Building & Designing Oblivion - Alton Towers - 10 Years On

This video shows the building of Oblivion at Alton Towers 10 years ago. In 1997 somthing strange was going on and in 1998 the worlds first vertical drop rollercoaster was launched. This video shows the build up and construction of the world class ride at the resort.
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[@joewalker643]

Seeing John Wardley get giddy and jumping up and down after the drop makes me smile. That man is personally responsible for the thrills of so many British people. He's like the big kid in chief.

[@mariosavva999]

What a cool job he has :)

[@oxymoron8803]

He did more than rollercoasters. He worked on Hammer Horror, James Bond and practically invented the modern animatronic.

[@bowmurbandit]

I was a coach driver when Oblivion was being built. The company I worked for at the time ran a regular Thursday service to Alton Towers so I was able to see it's progress week by week. Happy days back then (Y)

[@randomtransportguyx4397]

Did you drive any Volvo B10M's, if so which body did they have

[@bowmurbandit]

@@randomtransportguyx4397 No. It was such a popular service at the time so we used a Leyland Atlantean Double Decker.

[@randomtransportguyx4397]

@@bowmurbandit noicccccccccccce

[@sirjambon]

Almost 20 years! Queued for 3 hours when it first opened. Now you can pretty much walk on the damn thing.

[@twizzrocket4311]

I waited 40mins at scare feat

[@bulletnotloaded3586]

@@twizzrocket4311 Good old scare feat

[@scpslfreak1353]

@@bulletnotloaded3586 y'all gotta love scare feat

[@elainedenton4852]

I went and queued for 2 hours so you carnt just walk on

[@marmalising2034]

queued 50 the on the 18th july 2021

[@visionist7]

Oblivion is the FIRST dive coaster and therefore the BEST by default. Look at these guys two decades ago with their fiendish concoction. They're like wizards. Nothing else like it existed. The simple, stark layout; just a sinister black track plunging straight into the ground

[@Rancord123]

Felice Graziano it probably still is the best as not much vertical drop rollercoasters don’t go underground

[@ahuman9864]

When I first walked up on this ride and saw it’s size and that subtle roar, it was in complete awe. Those execs at the end seemed to have thought the same thing. The way it banks at the end is something beautiful and terrifying at the same time. 20 years ago, there was nothing like it.

[@Smartacus98]

oblivion is incredible. I never realized how deep underground it was, that's why the speed and intensity always takes me by surprise.

[@leahloo7782]

Same

[@leeroyleeroy]

I remember being there the year before it was opened and seeing the ground being dug out. It looked so bizarre!

[@thehoopsters5255]

I wasn't sure about riding Hex at first, but after we did it I'm glad my Dad encouraged me. Alton Towers is the Best

[@tybeyonce]

Have you been on the smiler

[@potatogirlcultist19]

@@tybeyonce Yes and my balls really hurt.

[@Legendaryvenomz]

Genius pieces. Absolutely amazing.

[@willhowell898]

I've been to Alton towers today I went on this about 7 times this is incredible

[@minotaur878]

Yes he's given me roller coaster advice for the future. Very good man.

[@christianlangdale2043]

Oblivion has been my favourite ride ever.

[@jche8437]

Look how excited everyone is. The good old days. Before social media. Here I am on social media 😂

[@marioravioli5413]

if I had a time machine, i'd go to that guy and say 'you alright mate?' 'looking forward to Oblivion?'

[@lemagreengreen]

Makes me feel really old when I realise I was a teenager when this thing opened. It was a big deal at the time, had a huge advertising campaign.

[@BlueAxeRacer]

Hi Shawn from 9 years in the future!

[@ExcellAirsoft]

WoW this is brilliant thanks for posting keep it up.

[@ashes1one]

What a great upload - really good to see. Thanks!!!

[@ellieco9174]

We are very lucky to have John Wardle as a fellow Brit, and a pioneer in the roller coaster industry, some of the best & first rides in the world! I love nemesis

[@aidan7459]

20 years gone by and still the best vertical drop thrill coaster

[@JetstreamAviation747]

AidanWithAnA no stealth

[@aidan7459]

DiamondSword gaming Fair point but Oblivion is what started it all and without it we wouldn't have Stealth or Saw: The ride so yeah, for the thrill factors Stealth wins but c'mon you just have to love oblivion to ya know?

