Pirate Ship
The Pirate Ship first arrived at Alton Towers in 1980 and had its home in Springfield Centre (currently X-Sector). It was the park's first major thrill ride and, whilst the ride is considered to be rather tame by today's standards, at the time it offered thrills unlike many guests had experienced before. The effect of the ride often left guests feeling rather queasy, which could become much worse if guests headed straight next door into the disorienting experience of the neighbouring Cine 2000.
The Blade
The Blade opened at the heart of Forbidden Valley in 1997, challenging guests' stomachs as the park's headline family thrill ride. Whilst the ride looked deceptive tame, due to its sunken height, The Blade often caught riders by surprise offering more thrills than first meets the eye.
The ride took over the pit which once housed Thunder Looper, setting it well below ground level. It opened along with Ripsaw, and both rides were themed as shrapnel flung from Nemesis' pit during excavation. The once pristine Pirate Ship was redesigned to feature rusty and peeling paintwork, yellow and black hazard markings, and two huge metal blades on either end of the ship. This created a very daunting and hostile look to blend into its new environment - exactly as the park intended.
In 2015 The Blade was at the centre of a rumpus when it did not feature on the park map, fuelling speculation that it would be removed. Alton Towers later confirmed that the ride was due to be leaving but would continue to operate for the first part of the season. However, following The Smiler incident, plans to remove the ride were shelved.
In a reversal of fortune, ahead of the 2019 season, The Blade received a significant refurbishment to extend its lifespan in the park. Having been resharpened, The Blade continued to swing for another five years, but its days were numbered and after the end of the 2024 season it was announced the ride had come to the end of it's time at Alton Towers after 44 years.
Attraction Stats
Timeline
Construction
In 1996, the park had big plans for the following season - Fantasy Land would become a giant construction site for the park's latest coaster, SW4, and at the same time Forbidden Valley was due to lose Thunder Looper. As a result, the Pirate Ship would move across the park to cleave through the pit that was once home to the older coaster in Forbidden Valley.
But it would no longer be themed to pirates. The classic swinging ship would gain a bold new theme as The Blade. To show off the ride's future look, the park's design team took an photo of the Pirate Ship and overlaid the new theme. The result was this unique composite of The Blade as it might have looked in Fantasy World.