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Looking back at Slammer - my god it was bloody terrifying wasn't it? For a long time it was one of the only remaining rides (apart from drop towers) that made me feel genuinely scared! I don't think I will go as far as saying I miss it, because to be honest it was never really open long enough to be a major part of the park in my eyes at least, but it was definitely an iconic and very unique ride. You could be stood basically anywhere at Thorpe Park, and you'd occasionally see the huge paddles soaring through the air (when it was open at least) - it certainly made itself known when it was running! It was absolutely enormous when it was spinning. The ride experience was so different to anything else - I remember the very genuine screams of fear from fellow riders when the ride would first start turning, especially on that first forward swat. The restraints also really amped up the fear factor, as they were so open and free. You were very much hanging out of your seat, against those wobbly shoulder restraints! Comfort levels were not a priority for Slammer were they? The rush of blood to your head throughout the entire ride, and the weird restraints were certainly interesting, and riding it in the rain was an ordeal to say the least. The long delays between dispatches towards the end were very tedious when queueing, and I remember being stuck at the top unable to lower back down to the ground many times, either in the freezing cold or in the baking sun (the awful smell of those sun-baked shoulder harnesses is still hot on the back of my nostrils after all these years). But none of that really mattered, because it was one of those rides that was just there to be as thrilling as possible - and it bloody was. It was good having a ride like Slammer at Thorpe. Hopefully something equally as unique will replace it one day!

I’m very glad to have got on it this year - even 19 years on the speed and height of this thing was still incredible and very grateful to have got on one of the 2 most iconic hydraulic launch coasters. I do think the way they’ve handled this is a complete joke, as mentioned already this is a iconic ride known all across the world, to just close with no warning is pretty shocking, had it been opening next year for a “final year send off” I’d have renewed my pass, made the trip over. In some ways I can almost understand the other rides closing which were less well known to close, but to close a ride of this stature with a little press release a few days after it closed just seems wrong to me.

It was a cool themed part of the queue, under a canopy covered in ivy and fog. You'd walk between tombs and past grave plaques on the wall. It hid the ugly building from view as you walked in and made the space feel very different to the horrible concrete square. There used to be bat sounds from the rafters. Then you'd head into the dark tunnel with the flickering lanterns and windows, which used to have choir and tolling bells echoing inside. There was also a simple pepper's ghost effect in one of the windows which hasnt worked properly for years, and more detail/better lighting behind the windows. This was before they started batching before the station too, it was much creepier when you used to queue in it rather than breeze straight through. I remember it being a classic build up to the grand station, but declined massively over time (bad maintenance as usual). It just feels like walking into a tin box now, since like any ride the effect was all in the sound, lighting & scenery..