I’ll never forget the smell of the ultimate when it opened in 1991, you could smell the wood from the entrance at the other end of the park. A once great place with the rat ride & the soopa loopa & then the ultimate.
Great video. Really sad when I heard the news The Ultimate would be demolished, so many happy nostalgic memories attached to it. Wish the Brighton Pier group would open it for one more season so give people the opportunity for a last ride - thousands would visit to say goodbye.
This was the first proper roller-coaster I ever rode, and there is nothing quite like the feeling of dropping down the second lift hill into the woods. Great ride, will be missed.
I understand from A senior engineer whom was at British Rail research Derby, that the control system for the roller coaster was based upon Railway Signalling Relay interlocking,
Nicely done video. I did a track walk for its birthday over a decade ago with UKRides and was aware of the BR origins. The old OTSR’s were stored under the first lift hill at this point. Another fun fact - they never had any permanent grid power at that end of the park - for all of its life it was run from a generator!
Very good. Thanks also for crediting me for the images used. Shame it's closed. The Simon Mayo breakfast show on Radio 1 held a competition to come up with the name. Also remember a feature on the ride on Blue Peter when John Leslie paid a visit just after it opened
I have never seen this rollercoaster so I was fascinated by your video. The story of its construction was riveting (no pun intended). I wish that we had visited Lightwater Valley and this ride, because it is so unusual travelling across country like that.
As you have, I rode the ultimte probably hundreds of times along with operating it whilst working at the park many years ago. It still held the thrill no matter how many times you rode it, yes it was rough but that was part of its charm. I remember my first time as a young kid, with the overhead restraints, no other class member would go on the ride with me so the coach driver stepped up and went with me. I can’t believe the change the park has made and to not include the main draw in the future has me baffled. A ride that will live on through UA-cam and memories, a sad loss of such a icon!
You can tell that this was built to last, Darren. It should never have closed, and that thing we've had to put up with over the last three years has not helped one bit!!! This rollercoaster should never be dismantled for scrap, and I hope that some concern can do something with it, or else the whole area will turn into another totally and absolutely unnecessary housing estate - God forbid!! Many thanks for this crucial video showing.
@@FriktionMedia British rail was the laughing stock of Europe. Carriages were old and dirty, overcrowded, always late or cancelled, expensive, and the Stations in 1980 looked barely different from 1950. That's what you get when you let Governments run public services. ua-cam.com/video/w9qoWWSkJZo/v-deo.html
Thanks - that was really interesting - never knew this existed. It makes me sad that such a unique ride that used the undulations of the land for its thrills is set to be demolished. it's like a one of a kind coaster that we'll not see again and the history behind it will only be left in videos like yours.
Absolutely gutted this is going! I went to Lightwater once in 2013 and it was shut that day, one classic UK coater ill never get to ride now. Brilliant information in this one!
Fascinating stuff. I did drive trains for BRITISH RAIL at one point in my career and although i never went to Lightwater Valley, we did see at Chessington World of Adventures a day outing of train drivers and guards with their families riding on the Runaway Train, which made us all laugh.
Thanks for the video we have footage of our days spent at Lightwater Valley, we traveled up from the Midlands, long journey, but well worth it to ride the Ultimate great coaster. Sorry it’s days are numbered😢 glad I have the footage. Goodbye Ultimate thank you for the thrills of riding, you will be missed😢
Loved the photo of you on the ride! Never been to Light Water Valley. Only American Adventure and Alton Towers. But it did look like a very exciting ride to have been on. Its such a shame that all these rides and theme parks that open never survive forever. Fingers crossed it gets saved so we can see you riding it again! Another unmissable Video from you Darren. 🙂
Excellent film Darren. I went on this for the first time in 91 in the first week when it opened. I still have the picture of myself and my dad in the front carriage when it had the overhead restraints. It was after the 2nd lift hill this thing really kicked in. I've never to this day felt g forces on a ride since. When that thing hit the bends on the route back to the park it was brutal on the neck. I only ever rode it the few times I did that day but I will never forget it. And the part about the replacement bus made me laugh. I heard they actually used a tractor to pull the train back to the station When it didn't make it back...hence the 'road/track' that runs alongside the run in back to the park 😁
@@AdventureMe fantastic 😁😂 where else in the world could you ride the world's longest rollercoaster...built by Britsh Rail...that occasionally they may have to bring in a JCB to get you to your final destination 😁😁😁
So sad that this magical part of my childhood is being demolished 😭 I have so many great memories of days out at lightwater valley riding this classic British coaster. Truly a loss for the amusement park history in the UK
Only ever ridden this coaster twice, both being on the back row. I glad I did and very sad that the new owners don’t realise what they have. I probably won’t ever visit this park again due to this, but it will live forever in my memory.
I used to work on the ultimate for 2 seasons in the 90's. I remember one day as the train came in there was a dead deer straddling the engine. It had tried to cross the track at the wrong moment. Thankfully nobody was injured but those in the front were well shocked. The deer was strung up and left for a bit until it went to a butcher. It was a great ride.
