It’s now official. Alton Towers has announced that their project named Secret Weapon 8 will be Wicker Man, a new ride from GCI (Great Coasters International) and the first wooden coaster to be built in the UK in over 20 years as well as the first wooden coaster ever to appear at Alton Towers.
The ride will feature 2,028 feet of track with a drop of 46 feet and if that doesn’t sound exactly awe-inspiring, let it be said that this coaster has an interesting twist. (And indeed there are a number of twists in the track.) The centerpiece, Wicker Man, is an effigy which appears to burst into flame. According to Alton Towers, the train will travel through Wicker Man’s flaming chest three times. Wicker Man shares its name with a horror film starring Christopher Lee although Alton Towers reportedly denies that the name of the coaster was inspired by the film. Rather it is said to be inspired by a mythical group called the Beornen living in the woods of Staffordshire outside Alton Towers. Wicker Man is scheduled to open this spring.
What’s your take? Does this look like something you’d want to ride?