Alton Towers to open SW8 in 2018

Alton Towers, a park in Staffordshire, England, will be opening what appears to be a wooden coaster currently code-named "SW8".

Blueprints that were submitted to the Staffordshire Moorlands Council.

The ride support style suggests GCI, but this photo of a possible inversion suggests RMC.

Possible inversion?

No one knows for sure if this ride is meant for families or thrill seekers. The CoasterForce forums already ruled out the possible inversion as a banked turn. So they're going with GCI. I still believe that this is an inversion and that this could very well be an RMC coaster.

There's also the thought of the ride having a launched lift hill. Much like Lightning Rod at Dollywood in Tennesee. This is reasonable because of the parks sound restriction. I don't see it being a record breaker in length or height (the park can't have any coasters seen above the tree line). Maybe speed depending on different elements. The launched lift would ensure that it breaks the speed record.

Who knows? Maybe it could be a Gravity Group wooden coaster. The CoasterForce forums also stated that Alton Towers, even Merlin Entertainments in general, wouldn't go for an RMC due to the incidents they've had in the past. GCI may have had some accidents with their coasters in the past. and Gravity Group is reletively new to the design world. And I don't recall hearing any inccidents on any GG coaster. But we'll have to wait and see, right?