@@AdventureMe I think it was 93 & 94. In 93 I was dealing with the queue for the ultimate and other rides. 94 I graduated to the control room setting off the ride. I also got to drive the train, zzzzz. 94 would have been the deer incident as I was in the control room then.
I remember going on The Ultimate about 20 years ago, leaning out at the top of the first lift hill to try to grab one of the bras that was on the post for the teenage cred such a thing was sure to gain me, and having the restraint pop up. It went back down, but I wedged myself into that seat so hard I don't think I'd have needed it anyway. White as a sheet when I got off.
Fun Fact - if you remember the Singer Rozalla, this was her favourite rollercoaster! That was the reason she allowed Lightwater Valley to use her song in their advertising.
Excellent video. I remember travelling all the way to Lightwater Valley only for it not go have opened for the season. Pre smart phones so no checks made beforehand. A shame I missed out as I did know about the British Rail connection.
Seeing this ride on Jim’ll fix it is what started me off on a lifetime of amazing rollercoaster adventures. I’ve got a lot to thank it for and I’m sad to see it go.
@@AdventureMe after seeing that edition of Jim fix it, I wrote a letter to the young lad on the show to ask if he wanted to be pen pals. He wrote back straight away and we’ve been lifelong coaster buddies ever since!
Cows refusing to produce milk is a suggestion that goes back to the very earliest days of railways. I have heard similar things such as 'the air being sucked from our bodies' as a fear of a proposed wind turbine.
Amazing and interesting video Darren, thanks. They did have a replacement bus service though for the ride, well so to speak. It was a JCB at the end of the the ride just after the last bend toward the station, as in certain weather conditions I believe the train could stall/valley before the last short lift hill into the station. The JCB would pull the train in the last few meters if necessary.
Still think the Brighton Pier group have made a big mistake in closing and removing the Ultimate, its the only thing that most people will know about lightwater valley.
Brilliant video, thank you so much. This holds a dear place in my heart and it was wonderful to hear it obviously does the same for you. Absolute madness that they have decided to tear it down. I completely understand it as a financial nightmare but it's a real piece of theme park history and deserved so much better. Absolutely gorgeous drone footage too, thanks for sharing!
Excellent production Darren well done. I had no idea BR were involved in its construction however i always thought it was like riding an express train when I visited for my first ride on it in 1997. Loved it and always was excited to revisit the park every summer to ride again. It could be brutal though and often you come off feeling like your done ten rounds in a boxing match. I’m sad it’s going for good. Nice production.
Loved this completely Darren. You have put a tremendous amount of thought and effort into this as you always do. This is completely different to others you've done. Wonder if they will sell parts of it, for keep's sake. More than likely be sold as scrap metal. This is well-scripted. Nature has taken over as usual. Would need volunteers to clear vegetation up ever to open. Obviously not as mentioned. Look forward to LWV part 2.
It's silly that they closed this down rather than refurbish it. I live only 45 minutes away from here so visiting was my schools' big day out. Throughout my school years, The Ultimate was one of my favourite things to look forward to. I hope that Lightwater Valley are able to keep their appeal to children going forward, this was their star attraction. I'm curious to see if they'll ever be able to replace such an icon with something equally as good so that when my kids visit, they'll make as many happy memories of the place as I was able to. EDIT: To add, I'm happy you've mentioned the over-head restraints. When I went on with those, I came off the ride with a banging headache. Obviously, my group of friends trying to be "manly" never would admit to it. At the time, I always thought that I was just weak compared to them. In our adult years though, talking about experiences in school with them, finally had us able to admit and laugh about it. So yeah, you're right in saying those restraints were painful (they were so much worse than just painful haha!), and we were glad to see them gone.
I rode this on 21 August 2014, fulfilling a long time ambition to do so. According to my metadata, at 11.12 am ! It had been a long time ambition of mine since I first heard about it. Apart from the 2 lift sections the rest of the ride was approx 24 inches off the ground. I dont like heights, but thought that I could cope with just the 2 lifts. About a month after I rode it a deer jumped the wire fence and decided to be the mascot on the front coach ! The folk in the first couple of rows got covered in its remains !
I remember riding The Ultimate 10 times over on a school trip back in 93. Such a unique coster! Very interesting and well put together story of The Ultimate.
For those of us that grew up on the game Roller Coaster Tycoon, an homage to this park and coaster exists in the scenario "Katie's Dreamworld" (or Katie's World depending on region). There's a colossal roller coaster called "The Storm" that sports an almost identical track layout with the two distinctive lift hills, figure 8 tunnel and the blue train design for the vehicles. I'd like to add that this was a very captivating documentary, concise and informative. Great job!
