The Abandoned History of Slammer - The Last Sky Swatter | Expedition Thorpe Park 

What is your number one flat ride?

The Slammer sounds like a nickname for a ride at Action Park.

Space shot, sky swing, screaming squirrel, screaming swing, sky swat. Really took the S & S branding seriously.

I don't remember the restraints being uncomfortable but I've never been on any other ride that pushed so much blood to my head than Slammer did

Seeing footage from a park that is completely closed down or a ride that no longer exists gives me the chills.

Seeing Loggers Leap abandoned still hurts me, I grew up with that ride. A huge part of Thorpe Park's legacy

Ended up getting bruises on my shoulders after going on this and was like no never again

When you ride these rides, your body LITERALLY feels and reacts as though it's about to die, even though you feel you are having fun.....that swatter one? Oh hell no

“Your fray with slammer has now come to an end” - Best words ever. Never have I felt so unsafe and uncomfortable on a ride.. Great video, Thanks!

* Sees “The Slammer” in description * Not sure if talking about a flat ride or prison...

"Sky Swat 1 looks too intense for me!"

Slammer is easily the best flat ride I’ve ever been on. I remember the first time I went on it, I was so shocked by how intense it was. Such a gem in the park with hardly any queues!

I was never able to ride either version of this ride. I never even got to see them operate. Thanks for another informative video!

Just want to add I used to go on this ride all the time with my cousin and we were young enough to pop the ride harnesses off our shoulders and push it around us and stand up when it was flat and then pop ourselves back in when it started moving. Very stupid and rather dangerous looking back. Great times

I remember seeing this at six flags and thought it was a really terrible idea for a ride.. Riding it was just as I had expected. Going forward is great but the upsidedown pulling force is the worst type of forces you can get on any ride.

I went on this ride for my 16th birthday and the ride operator sang happy birthday to me over the tannoy whilst I was on the ride and got guests to join in. Definitely one of my favourite theme park memories and it was so sad when I went back years later and saw Slammer was no long in operation

Wow. Would you make the Abandoned History of Schlitterbahn Kansas City?

Remember going on this back in sep 2016 with my then boyfriend and niece. Didn’t know what it did and was wanting to be the caring and protective auntie for my niece and she loved it while I was praying to the gods to end the ride! What a crazy experience!

Would love if you could do an episode on chessington world of adventures terror tomb, that was one of the best dark rides ever made.

I rember going on the Slammer, it was an absolutely insane experience, never knew it closed and went extinct, guess I have a unique memory :)

I love rollercoasters, but I have never felt like I trusted one of these tall arm based rides. Just tracks for me please.

I rode the one at Astroworld a couple of times. It was uncomfortable when you were going upside down with the shoulder restraints. The workers always made sure to push it down on to your shoulders when they were checking it. That, and Looping Starship, had the most uncomfortable restraints at Astroworld.

I was informed by an "insider" that the real reason they decided to close it was due to a conversation between the guys at Thorpe and S&S which went like this: Thorpe: what can we actually do if this gets stuck upside down? S&S: haha just hope it doesn't... 👀 It was around the same era that Merlin went H&S crazy (6ft fences everywhere) after the Smiler accident, and they obviously couldn't afford anymore bad press through Slammer, so it had to go.

As a thorpe park local it's such a shame that I missed riding this one

That ending sentence is so true, its just that merlin arnt willing to invest so sadly rides are just sat their not giving a good impression. Hopefully things will change soon and merlin can stop neglecting Thorpe. :)

Rode the one at Six Flags New England. It was intense, but those restraints, especially the lap bar, would non-stop tighten on you the entire ride. Couldn't wait to get off, although the gforces were great.

