attraction. That attraction was Energizer, the first of a new generation of flat rides that Tussauds brought to the park to support their coaster line-up and absorb some of the crowds generated by the park's recent expansion.
The new attraction initially found a place within Festival Park, one of the traditional 1980s areas, but the park was in the midst of its transition to more immersive themes and Energizer was soon destined to become a sinister experiment within a shadowy government test facility.
It was re-located in 1998 to become part of X-Sector, gaining a sleek paint job to match its new surroundings. It operated alongside Enterprise at the bottom of X-Sector for the next three years until it was replaced by Submission.
Bone Shaker
When Submission took up residence in X-Sector in 2001 it was time for Energizer to relocate once again, though its new location would be rather familiar since it moved back to its original spot across the park. In the meantime Festival Park had been transformed into Ug Land and so, to fit in with its new prehistoric home, the ride was rethemed to become Bone Shaker.
During its years in Ug Land the ride tended to be run on less thrilling settings in order to appeal to a more family friendly market. The ride did not suit its new, tamer operation, which combined with its out of the way location led to a drop off in popularity. And at a time when management were looking to make savings this was not a great position for an attraction to find itself in.
For the 2004 season Bone Shaker was SBNO, blocked off from the rest of Ug Land by a fence that did very little to hide the attraction from guests that might have wanted to ride. The writing was on the wall however and as construction got underway for Rita, Bone Shaker was finally removed at the end of 2004, going into storage in the area near the Flag Tower.
But the Story didn't end there... because in 2005 the ride was sold back to its manufacturer and returned to Mondial for refurbishment. The following year, a Supernova of the same capacity opened at Terra Mitica and, whilst it has never been confirmed, it is therefore likely that La Cólera de Akiles is in fact a refurbished Bone Shaker.
