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CSLKennyNI on CF posted that the park is still in dispute with the manufacturer, so the ride's still standing and might even open occasionally. Not very often though if the reported 5-figure monthly maintenance bill is accurate CF Thread

Even the mini-flume has been relocated from a sealife centre!

A member called TYX on TowersStreet has taken a screenshot from a promo video that showed the layout for a second, and labelled the different sections. It's not great, it's going in the old Wobble World building so they're limited in space and Merlin are not focusing on the theme parks at all right now, so the budget is basically zero too! As with everything these days I'm pessimistic but open to pleasant surprises

DINGDINGDING! We have a winner! Multi-day stays are Merlin's target, hence them building hotels left, right, and centre instead of spending the money on ride/park upkeep.

The Gerst Bobsleigh is finished and *maybe* opens with the rest of the park on June 1st Some construction pics from Pear on Coaster Force

It's a chain lift! Photos from PabloA on Coaster force

First buses (https://www.firstgroup.com/potteries/plan-journey/alton-towers) run A (singular) bus from Stoke-on-trent rail station in the morning (0930) and one back in the evening (1720). Having had the misfortune of using this before, they don't wait for you. If you're in a queue, or on a ride, tough luck, you're getting an (expensive) taxi back to Stoke. Considering they're UK's premier park, the public transport options are laughable really. Your best bet for accomodation might be a travelodge or other chain (premier inn, holiday inn) in Stoke centre, because I don't think the on-site hotels are a) in your price range, b)worth the money. There are B&B's in Alton, but you'd need somewhere to stay the night before because the only buses are in the morning. Booking.com is a good place to check. Judging on how the season is going so far (take a look at the last 20-odd pages of this thread for some insight), be prepared to either not get on anywhere near everything you want, or fork out for a fasttrack, have to wait an hour in the fasttrack queue, and still not get on everything you want.

Apparently it's based on/took inspiration from Camden Town in London

It's owned by Michael Mack, just not THE Michael Mack. It's very confusing.

From looking at the accounts (I know, yawn) Alton made more profit in 2016 than Thorpe and Chessinton combined, so I don't know where that's coming from. i just think Alton is a nice scapegoat because of the Smiler incident

Is this English? Merlin to save Alton took the money away from all the other parks I thought it was the other way around? Up until the Smiler crash Alton was the cash cow, propping up the other resort theme parks?

An aerial picture of the devastation has surfaced on facebook somehow, and found it's way onto Towers Street courtesy of Jamie:

No, only here/outside Germany due to a trademark agreement with the IOC. Or something. Their official website is still http://olympialooping.com/, so it looks to still be the name

"Meds" - Placebo

They're being extra, extra careful about this, the coaster hasn't even been formally ordered yet until they get all the permits in place! There's also going to be a restaurant under the lift, looking out over the water

RMC referring, of course, to Railway Maintenance Contractors Mack are launching their take on a wing coaster

We have a video of that Chinese indoor coaster with the two janky looking loops. Ironically, the loops aren't even the worst bit! I'd love to know what they were thinking with the transition out of the second loop and what the hell they were playing at with the corkscrew?! It opens on December 18th, so if anybody is in the area and fancies a go...

It's so weird seeing the different boards I visit react to this in their own way, from utter apathy to really excited! Personally it looks garbage and seems really pointless for the resort as a whole, but I'm sure it'll do well for them

According to Temleh on CPBE, it's the same F1 car that normally sits outside the Grand Prix and it's the same car that got sent down the Big One. It's also got nothing to do with the name or the theme, it's just there to help get across the idea of the acceleration to the public.

At least Blackpool are building a decent coaster for 2018

Club Pleasure Beach Experience have posted some pictures from today's official start of construction, including a nice shot over the station towards the two launches!

Saw on Coaster Force that Ed Hart, the CEO, has said that they've spent an extra $10 million dollars during their first development plan, over the past 3 years, than they said they would! So whilst a Larson Loop is a bit "meh", it's understandable given the money they've spent, and committed to spending in the future. They're starting a second 3 year development plan to bring the number of visitors up to 1 million, from 600,000 this year.

I guess, using my engineering degree from Enthusiast University, that there's probably going to be basically no forces on that section of track so they've tried to save a little bit of steel and a bit of money?

Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm sure you will), but doesn't the location of the train imply that it's already tested?

Irvine Ondrey have announced that they are going to Valleyfair to modernise the control system on Wild Thing for next season! So they'll be able to tweak the operations, such as braking force and other such things we take for granted now but weren't around when it was built! [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew]