There Are 45 Responses So Far. »

1. 

   Comment by nicola hunter on 3 May 2008:

   hi what fab photo’s such a sad shame i remember riding it when it first openend and the que was always massive even right to the end.
2. 

   Comment by Admin on 3 May 2008:

   Hi Nicola,
   It was, I dont know how many times i turned up to queue and it was right back up the hill, always worth it though from what i remember

   Cheers
3. 

   Comment by Sam on 29 May 2008:

   It’s a shame that this ride has been left simply to rot. It was always fun and truely I don’t know what they’ll do with it. It’s a piece of coaster history and unfortunatly people dont seem to care. It’s a sad day when they do this and just leave it there collecting dust.
4. 

   Comment by phil on 12 June 2008:

   it’s not been left to rot, they’ve sold it to a place in brazil
5. 

   Comment by Admin on 13 June 2008:

   Hi Phil,
   Thanks for the comments.

   I think what was meant was it was closed some time ago and becuase of the problems getting the ride exported “it had been left to rot” as its been a while now.

   Thanks
6. 

   Comment by Lisa on 15 July 2008:

   Heyyy.
   How come it closed?
   I heard someone fell of hit the bottom and cracked there head and died? o.o;
   Is this trueeee?
7. 

   Comment by ridemasta on 27 July 2008:

   Hi i can remember goin on this when i was younger i was about 7 or 8 wen i went on it but i neva managed 2 get bak on it again n i no sum 1 hu works there
8. 

   Comment by theappleman on 31 July 2008:

   It ay true lisa it was shut down cos it was 2 old n the health n safty would cost 2 much
9. 

   Comment by Charlie Davies on 5 August 2008:

   Hi, This Truly Was A Good Ride, Never Been On it but i think they should keep the tent Up as a memorial to the ride but clear out the stuff or put some museum ish stuff inside to keep the spirit of black hole alive, a great ride though, its amazing though because it almost feels like somebody died you know?
10. 

    Comment by thegravityclub on 8 September 2008:

    hi, i’m really enjoy all schwarzkopf rides. we need help to find a jet star 2 for buying. rumors always is it when a ride its left de park to introduce a new ride. so if you can, contact the park and tell me how much cost this ride.

    best regards.

    the gravity club
11. 

    Comment by Dave Ward on 26 February 2009:

    It was dismantled but still remains in the tent, after the sale to a Brazilian park fell through due to a change in governments and import law.

    Quote from Wikipedia, so yes the black hole was left to rot & not sold
12. 

    Comment by cambill on 31 May 2009:

    why did the black hole exactly close down?
    just heard rumors about things that might of happened and wondered if they were true.
    thanks.
13. 

    Comment by amie on 29 June 2009:

    hi , ijust thought i wud comment and say that i loved the black hole and truely thought it was one of the best rides alton towers had!
    its a shame theyve closed it but as its still there theres still the possiblity of rebuilding it or them replacing it and keeping the dome tent.
    i dont know why it closed but it had sumit to do with the health and safely of it , its just whether someone was hurt in order for them to find out
    Oh and finally i agree with charlie davies as they shud put a museum or memorial about it because this ride was a coaster legand and shud be remembered
14. 

    Comment by amie on 29 June 2009:

    oh and thanks for the pictures its intresting to see inside and what they have done with it !
15. 

    Comment by Renate on 6 July 2009:

    Yeah, did it close down because someone was hurt? I heard a someone died in the 1980′s too, does anyone know anything about this? My sister said it was in the news back when she was just under 16, and then it closed down and the rumours are someone else died? It was a good ride but was rather unsafe. I remember being able to look over one side of the car and seeing nothing (as was the point) but it always worried me if anyone decided to be ‘clever’ and rock the cab.
16. 

    Comment by peteleeuk on 15 July 2009:

    Ha, love the rumours.
    No fatal on the black hole. Health and saftey laws are always changing and recent changes would have meant major structural modifications to the ride. Nothing to do with falling out of the cars etc! Issue was change in requiered clearance between train and supports/track/station. Health and saftey decided you could theoretically trap arms etc(if you were a moron), never mind that this never happened. So no more fun for anyone – thanks health and saftey!
17. 

    Comment by Admin on 15 July 2009:

    wonder if the reader is getting this confused with Space Invader (as it was) at blackpool. Dark enclosed coaster that did unfortunately have a fatality.
18. 

    Comment by mikey7 on 2 September 2009:

    sad to see such a great ride go – good memories of riding it over many years….
19. 

