Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[Mochtroid]

look at the plans!? The size of the plans really dont look big enough for it to be a 4D coaster.

 

The trains on 4d coasters are heavy and it would be hard to get them over the hills. Also, they usually have Raven turns and the plans don't have the supports required on barrel rolls. Besides, somewhere they said that this ride is more family-oriented than the other SWs, and 4d is not exactly what comes to mind when you say family.

[TheMike]

There is also no 'third rail' on the plans, which turns the trains on a 4D coaster.

 

I could see alton going for a 'different' riding position, ala Jet Rescue. Every new coaster AT get has a gimick to it. They have inverted, flying, launched, spinning, powered, vertical. Something like a motorbike style seating position could easily be done looking at the plans. Add to that a tilt or switch track and Alton DO technically have a worlds first on the cards.

[JFrombaugh]

Here's the Robo Coaster promo video for anyone who might've missed out on it:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gldjaUfS9jc&NR=1

 

The music is pretty cool too.

 

The last product at the end, the one that's an actual coaster, is the one that caught my attention the most...the other flat rides I believe already exist at Legoland. The track looks a lot like B&M track...If it turns out that its marketed as a "B&M 4D coaster" (with the RoboCoaster trains) I might need a tissue...

 

Though I must admit, there is one thing that I think could end up describing that ride...

 

 

Still, it could be freakin' sweet if one with raven turns and hearltine rolls gets built!!

[ericmichaellucas]

I hope people are ready to be disappointed about SW6.

 

While reading through the entire planning application, I came across this in the Noise Impact Assesment for the "Corkscrew Ride Replacement"

 

 

Follow this link to page 7 were it clearly indicates that in order to assess the noise levels for SW6, the company doing the assessment had to use "a similar one located at Thorpe Park. The Thorpe Park ride 'No Way Out' is tatally enclosed".

 

I'm sorry to announce that, whether SW6 is going to be a world first or not, I now strongly believe that it will be very simialar to X:\No Way Out at Thorpe Park. This is a great shame as X:\NWO is probably the most piss poor coaster I've ever been on.

[Fry]

^I dunno, I think it's clear from the layout that even if it was *exactly* the same ride type as X (it won't be, lol, just, humour me), it still won't ride like X because it... well, does something

 

I don't understand the whole noise test on X thing though, it does seem a little odd cause the plans don't show the track being anything like X and if it was a Vekoma, it'd almost certainly use the new track type... surely? I really don't think it's going to be too similar to X, I wouldn't worry about it.

[TPDave]

I would assume X was used more to match the noise of the trains and the passengers rather than to indicate the new coaster will be particularly similar. If i remember correctly Thorpe Park used vortex as a noise case study for one of their coasters...

 

Dave

[ahecht]

Here's the Robo Coaster promo video for anyone who might've missed out on it:

...

The last product at the end, the one that's an actual coaster, is the one that caught my attention the most...the other flat rides I believe already exist at Legoland. The track looks a lot like B&M track...If it turns out that its marketed as a "B&M 4D coaster" (with the RoboCoaster trains) I might need a tissue...

 

That's not B&M track -- it's made by AMEC. It's the same style track that AMEC used to retrack Disneyland's Space Mountain:

 

[luke8]

It's not a robocoaster, trust me.

 

Universal have a copyright mark on Robo Coasters for 4 seasons, I believe.

 

And for christs sake, it is NOT a B&M, at all. Since when do B&M make bi-rail track?

[coastered]

I found this on Screamscape.com

Planning - (1/29/09) According to this news article reprinted at Alton Towers Almanac the proposed 2010 coaster for Alton Towers may be delayed due to claims that the coaster may extend into a historic area where an “Iron Age hill fort” may exist. While a crew will come out to investigate, Alton claims that the fort is nowhere near the new ride zone and is actually on the opposite end of the proposed site.

You can read the full article here:

http://www.towersalmanac.com/index.php?show_story=366

[kitsch transporter]

The comparison to Thorpe´s X could simply mean that Alton´s new coaster will also change direction, will (partially) be built indoors and it could still be made by the same manufacturer.

[Troll]

I found this update on Alton Towers Almanac and thought you all would be interested: http://www.towersalmanac.com/index.php?show_story=367

Looks positive at the moment

[Troll]

A planning application for a £12 million ride to replace the Corkscrew at Alton Towers has been deferred following a barrage of protests.

