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The Swarm (roller coaster)

Coordinates: 51°24′20″N 0°30′55.5″W / 51.40556°N 0.515417°W / 51.40556; -0.515417
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The Swarm
The dive drop of The Swarm
Thorpe Park
LocationThorpe Park
Park sectionSwarm Island
Coordinates51°24′20″N 0°30′55.5″W / 51.40556°N 0.515417°W / 51.40556; -0.515417
StatusOperating
Opening date15 March 2012 (2012-03-15)
Cost£20 million[1][2]
General statistics
TypeSteel – Wing Coaster
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelCustom
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height38.6 m (127 ft)
Length775 m (2,543 ft)
Speed59 mph (95 km/h)
Inversions4
G-force4.5
Height restriction140–196 cm (4 ft 7 in – 6 ft 5 in)
Trains7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
WebsiteOfficial website
Fastrack available
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible
The Swarm at RCDB

The Swarm is a steel roller coaster located at Thorpe Park in the United Kingdom.[3] The Swarm was the world's second Wing Coaster model designed by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and the first one located in the United Kingdom.[4] Construction commenced in May 2011, and the coaster opened on 15 March 2012.[5] From 2013 until 2015, the last two rows of each train used to be facing backwards, while the first five rows faced forward. This was restored to the original configuration in 2016.

The 2,543-foot-long (775 m) ride stands 127 feet (39 m) tall and features four inversions along with a heavily-banked left turn. Riders experience speeds of up to 59 mph (95 km/h) and 4.5 times the force of gravity. A marketing campaign for the ride dubbed LC12 - The End is Coming began eleven months before The Swarm opened to the public. It has generally been well-received, ranking highly amongst other winged roller coaster designs.

History

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In 2010, planning for The Swarm began behind closed doors. The ride was codenamed Project LC12 in the early process of its planning and construction.[6][7] On 31 January 2011, Thorpe Park submitted a planning application for their 2012 ride to the Runnymede Borough Council.[8][9] The website gave further information about the new ride's theme, that of an apocalyptic battle.[10]

At the time of the ride's announcement construction was already underway. The track for The Swarm was complete by 18 November 2011.[11] Clearance testing started almost immediately; the first operational test run was completed on 17 January 2012.[12][13]

On 15 March 2012, The Swarm officially opened to the public.[3] In January 2013, Thorpe Park announced that the last two rows on The Swarm would be rotated to face backwards for 2013, a first for a Wing Coaster. The park's tag line for this experience is 'THE SWARM- Brave It Backwards'. The park additionally announced that they were adding a damaged, mangled billboard, which the train travels through.[14][15] In 2016, the seats were returned to all facing forwards.[citation needed]

Characteristics

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Location

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The Swarm is located on a reclaimed island adjacent to the Stealth roller coaster,[16] with parts of the ride being built over water.[17] A bridge links the core of Thorpe Park to an island which hosts the roller coaster station, merchandise outlet, a games zone and toilet buildings.[7][18]

Trains

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The Swarm features two 28-seat Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Coaster trains.[5] Each train is made up of seven rows of four seats each. One pair of seats in each row is located on either side of the ride's track and slightly lower than the track, as with all Wing Coasters.[19] The trains are themed to resemble alien-like drones (the ride's eponymous "Swarm"), with a number of red LED lights placed across the train.

Theme

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The area is designed to appear as if it has been partially destroyed by the Swarm. The ride recreates the experience of flying through a crash scene and features a partially destroyed church, crashed aeroplane, upturned ambulance, half-submerged fire engine and a damaged helicopter. This is due to a swarm of semi-organic machines, mechanical creatures which you are invited to ride the wings of.[20][21]

  • Part of The Swarm's destroyed church
    Part of The Swarm's destroyed church
  • A partially submerged fire engine in the area surrounding the ride
    A partially submerged fire engine in the area surrounding the ride
  • The plane crash featured in the ride
    The plane crash featured in the ride
  • The overturned police major incident control van (also the ride's control centre).
    The overturned police major incident control van (also the ride's control centre).

Ride experience

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Track layout
The inclined loop and corkscrew featured in the ride
The ride's first drop
A Swarm train going through a headchopper element

The roller coaster begins in the station, which is built to look like a partially destroyed church with an upturned police trailer housing the ride operators,[22] and climbs up a 38.7-metre (127 ft) chain lift hill.[5][3] Upon reaching the top of the lift hill, the track twists 180 degrees anticlockwise, so that riders are upside down, before plunging down the world's first dive drop element. The train then proceeds to dive under the wing of a wrecked plane and into a zero-g roll 30.6 metres (100 ft) above the ground before passing narrowly through a themed billboard, immediately following which the on-ride photo is taken. It then enters an inclined loop 23 metres (75 ft) in height.[23] The ride continues into a turnaround featuring a wrecked helicopter with slow-spinning rotor blades in the centre. At this point riders on the right hand side of the train experience a near miss with the water surrounding the helicopter. This is followed by a corkscrew, which passes through the inclined loop.[21][23] Upon leaving the corkscrew, the train curves past a crashed fire engine with water and fire effects and proceeds through a keyhole: a partly destroyed church tower.[21][23] The ride then flies over the station and enters into a last inline twist before a mid-course brake run. Following this, the train makes a banked left-hand turn (which despite being directly after a brake run, can generate strong forces for riders on the rear-right of the train) into the final brakes. The train then goes back into the station.[17] The ride previously featured an on-ride video camera, filming riders and allowing the purchase of a DVD afterwards; this was removed sometime in 2016.[citation needed]