@@AdventureMe I knew about the in-game ride being a recreation, but I didn't know the some of the in game sounds originating from the real park too! Thanks for sharing more interesting little factoids!
wow who would of thought British Rail would have built a rollercoaster Great documentary shame it’s time is up as it’s got to be totally unique in its construction method
Very fond memories of this ride. Was my first ever 'big' roller coaster. I was too short to ride when i first visited and was so upset. but went back several years in a row after and road it many times during the 90s. I remember it being painful the last time i road it during my mid teens. Sad to see it go, but so happy to have experienced it! I loved sitting at the back, so it whips you down the drops :D
Oh dang... I arrived into the area where I live during the Covid, and was hoping to try this unique coaster out if it ever opened. I had coasted down a narrow gauge railway (formerly used for logging) a couple of times, fun thing, and like how similar this coaster is in atmosphere, running through the woods. Something which truly wouldn't be found elsewhere, of course not in small part due to its backstory.
Great rollercoaster and an iconic one at that. You’d to love the youth club trips to Lightwater valley with all the other council estate kids, causing havoc but having great fun. Such as shame they’ve let it rot like that and we’ll never see it in operation again. Went down hill when they got rid of the rat!
I had a birthday there about 35 years ago and still have a photo of me on "The Rat" - later renamed Raptor Attack. I took my own daughter a few years ago and very glad I took the opportunity to ride The Ultimate now I realise it was my final chance. It was quite uncomfortable but also rather surreal how it spent so long snaking through the trees.
Absolutely loved The Ultimate well worth the long drive up from Cheshire to Ripon Loved the first drop at the very front 1st time then the very last carriage again,back of the coaster you got whipped over the drop exhilarating terrifying but fantastic and then the second drop way more terrifying and faster,absolutely brilliant Very sad to see it’s derelict now but hey,always have those memories am giddy just thinking about it now even.thankyou for posting Great blogs as always X
Wish I could find my DeLorean time machine and go back and ride the Ultimate Coaster, what a ride it must have been. Steel Dragon may have been longer, but the Ultimate coaster had more "Charm" as it went through the countryside, trees and all. I'm not sure things work in the UK but couldn't some $$$ be gotten from the funds that help restore and maintain historical locations be spent on the coaster, it may not be that old but does have historical value. Darren, maybe you could keep the coaster in the public eye and be its savior.
The last great ride light water valley has closed /due to be removed aswell 😢 no more visits to thier for me loved the ultimate. Much appreciated video 🙏
Thank you so much for this video about the one roller coaster that I have been dying to ride ever since I first saw it on TV when it opened. I have always had a fascination with terrain coasters and there was no longer terrain coaster than The Ultimate. I had the chance to possibly ride it when I visited London for the first time in about 2018 (I am in California) but I just did not have the time to make it out to Lightwater Valley. After that vacation, I just thought that I'd ride The Ultimate on my next trip to the UK. Unfortunately, with the announcement about The Ultimate's fate in 2023, I will never get my chance to finally ride it. Sadly, all I have are on ride videos of The Ultimate. With its demise, I think that it is safe to say that I will never visit Lightwater Valley any time soon. Thank you again for the video even though it is very sad.
Brilliant documentary, thanks so much for this. Gutted about its demolition but even more so that I never got to ride it (or even visit Lightwater Valley), and now that the park is more aimed at kids, with mine being grown up, I doubt I ever will. Massive shame. Keep up your great work.
This was a fantastic coaster, I visited in the mid 90's that drop into the valley and the banked turns where you felt as if your head was skimming the grass.
Wow I rode this in the mid 90's on a family holiday, it was sponsored by Pepsi at the time I think. A cracking ride and I had no idea of the BR involvement, so this was really interesting. I do remember us also going on the pirate ship which made my dad feel so ill that he couldn't stomach a second ride on the ultimate 😄
No matter how ruff that ride is i love it and it's a British icon it's still the worlds second longest i think we shuld start something to get it reopened what a shame.
Really good to have that Ultimate documented so well on video. I never rode it and so was hoping if not expecting they would bring it back about 5 years later. I didn’t know it was built on sleepers. I wonder if his vision would have better suited a powered coaster
Very interesting video! I've subscribed to your channel after watching this. I'm absolutely gutted that it hasn't reopened after the pandemic. Growing up with visits to Lightwater Valley, the Ultimate was the highlight of the day. Absolutely brilliant roller-coaster and did well to stay running for many years. What a shame!
Excellent documentary and nice to see something not too far from me (In Redcar). Interesting to note that Lightwater Valley is returning to its roots and focusing on the younger generations.
Fond memories of going round on this during the 90’s, also remember getting stuck on the uphill sections on more than one occasion 😂 thanks for recommending this UA-cam!
I have fond memories of riding on the Ultimate with my kids, and it was a very rough ride! For the last few years, Lightwater Valley has always seemed like a park on the brink of closure. It's rides are getting tired and there seems to be little investment in it. I'm not surprised that it's concetrating on younger, smaller and probably cheaper rides, which is a shame as it used to be a great place for a day out.