 

The full article can be found here: http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Protests-hit-plan-new-Alton-Towers-ride/article-692263-detail/article.html

 

The final decision should now be made next month

[monkeyoverlord71]

I love this comment on it.

How about they move Alton bit by bit and put it on the moon. they might be happy then!

Rob, Stoke

Are rides on the moon closer than we think.

[rollerboy]

I'm sick of all the old folk's trying to ruin our fun.

We should send our own letters in favor of the ride! That would be funny.

[MG]

^Thats not actually that bad an idea. Planning applications have to go through various stages. If people managed to demonstrate to the council how important this new ride could be for Alton Towers' Future then it could be quite important. Every little helps

[Airtime&Gravity]

^or those who go to Alton Towers could argue that the noise from the Ropers' pottery factory is making it difficult to enjoy your day at the park. Do to them what they do to Alton Towers. Another thing that might work is to show up at a town meeting and say to the locals that "unless you lived in Alton before the park opened, then don't complain."

 

I'm sure that the coaster will still get built though because:

1. it will be away from the historic building that locals said would be destroyed

2. the ride will probably be filled with sand reducing noise

3. few trees will supposedly be removed

4. if I remember correctly, the local government is starting to realize that the locals will do whatever it takes to get the park closed(most recent time Ropers complained about noise)

5. won't the ride will be smaller height wise than corkscrew

[Ed]

The Pottery Factory is nowhere near Alton Towers..

[Coke]

BREAKING NEWS!

 

From Towerstimes.co.uk

Alton Towers new rollercoaster for the 2010 season has been approved, just minutes ago, by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. The ride, which will replace the Corkscrew, is dubbed to have world first features and has been codenamed "Secret Weapon Six".

[The Alex]

Well, that's awesome.

Now let's get the thing built!

 

Does anybody know the manufacturer yet?

I think it's either B&M or Vekoma..

[mash80]

Here is an article from The Sentinel on the news.

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Alton-Towers-gets-ahead-secret-weapon-6-rollercoaster/article-767412-detail/article.html

 

Plans went before Staffordshire Moorlands District Council today and were approved unanimously.

Councillors were told the new ride code-named 'Secret Weapon 6' was essential to enable the Staffordshire theme park to retain its number one status.

The ride is “world-first”, and is expected to attract an extra 100,000 visitors to the park once opened.

Head of development at the attraction, Mark Kerrigan, who is also chairman of Destination Staffordshire, said: “The Corkscrew was the most iconic ride of its generation and this will be as good if not better.

“We are fundamentally aware of the limits on noise and height and we have worked very hard to ensure that it will not cause any environmental harm.”

The new ride will be built in the park's Ug Land area and could open next year. It will be at a track height of 20 metres, about 1.7 metres lower than the Corkscrew.

A large section of the track will run through woodland known as Abbey Wood and part of the ride will take passengers in reverse.

Nearly 100 letters of objection were lodged with the district council including complaints that the ride will extend into protected woodland and encroach on the area of an Iron Age hill fort.

Councillor John Fisher raised concerns about the impact on Abbey Wood, which provides a protective screen to the Churnet Valley.

But he said: ”Alton Towers needs this ride to attract new punters and if they do not get new punters their business will go down.

“We need Alton Towers. It is one of our three major employers and without it there would be a lot of people out of work.”

Read more in tomorrow's Sentinel and on www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk

 

This is great news! Can't wait for more details to get released and then finally getting to follow an AT construction project.

[Purplepills]

Excellent.

 

Maybe they'll do some decent theming like what has been done at Thorpe for Saw.

[The Alex]

Hopefully they'll have better opperations than what Thorpe has done for Saw.

[monkeyoverlord71]

^Saw has just opened with no real queueing problems so how can you say that.

^^John Wardley is working on it and he is the genius behind Nemises and he was just working on Saw.

[Purplepills]

^^You can't judge 'bad' operations from one preview day. From what I gather today it has run really well. If it's still breaking down every day in 6 months time you'll have a point.

[r4blue]

Hello, what's this my eagle eyes have spotted at the back of the Observer's travel section yesterday?

 

 

Clicky if you can't see image above.

 

1. Surely SW6.

 

2. It's a drop! And potentially only a short one by the sounds of it. Backwards? Upside down? Both? It'll have to be something interesting to be a marketable 'world's first'.