The Spider

Rather like a fairground attraction, the Spider was a marvellous ‘spin and spew’ flat ride that was located in Festival Park.

The ride experience consisted of gondolas on the end of legs being spun on a wavy course.

A notable number of passengers became very sick after this ride and the forces which pushed guests’ riding partner into them often made for an uncomfortable ride – similar to the Octopus.

Before Alton Towers, this ride operated at Trentham Gardens in 1984. Whether or not it lasted a second season into 1985, before opening at Alton Towers in 1986, is not clear. The attraction took its last guests/victims in the season of 1991.