I think Looping Group should buy Lightwater Valley as the owners clearly don't understand how to run a theme park this big plus Looping group have done wonders for Drayton Manor and they did it the right way, in my opinion Lightwater Valley has done the exact same thing as what American Adventure did.
What an informative video Darren, who would have known BR’s involvement. I can vouch for the uneven track I pulled my back once on a flat section of the ride around 2000.
Was absolutely heartbroken with the news, and still am. Because... there'll never be a ride like this again. Health and safety wouldn't allow for it. I love crazy rides, and even rides that are the touted as the 'scariest' in the world don't match up to the sheer intensity of... THAT CORNERING. I'm going to miss this one until the end!!..
That was a very interesting video, had no idea that British Rail had got involved with this project, that when British rail were at the best, great video 👏
My favorite ride ,the bumps were an added bonus ,it was more like a runaway mine train .Shame the Brighton pier company couldn't of kept this iconic coaster as Blackpool have done with a few of theirs.
haha loved the British Rail comment. Such a shame its not reopening, although I do think it was always going to be the outcome when they went down the family adventure park route. Aother great theme park gone.
Omg mind blown 💥 I swear I knew it was when I was little riding this rollercoaster too. Always knew I loved it for a reason 😊 Devastated it's closed for good 😭 Awesome video, thank you 🙏
First I heard that it has retired. Surprised I didn't see it in the news. I rode it a few times in 2014, and do remember that it does throw you about a lot. Its a shame it is going, but a wooden rollercoaster doesn't exactly have a 120 year operational expectation that a British railway does, and after 30 years I presume it would require more and more works to keep it in a safe working order.
Well technically it was a steel coaster. Only the lifts were wood. But they are in really good nick. It was the steel track that needed replacing believe it or not.
Hi Darren, cheers for the full vid of this ride. As I said before I had never ever heard of this park or ride as by 1991 I wasn't a regular A19 user. I think V Meldrew would appreciate some of your subtle digs in the commentary, Mrs Warboy would never have got on it for fear of loosing her upper denture 🙄 Cheers DougT
That was a nice trip down memory lane for you Darren, thanks for sharing those photos 👏👏 Lots of great detail in your video. Well done!? Good luck from Spain!!
Good video and good information, never knew a lot of that. I remember riding the Ultimate in my 20's, I guess it was in the early 90's. Decent coaster, shame it is no longer operating.
That was a fascinating documentary on an iconic rollercoaster. Brilliant piece of work. Thank you!
Many thanks!
I’ll never forget the smell of the ultimate when it opened in 1991, you could smell the wood from the entrance at the other end of the park. A once great place with the rat ride & the soopa loopa & then the ultimate.
Yes I totally remember that too. And the garlic smell in the woods.
Great video. Really sad when I heard the news The Ultimate would be demolished, so many happy nostalgic memories attached to it. Wish the Brighton Pier group would open it for one more season so give people the opportunity for a last ride - thousands would visit to say goodbye.
Couldn't agree more.
Seems very mean 😢
This was the first proper roller-coaster I ever rode, and there is nothing quite like the feeling of dropping down the second lift hill into the woods. Great ride, will be missed.
Couldn't agree more!
I understand from A senior engineer whom was at British Rail research Derby, that the control system for the roller coaster was based upon Railway Signalling Relay interlocking,
Brilliant. Wish I'd known that snippet before. Another BR quirk.
Nicely done video. I did a track walk for its birthday over a decade ago with UKRides and was aware of the BR origins. The old OTSR’s were stored under the first lift hill at this point. Another fun fact - they never had any permanent grid power at that end of the park - for all of its life it was run from a generator!
Yeah I remember the generator hut. I don't recall seeing the restraints but I did see the old train shells in the storage area.
Very good. Thanks also for crediting me for the images used. Shame it's closed.
The Simon Mayo breakfast show on Radio 1 held a competition to come up with the name. Also remember a feature on the ride on Blue Peter when John Leslie paid a visit just after it opened
No problem. Thanks for them. I love your little collection you have.
I have never seen this rollercoaster so I was fascinated by your video. The story of its construction was riveting (no pun intended). I wish that we had visited Lightwater Valley and this ride, because it is so unusual travelling across country like that.
Yeah it was so unique in a good way.
As you have, I rode the ultimte probably hundreds of times along with operating it whilst working at the park many years ago. It still held the thrill no matter how many times you rode it, yes it was rough but that was part of its charm. I remember my first time as a young kid, with the overhead restraints, no other class member would go on the ride with me so the coach driver stepped up and went with me. I can’t believe the change the park has made and to not include the main draw in the future has me baffled. A ride that will live on through UA-cam and memories, a sad loss of such a icon!
Thanks Tim. Yeah I totally agree. I can't get my head round it.
You can tell that this was built to last, Darren. It should never have closed, and that thing we've had to put up with over the last three years has not helped one bit!!! This rollercoaster should never be dismantled for scrap, and I hope that some concern can do something with it, or else the whole area will turn into another totally and absolutely unnecessary housing estate - God forbid!! Many thanks for this crucial video showing.
