This is the story of Alton Towers
today and yesterday. We take a privileged journey through images
dating back to the 1870s - through film dating back to the 1920s and
through the eyes of the present - to those who know and love Alton
Towers today.
The Story of Alton Towers, as a place of fun, thrills and magic,
began when Charles, the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury, first flung open
the gates of his amazing ancestral estate to an awe-struck public -
as far back as the 1830s! As his monument in the garden testifies,
'He Made The Desert Smile', and his great vision of a 'wonderland'
with magnificent gardens and attractions such as the Chinese Pagoda
Fountain and Swiss Cottage saw Alton Towers as a themed park - 120
years before Disneyland! All this set against an incredible Gothic
mansion - worked upon by the great Austine Pugin - and one of the
most splendid in the world!
Crowds have flocked to this magical place ever since - to the fairs,
wakes and fireworks extravaganzas in the 1890s - through to the
funfairs of the 1950s - and on to modern times, from the unveiling
of The Corkscrew in 1980 through to the present.
We take a special look and ride upon, the remarkable gravity defying
rides of today, such as Oblivion, Air, Nemesis and Rita Queen Of
Speed, with fascinating insights from those such as Rollercoaster
guru, John Wardley.
Re-live the magic and wonderment of nearly two centuries of Alton
Towers!
Condition: Very good.
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