MattyMoo

I should have clarified - there were two companies - one contractor to do groundworks, piling, foundations, reinforcement, station construction etc. and a different contractor dealt with the track installation (in fact, the track installation contractor is involved with DBGT judging by the site safety signs on hoardings) Ben is right though - budgets were tight to start, and then got tighter.

Off topic but - No, no, no. The contractors were not in the slightest - they are the same ones responsible for construction of SAW, The Swarm and Thirteen. The (lack of) drainage system was pointed out by them during construction, but not acted upon - they were simply doing what they were told within the budget constraints.

I've pencilled in my first and probably only visit to Thorpe this year on Wednesday 11th May - can't be doing with weekend queues, and figure they may tweak things over the first few days, iron out any problems etc. With a confirmed opening date - surely TV adverts must now be imminent...

That space is being used for Derren Brown's office.

Awww I was hoping it would be a world's first teleportation experience!

So there's something by one of the sides then!

I'm struggling how to respond to that article - does she really need an extra few hundred quid from The Mirror? I know it's incredibly awful what's happened, obviously it is, and of course she is going to never want to ride it again, hates Alton Towers, all theme parks etc. etc. - but some of those comments in that article are beyond stupid.

The more tid-bits of information that come out, the more I'm starting to worry this isn't going to be much good (or at least, my cup of tea)... but I continue to hope I'll be proven wrong! How do you get in the carriage then if there's nothing around it to get you in it? Is it just a pointless prop? I really hope Merlin manage to pull this off.

Surely they were always going to be prosecuted because of the findings from the reports? There's no one else to blame other than Alton Towers and their procedures and/or the ride operator(s) at the time? Gerst can't be responsible for the procedures regarding a blocking system being over-ridden by ride-ops. If Merlin did not have the correct training/procedures in place, then - that's where the buck stops? EDIT to say - are we to assume from this headline that the operator who performed the over-ride is negated of all responsibility? That's what it would imply to me?

I didn't even enter the competition and am OUTRAGED that I didn't win because I visited Thorpe Park once last year which is an infinite % increase on my attendance in 2014.

Yes - so when it doesn't open in 2017, no-one can say we weren't forewarned!

Yes, the inclusion of the word "hope" there could be very relevant.

This. News articles saying that you can pre-order Vive's from 29th February, and will be available "early April". I hope Thorpe are high up that pre-order queue or it could be interesting...

I remember someone saying there was going to be a train carriage in there for the last 6 months

I reckon Ripsaw will be closed

About bloody time - a shockingly sensible move from Merlin. Swarm Backwards was a poor decision in the first place that screamed desperation on Merlin's part and caused confusion and delays with queues/loading... best rid in my opinion. The Swarm is and always has been a strong enough ride that did not need such a pointless gimmick.

I'm going to hold off visiting Thorpe until an opening date is confirmed (that includes the Opening Meet that's planned) as I'm not fussed to go twice in quick succession

My attendance will depend on DBGT being open as I don't want to go to Thorpe twice in quick succession travelling from Portsmouth.

Indeed - interesting that they are already saying that they cannot provide ongoing updates - they'll probably be saying that a lot once the park opens, the season goes on, and Loggers remains untouched...

^ This. It does smack of "jack of all trades, master of none" as the saying goes... such an odd decision that doesn't really fit in with anything or the direction that Thorpe were supposed to be taking.

Why not just stick it next to SAW Alive somewhere, at least it would fit in there.

Chessington and wood fences just don't seem to go together do they?

But if the park isn't struggling now - why not bring back SAW Alive all year round too? (PS. To reiterate - I did really really like Containment as an attraction, but to have it year round I think is a mistake)

I loved Containment but a year long attraction? Not a good move if that's the plan - SAW Alive didn't work financially as a year round attraction so I can't really see this being any different, unless it is a permanent upcharge being applied, in which case, it maybe could work out. It still irks me greatly seeing SAW Alive sitting there for 80% of the season not being used.

Oh man I want to go back to Orlando. And it's not even been a year yet.