The Swarm at Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park plans to open a new B&M Wing Rider rollercoaster in 2012, at a cost of around £18 million. The ride is set to feature a post-apocalyptic theme, and is named The Swarm.

The LC12 rollercoaster will be constructed north of the existing Stealth coaster, on an island in Thorpe Park's man-made lake.

Wing Rider coasters see riders seated either side of the track in a "winged" formation. It is rumoured that the seats will rotate in Thorpe Park's version - making it the UK's first "4th Dimension" coaster. However, the plans to date do not confirm or deny this.

The plans for Thorpe Park's 2012 coaster include detailed images of its layout, which appear to show that it will feature some unique design elements. This includes a heartline roll just after the 126-feet-tall lift hill, which would see riders starting the first drop in an upside-down position before roaring down into an upright position for the ensuing turns.

Thorpe Park is aiming for a post-apocalyptic theme for its new rollercoaster, as suggested by a previously-released teaser image. The plans claim the ride will offer a "fly-through experience through a crash scene", which will be populated with derelict buildings and vehicles. To match the depressing scene, the coaster's track will be painted grey with grey-brown supports.

The ride's station will be one of its central features, and will be based on a burnt-out chapel or church.

Dotted around the ride's course will be a number of elements designed to add to the disaster theme. These include life-size replicas of a crashed aeroplane close to the first drop, a crashed helicopter jutting out of a pond and a burnt-out fire engine.

Full details of the new ride can be found in our in-depth review of the plans for LC12.