When it was finally confirmed that Alton Towers would be bringing back a Huss Top Spin ride after almost a decade, there was a warm reception.
Ripsaw operated for the last time in 2015, after two decades of thrilling park guests.
Fast forward ten years and new for 2025 at Alton Towers is Toxicator, an updated ‘floorless’ model of the Top Spin, but effectively the same.
Now adorned at right angle to Ripsaw’s original position, guests can walk under the ride and watch more easily as it towers overhead.
Its black and bright green colour scheme is a little out of place in the dark Forbidden Valley area.
The queue line is adorned with barrels that are supposed to represent canisters of the Nemesis creature’s saliva.
The story is that the Phalanx are conducting experiments using the substance, but it makes little sense, and we overhear someone say they “don’t know what they story is”.
There is a certain amount of grubbiness already after some six months of operation, water leaks attract mould.
Meanwhile the water fountains – not working today – also have a bath containing what looks like grime at the water lines.
Tried and tested thrills
Strip all of the aesthetic shortcomings away, and what remains is a tried an tested thrilling flat ride that needs no pomp around it.
Alton Towers seems to be operating Toxicator on varying and/or manual cycles, so what you observe in the queue line can be quite different to what you experience on board.
The intensity of the multiple flips remains as extreme as that offered by the Top Spins of 30 years ago.
The floorless element adds virtually nothing to the excitement, but the new position atop two concrete plinths and massively increased height from ground adds to new levels of thrill.
People below watch relatively stunned at the spectacle, which was certainly the intent of designers.
While the ride duration is as short as you’d expect at a major theme park, Toxicator packs one hell of a punch, and is worthy of its role as Alton Towers’ first major flat ride addition for 13 years.