pj.frankophone

What if SW8 is a Game of Thrones themed coaster, with trains styled as dragons & real fire and ice elements throughout the ride (possibly the large person-like structure is indeed on fire in some way?). Perhaps the launch element is part of a ride narrative about escaping the army of the dead? Alton Towers could even be working with their old friends at Tussauds to create waxworks of some of the main characters, which would feature in various themed rooms that you pass through in the queue section. The March 2018 opening would of course tie in with the final season arriving in the summer and would be a massive PR fest for the park. If this were true then AT could be going with the Wicker Man-esque theming as an elaborate ruse to keep the project a secret, as anything remotely GoT-related would be instantly recognisable... I could have just dreamt all of this up with zero evidence, of course

So... surely CW are planning on selling Behemoth in the next two years... right ? Surely ??

I was thinking that!

If it is a Th13teen-style drop coaster, and it is manufactured by Zierer then does that mean Intamin have sold the patent to the drop technology? Does this mean that other companies will potentially start building coasters with drop sections?

Cool I've added all the Maurer Söhne SkyLoops now. Anyone have any idea how tall Katun's vertical loop and Zero-G Roll are? I'm sure they qualify. Can't find info on them anywhere

We are definitely the right people for the job

Added!

OK here is the list that I've put together with the best of our knowledge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings#Tallest_Roller_Coaster_Inversions Let's see how it changes over time! That new Eurofighter at Fuji-Q sure does look like a valid contender...

^^ Yeh you're right Volcano is higher than the Sky Loop Coasters. I was hoping people would come up with some coaster inversions I hadn't thought of, cause I can't find any such ranking list anywhere online. I just did that list of all the big inversions I could think of in half an hour or so. It's what made me want to start one on wikipedia

^^ Wikipedia says Scream is 128ft and Bizarro is 119ft, but it could well be wrong

^^ I was thinking it would be good to have two different entries; the one that's already there for highest vertical loop, and another one for the highest inversions of any kind (above ground). Kind of like how there are separate lists for tallest coaster and highest drop. Doing a couple of quick searches online, it might include some of these: 1. Abismo - 151ft Sky Loop 1. Sky Wheel - 151ft Sky Loop 2. Griffon - 146ft Immelmann 3. Superman: Krypton Coaster - 145ft Vertical Loop 4. Sheikra - 140ft Immelmann 4. Viper - 140ft Vertical Loop 5. Dominator - 135ft Vertical Loop 6. Medusa - 128ft Vertical Loop 6. Scream! - 128ft Vertical Loop 7. Alpengeist - 126ft Immelmann 8. Jubilee Odyssey - 124ft Vertical Loop 8. Tatsu - 124ft Pretzel Loop 8. The Riddler's Revenge - 124ft Vertical Loop 9. Green Lantern - 121ft Vertical Loop *. The Time Machine (SBNO) - 120ft Vertical Loop 10. Bizarro/Dragon Khan/Kraken/Mantis - 119ft Vertical Loop Not sure about X2 and Eejanaika. Suggestions and additions anyone?

Yes!! Had forgotten about that. You could say it doesn't count because of the high exit track though

^^ I just did that I'm pretty sure Katun's vertical loop is bigger than the one on Montu... but I can't find any details for it. It's not even that important i just thought it would be cool to fix!

I was looking at the wikipedia entry for the world's largest vertical loops and I think it needs updating! Does anyone know of any loops that are larger than the ones already listed? Take a look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings#Tallest_vertical_loops

^^ That vertical loop looks absolutely insane

^^ That's what I was thinking. But I'm guessing it would have to be a faster launch because it won't have the latent speed from the first launch. So crazy coaster lovers will be hoping for a launch failure, because it will mean a super-forceful launch up that steep incline to the figure eight

I'm sure someone has already asked and answered this question... but if the second launch fails, how will the train get back to the station? Will it launch backwards, or forwards and complete the circuit?

Air's Chinese Big Sister

I was thinking the same. It looks amazing!

Like any industry, there are people that innovate and push the envelope, and people who develop a prototype and expand on an original idea. I think there is room for both, and one can't exist without the other. Alton Towers have always done a great job of working closely with manufacturers to create new concepts, which US parks often build on. Similarly, US parks do a great job of making big exciting coasters that are perhaps the most extreme of their genre. You could be right that the American counterparts are better rides, but that doesn't mean that the original ones aren't worthy too in their own way.

Wow. This ride is going to look amazing from the ground

I dreamt that Th13teen at Alton Towers measured up to my expectations. Ah just a dream...

One thing is for certain: Blackpool Pleasure Beach is officially the cheesiest place on or off the planet. Union Jack trains??! Royal wedding promo events??! Yuk yuk yuk

Blackpool is perhaps the most horrific place in the whole of the UK. The fact that there are roller coasters there may or may not justify a visit, depending on your tolerance of adverse weather conditions and the general strength of your immune system. I am exaggerating of course, it definitely has a unique charm, and from a coasters-point-of-view it has some really classic and beautiful rides like the Revolution (Arrow shuttle coaster) which I think was the first looping coaster in Europe in the late 70s and one of the only ones left in the world. The Pepsi Max (Arrow hyper coaster) is just a big drop and not much else but the wooden roller coasters there are original 1930s and 1940s and totally brilliant (you will feel your teeth rattle inside your skull . Drayton Manor in Staffordshire (same county as Alton Towers) is also a really beautiful park, and though I haven't been since I was a kid I have really good memories of riding the Shockwave (Intamin stand up) about 20 times in a row and being genuinely terrified on the drop tower there. I still can't go on Drop Towers without thinking I am actually going to fall off and die. Good times! Hope you enjoy studying in England and have some time to visit some of the parks here you will love them!