The iconic Huss Topspin flat ride that was located in Forbidden Valley is coming back to Alton Towers as Huss Rides are currently working on a brand new ride for the Staffordshire theme park.
A brand new planning application was submitted on February 6th for a new attraction to be added in Forbidden Valley.
The application submitted to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council states that it will be built atop a concrete structure and will reach heights of up to 18m.
Naturally, social media went into a frenzy as 18m is the same height as what Ripsaw used to be when it operated at the resort.
The queue line for the attraction is also said to wrap to the south/southeast of the ride and will sit next to Ripsaw Cafe which is currently under construction work as we speak.
Ripsaw is a Huss Rides Topspin but with Topspin parts being few and far between as a much older model nowadays a brand new floorless version of the ride would be the more logical choice.
The height being the same as that of Ripsaw is certainly something that is getting fans excited but at the same time, this could merely be a climbing wall with a bit of theming and a queue line.
Rumours have been doing the rounds for months with 3 rides rumoured to have been purchased from Huss Rides by Alton Towers so chances of it being one of them are extremely high but it’s also very intriguing that there is set to be a tunnel that seemingly goes under the ride for guests to walk under with the ride operating above them.
This would bring the ride outwards over the main path and would certainly add to a more thrilling experience in terms of views if indeed it is a flat ride as you’d be able to see the whole of Forbidden Valley and not just one side of it.
The rumours did state that all 3 flats would be constructed between 2025-2027 so if we start to see work in the area this year chances are it may be a temporary addition to the area and not the long-awaited return of Ripsaw.
Only time will tell!
More signs are pointing towards it being a ride with the mention of theming being included on either side of the ride, once again similar to Ripsaw which had theming on each side of its arms.
Having a Ripsaw-style ride back in the park is a strange decision once again by Alton Towers, having Nemesis come back with a new lease of life will go completely unappreciated by the general public as they’ll just assume it’s had a bit of a paint done to it and now Ripsaw is returning which many probably still think to this day operates at the park.
Whilst relying on nostalgia is great for fans I just can’t see how resurrecting these rides will help to attract and drive footfall to the park, it’s nothing new, it’s nothing appealing and it’s nothing marketable that hasn’t already been marketed before at the park.
What’s next? The Black Hole returns?
