Tomb Blaster Behind The Scenes

As part of the Vampire 35 event, guests were also treated to an exclusive preview of the Tomb Blaster Behind-the-Scenes Tour, which will officially go on sale soon. The tour provided a deep dive into one of Chessington's most storied dark rides.

The control panel tour revealed fascinating ride safety mechanisms: if the E-stop is triggered, all lap bars around the circuit automatically raise for evacuation. A separate button stops all trains in place. Operators can see the train order, which changes daily; for example, during the tour, it ran as 2, 4, 3, 1.

Tomb Blaster operates with five trains, though typically only four are used during regular operation. The ride also features two switch tracks for maintenance—one near the beginning and another just before re-entering the station. Uniquely, its engineering bay is located beneath the ride party area.

In terms of mechanical design, Tomb Blaster’s system includes three rails—two for track movement and one for car rotation. The original lift chain has been replaced with motors, and the boulder animatronic on the lift hill has been completely replaced, now undergoing final testing for full functionality.

The tour offered glimpses into retro ride history, such as parts of the 5th Dimension queue still hidden behind closed doors in the Tomb Blaster queue. The red, white, and blue colour scheme remains a nostalgic throwback to the attraction’s early days. Although the stairs have been removed, the layout hints at the original route that guests once took.

Tomb Blaster’s Time Line:

-Opened in 1987 as The 5th Dimension
-Rethemed in 1993 to Terror Tomb
-Became Tomb Blaster in 2002

Remnants of its past are still present. For instance, the sarcophagus from Terror Tomb remains in the final snake scene—so heavy it’s unlikely to ever be moved. Green gems from Terror Tomb still appear around the ride, with the Jaguar gem now lit for the first time in years.

We also explored visual perspectives within the ride, such as being able to see scenes above and below, depending on the ride position. The Farmer Studios building, located in the middle of the ride area, still stands and proudly displays its branding.

Audio-wise, Tomb Blaster runs a separate audio circuit like most attractions, but interestingly, exit corridor music plays 24/7, even during maintenance work—a quirky but atmospheric detail.