Construction complete on the Worlds First
Psycho-coaster ‘Th13teen’ at Alton Towers

Alton Towers new Th13teen roller coaster, which has been said to be the worlds first Psycho-coaster, has recently been opened to the public this Spring, 2010.

With ride infrastructure and foundations designed by the Leeds office (BSCP), the project design and execution was undertaken in secret and with strict confidentiality agreements to ensure maximum impact when the ride was officially opened to the general public.

Th13teen, which was built on the same site as the world famous Corkscrew roller coaster, combines both physical and psychological fear. The ride starts off like most modern rides, climbing 60ft, and then takes its riders on a heart pumping ride downwards. The ride also reaches speeds of up to 67 miles per hour, whilst it takes riders through ‘The Dark Forest.’

A major challenge for the Leeds office (BSCP) was the design of the foundations for each of the 260 ride supports  which  required   close   

liaison with the ride designer. The foundations were designed with very strict limits on differential movement and each individual support had its own unique combination of static and dynamic loads, and in some cases very high uplift loads which required the use of rock anchors.

However, the real fun of the ride starts when the carriages enter into an enclosed building. The ‘special feature’ of the ride is concealed within the ‘Ride Building’, which is a steel framed structure with it’s foundations completely independent from the roller coaster. This is to prevent dynamic loads and associated vibrations from  the ride being transmitted into the building. Once inside, the ride’s secret weapon hits. The coaster itself actually drops 15 feet making it the first free fall coaster ever.

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For further information please contact Charlotte Johnson on 0161 491 4600
email: charlotte.johnson@ghalivigunn.com