Great video, I too have been going to Thorpe literally all my life. I have pictures of me in a buggy, I am now just turning 34 lol. So have also seen thorpe, chessington and windsor safari *cough* I mean legoland go through their many stages. But I have to say slammer was one of my all time favourite flat rides. An experience and feeling I have only come across while flying aerobatics. I have many happy memories from thorpe, x no way out opening was a massive deal and one of the best new ride experiences I've ever had. Queueing for Colossus, Nemesis and Saw when they first opened. When fright nights first started and when they were at their best, Asylum still remains the best horror maze ever. Derren brown when it first opened was an amazing experience, that you have to throw yourself into to get the best out of it, and the tech is fantastic. But, and its a big BUT. I hate seeing the park the way it is now. It truly saddens me that I don't feel safe there with my children. The amount of chavs causing problems I have seen, the constant smell of weed, the dirt and horrifically rude staff has killed the park for me and my family. I hope this issue gets sorted, but while they aren't appealing to families I doubt it. I hope to see some new investment taking place soon, I think an RMC is way off, but perhaps a decent GCI would be nice following around where loggers is. Who knows, there's soo much the park has got right but there's soo much it gets wrong too. I do hope the park has a bright future.

I used to ride SWAT at AstroWorld and this just makes me think about what a unique ride collection we lost in that park.

I totally forgot about this ride. I rode this in Thorpe Park in 2006. I remember not enjoying the experience because of how disorienting it was (and not in a good way like Eejaniaka). I remember feeling like my head was going to explode. Thanks for the video and the trip down memory lane :)

Brilliant ride this was, I consider myself lucky to have ridden it 🔥

I've never been much of a fan of flat rides - I love the journey and "round and round" isn't much of a story! I think they made a big mistake when they decided to make Thorpe Park all thrills and Chessington all kiddy rides, cut off all the families and groups of mixed levels of thrill-seeking. Am I showing my age by fondly remembering the train that took you across to the farm? Thrill rides all morning, lunch then an hour seeing cute animals, then back to the rides once you're less likely to feel sick!

7:37 "That's what pumps our blujihmehmrd"

I love Thorpe Park, was there with my son on Saturday, 1st night of Fright Nights. So different from when I visited as a teenager in the early 90s. We rode Rush a few times at the weekend, in the dark too. The Slammer looks nuts, I would've gone on that, as my son's almost tall enough to get on the major thrill rides now, it'll open up a whole new level of excitement hopefully before the season is out.

Man, a ride like this just looks like a fortune to keep running.

I still remember when I was having second thoughts on getting on Sky Swat . I'm glad I rode it now with my dad because now it is a unique memory . I loved it.

If about 854K people slammed the sub-button after watching, ETP would reach a million in no time. He deserves it for everything he does!

An incredible, intimidating and mechanical marvel that I rode once as it was always closed on future visits.

One of the most intense flat rides I’ve ever been on. Don’t remember the restraints being bad, but I did only get to go on it once

I've been on this ride. I believe it was in its final year and I'm devastated that it's gone. Before going I remember checking the list of rides that were there and this was on my top 3 of riding. I hope something like this comes back again

I never went on slammer, but I'll always love it for one time. I was at Thorpe park with a group of friends, we stopped for lunch and there was one friend (who lived 5 minutes from Thorpe park and had a season ticket) refused to stop and break into his ride time. When we met up with him after lunch, we found out that he'd left us, got straight on slammer and it broke down with him on it. He'd only just got off again.

Seeing your videos on my feed cures my depression for a while

Watching this makes me feel lucky to have experienced this cool ride. I only went on once or twice and it was plagued with issues. Trying to get on was the problem lol. Great video, would love them to hurry up and get Old town regenerated as it's really looking derelict these days.

Wow, that ending gave me chills!!! That was an amazing episode, I wish I could’ve ridden it. Thank you for that episode!

I had the pleasure of being able to ride Slammer from the very beginning of its life in 2005 when I was just 10 years old right up until 2016. I remember queueing nearly 1.5 hours when it was brand new and being absolutely terrified of the lack of restraints at the time. However, I still dearly miss this thing as whilst it might have been an uncomfortable experience, the sheer power, sound and dominance it had at Thorpe Park was unmatched to anything else I had ever experienced and was incredibly unique. Was a great ride!

I thoroughly enjoy your channel. You provide a great deal of information in a way that is very entertaining.

Great video. I visited last Tuesday for the first time in 7 years and wondered what happened to Slammer. I only rode it once, I am quite tall and remember receiving a big bruise to my right shoulder. I bruise fairly easily, so it's not uncommon for me to bruise at theme parks, It could have been any ride in all honesty, but I haven't had a bruise that bad in repeat visits.

