Alton Towers’ Nemesis rollercoaster will receive widespread track replacement after local authorities approved plans.
Staffordshire Moorlands Council issued a Certificate of Lawfulness for the proposals on Tuesday.
The 1994-built ride is understood to be nearing the manufacturer’s mandatory date for replacement of the highest-stressed parts of the steel track.
573 metres of the ride’s 741-metre length will be replaced as part of the proposals.
Around three quarters of the rollercoaster’s supports will also be replaced, following years of foundation deterioration.
Iconic roar
The most striking change associated with the proposals is likely to be the loss of the ride’s iconic roar.
This is due to the steel track, comprised of hollow tube, being sand-filled to dampen resonance and sound from the ride’s train.
An accompanying report filed on Tuesday said that repairs and maintenance to the ride’s themed elements would be “localised and small-scale”.
It is not clear when the work will commence, or the timeframe for completion. It is however widely suspected of being planned to take place after the end of this season.
Constructed by Swiss engineers Bolliger & Mabillard, the Nemesis concept and theme was the brainchild of veteran concept John Wardley.