[@xVx_Krt_xVx_KillMe]

Sure it started it but that doesn’t make it best. Do you call iron wolf the best b&m cause it was the first. Besides, best drop in the Uk is speed at oakwood, it’s not the steepest but check the height it’s way taller than all the others

[@aidan7459]

@@xVx_Krt_xVx_KillMe Fair point I guess but On vertical dive coasters I have only ridden Oblivion soooooo I have much ride credibility to earn

[@zachbladen]

Best drop but not the best dive coaster in general.

[@donfranktv]

Such an interesting video on Oblivion - loved to see the construction

[@petermc7098]

Hello This is an absolutely amazing documentary, thank you for putting this up, I think this is what later inspired the Drop tower ride for Nemesis Sub-terra. Keep it up! Kind regards Peter

[@Todd21212]

Drop towers were made before Oblivion.

[@petermc7098]

@@Todd21212 OK

[@ChloeHancockcookie]

This ride is exactly 2 month older than me, i rode it for the first time on its 11th birthday :)

[@Lickmabumbum]

Me and my girlfriend went on this 15 times in a row, it's awesome!!!!

[@JamesWragg-xn6uj]

the roar of that B&M track gives me goosebumps🤤🤤🤩🤩

[@joemorrisonmusic]

There’s something so magical about oblivion. The drop ain’t matched.

[@MegaSackboy16]

no, oblivion was designed by John Wardley and the ride was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard.

[@starstruckxxx10000]

i wouldn't say that oblivion is the best diving roller coaster ,but defiantly has the best drop out of the bunch ,simply because it's a proper hole in the ground! and not just a little hole with some cover on top of it..

[@witchychlo]

Jonny B But you have to remember, this was revolutionary - they spent a lot of the budget working out how to drop the riders safely, nowadays it’s common knowledge across manufacturers and they have the money to add more track and inversions etc.

[@visionist7]

Jonny B a second drop is by its very nature redundant on a dive machine. Riding Oblivion for the second time feels redundant, let alone sitting through the second drop on Sheikra. It's all about the drop. One drop.

[@yearlongbeet2]

That ride cemented John wardley as the greatest coaster engineer ever

[@rollercoasterb74dst4]

going here on saturday cant wait

[@dylanmurphy4342]

Still haven't been to Alton Towers desperate to go though and will definitely ride this

[@themeparkfan]

Amazing video, thanks for uploading! :)

[@jplegoman85]

love oblivion!!

[@TimothiusAdiel]

I have ridden this. It was awesome!

[@longy0151]

the 2 dislikes are off fanta because they weren't sponsoring this ride when it opened.

[@deejasart7766]

Lol XD

[@Th3Sm1ler]

The second dislike was from Coke after the smiler started sponsoring oblivion

[@ashes1one]

Great upload!

[@thetf2guy184]

I think I may have an idea of what the guard may say now "The ministry of Joy kindly ask you to leave"

[@survivalleader]

I bet people who first saw this ride were like WTF mate

[@JetstreamAviation747]

survivalleader saw the ride lol

[@paulkelly3188]

funny how people r saying that the drops 90 degrees and more people r saying it's 87. Alton towers staff have even been saying it's 87 degrees :D

[@ozzyisabluebird86]

+JAX GAMING It's 87.5

[@asmakarolia3821]

ghabhrayli

[@ozzyisabluebird86]

Try Saw at Thorpe Park it is 110 degree angle

[@satorukemono7831]

I heard the drop was 89.5, meaning that it is in fact vertical being as in Maths one would count 1.5 as 2 when rounding up decimals. I know it isn't LITERALLY vertical, but it is just close enough to be counted as such

[@danielledewitt1]

JAX GAMING Just shy of vertical.

[@KoasterKing205]

It'll be 20 Years On in 2018!