What if an S&S sky Swatter was placed next to F.L.Y 🤔 would it be called F.L.Y swatter

One of the best rides Thorpe Park had. I was actually at the front of the queue of the video at 10:52 where it went up to the top as usual, started spinning and then dropped slightly. Took quite a while to start to get everyone off but didn't see it all happen as they evacuated that section of the park.

I miss this ride so much... I only got to go on it once but I remember it so fondly...

I rode it but I don’t even remember if I liked it or not 😭 I think it hurt my shoulders but was a fun ride!

This is the only ride I ever have ridden once and never again after. It really really hurt me. I was about 17 and in so much pain. Was frightening.

This is one of the few rides I have been on and absolutely hated. Remember clinging to the handles absolutely terrified, because I felt like I was continuously sliding out of the seat 😂

I rode Catapult as a kid many times in SF NE and yeah, the shoulder restraints even hurt me then. It still stands as the most intense flat ride I've ever been on and I think Slammer is a better name for the model because it really does feel like you're about to be slammed into the ground. I missed it when it stopped working at Six Flags and was eventually removed. Love anything intense, no matter how much it hurts.

I just found your channel a couple weeks ago and I just wanted to say that you are favorite RU-vidr to watch. You do a very good job on the videos that you do keep it up!

I rode the swing at Cedar Point. Omg it must be the best and the most scary flat ride I,ve experienced. I also love launching towers😍 and the noise of S&S rides is just music to my ears.

I absolutely loved the Slammer at Thorpe park always went on it when it was open.Always went around with arms in the air which was fun especially at the back most of my family hated it 😲

Super cute shot of you and Jackie! Another great video. My husband and I are huge theme park lovers and I send him your videos to watch all the time !

Thank You so,so,so,Much for producing a video about About Flat-Rides so many channels focus on coasters. So thankful

Didn't realise how lucky I was to ride Slammer?!?! Wow! Only 2 in existence..Thanks again for another informative and entertaining vid 👍🏼

I loved this ride and indeed people found it intimidating, I had friends who would go on every ride in the park apart from Slammer. During uptime, you would get on crazy fast and just last weekend I saw it exactly as described, sadly rotting away. However, the floodlights of the ride were oddly in operation all day, but I can only speculate and I would say the most likely reason for this will be to use them as ambient lighting for the fright night season.

Great video! It relieves old forgotten rides like this one!

I got to ride the Slammer about twice a few months before it closed. Footage of the ride in operation really does not give off the impression that the ride is enjoyable. Wrong this thing was the single most enjoyable flat ride experience I've ever had the joy to ride. And I am so saddened that The Slammer is abandoned. I hope at some point in the future it will reopen. Being the last of its kind...

Fantastic video! 🙌 Gotta love a bit of Slammer! RIP 😢

I always found this to be the most intense ride at the park. not the most comfortable, but certainly packed a massive punch.

Great video. Your content never fails to relax me when im a bit stressed out- really interesting stuff- esp. Thorpe Park as it was my closest when I was a little-un! :)

Thanks for looking at Slammer and the Sky Swat model in general! I'd love to see a video on the Sky Sling as well, another unique-but-failed ride model from S&S which only saw limited installations in the US and UK.

Once at Thorpe Park, I saw a Dad holding his daughter into Rush (the ride with the big swings). She looked way too small to be on there and we genuinely thought she might fall out. I'm pretty sure part of the ride fell off weeks before we went as well. I also went on The Slammer that day and I just remember it giving me an awful headache

Yay you finally did it! Kinda wish this gets revamped some how..it really was an fun interesting ride!

Your intro music is so nostalgic . Love it

Fantastic and well put together video/commentary! I rode this was once and wasn't massive fan, I remember my legs hurting after coming off this from restraints being so tight, not quite as tight as submission was at alton towers mind!

I'm in the group that loved slammer! I was gutted when both this and loggers leap closed (and the original x no way out for that matter) its weird as i get older to see rides closing that i have great memories of. I always enjoyed slammer, never found it to be too intense or uncomfortable, just a really fun experience, i'd usually spend the whole ride duration laughing 😂 I remembered a few different times going and it being closed and was quite sad, then found out it had been officially shutdown after the fact. At the time i had no idea it was a unique concept that isnt featured at any other park... real shame to know that theres no way to experience it again now. Loving your channel, another great video 👍

I rode it once in a trip to uk. Loved it. Didn't know it is no longer operative nowadays :(

Wow those clips at the beginning brought back so many memories of early Thorpe park That final bit of growing up seeing Thorpe park change really hit home. The Ontario play area etc I had completely forgotten had existed but a of the clips you showed brought back memories I didn't even know I had!!

