Wicker Man

For many seasons Alton Towers had no wooden roller coaster of its own. Wicker Man changed that in 2018, taking its place in the Staffordshire park as Britain’s first new wooden coaster in more than two decades. blooloop.com· backstage.merlinentertainments.biz

The site had once belonged to The Flume. As the old water ride gave way, timber and track began to gather in the valley between the park’s wooded paths, and Great Coasters International led the building of the new structure. coasterpedia.net· backstage.merlinentertainments.biz

The finished ride was a proud piece of theatre and carpentry: a wooden course, fire-effect pass-throughs, and a great central figure through which the train makes its journey. It was not the tallest machine in Britain, but at 22 metres and 70 km/h it gave Alton Towers a distinctive new landmark. thrillzing.com· blooloop.com

Since opening, Wicker Man has remained in operation at Alton Towers, a rare modern British wooden coaster where smoke, timber, and the wooded Staffordshire setting do much of the talking before the lift hill has finished its work. coasterpedia.net· thrillzing.com