    Comment by Helen on 21 September 2009:

    I have been living in Texas for the last few years, and was looking forward to riding the Black Hole again on my return to the UK! Bah!

    So many happy memories of Alton Towers, but especially the black hole as it was the first “proper” coaster that I ever rode, waaaay back in the day.
    I would have loved to have one of those cars for my living room, heh heh!
20. 

    Comment by Lucy on 30 September 2009:

    The rumour I heard was even better. I heard someone managed to stand up just before it descended and decapitated the rider which of course no one knew about til they came out the other end into the light. Ha ha!

    I am truly gutted this ride is closed. It always was and always will be my favourite ride at Alton Towers. I loved the tension build in the dark as you spiralled up the coaster and then waiting for that drop still not having a clue what was going on. Fabulous!

    While it might have been very costly to upgrade I think it would be worth it for them to just start again and build another one. Come on the Towers resurrect the Black Hole once again!
21. 

    Comment by Jess on 8 October 2009:

    Hi, I remember the story about someone dying in the 80′s too. It’s true, but it was nothing to do with the ride itself. A gentleman had a heart attack on the ride and died shortly afterwards. Very sad. It’s such a shame they have left the ride in a state of disrepair like that, I agree it should be preserved in a museum.
22. 

    Comment by Admin on 14 October 2009:

    Id love one in my living room too Helen, I can imagine the postage rates to Texas been a bit steep though
23. 

    Comment by ben on 27 October 2009:

    I know what happened … the ride was closed in 2003 because someone died on the ride . There was rumors circulating the park when i was there a few weeks later so i asked one of the workers and they told me that a teenage boy decided to somehow raise his body out of the seat just enough to get his neck struck by a beam .

    Im not sure if this is true or not im just telling you all what i got told
24. 

    Comment by Felicity on 8 December 2009:

    Just incase anyone is still interested – as a bit of an update – the Black Hole Tent now no longer has the track, cars or themeing anymore (As it has, as some people have stated, been sold on and removed from the park some time ago) but the station, staircase and some basic support structure for bits of the ride are still in the tent not having been touched. The tent is primarily used for storage and maintenance work nowadays, and for the foreseeable future – still as dusty as ever!
    Pity really.
25. 

    Comment by Admin on 8 December 2009:

    Thanks Felicity, When i visited it had lockers and a load of teddys for the concessions. Do you know who it was sold onto ?

    It was quite eary for me seeing the steps and the loading platform when we did the tour, such a shame really as it was a great ride.

    Thanks again for the comments.
26. 

    Comment by Felicity on 10 December 2009:

    The lockers were still there until up to 6 or 7 months ago but most have finally been trashed now – the space is mostly used for maintenance work on bits of the other rides now (cars etc). Im not sure who the ride was sold onto,sorry, just know that it all disappeared, cars, track and supports.

    Your right though – its really creepy. Especially the structure and themeing of some of the corridoors still partially being in place (too dangerous to walk through though)

    Hope its been of help.
27. 

    Comment by Admin on 11 December 2009:

    Cheers thanks for sharing that Felicity
28. 

    Comment by immarni on 12 January 2010:

    hi, i really dont think that the amazing ride the balack hole should of been demolished, because it was a true legand since 1988 but they must have plans 4 a new ride because they would of demiloshed the dome tent but watever they are planning 2 bulid, it will never live up 2 the balck hole,
29. 

    Comment by Ash on 23 March 2010:

    Hi, just got back from Alton yesterday and the Black Hole tent is still there in X sector just standing eerily silent.
    Have heard some rumours about why it closed including the tent not having enough safety exits and the ride itself needing safety upgrades.
    Not sure if any are true but can’t help thinking why Alton didn’t put something else in the tent if there was a problem with the ride, or if there was a problem with the tent why they didn’t remove that and have the ride in the open like they did with the Beast a few years ago… Black Hole RIP, you are missed!
30. 

    Comment by Ryan on 19 April 2010:

    Iv never been on it but my dad had im not even 12 yet but there we go my dad sed it was great i was really looking forward to it but then wen i went it was closed. They should make another black hole and i would be so happy !!!!!!!!!!! but the rumor i heard was sombody fell off amd got ran over by a different car heh heh
31. 

    Comment by Olly Stalber on 22 April 2010:

    The Black Hole as it is today, in 2010. Its been completely refurbished =].
    http://www.coastersandmore.de/previews/belantis/belantis100s.jpg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwpVyIj5K4E&feature=player_embedded
    Gerstlauer have bought it from Alton, and its base at their HQ at this time. They are looking to sell it, maybe Alton should buy it back?
32. 

