Tales from the Towers: The Unofficial Story Behind Alton Towers, Britain's Most Popular Theme Park

by Nick Sim

A two hundred-year-old mansion, decaying and largely abandoned. A deep, foreboding valley hosting pretty gardens and dozens of bizarre and unusual structures. A terrifying plunge into Oblivion, and a mysterious alien beast known as Nemesis. All of these things can be found in one truly unique Alton Towers . But how on earth did they get there? The story behind the UK’s most popular theme park is just as thrilling and full of twists and turns as the rollercoasters that attract millions to the park every year. "While in reality, this is a work of non-fiction, recounting true events and factual details, it captivates and engages readers like a fantasy story." – Airgates Attraction News Two hundred years ago, a wealthy earl began the transformation of a barren patch of land in rural Staffordshire into the site of a stunning gothic mansion surrounded by eye-wateringly beautiful gardens. Mocked and ridiculed by his peers for his strange tastes and outlandish ideas, he nevertheless succeeded in attracting people from far and wide to come and marvel at his creations. Less than 50 years later, the house stood desolate and empty. The genius architect who had helped the earl’s successor complete his vision lay dead at 40, having spent many of his final months incarcerated in London’s brutal Bedlam mental asylum. How had the mighty fallen so far, so fast? It didn’t end there. The earl’s descendants fought bitterly over Alton Towers – and with each other – until finally the near-ruined property was sold into private hands in the 1920s. In “Tales from the Towers”, you can experience what it was like to visit the estate in its early years as a tourist attraction, when spectacular fetes, fairground rides and exotic animals were all part of the appeal. As well as documenting – for the first time – the full and fascinating history of Alton Towers, “Tales from the Towers” also explains exactly how the park’s most popular rides – such as Nemesis, Oblivion and The Smiler – were created. It even takes an in-depth look at rides that were designed for the park but never built, enabling you to take a voyage of discovery and imagine what might have been. "This excellent book may call itself the UNOFFICIAL story behind Alton Towers, but actually it has the merit to become the OFFICIAL story. It is meticulously researched, well-written, and highly insightful. I had assumed that I would find within the sections of the story that involved my work many inaccuracies and myths, but nothing could be further from the truth. It tells the story exactly as I remember it happening!" - John Wardley, creator of Nemesis, Oblivion and Air "This is a book that anyone interested in Alton Towers should get their hands on." – Adam Perry, AltonTowersMemories.net "The book adds a new depth to the Alton Towers experience, and is a must-read for any park fan." – Airgates Attraction News "The level of detail about the park is incredible , everyone will enjoy it." – RideRater.co.uk “Tales from the Towers” is available in paperback format, or you can download it instantly to your Amazon Kindle or on your tablet or smartphone. You can even start reading right away for FREE by clicking the “Look Inside” button above or by downloading a sample to your Kindle. What are you waiting for? Start reading now and enjoy an adventure through time as you discover how Alton Towers developed into a place that has entertained tens of millions of people over nearly two centuries.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

342 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2013

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and informative read that gives a great deal of insight into the background and progress of Alton Towers.

While I've never managed to visit Alton I am a big fan of Thorpe Park and roller coasters in general and I really enjoyed the chapters that covered the development and design of present and past coasters at Alton Towers.

All in all a great book for anyone with an interest in theme parks.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was just BRILLIANT.

Honestly, everything I ever wanted from a theme park history book and more. I love, love, love Alton Towers and I’ve been so many times and not picked up on a lot of the hidden secrets Nick Sim lists in his book (and I’m going again next week so will look out for them!)

This was perfectly written - engaging, packed with facts that you can’t just find on Wikipedia, and filled with love for the park. Sadly Nick Sim died of cancer three years after this was published, but I’ll definitely be reading his book on Universal Orlando soon.

Some interesting facts I learned from reading this:

- Alton Towers produced Oblivion and Air themed condoms
- The Runaway Mine Train was going to be sponsored by SingStar and have riders sing karaoke along the track
- Other failed parks were planned at nearby Trentham and in central London
- Alton Towers were determined to control the weather through cloud seeding
- Local residents are the worst, and even objected to a hot air balloon being placed at the park
- John Wardley came out of retirement to work on Wicker Man because he was so passionate about AT having a wooden rollercoaster (albeit gleaned from Wiki afterwards, but the book includes a lot of his autobiography)

The only downside is that the book ends in 2013, before Wicker Man was installed and before the removal of Ripsaw (and I think Submission?) and the Flume.

I just loved loved loved this.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, outdated now and jumps all over the place

Desperately needs an update and it can be quite hard to keep up at times with the author jumping back and forth in time. Some very interesting information though and will definitely improve my next visit!!

[amanda mcconnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good
Job
!

[Antonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly outdated now leading to some unfortunate mistruths. Could do with an update/sequel

[Teresa Thorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a crazy coaster fan i loved it!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting, spanning the history of Alton towers from start to present. A good read for any AT fan, whether they love coasters or not!