LC12
Encyclopedia
The Swarm is the name of a steel
Wing Rider
roller coaster
under construction at Thorpe Park
in the United Kingdom
. The ride was codenamed LC12 in the early process of its planning and construction. The Swarm will be the world's second Wing Rider design by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
. The coaster is planned to open in Spring 2012 with construction having commenced in May 2011.
. The documents detailed the intent to build a roller coaster, codenamed LC12, which would have an apocalyptic
theme. On 30 March 2011, the application was approved by majority vote. By that time, early work had already begun on the site.
In late April 2011, Thorpe Park
released an advertising campaign around the park. Hundreds of posters were 'flyposted' around the park visible to all. The posters exclaimed that "The end is coming. Uncover the truth" along with a URL
for a teaser website, LC12.net. Along with the posters actors roamed the park looking like homeless citizens wearing sandwich boards with similar text to that of the posters. The LC12.net website featured a brief description hinting to the possible theme of the ride alongside a countdown until 1 August 2011.
On 25 July 2011, Thorpe Park released a video via Facebook stating that "WAR is coming" on 1 August 2011. When that day arrived, Thorpe Park officially announced The Swarm. The existing LC12.net website was redirected to a new website for The Swarm . The website gave further information about the new ride being themed around an apocalyptic battle.
with parts of the roller coaster to be built over water. A bridge will be constructed to link the main core of Thorpe Park to an island which will host the roller coaster station and themed retail, food and toilet buildings. The area will be themed as if being partially destroyed by explosions associated with a major disaster. According to the submitted plans, the ride will re-create "flying through a crash scene" and will feature extensive theming including a crashed aeroplane and helicopter around its layout.
The roller coaster will begin in the station
which is a partially destroyed church, and will climb up a 38.6 metres (126.6 ft) chain lift hill. Upon reaching the top of the lift hill, the track inverts riders before they dive down through a large half loop in a similar fashion to a diving loop. The train will then proceed to dive under a wrecked plane and incline into a zero-g roll 30.6 metres (100.4 ft) above the ground before entering a 23 metres (75.5 ft) inclined loop. It then enters a turn around with a wrecked helicopter in the centre followed by a corkscrew through the inclined loop creating a near-miss point. Upon leaving the corkscrew the train will curve past a crashed fire engine and a partly destroyed church tower and enter into a last inline twist before the final brakes
of the ride stop the train and guide it back into the station. The ride will feature an on-ride camera
somewhere along the course.
The Swarm will feature 2, 28-seater Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Rider trains
. Each train will be made up of 7 rows of 4 seats. Pairs of seats will be located on either side of the ride's track as with all Wing Rider roller coasters.
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
Wing Rider
Wing Rider roller coaster
A Wing Rider is a type of steel roller coaster where pairs of riders sit on either side of a roller coaster track.-History:The Wing Rider was derived from John F. Mares' 4th Dimension roller coaster concept from the 1990s. However, unlike 4th Dimension roller coasters, cars on a Wing Rider train do...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
under construction at Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The ride was codenamed LC12 in the early process of its planning and construction. The Swarm will be the world's second Wing Rider design by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
. The coaster is planned to open in Spring 2012 with construction having commenced in May 2011.
History
In late 2010, planning for The Swarm began behind closed doors. On 31 January 2011, Thorpe Park submitted a planning application for their 2012 ride to the Runnymede Borough CouncilRunnymede (borough)
Runnymede is a local government district with borough status in the English county of Surrey. It is a very prosperous part of the London commuter belt, with some of the most expensive housing in the United Kingdom outside of central London, such as the Wentworth Estate.Runnymede is entirely...
. The documents detailed the intent to build a roller coaster, codenamed LC12, which would have an apocalyptic
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
theme. On 30 March 2011, the application was approved by majority vote. By that time, early work had already begun on the site.
In late April 2011, Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
released an advertising campaign around the park. Hundreds of posters were 'flyposted' around the park visible to all. The posters exclaimed that "The end is coming. Uncover the truth" along with a URL
Uniform Resource Locator
In computing, a uniform resource locator or universal resource locator is a specific character string that constitutes a reference to an Internet resource....
for a teaser website, LC12.net. Along with the posters actors roamed the park looking like homeless citizens wearing sandwich boards with similar text to that of the posters. The LC12.net website featured a brief description hinting to the possible theme of the ride alongside a countdown until 1 August 2011.
On 25 July 2011, Thorpe Park released a video via Facebook stating that "WAR is coming" on 1 August 2011. When that day arrived, Thorpe Park officially announced The Swarm. The existing LC12.net website was redirected to a new website for The Swarm . The website gave further information about the new ride being themed around an apocalyptic battle.
Detail
The Swarm will be located on the reclaimed island adjacent to StealthStealth (roller coaster)
Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m...
with parts of the roller coaster to be built over water. A bridge will be constructed to link the main core of Thorpe Park to an island which will host the roller coaster station and themed retail, food and toilet buildings. The area will be themed as if being partially destroyed by explosions associated with a major disaster. According to the submitted plans, the ride will re-create "flying through a crash scene" and will feature extensive theming including a crashed aeroplane and helicopter around its layout.
The roller coaster will begin in the station
Station (roller coaster)
A roller coaster's station is where the passengers board and alight from the trains. The station houses the coaster's control panel, and has devices for moving the trains in and out of the station and holding them in position, as well as devices for locking and unlocking the restraints and devices...
which is a partially destroyed church, and will climb up a 38.6 metres (126.6 ft) chain lift hill. Upon reaching the top of the lift hill, the track inverts riders before they dive down through a large half loop in a similar fashion to a diving loop. The train will then proceed to dive under a wrecked plane and incline into a zero-g roll 30.6 metres (100.4 ft) above the ground before entering a 23 metres (75.5 ft) inclined loop. It then enters a turn around with a wrecked helicopter in the centre followed by a corkscrew through the inclined loop creating a near-miss point. Upon leaving the corkscrew the train will curve past a crashed fire engine and a partly destroyed church tower and enter into a last inline twist before the final brakes
Brake run
A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. Brake runs may be located anywhere along the circuit of a coaster and may be designed to bring the train to a complete halt or to simply adjust the train's speed...
of the ride stop the train and guide it back into the station. The ride will feature an on-ride camera
On-ride camera
An on-ride camera is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster, log flume or other thrill ride that automatically photographs all of the riders on each passing vehicle. They are often mounted at the most intense or fastest part of the ride, resulting in humorously distorted...
somewhere along the course.
The Swarm will feature 2, 28-seater Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Rider trains
Train (roller coaster)
A roller coaster train or car describes the vehicle which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized joint. It is called a "train" because the cars follow one...
. Each train will be made up of 7 rows of 4 seats. Pairs of seats will be located on either side of the ride's track as with all Wing Rider roller coasters.