[@jolol4895]

Which is now xD

[@angrybirds2973]

22 in 2020

[@KoasterKing205]

@@angrybirds2973 22 isn't a mile stone though... -_-

[@bread7713]

30 in 2028

[@angrybirds2973]

40 in 2038

[@Gr33nMamba]

It's so hard to build a new type/theme of rollercoaster these days, It's a shame really, the entusiats at 6:00 clearly saw it was a B&M Manufactured coaster with a sharp eye. So looking forward to Thirteen.

[@davidcope4527]

I know John... Reason for big holes being dug is due to height restrictions. Staffordshire area is used for low level flight training. Pilots need to get from Lichfield to Stafford below the radar coverage. It's great to see them with a low flight path. I used to live in Rugeley and I miss the low level flights by them. Nemesis required a very big hole to accomadate the ride. Check out Nemesis with John Wardley. OK..

[@kobyscootsandmore9141]

I know oblivion is 21 and all but it still looks intimidating I always have had a soft spot for it

[@wrenzul]

9:07 was Oblivion’s first EVER drop!!!

[@sammyshadbolt4634]

this I'd so cool I really like oblivion ride

[@Ryanro1988]

Can't wait until Saturday, SW6 opens!!!

[@funfairs__uk]

Lol Th13teen

[@aestheticrobloxhoe5197]

i went on this today it is sick

[@daboywunda]

wow, i loved this documentary!!! 1999's The Dream Factory (part of the Modern Times series of documentaries that the BBC produced.) The full documentary is on here some-where...

[@SamuelH105]

wow i've been that deep under ground? Kool!

[@eye-in-the-skyproductions8483]

John rocking that nemesis hat

[@galrides934]

"Magical roller coaster" have you realised it saids "you will get anxiety" in the advert whilst waiting in the queue lol

[@darrenbaber4678]

Alton Towers is soooooo epic!!!!!!!

[@kyledawber6679]

I thought they were having a smoke up at 0:38😂

[@MeltedToast84]

Now it’s 20 years on!

[@cgsdesigns441]

Even though it's about 80-90 feet over the ground it actually goes down a good 180ft into that tunnel, so if viewed from the bass of the tunnel it would definitely show the scale of it.

[@HG_Buses]

Hi Shawn, I’ve got a question. why was oblivion so slow when it was testing for the first time?

[@TheSanbrookeAdventures]

That’s just the standard really when rides test for the first time!

[@zacharycohenwarburton3430]

i love how now we use the term b and m

[@danielledewitt1]

B and M are a coaster manufacturer. Can’t spell the full name.

[@dannybarker9730]

10 out of 10 i have been on it

[@Flimingow]

I think alton towers is one of the best place for rollercoaters; Along with busch gardens

[@leviepine1876]

*boomf!! woosh!* That sounded unbelievably quiet XD

[@visionist7]

Levie Pine sand in the track. Bloody NIMBYs

[@xxxlbigsam]

cannot wait goin tomoz

[@TheCoasterrus]

lol at the 90s haircuts!!

[@ryanhickson7518]

I say the red harnesses look quite good with the trson

[@Dan-pv7cu]

who's the guy at 7:25? Is he still in the community?

[@Samuel_Hearfield]

Not the worlds first vertical drop rollercoaster. It's only around 88 degrees and Superman Escape from Krypton opened a year before 1997 and has a max angle of 90 degrees!

[@stevenm5062]

Samuel Hearfield k?

[@themeparktycoon2tipsandtri250]

That isnt a roller coaster

[@Smartacus98]

lol john wardley was giddy with excitement.

[@Jess-et5oq]

Have you ever read John Wardley’s book? I finished it yesterday and it was such a good read.

[@TheSanbrookeAdventures]

It’s a great read

[@RandomMixoo7]

I wonder what the ride on the computer screen is at 7:26 is?

[@GJTyphoon1991]

i agree mate

[@lilm2k8]

what was it based on, i dont quite get what the the theme is and its been 11 years

[@foureyez8348]

Now its oblivions 20th :)

[@kobyscootsandmore9141]

Shawn did you watch oblivion being built

[@Archman155]

no he was too young and he didnt work there back then

[@naytay22]

Andrew Lincoln narrating,I think? ❤️

[@TheSanbrookeAdventures]

Good question i wish i knew :(

[@kiwi__1011]

9:13 They were still constructing the Enterprise at that time?

