Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[mikejenkins1]

So I do have a question. Why all the prehype about the building? All it has is a simple roll over (jo jo roll).

And was all the story of the room where you would be turned upside down just more hype ?

[Anything]

The rotating track piece was pure fabrication that a website reported and ended up with egg on its face.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^^The "washing machine" was theorized by a website since the initial plans approved appeared to have 8 inversions instead of the advertised 14. Someone came up with the element to try and see if Alton Towers would use that to boost the loops to 14. When the altered plans were shown to actually contain the 14 loops, the "washing machine" was largely dismissed.

[Bear92]

Overhyped, gimmicky, "two Eurofighters bolted together" or otherwise, this is an absolutely fantastic coaster that Alton has needed for many years.

 

Feel free to dislike it for your own reasons, but I simply cannot get enough of it and all the other new coasters I've ridden since (including Blue Fire, Expedition GeForce, and Black Mamba) have been way underwhelming in comparison.

[mikejenkins1]

So the hype with the station and hiding it in pictures was standard Alton Towers marketing?

[Loefet]

In a section talking about Vekoma's new Hydraulic launch system on Toverlands Booster Bike and why they developed it, they talk about the difference in costs between running the two different launches. Two megawatts of electricity, we are talking hundreds of thousands of pounds a year in the UK.

 

"After the magnetic LIM and LSM launches the future will definately belong to the hydraulic power units: "There are no costly power supply lines or transverters needed for this system, and the handling is quite easy", Nijsen points out. "While our LSM coaster at Six Flags Holland reaches a peak demand of more than two megawatts, the pump system of the Booster Bike only needs 140KW, which is less than a tenth."

 

http://www.coastersandmore.de/rides/boosterbike/boosterbike_e.shtml

Well the launch technology have advanced a lot since then, that article were written almost 10 years ago. Most (if not all) LSM/LIM launches today use some kind of energy storage system, whether it's a flywheel, hydraulic system, super-capacitor or other doesn't matter, the thing is that an LSM coaster can load the electric grid in the same fashion as a pure hydraulic system does. So power usage isn't an issue for magnetic launches any more, even in Ye Olde England. And the best thing by using LSM units is that it's now even possible to regain the power from brakes, which can be used for the next launch.

Freishütz in Bayern Park were the first coaster that have energy recovery for any coaster, which will lower the power requirement by 30% roughly compared to a similar launch coaster without the system. These things give the LSM technology an edge compared to hydraulic launched coasters in my opinion.

So I don't really see why there haven't been any magnetic launched coasters in the UK, since there is potential to get a more energy efficient launcher that way.

[SoCalCoasters]

So the hype with the station and hiding it in pictures was standard Alton Towers marketing?

 

Merlin has one of the cleverest marketing departments in any amusement company. When they saw the rumor about the rotating track piece and how much hype it was generating without their involvement, a simple picture of the ride with the area in question omitted was like a spark to a keg of dynamite. It was a brilliant move that gave them a lot of free advertising and public awareness than they would have otherwise had. They let that hype run its course and then die down far before the opening. Stunts like the sheep and posters were soon talked about instead.

[jray21]

^^The "washing machine" was theorized by a website since the initial plans approved appeared to have 8 inversions instead of the advertised 14. Someone came up with the element to try and see if Alton Towers would use that to boost the loops to 14. When the altered plans were shown to actually contain the 14 loops, the "washing machine" was largely dismissed.

 

That's pretty funny. Some random person/group says there will be a washing machine feature, and every buys it and talks about it like it's a fact. Gotta love the theme park fans!

[BDG]

Ouch.

 

People are tweeting that "a bolt flew out of the track" this morning and now the track isn't connected anymore.

 

Adam Jones ‏@Adamjnes 14m

Queuing for the smiler then a bolt sheared off the cart and smashed the metal above everyone #finaldestination

Anthony ‏@ant_mellor 32m

Bit scared after seeing this as the reason #TheSmiler has stopped! @altontowers pic.twitter.com/R6A891QLzI

jamie davies ‏@rock_the_fair 38m

OMFG some piece of metal just came off #thesmiler @Altontowers !!!!! Don't make them like they used to!! :-/

Charandeep Singh ‏@CharandeepS1ngh 41m

Waiting for the Smiler ride and just heard a metal pole clunk off the tracks at @altontowers! #unexpected #SikhYourSummer

Edited July 21, 2013 by robbalvey

[TyRush]

Oh wow! Thats crazy, but didnt they force a piece into position? Hopefully it gets fixed and up and running soon

 

Worst weekend for amusement park history? Or close?

[JAMMYD778]

Strangely enough, this bolt flying off has occurred on a join of track which is the entry to the first dive loop. This area fit perfectly together as far as we know and the troublesome join areas are still fine. Very strange indeed and yes, a very bad weekend for the parks.

[australianalex]

Jeez, July 2013 is the Themeparkpocalypse it seems. Not to mention that this is the second blow to Gerstlauer's reputation in 2 days, although unlike with the Texas Giant incident this is definitely a fault in engineering.

[Moose]

^There really is no way for you to tell you if it is an engineering problem. It may have been an installation issue or even a material issue.

[Anything]

Out of operation indefinitely. Possibly re-tracking surely. They've bodged this constantly from the start and its about time they bit the dust and reprofiled.

[vacoaster09]

COME ON GERSTLAUER!!!!!....Seriously

[chadster]

Guys, bolts pop on steel rides from time to time, it happens. If more than one pops, they replace all of them on the flange, if its just one, they replace it, check the others, good to go.

[CorkscrewFoley]

^A voice of reason, thank you Chad.

[ernierocker]

Out of operation indefinitely. Possibly re-tracking surely. They've bodged this constantly from the start and its about time they bit the dust and reprofiled.

[cfc]

Guys, bolts pop on steel rides from time to time, it happens. If more than one pops, they replace all of them on the flange, if its just one, they replace it, check the others, good to go.

 

Yes, a similar accident happened on Volcano at Kings Dominion a few years ago. But they fixed the problem and operated the ride for the rest of the season.

[kailisun98]

3 amusement park incidents in a weekend. Wow!

[SharkTums]

3 amusement park incidents in a weekend. Wow!

 

As I mentioned in another thread, this isn't really a 'wow', this is a super busy weekend for the amusement industry, more people riding = more chances for incidents!

 

It's like when people freak out that Disney has the most deaths of any park...that's cause they're open the most and have the highest attendance!!

[LoopScreweD]

I think the "young man" may have returned to sabotage amusement parks again 37 years after his first spree... For those who have no Idea what I'm blathering about watch the movie rollercoaster (1976) on YouTube it's free.

[mousch]

Myself and rctneil were there today and queueing when the incident occurred, Neil said he heard it, I didn't but as photos have shown its quite clear,they have put in a new bolt but weren't happy with it so closed it for at least today. But as every cloud has a silver lining we got free fastpasses for the smiler for future use!

[SharkTums]

Poor Neil...I'm sure he's just gutted that he didn't get to ride his favorite ride!

[rider-x]

what I would like to know is where is the Intamin cable? we all know somehow he is responsible for all of this mess