Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[JRHcoasterki]

^

[Rollercoasters4Life]

1. I don't get why the sensor is so interesting? Like others have said, it could be for anything and there are tons of these on rides.

 

Its and unusual place to put a sensor - in the middle of two inversions, high in the air. Some speculate that it is for judging the speed for the trims that will follow over the bunny hop into the cobra roll.

[Moose]

Or it could be something to check for a vallying car.

 

I'm with you Elissa.

[RCT3Bross]

I got an update from TowersStreet. I took 3 pictures to share the rest can be found on the link below.

Finishing up the track of the Sea Serpent roll.

Support with a missing leg. The footer for the missing leg was placed wrong (I read on Towers Times) and so it looks odd for the time being.

Working within the vertical lift trench. Looks like they are on it for when the vertical lift comes. Wonder how they get the cat out.

http://www.towersstreet.com/the-smiler/construction/2013/21st-march-2013/

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Support with a missing leg. The footer for the missing leg was placed wrong (I read on Towers Times) and so it looks odd for the time being.

 

As far as I know, the support with the missing 'leg' wasn't the one that had a footer wrong. The footer which was wrong was to do with the structure over the toilets and that footer is to the left of the toilet block.

[TyRush]

Wow no news since Wednesday? Where are the updates!!?

 

I want to see the twist o'steel

[BudtheWeiser]

Wow no news since Wednesday? Where are the updates!!?

 

I want to see the twist o'steel

 

 

Snow stopped play unfortunately

[RCT3Bross]

Park was closed for three day's what updates did you expect.

But if you can't do without them today it reopened and I have 2 pictures of the First Drop to dive loop.

They hadn't got the chance to do something these past 3 days they didn't place a single jigsaw piece. Pictures are from Towersguide.

[snoflake15]

When will the panicky 'will opening be delayed?' posts start after this weather?

[cfc]

^Don't give anyone any ideas.

 

Nice pic of Smiler in the snow.

[TPDave]

^^^ I think we can give them three days off!

 

Looking good - this is probably my most anticipated UK coaster since Stealth.

Edited March 25, 2013 by TPDave

[RCT3Bross]

When will the panicky 'will opening be delayed?' posts start after this weather?

I already saw some at Alton Towers enthusiasts forums. The screams of end May to this will open in June now.

^^^ I think we can give them three days off!

Was more a remark that there was no vertical construction. I understand it completely.

 

An other update from towers street facebook towards the 4th inversion of the ride the last one to be build :

From the toilets looking at the dive loop.

Supports in the air.

For who that didn't believe the footer story. I guess that would be placed already if it wasn't true.

A view on the fresh tracks.

More second dive loop supports. We'll be seeing it soon I guess.

Staffordshire knot. The most beautiful twisted element if you ask me.

Got to love the mini supports.

An other one of the missing support.

And an other one of the Staffordshire knot. Can't wait to see some trains right on that spot.

Can't wait to see it finish.

[rctneil]

It's really looking excellent now. Very very excited to ride it. Been following Smiler progress so much more than 13 when it too was at this stage of progression.

 

Love that my home park finally has it's own Dive Loop (my favourite inversion).

[TyRush]

There it is! Thanks for the update

[Rollercoasters4Life]

For who that didn't believe the footer story. I guess that would be placed already if it wasn't true.

 

You are wrong. That footer may or may not be done, of which I am unsure. The footer that was a mistake happens to be near the toilets, across from it onto a grass verge - They have since filled this incorrect footer in. The reason they haven't completed that support is either they have yet to lay the footer, or what I personally think is the reason is that they still need access under it to put in a piece of track after the last section of Sea Serpent roll going into the bunny hill. They have previously done this with two different supports and when they have accessed the area they want they then put in the remainder of the support into the footer and connect it to the 'legless' support.

 

[TyRush]

There is another world's first! Half a support!

[Wes]

There is another world's first! Half a support!

 

Invisible supports are the new black!

[rcjp]

It would be kind of cool to see the trains going through that piece of track with the missing support.

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Some images from today:

 

Rising up from the first dive loop up towards the second:

 

Going into the second dive loop:

 

Trimmed bunny hill - hopefully the trims won't need to be used to much and we can still get a pop of airtime:

 

(All images courtesy of The Alton Towers Guide's facebook page)

[snoflake15]

I cannot work out where the hell any of that is. It's just a mass of metal. Very excited about it.

[RCT3Bross]

^ Got you covered on what they have done and yet to do.

I've been trying to keep with this insane looking great ride. So I took a construction plan made the whole track red and then the inversions orange. After that I filled in what they have done with Black and what they have done from the inversions yellow.

If you look at it you can almost see how they plan it. First finish the Dive-loop and make the first airtime hill. Then finish the sea serpent and go over with the Second airtime hill. Then I suspect them to finish the first drop, do the vertical lift, work on the final turn and in the same time the twisted drop after the vertical, then finish the brakes before going to the first lift hill.

 

Tattenhill Aviation ltd facebook released this earial picture of the Smiler today:

Was taken early by the looks of the construction updates and this.

[TPInvestigator]

I really can't wait for this coaster! I just worry about its throughput. Alton Towers' queues are horrific anyway. At least Rita and Thi3teen will be a little bit quieter!

[Mechanic]

This thread was more fun when we were talking about a washing machine.

[vacoaster09]

[Wes]

This thread was more fun when we were talking about a washing machine.

 

[youtu_be]

[/youtu_be] Edited March 27, 2013 by Wes