Alton Towers Almanac

Refreshed by Imperial Leather… it's bathtime with attitude

Why, where, when?

At the beginning of the eighties with visitors flocking to the new Alton Towers theme park, a new ride was being designed and constructed towards the front of the park. When it opened at the beginning of the 1981 season, the Log Flume was the longest in the world, as it wound its way through the woods.

In the mid eighties, the Dinosaurs that had their own display in the Springfield Centre were moved due to the impending construction of Black Hole. They were relocated into the woods around the Log Flume circuit, and along with authentic dinosaur sound effects, added an element of theming to the ride. The Dinosaurs were subsequently removed for reasons unknown.

In 2004, the ride was given a re-theme due to sponsorship by Imperial Leather. The name was changed to simply "The Flume" and the ride was given a bath-time theme, with an overhauled station and lots of rubber ducks to be seen.

But what is it like?

The ride has three drops, a small one at the beginning, then a very long - and after a few rides - monotonous journey through a wooded area before going up a lift hill into a black tunnel which generally catches new riders out with a fair sized drop followed by quite a long trundle through a pitch black tunnel. So far you probably will only have a few drops of water on you but as you go up to the top of the final drop and are urged to "Smile For The Camera" you know that will not last, you fall over the top to be greeted by a surrounding of white spray which in turn lands on you.