The last great thing British Rail did.
Thanks for the like.
And the first 😂 jk
British Rail did lots of good things, it was government privatisation that wrecked it.
@Oliver I They were particularly good at massive train crashes killing tens of people each time
@@FriktionMedia British rail was the laughing stock of Europe. Carriages were old and dirty, overcrowded, always late or cancelled, expensive, and the Stations in 1980 looked barely different from 1950. That's what you get when you let Governments run public services. ua-cam.com/video/w9qoWWSkJZo/v-deo.html
Thanks - that was really interesting - never knew this existed. It makes me sad that such a unique ride that used the undulations of the land for its thrills is set to be demolished. it's like a one of a kind coaster that we'll not see again and the history behind it will only be left in videos like yours.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely gutted this is going! I went to Lightwater once in 2013 and it was shut that day, one classic UK coater ill never get to ride now. Brilliant information in this one!
Me too mate
4:49 if that rail replacement bus was a bit of an intended joke youve certainly won me over with a bit of an amuzement
Fascinating stuff. I did drive trains for BRITISH RAIL at one point in my career and although i never went to Lightwater Valley, we did see at Chessington World of Adventures a day outing of train drivers and guards with their families riding on the Runaway Train, which made us all laugh.
By far, my favourite roller coaster and it is sad to see its demise.
Thanks for the video we have footage of our days spent at Lightwater Valley, we traveled up from the Midlands, long journey, but well worth it to ride the Ultimate great coaster. Sorry it’s days are numbered😢 glad I have the footage. Goodbye Ultimate thank you for the thrills of riding, you will be missed😢
Glad you enjoyed it
Ohhhh Hard. What tough nerven.
Beautiful memories. Thank you Darren
Bey
My pleasure!
Loved the photo of you on the ride! Never been to Light Water Valley. Only American Adventure and Alton Towers.
But it did look like a very exciting ride to have been on. Its such a shame that all these rides and theme parks that open never survive forever. Fingers crossed it gets saved so we can see you riding it again! Another unmissable Video from you Darren. 🙂
Thank you. I hope to have another go.
Excellent film Darren. I went on this for the first time in 91 in the first week when it opened. I still have the picture of myself and my dad in the front carriage when it had the overhead restraints. It was after the 2nd lift hill this thing really kicked in. I've never to this day felt g forces on a ride since. When that thing hit the bends on the route back to the park it was brutal on the neck. I only ever rode it the few times I did that day but I will never forget it. And the part about the replacement bus made me laugh. I heard they actually used a tractor to pull the train back to the station When it didn't make it back...hence the 'road/track' that runs alongside the run in back to the park 😁
Yes they sure did. I saw them hauling it back with a JCB.
@@AdventureMe fantastic 😁😂 where else in the world could you ride the world's longest rollercoaster...built by Britsh Rail...that occasionally they may have to bring in a JCB to get you to your final destination 😁😁😁
So sad that this magical part of my childhood is being demolished 😭
I have so many great memories of days out at lightwater valley riding this classic British coaster.
Truly a loss for the amusement park history in the UK
It is very sad
Thanks Darren, that was both fascinating and hilarious!
Only ever ridden this coaster twice, both being on the back row. I glad I did and very sad that the new owners don’t realise what they have. I probably won’t ever visit this park again due to this, but it will live forever in my memory.
Me neither. I used to go once a year. Not anymore
I used to work on the ultimate for 2 seasons in the 90's. I remember one day as the train came in there was a dead deer straddling the engine. It had tried to cross the track at the wrong moment. Thankfully nobody was injured but those in the front were well shocked. The deer was strung up and left for a bit until it went to a butcher. It was a great ride.
Thanks Harry. What year did you work on it?
@@AdventureMe I think it was 93 & 94. In 93 I was dealing with the queue for the ultimate and other rides. 94 I graduated to the control room setting off the ride. I also got to drive the train, zzzzz. 94 would have been the deer incident as I was in the control room then.
Ahh so the early years then. You probably operated when I had my photo on it in 94
I remember going on The Ultimate about 20 years ago, leaning out at the top of the first lift hill to try to grab one of the bras that was on the post for the teenage cred such a thing was sure to gain me, and having the restraint pop up. It went back down, but I wedged myself into that seat so hard I don't think I'd have needed it anyway. White as a sheet when I got off.
Sounds scary. I remember the bra's on the lift hill.
Fun Fact - if you remember the Singer Rozalla, this was her favourite rollercoaster! That was the reason she allowed Lightwater Valley to use her song in their advertising.
Thanks Robert. I never knew that.
Excellent video. I remember travelling all the way to Lightwater Valley only for it not go have opened for the season. Pre smart phones so no checks made beforehand. A shame I missed out as I did know about the British Rail connection.
Seeing this ride on Jim’ll fix it is what started me off on a lifetime of amazing rollercoaster adventures. I’ve got a lot to thank it for and I’m sad to see it go.