Marketing

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In late April 2011, Thorpe Park began an advertising campaign for LC12 consisting of "The end is coming" posters in the park and a teaser website, LC12.net. The LC12.net website featured a brief description hinting at the possible theme of the ride alongside a countdown until 1 August 2011.[24] As the date of the ride's announcement approached, Thorpe Park released a video via Facebook stating that "WAR is coming".[25]

On 25 January 2012, it was reported that an incident occurred when testing The Swarm.[26] Limbs of test dummies were broken off when the ride passed an object that was located too close to the track.[27]

In March 2012, Thorpe Park announced it had contracted the band You Me at Six to create the world's first roller coaster single for the launch of The Swarm. The song, "The Swarm", was released on iTunes on 18 March 2012, a few days after the opening of the roller coaster.[28] The song entered the UK Singles Charts at number 23.[29]

Reception

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The Swarm received mixed responses in its opening season. The park declared the attraction a commercial disappointment in its following years, after disappointing guest attendance to the park; this partially led to the brief "Brave it backwards" feature in 2013. Blogger Nick Sim of Theme Park Tourist praised the attraction, saying that it packs "a number of incredible elements into its compact circuit". Sim stated the ride had "fallen just short of our sky-high expectations" mainly because of "its short ride time". He rated the ride 4 out of 5.[30] Joanna Churchill of the Daily Mirror gave a review of the backwards ride, stating that it is "a whole new adrenaline-pumped experience that is simply not for the faint-hearted". Churchill stated that her "blood pressure and heart rate went through the roof", but "there was barely time to process what was happening before we were back on terra firma".[31]

In Mitch Hawker's worldwide Best Roller Coaster Poll, The Swarm debuted at position 68 out of the 365 roller coasters in the poll. When compared with other Wing Coasters debuting in the 2012 poll, The Swarm performed fairly well; X-Flight at Six Flags Great America ranked 58, Wild Eagle at Dollywood ranked 87, and Raptor at Gardaland ranked 113.[32] It did not place in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards in 2012, 2013 and 2014, but made its first appearance in 2015 ranked at 30.[33]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year 2012 2013 2014 2015
Ranking NR[34] NR[35] NR[36] 30[37]

Despite the positive reviews, however, The Swarm failed to increase attendance. Park gate figures fell by 200,000 following the addition of the coaster. The park itself, as well as many others, have blamed the park's branding from 2009 to 2012 as the issue.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Thorpe Park & The Swarm; New Ride Area. TopDogDays. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  2. ^ Thorpe Park's new ride The Swarm terrifies Red Arrows pilot. AOL. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "Swarm  (Thorpe Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  4. ^ "New coaster crashes into Thorpe Park!". Park World Magazine. Datateam Business Media Limited. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Thorpe Park's New £20m Development Is No April Fools". Thorpe Park. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  6. ^ Thorpe Park (27 January 2011). "Fencing Plan & Details Plan & Elevations" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  7. ^ a b Thorpe Park (27 January 2011). "Toilet Block Plan & Elevations" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  8. ^ "Application for Planning Permission" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. 31 January 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Weekly notice of applications registered by Runnymede Borough Council for the period ending: 09/02/2011". Runnymede Borough Council. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  10. ^ Thorpe Park (1 August 2011). "Thorpe Park – THE SWARM". The Swarm. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  11. ^ Thorpe Park (18 November 2011). "Track is complete...let the theming..." The Swarm - Developer Diary. Facebook. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  12. ^ Thorpe Park (23 November 2011). "Now that the track..." The Swarm - Developer Diary. Facebook. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  13. ^ Thorpe Park (17 January 2012). "The Swarm 1st test run!". The Swarm - Developer Diary. Facebook. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  14. ^ Sim, Nick (22 January 2013). "Confirmed: Thorpe Park to reverse seats on each train of The Swarm roller coaster for 2013 season". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  15. ^ "The Swarm". Thorpe Park. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Thorpe Park – Developing the Thrills". Press Release. Thorpe Park. 4 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  17. ^ a b Thorpe Park; Webber Nichols Brown (2 August 2010). "Block Plan as Proposed" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  18. ^ Thorpe Park; Webber, Nichols Brown (29 November 2010). "Bridge Planning Drawings" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  19. ^ Marden, Duane. "Raptor  (Gardaland)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  20. ^ Thorpe Park (27 January 2011). "Theming Feature C – Plan & Elevations" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  21. ^ a b c Thorpe Park (27 January 2011). "Features A&B, Queue Line Kiosk & Entrance Feature – Plan & Elevations" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  22. ^ Thorpe Park (27 January 2011). "Station Building – Plan & Colour Elevations" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  23. ^ a b c Thorpe Park; Webber, Nichols Brown (2 August 2010). "Site Sections BB CC" (PDF). Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  24. ^ Thorpe Park. "LC12". LC12. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  25. ^ Thorpe Park (25 July 2011). "War is coming..." Facebook. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  26. ^ "UK amusement park redesigns roller coaster after dummy passengers lose limbs". NewsCore. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  27. ^ "Thorpe Park rollercoaster crash test dummies lose limbs during test run". Mirror. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  28. ^ "You Me At Six Write Official Single For The Swarm At Thorpe Park". Thorpe Park. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  29. ^ "2012 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  30. ^ Sim, Nick (18 March 2012). "Review: The Swarm Roller Coaster at Thorpe Park". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  31. ^ Churchill, Joanna (16 April 2013). "The Swarm: Thorpe Park ride's got a sting in its tail for thrill seekers". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  32. ^ Hawker, Mitch. "Steel Roller Coaster Poll 12 Year Results Table (1999–2012)". Best Roller Coaster Poll. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  33. ^ "Issue Archive". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  34. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 36–37. September 2012.
  35. ^ "2013 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 34–35. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013.
  36. ^ "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014.
  37. ^ "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015.
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