Archie Hillier, John Wardley (creator of the ride), John Burton (creative lead for Merlin Magic Making) and Jack Hillier onboard the last ride of Nemesis at Alton Towers.
Die-hard fans gathered at the Staffordshire theme park to experience the famous ride for the final time, until it reopens in 2024 following an exciting transformation.
Nemesis was closed "by order of the Phalanx" - the fictional secret organisation tasked with keeping the beast pinned beneath its steel structure under control - over new fears about her “abnormal behaviour”.
Following the park's spectacular fireworks display, a jaw-dropping event which marks the last weekend of the season, spotlights searched the darkened skies of the front lawn to create the illusion of a helicopter landing.
A Phalanx spokesperson, appearing on a giant screen, announced that its “most experienced team” was in charge of the operation and urged park-goers to say their final goodbyes to the famous ride.
Back at the ride, mysterious figures in hazmat suits were seen marching in formation towards Nemesis, with some collecting samples and covering parts of the site in biohazard tape, and white chemical investigation tents were hastily erected around the ride’s entrance.
Once the queue had emptied, the very last group of riders - known to the Phalanx as the ‘final test specimens’ - took their seats on the ride, to claim their money-can’t-buy experience which they won through the park’s own competition, which received more than 15,000 entries from fans wanting to be part of the action.
Dressed in boiler suits, they were escorted by the hazmat-clad team as they walked through the site and also received a guard of honour as they took their seats alongside creator of the ride John Wardley, and John Burton from Merlin Magic Making.
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Kate McBirnie, Head of Guest Excellence at Alton Towers, said:
“It was wonderful so many people came for Nemesis’s big send off."
“The legendary rollercoaster has been thrilling fans and visitors since 1994 so it’s understandable so many wanted to take one final ride before it undergoes its exciting revamp."
“We can’t reveal too much at the moment but more details will be revealed ahead of its spectacular return in 2024."
