There's a video going round showing Ripsaw's queue in the parking lot and since Air can be seen in the background & it doesn't look new, it shows likely proof the ride is gone.

https://www.facebook.com/100010344005267/videos/181501682204631/?theater (mods please implement fb video in post).

Though the ride has been on the chopping block for years, it's still a shame it's gone since the ride was one of the few flats and non coaster thrill rides still at the park left.

On a side note, and not aimed at anyone in particular, I can't believe people are actually challenging whether this video is recent or from during its construction. You must be very far in denial if you believe people had camera phones in 1997 when Ripsaw was constructed, and to overlook the obvious wear on all the metal!

It's gone. Shame, but it was old and had its time.

R.I.P.saw

Spares for RR will be in abundance for a while then.

 

No great loss on it's own, but overall more flats and fillers are really really required at Towers.

The removal of flats is not good as with the layout of Alton Towers, each "area" can become very busy at times and they need as many support rides as possible - now with Ripsaw removed from Forbidden Valley I can imagine that queues for the remaining attractions will get worse, especially if Sub Terra stays closed as well.

 

I can understand Ripsaw leaving the park but it should be replaced with another flat rather than just leaving the ground empty (like Submission).

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/alton-towers-announce-new-ride-10644134

 

All will be revealed January 12th, 8:30 am at the Science Museum about the new ride, could get quite a bit of backlash as they're really plugging this as a new ride but at the same we're losing Air to make the new experience. Oh well, hopefully the press like it.

Well a space theme would at least tie in with nemesis's theme. I can't find a connection between nemesis and Air but the alien of Nemesis and the astronaut of "galactica" would certainly create more cohesion within Forbidden Valley.

Although the ride name isn't confirmed, Galactica looks more probable than ever.

The blade can't be operating for many more years, ripsaw's dead and sub-terror is SBNO. I now fear for not only Forbidden Valley but Alton Towers.

Getting the Science Museum as an announcement location is really good.  
 
Also, the pun-lover within my can't help but love the line: "In space you can’t hear yourself scream because there is no air."

Does that mean anybody can turn up with it being at the science museum?

Does that mean anybody can turn up with it being at the science museum?

If so, I'll be there.

Source Towers Street

Proof that Ripsaw has been ripped from the park lineup for 2016 (r.I.p Ripsaw).

Towers & Forbidden Valley have lost yet another flat ride with just an ageing pirate ship (on it's last legs) & an enterprise remaining.

Let's hope Air mk2 & Food Loop are actually that good and make up for the loss of this once good support ride. Air & Neny will sure have more strain on them in 2016.

I highly doubt a restaurant would be sufficient substitute for any ride, even if it is only Ripsaw...

 

Or VR goggles on a pre-existing ride...

 

Less than 50 other rides & attractions available...

Let's hope Air mk2 & Food Loop are actually that good and make up for the loss of this once good support ride. Air & Neny will sure have more strain on them in 2016.

 

OBJECTION

 

It was never good.

 

Extra strain on Nemmy and Air? That's if customers even decide to return to the park in 2016.

Let's hope Air mk2 & Food Loop are actually that good and make up for the loss of this once good support ride. Air & Neny will sure have more strain on them in 2016.

 

More strain?  Did Nemesis and Air have any strain on them in the first place?  Nemesis is a throughput monster and Air never exactly got outrageous queues.  And it's not exactly like Ripsaw had much of a queue anyway.  So it hardly helped in the grand scheme of things.

 

Of course, the loss of a flat ride is bad.  But let's face it - the removal of this in of itself isn't exactly a great loss.

OBJECTION

It was never good.

Extra strain on Nemmy and Air? That's if customers even decide to return to the park in 2016.

It was good as a support and spectator ride. Of course it was probably never amazing even in its early years.

More strain? Did Nemesis and Air have any strain on them in the first place? Nemesis is a throughput monster and Air never exactly got outrageous queues. And it's not exactly like Ripsaw had much of a queue anyway. So it hardly helped in the grand scheme of things.

Of course, the loss of a flat ride is bad. But let's face it - the removal of this in of itself isn't exactly a great loss.

Well with most of the attention on Forbidden Valley, I expect both rides will receive the biggest queues on park and with two less filler rides (assuming Seb Terra is shut) there will be more strain as the next nearest ride is Duel and then Katanga stuff after that.

Then of course, what if Air or Nemy broke down? Both may be reliable rides but breakdowns will happen, if both are down at once then the park will descend in to chaos and will result in a spike in complaints.

An additional problem is with what's happened, SW8 isn't just happening a year later but I've heard original plans have been shelved which means that if blade is removed too, this area of Towers could be empty until SW9 potentially.

Tbh 2016 will probably have a slow start but if things go right and well, visitor numbers could start returning to normal from May.

Air gets long queues at times, this was different this past year due to the park being quieter though.

I can't blame customers if they choose not to visit next year, cutting another flat ride from the lineup is hardly going to encourage people back.

Air gets long queues at times, this was different this past year due to the park being quieter though.

I can't blame customers if they choose not to visit next year, cutting another flat ride from the lineup is hardly going to encourage people back.

 

Were you around in the dark days of 2004/5 when rides were closing left right and centre? People do come back eventually, just the Smiler incident has compounded the issue for 2016. 

I don't even care Ripsaw was my second favourite ride at towers after Th13teen.

 

It's a shame it;s been removed, I always loved the odd sequences it had, even if others didn't. A truly decent ride, that may not have been anything outstandingly special, but at the same time wasn't massively insignificant either. 

Were you around in the dark days of 2004/5 when rides were closing left right and centre? People do come back eventually, just the Smiler incident has compounded the issue for 2016.

My first visit to Alton was around 2005/6 ish, and I wasn't really as enthusiastic about theme parks as I am now.

I'm sure Towers will pull through this and start to gain customers again, but I can't see that happening in 2016 the way things are looking.

Merlin had a chance to try and make a bad situation better. They could have got their media department making people feel safe and getting rid of the false reports. Instead they kept their head down and were torn to pieces as there were no other stories at the time.

Now their solution to fix things is to start closing rides, delaying/cancelling future rides and making the park less value for money. You don't solve this sort of thing by trying to claw back money. You solve this by spending your way out. You convince people to come back for a solid reason. VR headset is not a people puller.

I hope the media team pull it together and actually sell their product well for once. I doubt that is going to happen.

Had to make the shareholders happy first though...

 

Therein lies the problem, the park are keeping costs down so that the shareholders don't lose out on their return, but of course this causes issues for the visitors having fewer rides open (amongst the other things)...

Had to make the shareholders happy first though...

It's a crazy way to run a theme-park based business and Merlin don't really deserve to do well when they have the corporate greed to run their theme parks in such a way.

I have said it before and I have said it again, they would be better off having a really good year next year at the expense of making slightly less profit to re-gain the park it's good reputation and hopefully get to the stage where by 2017, it is thriving again.

 

Closing rides down, sacking almost 200 staff members and making other budget cuts is not going to do this - and advertising general TLC is just laughable.

Updates of Air's re-theme via Towers Street which shows work going on around the ride. Is it me, or has the ride been repainted or heavily jet washed?

Parts of the old queue line have disappeared. Let's hope what replaces it is an improvement and not a high bland cattle pen.

Is it me, or has the ride been repainted or heavily jet washed?

It does look very clean. I hoped that they would paint it a dark blue with light blue supports but I think it will remain light blue after all.

It definitely looks like Air has been repainted in a few places, which is great!