Me too. My childhood memories
@@AdventureMe after seeing that edition of Jim fix it, I wrote a letter to the young lad on the show to ask if he wanted to be pen pals. He wrote back straight away and we’ve been lifelong coaster buddies ever since!
Cows refusing to produce milk is a suggestion that goes back to the very earliest days of railways. I have heard similar things such as 'the air being sucked from our bodies' as a fear of a proposed wind turbine.
Amazing and interesting video Darren, thanks.
They did have a replacement bus service though for the ride, well so to speak. It was a JCB at the end of the the ride just after the last bend toward the station, as in certain weather conditions I believe the train could stall/valley before the last short lift hill into the station. The JCB would pull the train in the last few meters if necessary.
Yes it did. I remember watching it.
Still think the Brighton Pier group have made a big mistake in closing and removing the Ultimate, its the only thing that most people will know about lightwater valley.
I agree
Brilliant video, thank you so much. This holds a dear place in my heart and it was wonderful to hear it obviously does the same for you.
Absolute madness that they have decided to tear it down. I completely understand it as a financial nightmare but it's a real piece of theme park history and deserved so much better.
Absolutely gorgeous drone footage too, thanks for sharing!
Thank you. Yes it was probably my fave coaster as it was so unique
Another piece of history beautifully captured for years to come. Great work as ever Darren. 👍
Many thanks!
Excellent production Darren well done. I had no idea BR were involved in its construction however i always thought it was like riding an express train when I visited for my first ride on it in 1997. Loved it and always was excited to revisit the park every summer to ride again. It could be brutal though and often you come off feeling like your done ten rounds in a boxing match. I’m sad it’s going for good. Nice production.
Many thanks!
I found it rather gentle as a ride, I loved it.
Thanks Darren for my sunday treat
Any time!
Great video. Documentary quality.
Much appreciated!
Loved this completely Darren. You have put a tremendous amount of thought and effort into this as you always do. This is completely different to others you've done. Wonder if they will sell parts of it, for keep's sake. More than likely be sold as scrap metal. This is well-scripted. Nature has taken over as usual. Would need volunteers to clear vegetation up ever to open. Obviously not as mentioned. Look forward to LWV part 2.
Thanks mate. It was a personal passion of mine.
It's silly that they closed this down rather than refurbish it. I live only 45 minutes away from here so visiting was my schools' big day out. Throughout my school years, The Ultimate was one of my favourite things to look forward to.
I hope that Lightwater Valley are able to keep their appeal to children going forward, this was their star attraction. I'm curious to see if they'll ever be able to replace such an icon with something equally as good so that when my kids visit, they'll make as many happy memories of the place as I was able to.
EDIT: To add, I'm happy you've mentioned the over-head restraints. When I went on with those, I came off the ride with a banging headache. Obviously, my group of friends trying to be "manly" never would admit to it. At the time, I always thought that I was just weak compared to them. In our adult years though, talking about experiences in school with them, finally had us able to admit and laugh about it. So yeah, you're right in saying those restraints were painful (they were so much worse than just painful haha!), and we were glad to see them gone.
I rode this on 21 August 2014, fulfilling a long time ambition to do so. According to my metadata, at 11.12 am ! It had been a long time ambition of mine since I first heard about it. Apart from the 2 lift sections the rest of the ride was approx 24 inches off the ground. I dont like heights, but thought that I could cope with just the 2 lifts. About a month after I rode it a deer jumped the wire fence and decided to be the mascot on the front coach ! The folk in the first couple of rows got covered in its remains !
I remember riding The Ultimate 10 times over on a school trip back in 93. Such a unique coster!
Very interesting and well put together story of The Ultimate.
Glad you enjoyed it!
For those of us that grew up on the game Roller Coaster Tycoon, an homage to this park and coaster exists in the scenario "Katie's Dreamworld" (or Katie's World depending on region). There's a colossal roller coaster called "The Storm" that sports an almost identical track layout with the two distinctive lift hills, figure 8 tunnel and the blue train design for the vehicles.
I'd like to add that this was a very captivating documentary, concise and informative. Great job!
Yeah it was based on this ride. And also the screams and sound effects were recorded at this park.
@@AdventureMe I knew about the in-game ride being a recreation, but I didn't know the some of the in game sounds originating from the real park too!
Thanks for sharing more interesting little factoids!
I went here a few times in the 1980s, I took a friend with me for my birthday, we loved it.
wow who would of thought British Rail would have built a rollercoaster
Great documentary shame it’s time is up as it’s got to be totally unique in its construction method
It sure is. And most people had never heard of it.
Very fond memories of this ride. Was my first ever 'big' roller coaster. I was too short to ride when i first visited and was so upset. but went back several years in a row after and road it many times during the 90s. I remember it being painful the last time i road it during my mid teens. Sad to see it go, but so happy to have experienced it!
