Nemesis: Alton Towers begins testing of rebuilt Nemesis ride

Testing has begun on the new Nemesis ride

Testing has begun on the new Nemesis ride at Alton Towers which has undergone a major revamp.

The rollercoaster has been completely rebuilt at the Staffordshire theme park since it closed in November 2022 after running for nearly 30 years.

As part of its overhaul, the entire 716m (2,349ft) track has been replaced and will be thoroughly tested before reopening later this year.

The park said it was a real "milestone" to see Nemesis Reborn operating.

"It feels absolutely incredible," Bianca Sammut, divisional director of the resort, said.

Bianca Sammut, divisional director of the resort, said it was incredible to see it running

"It was so incredibly important for us to bring it back to Nemesis Reborn and to give it new life for generations of thrill-seekers that are going to come to the park."

The original ride travelled over 800,000 miles during its lifetime, the park said, and carried more than 52 million people.

It opened in 1994 and has been labelled "Europe's first ever inverted rollercoaster".

It previously travelled at speeds of up to 50mph and included a number of twists and turns with four inversions.

Part of the old carriages have been recycled and used in the new ones that will carry passengers.

Senior creative lead John Burton said: "As someone who grew up in Nemesis, as passionate about both the nostalgia of it but also the future of it bringing it back to life, having Nemesis reborn for the 2024 season, I'm super proud to be part of that and to also make sure I put my utmost into delivering the best it can possibly be."

Project manager Dave Taylor said it was nice to see the ride "come back alive".

"We've made some advancements in the running rails, we've quieted the runner rail down, so there'd be a smoother experience through there, but as we've seen, the roar is definitely still there," he said.

The ride first opened at the Staffordshire theme park in 1994