Marley Ltd Western Red Cedar Shakes have been specified for the huts on Alton Towers
Resort’s latest attraction, Wicker Man, which opened last month.
Wicker Man is the
UK’s first new wooden rollercoaster to be built in over 20 years, and the first
ever to combine fire and wood. Costing over £16 million to build, it offers
riders a truly immersive experience, with a fiery twist.
The setting for
Wicker Man is the world of the Beornen, a fictional community living in the
woods around Alton, Staffordshire who have built the wicker deity in the hope
of achieving eternal wellbeing.
The ride features a
number of huts located around its wooden track, all of which used the Marley Ltd Western Red Cedar Shakes in order to continue the woodland theming.
As
part of the project, Marley Ltd supplied 327 bundles of its Blue Label
Western Red Cedar Shakes, which were used to create over 800m2 of roofing as
part of the Wicker Man attraction.
The construction of
the unique ride was project managed by Neil Walker, at Merlin Entertainment who
comments: “The task of building a rollercoaster which combines fire and wood
required careful planning in order to bring our vision to life. However, for us,
it’s not just about creating the ride itself but also theming its surroundings
to deliver a truly immersive experience to our guests.
“The structures
including the ride station, pre-show theatre and retail unit are a key part of
the ride, so it was crucial to us that they were in keeping with the rest of
the ride. It was tricky to find a product that worked aesthetically and
would also be enduring. We were thrilled to find a local supplier who
could deliver just what we needed.”
Alton Towers
specified Marley LtdShakes for the huts due to the robust finish they
deliver, and the reassurance provided by the accreditation to the Certi-Grade
quality assurance label. The shakes also require low maintenance and blend into the wider
surroundings, so were deemed an ideal choice.
Furthermore, the
Western Red Cedar Shakes also have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any
widely used building product, representing a net carbon sink upon delivery,
which means more carbon is stored in the shake than is emitted during its
harvest, manufacture and transportation combined.
Marley Ltd Western Red Cedar Shakes used on Wicker Man were also treated with JB
FRT Exterior, which gives them a fire classification to BS 476-3, the same as a
clay tile, for added reassurance and the protection of the visitors. In addition, shakes are light to transport, and quick
to install on site which was important to the project designers, when looking
to minimise the impact on the wider theme park.
Daniel Redfern from
Marley Ltd, says: “It was crucial the new huts were designed sensitively to
blend into the wider design of the Wicker Man ride, complementing the overall
aesthetic Merlin was keen to achieve. In commercial projects such as this, the
lightweight nature of our Shakes, together with their ease of installation,
play an important role in ensuring they were able to meet the deadline.”
