TraX

The PLC obviously doesn't shut down, but as far as it's concerned, it's 'lost' a train and so everything will stop. Why is that so hilarious? The ride needs to know where the trains are. The sensors are the same as on every other roller coaster and are small green coloured blocks, about half way up.

No they don't, it's not at all weather related. The track looks like that from previous years, when it did work. The pipes need some serious cleaning, there was talk of it happening this year, but sadly I fear 2009 is the year Inferno offically lost it's Inferno.Hopefully one day, like Oblivion's misters, it will get the money spent and drag it back up. That pre-lift section was truely unique to any roller coaster out there.

Ahhh, the wonder of marketing! However, that small difference makes it the steepest and so all the public will hear, is that it's the 'world's steepest roller coaster'

Colossus was also very er, sick last week and I swear they added an 11th inversion! I always find on colder days or evening times, rides feel faster, but if you want an honestly faster ride; then coaster riding in the rain is the real time to ride!

Were you hoping for something like B&M?? What they have are unique to them and very 'free'. S&S believe that it's pointless covering riders 'in cotton wool' making them feel totally secure, thus giving us their unique and comfortable restraint system.James, that is correct, following the lift hill and nippy turn around, the cars will move directly into the 112% degree drop.Nick Buckley, Flamingoland's Operations Director, on Steel Hawg Vs Mumbo Jumbo:"Steel Hawg is actually 111º - the 120 was an early design, and the S&S marketing people weren't quite as up to date with the engineering people when that coaster was launched. Ours will be 1º steeper than Indiana beach."

Well, obviously the rolled back train has to be moved back into it's loading position to connect to the catch car. If there is a second train on, at that point it will have moved and be in load during the rollback and so, before hand, train 2 must be 'jogged' into offload position, before train 1 can move into load.There will then be a ride reset, which then means a block reset on launch, load, offload and waiting. The accumulators will likely, but not always, be ready to re-launch, if not, a delay waiting for those. Once all conditions are met and the attendents have completed their checks and pressed the appropriate buttons, thus allowing the operator to launch train 1. If all goes well and it goes over good good, probably another launch of train 2, but remember as soon as train 2 advances into the load position, all bars will automaticlly raise, meaning all (heavy) bars need to be lowered and done up, and the launch positions taken again, buttons re-pressed by the staff. After this time and if the ride hasn't rolled back guests will be allowed back on the train and the ride re-open.Cold weather, wind, new wheels, different weight on trains are some of the reasons for a roll back. So you can see here, it's not so easy as you'd think and whilst it's great fun to be on a rollback for us geeks, some of the general public freak out completly and the park can obviously do without all that.On an intertesting note, did you know there are sensors on the track (half way up and half way down) that monitor the train and can detect if the train has rolled back (by passing the same sensor twice) and in the case of an event where the train (again) gets stuck at the top, the ride PLC is basiclly confused as the train, having passed it's first sensor and not the second has 'lost' the train and so shuts down!

Ahhh, but remember no one ride on Stealth is of the same time!

The cycle length is not changed at all by the operator, although possible, it would mean the boot from your employment.Rush's cycle believe it or not, is often due to the ride itself. You may not be aware, but the very last swing on Rush is usually the highest and can sometimes cause the ride to shut down. If she's having these problems, then the park would rather knock the cycle length down a swing and keep the ride open.However, this is not always the case, the cycle length is also decided on that days gate figures and yes, every second counts although, I do agree with what was said, and I argued the case whilst operating; if I were already in a long Rush queue, then I wouldn't mind and tbh would expect a longer ride cycle.You have to remember there are a lot of deciding factors, even the weather can screw things up. Too sunny, or too wet.

It had some downtime, it's a bran new ride you HAVE to expect that. However, apart from the odd glitch here and there (which could even be an issue with a guest, or what they have eaten..), the ride is currently available, right? No problem then.

Sadly, it's a clumsy ride for attendants and guests alike. Try walking along those rows checking bars and dealing with guests who failed to listen to the ride op in saying 'lightly on your shoulders'. You unlock one of those bars and the entire ride want it done too. As soon as the ride starts it's cycle it's not long at all, even the raising and lowering of the boom doesn't take that long.Another point to remember, the ride does have to weighed out and guests 'chickening out' after you've balanced the ride in it's batching, can mean you have to go through the queue looking for the right amount of guests to replace, groups will never want to be split up.

Inferno is certainlly over looked. It doesn't get queue's as it's 'friendly'. Friendly for staff attending on it, staff operating it and engineers working on it. It's friendly for easy loading and unloading (minus Thorpe's footwear buisness) and this comes with the B&M price tag. Hope the park can see the expence of a B&M does pay off for everyone.Stealth though becomes the icon, why? Because it's tall and that's it. The first thing you see upon driving into the main gate (after the Tussaud's logo ) is Stealth. When the Saw hype dies down, people will return to Stealth until, or if the park go one better.It was an odd moment over the weekend, Sunday, I believe at park opening the Stealth plaza was like a grave yard. Yes it was closed, but that never stopped many of us racing there early 2006 to find it shut..

Whilst operating Slammer, the hourly throuput was 550, which was very difficult to reach.

TONS of people have been on the ride now, that certainlly includes the press. Basicly, tomorrow is the first day of 'joe public' on the ride if you like. Also note that the POV camera is slightly wet as if you do actually get wet on this ride... Sadly, I didn't win the Saw Ride it First event for Friday.

Everyone worrying about the themeing inside; rest assured it's good, it's animated BUT don't expect full gore. Sounds exciting huh? One thing I find interesting is that none of the news reports ever mention SAW. Copyright laws at the time it's aired, I guess.

The park themselves have already said the areas are being 'lost'. They have been for a few years now.

I never understand why all those stories appear. Just because X is in the dark, it has to be haunted? LOLI remember going on that Annual Pass ghost tour one Fright Night and being told these stories and when we asked about X we were told "yes, as you're aware, X No Way Out is one of the most thrilling rides in the park...blah blah..." which of course gave us a fit of the giggles. No,I don't think it is. There's more chance of slipping on a pile of sick than seeing that 'little boy in red'.

Fury, Rattlesnake and Rameses are certainlly thrill rides! Chessington out of the two, has a nice balance due to the sudden target change a few years back.

Everything is due to be open, all depends if all goes to plan I guess.

As mentioned again and again; it's all very well having a family park 'just down the road' but a family may be at Thorpe Park and won't have the money to pay to go to the other park 'just down the road'. Both parks need to cater for a family.

The same 'cartoonish' look. I imagine it won't be long until it's online.

I would like to see something like what Sheikra have. After leaving the station, you arrive in the photo unit, where you can adjust your own pictures. Zoom in if you don't want strangers in your picture, zoom in further if you're a single rider. Shift the image left or right etc etc.. You have a good ammount of control on your picture, it's not complicated, but I imagine the great British public would be utterly confused. Sheikra also have an on ride video type DVD, but rather than on the shuttles themselves (like Oblivion), it's more like Yourday, only it's slowed a bit, so during the faster sections of the ride, you can atually see what's happening.

The actual video will appear next week, if not on the official website, it will be 'leaked'.

I thought you ment the queueline.

Remember most of downstairs is the ride workshop (The track runs over it, following the first drop) and inline.

As far as talk of Samurai, the Mondial thing was deffo on the cards, I'm unsure as to why it never happened. The re-theme was something they would have liked again, unsure why none of it happened!Fingers crossed for Stealth, see how it looks this weekend.