I loved sitting at the back, so it whips you down the drops :D
Oh dang... I arrived into the area where I live during the Covid, and was hoping to try this unique coaster out if it ever opened. I had coasted down a narrow gauge railway (formerly used for logging) a couple of times, fun thing, and like how similar this coaster is in atmosphere, running through the woods. Something which truly wouldn't be found elsewhere, of course not in small part due to its backstory.
@AdventureMe Is the above account have any connection with you? (You don't have DMs enabled on your profile unless I am mistaken)
Great rollercoaster and an iconic one at that. You’d to love the youth club trips to Lightwater valley with all the other council estate kids, causing havoc but having great fun. Such as shame they’ve let it rot like that and we’ll never see it in operation again.
Went down hill when they got rid of the rat!
Yeah it's sad. Two iconic rides just gone like that.
I had a birthday there about 35 years ago and still have a photo of me on "The Rat" - later renamed Raptor Attack. I took my own daughter a few years ago and very glad I took the opportunity to ride The Ultimate now I realise it was my final chance. It was quite uncomfortable but also rather surreal how it spent so long snaking through the trees.
Absolutely loved The Ultimate well worth the long drive up from Cheshire to Ripon Loved the first drop at the very front 1st time then the very last carriage again,back of the coaster you got whipped over the drop exhilarating terrifying but fantastic and then the second drop way more terrifying and faster,absolutely brilliant Very sad to see it’s derelict now but hey,always have those memories am giddy just thinking about it now even.thankyou for posting Great blogs as always X
Wish I could find my DeLorean time machine and go back and ride the Ultimate Coaster, what a ride it must have been. Steel Dragon may have been longer, but the Ultimate coaster had more "Charm" as it went through the countryside, trees and all. I'm not sure things work in the UK but couldn't some $$$ be gotten from the funds that help restore and maintain historical locations be spent on the coaster, it may not be that old but does have historical value. Darren, maybe you could keep the coaster in the public eye and be its savior.
Thanks Mike. It was truly unique. I'm not sure I can do anything unless I have about £4 million spare lol
@@AdventureMe If I win the MEGA MILLION lotto I'll give you a call......
Showing the railway technology made the video much more interesting.
What an interesting Story. Well researched and documented. Superb filming. Loved the music. Well done . Thank you.
Many thanks!
The last great ride light water valley has closed /due to be removed aswell 😢 no more visits to thier for me loved the ultimate.
Much appreciated video
🙏
What a brilliant video really enjoyed watching 👍
Thank you 👍
This was truly a great moment that I never knew about,as I always say you bring things to life
Thank you so much for this video about the one roller coaster that I have been dying to ride ever since I first saw it on TV when it opened. I have always had a fascination with terrain coasters and there was no longer terrain coaster than The Ultimate. I had the chance to possibly ride it when I visited London for the first time in about 2018 (I am in California) but I just did not have the time to make it out to Lightwater Valley. After that vacation, I just thought that I'd ride The Ultimate on my next trip to the UK. Unfortunately, with the announcement about The Ultimate's fate in 2023, I will never get my chance to finally ride it.
Sadly, all I have are on ride videos of The Ultimate. With its demise, I think that it is safe to say that I will never visit Lightwater Valley any time soon.
Thank you again for the video even though it is very sad.
You defo missed out. It was so unique and such a fun ride. Very rare.
That was awesome video Darren
Brilliant documentary, thanks so much for this. Gutted about its demolition but even more so that I never got to ride it (or even visit Lightwater Valley), and now that the park is more aimed at kids, with mine being grown up, I doubt I ever will. Massive shame. Keep up your great work.
Thanks Eric
This was a fantastic coaster, I visited in the mid 90's that drop into the valley and the banked turns where you felt as if your head was skimming the grass.
Wow I rode this in the mid 90's on a family holiday, it was sponsored by Pepsi at the time I think.
A cracking ride and I had no idea of the BR involvement, so this was really interesting.
I do remember us also going on the pirate ship which made my dad feel so ill that he couldn't stomach a second ride on the ultimate 😄
Another good one Darren! Nice bit of subtle comedy in there! 😂
I try lol
No matter how ruff that ride is i love it and it's a British icon it's still the worlds second longest i think we shuld start something to get it reopened what a shame.
Really good to have that Ultimate documented so well on video. I never rode it and so was hoping if not expecting they would bring it back about 5 years later. I didn’t know it was built on sleepers. I wonder if his vision would have better suited a powered coaster
Very interesting video! I've subscribed to your channel after watching this. I'm absolutely gutted that it hasn't reopened after the pandemic. Growing up with visits to Lightwater Valley, the Ultimate was the highlight of the day. Absolutely brilliant roller-coaster and did well to stay running for many years. What a shame!
Thanks for the sub! Yeah I agree. My childhood gone.
Another excellent video Darren, well researched and presented. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent documentary and nice to see something not too far from me (In Redcar). Interesting to note that Lightwater Valley is returning to its roots and focusing on the younger generations.
