JoshC.

Dunno why, but in a Harry Potter mood this evening...

I must agree that the process can be quite demoralising, especially with people who receive multiple rejections with little reason. In a way, I think that the process needs a serious rethink, as people are judged too much without reasons behind the creiteria thought of. The new proposals of applying after results are got is a good idea, but no good in practice - but that's a whole different argument.. My college do not stop anyone from applying to Oxbrideg if they want to, as they have the mindset of 'If you don't apply, then you don't know if you'll get in', if you will, probably because they've have students that would seem weaker still get a place. The thing is, Cambridge 'say' that GCSEs aren't of much importance, and they're taken into consideration with the secondary school (so, in a sense, 'good' GCSEs from a 'bad' school could be seen as the same as 'great' GCSEs from a 'good' school, and better than 'good' GCSEs from a 'good' school, if that makes sense).; based on the feedback I recieved, this seems a bit of a stretch of the truth. I'd be interested, if you don't mind me asking, whether you go to a college, or stayed on at your secondary school for sixth form there, as I know that it's a case that some sixth forms are quite strict about GCSE grades and applying to Oxbridge, because of the taking GCSEs in context with the school idea.. In a way, I do see where they are coming from, you're right. However, it is more a case of two dodgy module grades, which both have explanations behind them, stopped me from even getting an interview. I was more hoping that they'd make some sort of leeway, and allow for the odd bad day, which happens to everyone, which annoys me more. To be honest, I'm more disappointed about the fact I didn't get an interview than an offer, as, simply put, I feel the reasons aren't a reflection of how things really are. Goes back to Sidders point of demoralisation a bit I guess..And, of course, it's not like I've ended up with nothing - I'd already got an offer from my second choice uni before the rejection, which I was more than delighted with. Furthermore, it usually gets ranked higher than Oxford when it comes to my subject, so as you say, Oxbridge isn't everything!I completely agree with your last point (well, in a gneral sense as opposed to your school, as that would seem slightly stalkerish ). Some B grades, for example, are totally underated and people see them more as a burden to their application as opposed to a success of their studies. I know many a people who seem like people from your school, and treat B (and some A) grades as 'failure'.. For the record, I never felt that Cambridge was the only uni to go to, but it was of course my first choice. Anyone who's ever been rejected by the first choice will know the disappointment, and slight upset, that it causes the. It's not different when it comes to Cambridge. And the thing with social lives at Oxbridge is, I'd say, completely blown out of proportion. I know people who have successfully got a place, and people who are currently there, and none of them are this 'snobby, uptight, posh' people that are well known to Oxbridge. I don't deny that there are a lot of 'that type' of people there, but there are plenty of other people who are much more 'normal' if you will. When I was fortunate enough to stay at Cambridge for 3 days during term time, it certainly gives a clear picture of what students are like - and I'd say that, for the most part, they're just like any other university students. And of course there's people who hate it and don't 'fit in', but I'd say that that happens at all universities.

^Agreed, not a big fan of those trains. They 'look' too much like trains, where it shows the body of the train so much (wow, that sounds very dim..), and not enough like an eagle.Swarm and Raptor seemingly cover the body much better..

Okay, perhaps a rant-that's-not-really-a-rant rant coming up, which some people may find pathetic / whatever, but something I need to get off my chest...Much like many thousands of teenagers my age, I applied to university this year. As I believe I've said on this forum, I applied to - and got rejected by - Cambridge. Now, before I carry on, I'm not ranting about being rejected from Cambridge - after all, I applied for one of the most competitive courses at one of best universities in the world; I in no way expected to be able to walk in. However, I was rejected before interview, which obviously disappointed and slightly upset me. Now, this rejection was back in mid-November, and I immediately applied for feedback on my application - I thought that there was a very very good chance of me getting interview (as the college I applied for interview at least 90% for each subject), so I was somewhat confused as to where my application had gone wrong.Two months later, and contact with my Tutor had finally be made. So, there was one main reason highlighted as to why I wasn't even given an interview, which was that my grades 'didn't show potential in getting A*AA at A-Level' (their standard offer). In reality, Cambridge only really cared about three of my subjects, and they even said that (to a lesser or greater extent) when they sent feedback, and they were Maths, Further Maths and Physics. I've already got an A* in Maths (a bloody good achievement which I'm proud of, for the record), so it means they don't see the potential in getting 2 A grades in Further Maths and Physics. The reason was because my 'Statistics grades in Maths weren't close enough to 90%' (I got an A and a C, the C I've resat after a bad day. Stats is my weakest part of Maths, and their least desired Maths Modules..) and 'because I got an E in my Physics practicals' (which was explained in my application, due to poor teaching of them, as admitted by my teacher. For what it's worth, everyone else in my class got a U in the practicals...). So in other words, they're main reason for rejecting me was because of one bad day which happened to have 2 exams, and having a weak module score in one unit. According to my college, this is the first time they've heard 'module grades weren't close enough to 90%' as a contributing factor to rejection.What the real rick in teeth was with the feedback was they said that they 'would've liked to have seen more A*s at GCSE'; though it wasn't a big deal, I get the impression it was a nail in coffin. Okay, I only got a full A* at GCSE, which is below the average of a Cambridge applicant. However, I came from a below-average school and my particular year only scored 33% 5 A*-C, so to come out with the GCSEs I got surely shows that I have some potential? Okay, so this probably sounds really whinny and pathetic to some people, but basically what I'm getting at is simply I'm just a bit annoyed that out of all the possible reasons for not even getting an interview was that they couldn't see any potential in me, even though it was a couple of modules which looked a bit 'concerning'...

The picture has not been flipped horizontally.