I rode the old Catapult ride when Swat was relocated to Six Flags New England. I don't remember it being too uncomfortable, but I did remember all of its downtime. The only other flat ride that I can think that provides a similar experience, though nowhere as intense, is maybe a Huss Topspin. I must say I miss Catapult, it was a fun ride.

That shoulder restraint always killed me. I'm very tall and I ALWAYS pulled it down too far. I once put my back out for a week because of that haha

This was 100% the scariest ride there, it was never open until like 2014 ish when it opened half days. The restraints not having the full over the shoulder restraints made it terrifying like you’d actually fall out, you’d have to push your feet and tense your body up as you went over. My favourite was going over the top first. I luckily rode it almost every time I went, sometimes twice due to low queue times. I’d love to go on it again

This ride was such a unique experience compared to other flat rides. Still my favorite flat ride to date. thanks for covering it

Love your detailed videos. Thank you so much. I am a huge amusement park fan so this is my guilty pleasure 👍

Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.

Ah I did love the ride! Left hand side first was good - on a good day you can see so much so far, used to love watching people on the other side watching you

I’m kind of bummed that I never got to ride this. It sounds like a blast! But many flat rides, I believe, have seasons. I’m so glad I got to experience some of the older ones. Thank you for this excellent video!

I remember going on it during Fright Night 2014 and really liking it, happy I got to experience it once.

I loved riding catapult in its short run at Six Flags New England. Weird ride for sure but always enjoyed it. Restraints were weird for sure and the shoulder restraints would often click a few notches down during the ride which didn't feel great..... but I always still loved it lol

I’m so hacked off they closed this ride. As others have said, arguably one of the best rides to grace Thorpe Park. So much fun. I remember the last time I was on it they warned people to make sure their pockets were clear and one guy obviously didn’t care enough but as soon as that ride stared going BOY...coins, chains, phones. Exiting his pockets. I was PMSL 😂 he had to wait until the end of the day to collect his things.

I love the intro music. I dance with it every time hahahaha

Great video. The Slammer was the most uncomfortable ride I've ever experienced. Those shoulder restraints!

I live near Six Flags New England and I remember when that Swatter went in. I never had an interest in riding it, and much of the time the ride was down anyway. But it certainly was eye-catching. Its former location in the park is now the queue line for SkyScreamer.

Now that I'm finally into thrill rides, I'm sad to have missed Slammer. It looks like the best flat ride at Thorpe Park.

Oh man, I remember going on slammer a few times. Always seemed to be running when I was I visited the park. I knew sky swats were rare, but not THAT rare! It was intense on the shoulders, but still a fun and unique flat ride experience. I feel lucky now, to have gotten on slammer so many times when it was in service.

I got many rides on Catapult at SFNE; it wasn't the most comfortable, and it took forever to load, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. After it was unexpectedly retired, I had hoped to get to Thorpe to ride Slammer, but it looks like that window has passed. Thanks for delving into the history of this unique and intense ride.

Sure wish we had the opportunity to ride one of these. Comfortable or not, that's a one of a kind experience.

NEVER STOP UPLOADING THESE!

Slammer used to be one of my favourites at Thorpe park along with Rush. The year they were put in was a good one.

Oh I can also confirm that it did indeed definitely had a crack on its main boom. Massive yikes!

I miss this ride so much, I see it at thorpe park all the time.

I always really enjoyed Slammer. Was a really unique experience. Great video :-)

It was a very unique ride to be sure. Yes! AstroWorld had one + Diablo Falls added the same year. AW was getting back to its "roots" when they put those 2 rides in. AW used to do innovative things until it closed in 2005. At 1st appearance the ride doesn't seem like much, until it spins you around & you're 90 ft. up in the air!

Congrats on 150k subs! 🥳

Slammer was such a great ride. One of the best flat rides ever in the UK. I never found it uncomfortable but it was a problem child. I hope S&S try it again one day but more reliable.

Managed to get a few rides on this. Loved it. Shame it’s gone.