[@colwynboy7279]

Enterprise has been in various locations in the park since the 80s.

[@Rancord123]

Kiwi enterprise was where Nemesis and those rides are in while Oblivion was being built

[@Angel-lh2wg]

So i draw Fanart for Alton Towers quite a lot and I’m starting social media to help me get noticed, i know this is a silly idea but it would be fun to animate this :>

[@flakelorenz02]

@bigmuffexpress Nice one!

[@elainedenton4852]

I went to Alton towers 2 hours waiting so I thought forget it

[@benjyboba]

What happened to the full documentry

[@joshuawilson1463]

It’s now 2028 and getting removed🤯

[@neuravanny]

Now we shall all wait for... OBLIVION: RE-ASCENDED!!! LONG LIVE THE DARKNESS!

[@jacksite2007]

looks a bit different now! They need to improve the length on it or something- because X Sector is always empty.

[@Rancord123]

Jacksite2007 go their now that The Smiler has opened and the place is always packed

[@NICKYG2X3.]

the men in green

[@montersaaa1784]

"The worlds most magical rollercoaster" Do you even KNOW what the theme is for this ride?

[@ProChoiceJesus]

I don't know who "John Wardley" is, but you do know that Oblivion was designed by 2 guys with the last names of Bollinger & Mabillard, don't you?

[@ozzyisabluebird86]

That would be the manufactures same with Nemesis John Wardley is a genius at Alton Towers for the coaster designs he had. One he had nothing to do with was the smiler and that was manufactured by Gerstlauer

[@Rancord123]

ProChoiceJesus Bolliger And Mabillard were the manufacturers of the ride, John Wardley designed the ride and was the brains behind it

[@touristattractionalfie9376]

The conceptual drawings are in rollercoaster resteraunt

[@Horsecat2002]

anyone got any info on the oblivion guards?

[@manofknowledge1000]

I have been on it . It’s good but over very fast

[@graysoncharlton8553]

I've been on oblivian

[@Dienel73]

@jackledgend its a 180ft stright down drop

[@cup_and_cone]

Cool. Look up Sheikra and Griffon in the United States. They'll blow your mind.

[@danielledewitt1]

thechosendude I went on shiekra in 2008.

[@visionist7]

Danielle Dewitt I went on Sheikra in 2007 before they switched to floorless trains. Oblivion is better.

[@Jacckac]

I Think he knows that, the only mistake he has made, is that the coaster opens in 2013 Not not 2014. We use the name 'SW7' Because thats what the coaster is reffered to until the name is released.

[@Th3Sm1ler]

ARE YOU CALLING THE SMILER A MISTAKE DO NOT NAKE FUN OF THE MOST SUSSY RIDE

[@cinemadics5722]

Is Andrew Lincoln the narrator haha

[@blackrider42]

sanbrookeproductions i challenge you to find what oblivion was based on..i know...do u?

[@prittstick1ify]

@MrObvious15 The vertical drop on Oblivon is only 100ft, 60ft above ground and about 40ft below ground. The bit underground is mostly the curve out of the vertical drop. So in affect, the vertical section of the drop is only 50ft in length. the hardest part of designing a vertical drop roller coaster, was in fact the design of the train and how it would cope going straight down. Because the designers (in Switzerland) tested this before designing and building Oblivion, they knew it would work.

[@RNJake]

2013 now. ;D

[@evdavii6916]

Who else has been on this?

[@Rancord123]

DeluxeNebulaz 3 times

[@claitebooth455]

don't look down I have not been on oblivion or even at alton towers

[@randomawesomevlogs5558]

go there!!! its great!!! just very expensive

[@blackrider42]

i feel so sorry fo that guard

[@nazersukhi1571]

blackrider42 h

[@ellieworld2]

Hey look ^ its John again! :L

[@tombrown8649]

More like 20 years on

[@SamuelH105]

ye 100ft above ground and 100ft under ground!