A nice explanation of the current status of the roller coaster. Thanks for the video, Darren. See you on the next. Cheers mate. 🇬🇧🙂👍🇺🇸
You bet!
Good memories of this ride from a School trip back in 2004 time so thanks for this footage.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video Darren, nice work, shame it's closed.👌👍😀
It sure is
Fond memories of going round on this during the 90’s, also remember getting stuck on the uphill sections on more than one occasion 😂 thanks for recommending this UA-cam!
Thanks for watching
I loved that beautiful violent ride. Again and again haha.
I have fond memories of riding on the Ultimate with my kids, and it was a very rough ride! For the last few years, Lightwater Valley has always seemed like a park on the brink of closure. It's rides are getting tired and there seems to be little investment in it. I'm not surprised that it's concetrating on younger, smaller and probably cheaper rides, which is a shame as it used to be a great place for a day out.
So glad I got to marathon it back in September 2019.
Amazing on how a rollercoaster ride is built by British Rail. 😮
I think Looping Group should buy Lightwater Valley as the owners clearly don't understand how to run a theme park this big plus Looping group have done wonders for Drayton Manor and they did it the right way, in my opinion Lightwater Valley has done the exact same thing as what American Adventure did.
Massive thumbs up 👍👍👍
Always luv your videos, 👊🏻🤟🏻📷👍
The drone work and quality and audio is fab
Content is great
Good collab with walk on wildside
Awesome thank you!
I was always planning to ride this as soon as it reopened. Real shame I'll never get to. What a unique coaster.
What an informative video Darren, who would have known BR’s involvement. I can vouch for the uneven track I pulled my back once on a flat section of the ride around 2000.
I've pulled many a muscle on there lol
Was absolutely heartbroken with the news, and still am. Because... there'll never be a ride like this again. Health and safety wouldn't allow for it. I love crazy rides, and even rides that are the touted as the 'scariest' in the world don't match up to the sheer intensity of... THAT CORNERING. I'm going to miss this one until the end!!..
That was a very interesting video, had no idea that British Rail had got involved with this project, that when British rail were at the best, great video 👏
Glad you enjoyed it
My favorite ride ,the bumps were an added bonus ,it was more like a runaway mine train .Shame the Brighton pier company couldn't of kept this iconic coaster as Blackpool have done with a few of theirs.
My first ever rollercoaster. I will never forget it.
Probably mine too
haha loved the British Rail comment. Such a shame its not reopening, although I do think it was always going to be the outcome when they went down the family adventure park route. Aother great theme park gone.
Yeah. I think we all saw it coming. Which is why I went in 2019.
Omg mind blown 💥
I swear I knew it was when I was little riding this rollercoaster too. Always knew I loved it for a reason 😊
Devastated it's closed for good 😭
Awesome video, thank you 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it!
I properly lolled at the replacement bus service part. 😂
I used to go their as a kid but thank you for doing this, I genuinely enjoyed this!
Thanks Paul
First I heard that it has retired. Surprised I didn't see it in the news.
I rode it a few times in 2014, and do remember that it does throw you about a lot. Its a shame it is going, but a wooden rollercoaster doesn't exactly have a 120 year operational expectation that a British railway does, and after 30 years I presume it would require more and more works to keep it in a safe working order.
Well technically it was a steel coaster. Only the lifts were wood. But they are in really good nick. It was the steel track that needed replacing believe it or not.
Absolutely brilliant video. I know Explorer 007 and he's buzzing with this piece you have put together :)
Thanks Dan. I know I spoke to him a few days ago. He gave me the pics to use.
Wow, that was very well produced! Nice work dude.
Thanks for watching
Hi Darren, cheers for the full vid of this ride. As I said before I had never ever heard of this park or ride as by 1991 I wasn't a regular A19 user. I think V Meldrew would appreciate some of your subtle digs in the commentary, Mrs Warboy would never have got on it for fear of loosing her upper denture 🙄 Cheers DougT
And her bunions would play havoc.
@@AdventureMe that too, but I didn't want to remind her 😇 Cheers DougT
Brilliant Darren , so very interesting. Never new British Rail was involved 👍🏻
That was a nice trip down memory lane for you Darren, thanks for sharing those photos 👏👏
Lots of great detail in your video. Well done!?
Good luck from Spain!!
Thanks 👍
Great video Darren
Thank you again
Very welcome
fascinating and informative, told me something I didn't know about
Fantastic, yet again - keep it up.
Thanks again!
Good video and good information, never knew a lot of that. I remember riding the Ultimate in my 20's, I guess it was in the early 90's. Decent coaster, shame it is no longer operating.
Yeah it was a decent ride back then.
Scheduled to run every 15 mins but true to form, it's actually every 17 - 20 mins. Ah, BR, never change.
Another great and interesting video 🙂 Love the atmospheric music too!
Thank you very much!
A bus station, an electric car, a flying saucer and now a roller coaster. I wonder what else BR designed. Fascinating story
Good question!