Oh, that's quite cheap actually... :$I thought extra costs though, like the need for having to stay at one of the park hotels bumping up the cost or something? I do remember the sole reason for me not going was the cost, then to hear about people getting money back was a right kick in the teeth!Still, Thorpe could make a whole lot more charging a hundred odd quid pp for a tour-like event, than turning it into an AP day like event..

It sounds a little bit like the planned Th13teen event, which was meant to cost, what, £300?Thorpe wouldn't give a tour like that for a small cost when they can do £300pp

Rush gets this 'major attention', if you will, on a three yearly basis. I believe they've received some new parts from S&S this closed season as well. As for something else that isn't Swarm related...maintenance is ahead of schedule this year, mainly due to the fact that there hasn't been large amounts of adverse weather (ie snow) this year, when compared to previous seasons.

It's 'apparently' still registered to fly. From what I'm aware, it will be bashed up a little. Whether the blades are smashed up is a different matter.As a fun fact of the day, one of Thorpe's engineers is a fan of planes, which helped in the finding / building of plane parts. Also, the plane wing that you dive under is a mock one, as using a plane wing with the engine shells would not have been long enough. The engine shells, however, are real.

I think we can say that there won't be any repaints going on this closed season, at least for major rides. Surely they would've started by now?A Colossus repaints isn't really something that I feel is essential, but nonetheless would be good. I'd prefer them to sort it out in a couple of years time, maybe the 2013/14 closed season, and then not add any new rides for 2014. Then, in general, repaint / retheme / rename a couple of rides and bring some life back into older rides, rather than always focusing on something new. As for improving Thorpe this closed season, I'd really just like to see them sort out ride effects and audio. Give Canada Creek a little redesign, open it up a bit perhaps now CCR is gone, and just make sure the rides and their effects have the ability to last all season relatively smoothly.

Oblvion is a good, all round ride, but I can't call it world class, for one reason...As soon as you reach the end of the ride, and are waiting to go back in the station, hearing the Lord of Darkness say there is no escape, etc etc completely ruins everything - the build up from the area, the queue, the station, everything. A world class ride, for me, cannot end by ruining the story..

I find it pretty poor to be honest.The launch is about all there is to the ride. Okay, I 'get' that that's the point, but it just doesn't do 'it' for me - it's not the comfiest or most re-ridable of rides. There's slight quirkiness in the theming, and the audio is okay, but Stealth is a ride I can go without doing on a Thorpe visit, and it is for those reasons which is why I, perhaps slightly harshly, rated it 'poor'.

Probably look at 1.96m as a max. restriction, like with many other rides. Not too sure though..

Not strictly true.. ;)A locus is a collection of points that share the same property. A circle is a locus of points that share a constant, fixed distance from the same point. So, technically, the body of mass travels along the course of a locus, not around it. (At least, that's what I've always been taught )[/end pendent]

As nice as it is that it's testing now, I'm not really overly excited at seeing a couple of pictures of it at a couple of points on the track if I'm honest. Heck, even seeing a video from Monk's Walk won't get that much more excited than I already am for this - nothing really beats hearing the lift hill, the sound of the wheels and such. Sorry if it seems like I'm party-pooping, but seeing a couple of pictures showing trains round a circuit isn't really something 'exciting' for me..But anyways... WOO TESTING!!

Just to throw this out here...Looking at the plans, after the vertical section of track, there's just a small dip in the track and then a turn, I believe? If so, that doesn't seem like the best of ideas to go into after a launch, whatever the speed - would feel very uncomfortable / neck-braking in my view.Just a point to make about this vertical launch section, which I hope doesn't happen if I'm honest..

Which I believe is the same time for the Ride it First competition?Loads of UK Merlin attractions have these VIP launch things, so doubt Swarm will be any different..

With the trains looking almost exactly like that concept art, I think some people who were saying that 'Swarm won't have fire effects just because the concept art says so' might be reconsidering their views now..

I don't think we'll being seeing any sort of launch on the lift hill at all. I get the feeling that the point of the first inversion is to go through it slowly and steadily, create suspense and tension; build up the scare factor if you will.After all, loads of rides can through inversions quickly, but few can go through them slowly and use it as a form of suspense.

Liam quoted this on the previous page, and I'm quoting this on this page too, taken from the noise report.If nothing else, this gives us a very strong suggestion that SW7 is by Gerstlauer. To be quite frank, I'm getting slightly annoyed by loads of different forums arguing what manufacturer it is. There is one line in one of the more important reports that gives us a strong indication to the manufacturer, so where's all this argument of 'Oh, it will manufacturer x, y or z?' coming from!? I'm all for looking through the plans and working out things from them, but when we're more or less told something from the plans, where's all the 'Oh, the plans are wrong!!!!' coming from.

SFTW is one of those shows that, for some reason, I just like. I don't know what it is, but I find myself every Sunday watching it and enjoying it. One of the few times I'm actually prepared to join one of these pointless Facebook groups tbh..

It won't be the used audio.On a different note, I've heard rumours that testing could be happening as early as next week..! Exciting times..

I believe, then, that the rumours going round may be a misunderstanding / lack of knowledge of the revised idea. I for one did not know of this revision, and didn't know there was a plan to connect said pond to Manor Lake, but meh.

I've heard the same rumour said by a couple of people on these forums (I think due to water contamination or something weird like that), but have never know of any documentation available to back it up.

Just thought I'd let you know Sheepie, and anyone else who may have been interested, that I'm not going to do one for Cheesie now, simply because I didn't go there enough to make it feel worthwhile. Depending on how well this year turns out for me, I'll probably end up doing another Thorpe one and maybe a Cheesie one for this upcoming season.