    Comment by Admin on 23 April 2010:

    Cheers Olly,
    I noticed this come up on the ECC mailing list a few days ago, It would be great to see it back in the UK, but its low capacity will ensure it wont be at the towers.
33. 

    Comment by Fiona on 23 May 2010:

    I always think its really sad when a ride closes. There is something about it almost like it was living and breathing. All the screams, laughter, apprehension and thrill of the ride gone!!! The Black Hole tent is still there! I do have to wonder why Alton Towers took down Corkscrew and replaced it with Thirteen but left The Black Hole???
34. 

    Comment by Abby on 29 October 2010:

    The black hole dome is used for storage at the moment but there is rumors that there may be a new ride in it’s place in 2013/2014 .
35. 

    Comment by robert on 19 December 2010:

    i worked in the b.h on trim brake and my other bro worked on the station whilst my other bro worked the panel..tezz. good times
36. 

    Comment by thelostcoaster on 18 February 2011:

    Very Cool pictures of the BH! I would love to put these photos on my blog http://thelostcoaster.wordpress.com.
37. 

    Comment by Louise on 19 August 2011:

    I have never rode the black hole cause im only 14 :L i went to altom towers today and they still have the dome, but im not sure if they have all the things still in. If they were to recreate it there would be no point cause theres oblivin which drops you down into a hole. The oblivion would be 100 times better. Sorry to say that for all you blackhole fans
38. 

    Comment by ian on 20 August 2011:

    on the history of the ride i seem to remember when the ride first opened an accident occured and the car left the track. i think this was reported on the news because the ride closed when we visited the park on a school trip the ride was still closed. about a year later there was another accident but the ride was closed and re-opened in time for another trip and the que was massive. when on the top of the ride before the sharp descent if you looked down there was an image of an astronought floating in space and not just black as others have said. this must have been between 1984 and 1986. what a great ride along with the corkscrew but every ride has its day.
39. 

    Comment by Phil Doyle on 29 September 2011:

    There was an accident on the Black Hole – it was Bishop Ullathorne (Coventry) school trip. It was front page news on the Coventry Evening Telegraph circa 1986. One of the cars derailed and it took the rescue team ages to sort it out due to poor lighting inside. No one was seriously injured though. Afetr that though, loads of rumours started that someone had died.

    Phil Doyle
40. 

    Comment by Simon on 19 October 2011:

    The Corkscrew and Black hole were the first rollercoasters i ever went on back in the 80s. I will always remember my dad losing his slip on shoe as we rode the Corkscrew and the engineers stopping the ride for just a few minutes whilst they collected it (so embarassing) The first time on the Black hole i remember complete darkness apart from a lit up astronaught, years later there was a figure that would light up just before you dropped. Some strong rumours for this year is that the Black hole tent is going to be used for a (boiler room) scare maze for the 2011 scarefest… That would be fun
41. 

    Comment by Admin on 19 October 2011:

    Hi Simon,
    Thanks for the comments. The old tent is used for 2 scare attractions the boiler house and the carnival of screams both relocated from the field at the side of the hotels.

    I went through them both on Sunday and really enjoyed both attractions, all the scare attractions are now in the same area with those 2, the towers and a new Zombie walk through.

    cheers
42. 

    Comment by Simon on 20 October 2011:

    Thanks for the update… We are heading there on 29th and i am very excited as i have not been for years! This will be my first scarefest and i am really looking forward to it. Maybe you can help me with a couple of questions? So as you have confirmed the boiler room and carnival are situated in the black hole tent, but where exactly is the zombies? and is terror of the towers actually in the mansion its self? One last question on the 2011 map there is what looks like a cave entrance between The Towers & X Sector, what is it? Thanks
43. 

    Comment by Admin on 20 October 2011:

    Hi,
    THe Tower of the Terrors is in the towers yes, you enter it near Hex. The Zombies are as you walk past the hospitality suite past spin ball whizzer then its just on the left near the lake, its only small – it could be the cave not sure. i didnt notice anything else that was new in the area..

    Have a good time
    hope this helps.
44. 

    Comment by tc on 1 January 2012:

    hi there im going to buy the black hole from alton towers when i work for them.
45. 

    Comment by Admin on 31 January 2012:

    They dont have it anymore, you may need a trip further south to pick it up

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