It was built to redefine Britain’s most successful theme park. 20 years on, the Nemesis rollercoaster continues to set the standard at Alton Towers.
From claiming countless pairs of loosely-fitted Nike Air Max trainers in the mid 1990s, to spawning a spin-off ride last year, the ride continues to endure.
In 1994, Alton Towers bosses were looking to propel the park into the stratosphere, and two decades later Nemesis continues to overshadow every other ride experience at the park.
The dramatic helix where you think your feet are going to hit the safety fencing has never since been emulated by manufacturers Bolliger & Mallibard.
The sustained intensity of train entering that element generate a period of g-force that would usually be deemed too intense for a theme park trying to appeal to as many people as possible.
That area of track also requires increased scrutiny during inspections, but it is a price worth paying for such a unique selling point.
“The layout of Nemesis broke the rules,” said the ride’s designer John Wardley. “What we’re doing in twisted steel is what a scriptwriter does with words.”
Having delighted over 50 million riders in its lifetime, it is not unthinkable that the ride will one day be celebrating its 40th birthday.
Its increasingly tatty appearance is unfortunately the only thing that is letting it down these days, as the ride experience remains and thrilling as ever.
Nemesis may have been discussed and hyped to death over the years, but it remains the benchmark for a British ride capable of standing proudly among international counterparts.