pluk

At a guess for comfort and safety I think it will raise seated (as described), tilt at the top, fall facing down but right themselves as the braking engages so it can still stop quite quickly. If they want to apply the brakes while you are facing the floor I'd think it would need about two thirds of the tower as deceleration to slow gradually enough. making it crap.

If Liam and Michelle have already hooked up I too am looking for a bogof buddy, preferably one who intends to be there close to opening to avoid general faff (or risk of me buying ticket and never getting the other half of the money from a no show!). I can also offer lifts, from the Essex area if you find yourself near the A13, A127 or pretty much any of the M25 as I'm exactly opposite and can go in either direction.

I think the point is more the slow lift hill in the middle stops the ride flowing and feeling as one, rather than a problem with the actual length. Having a rolling launch for example could have avoided that. Not that I have an opinion on it as I've not tried it for myself yet, but I can understand someone thinking that. Just a shame that they devalue their own argument by bitching about pretty much anything that doesn't have a stars and stripes hanging off it.

If this one was caused by an overexcited trim rather than a damaged train why was it not dragged to the next high point and released rather than removing? You'd think if it clears the next high point it should make it back and that would be a lot easier than dismantling it like this.

Can I be rude and bring up money? How much did this Denmark jaunt cost each? I'm under the impression everything is ridiculously expensive in all the Nordic countries, having been to Finland I know that was quite true there. When you add up car hire, petrol, food, drink, accommodation and park tickets I can imagine it being a pretty hefty amount? Do you think it is worth it for what is on offer compared to what you can get in other countries for similar or less expense?

Gotta feel for those who have gone today thinking the teething problems were finished. Has it remained closed and taken oblivion out with it again?

I've still not ridden new X, that's the first queue line video I've seen I really like the look of what they've done there. The effect of the mirror and the ceiling trail lights to make the 'X' looks really quite effective.

Good to see The Smiler seems to be consistently making it into peoples top 10's, and quite highly too.

Probably safer than the way we operate dodgems tbh! Looks like such fun, for both riders and workers.

How very generous of you, nice one. Most of us are quite clueless really! It's opinion that matters, not knowledge, would be great to have you stick around and share yours.

That sounds like a mess. Anyone know if this is always the case now or is it a one off? When I first heard about it one of my main concerns with the backwards thing was the chaos I thought it would cause to the queue system. I was beginning to think my fears had been unfounded but maybe that was just because of the general lack of busy days so far this year?

I don't think it needs a refurb to the extent of story lines and such being added. It is fun for what it is, it just needs to be made to look a little less like it is about to fall to pieces through neglect than it does at the moment.

By not selling unmanageable amounts of fastracks, that's how. The normal queues are acceptable even on a packed park without thousands of people pushing to the front for a couple of quid.

I think the bigger problem is why the hell do we even know about it? What has it got to do with anyone? The fact that the world knows about this is not exactly going to aid her recovery, she's a kid who hasn't chosen to be in the public eye and there can not be any public interest in her medical situation being disclosed. It is just voyeuristic non news. When I saw the little clip about it on the breakfast news this morning it made me really angry, I actually turned it over. This happens to many many people every day and it is their own business, no one elses. This sounds a bit harsh but why does anyone care anyway, beyond the same feelings of not wanting anyone to have to go through it that is? Most people wouldn't even know the girl if she walked past them in the street, me included. I suppose the exposure of mental health and related issues through this reporting could be seen as a good thing, if it gives people an awareness of it. But I can not see how that can outway the harm it is likely to cause the girl. The way to get this sort of thing in the public eye is with the consent of the victim on their terms in a way that might actually help them, like Stephen Fry did on the same day the Paris story broke, not like this. A lot of the press should be very very ashamed of themselves, as should the people who buy the papers and magazines with this crap on the front encouraging them.

I'm not sure the unstable ground Thorpe have to work with would allow this to be realistically possible, but it would be mighty fine if they could.

The next step should be actively encourage people to stay, maybe free parking if you stay for your evening meal after park close? I could see that being popular an lucrative, maybe even persuade the park longer hours could be worth their while with the associated extra spend.

I've never seen that MotorMouth clip before, nice one.

The worlds first interlocking corkscrews will be disappointed by this lack of recognition! An interesting list there, I can't quite get my head around some of the choices, but interesting.

Definitely, needs to be consistent to be run properly. If that involves shorter hours midweek then so be it, but open later - don't close earlier. It's all about the dark times.

The cobwebs in the Colossus station are there for real now (has anyone looked up in there recently?!), so the overall look should be easier to achieve! These little changes were superb and should certainly return. The most important thing to atmosphere at these events to me is the lighting, love the look of that bridge. There shouldn't be a white light in the park come fright nights.

Well they should. what is the point of them otherwise? If it was a planned closure they hadn't told you about that would be different, but it is not and nearly never is. It broke moments before opening. What precisely could they have done about that? I was just saying you shouldn't be able to (although it is understandable people do when they keep dishing stuff out and ballsing up all the queues).

Yep. They are the T+C's and they are there for a reason. There should be an A frame out side stating something like 'To compensate for The Smiller being unavailable the park hours have been extended until ....., we apologise for the inconvenience caused but the closure is beyond our control and we will open the ride as soon as is possible. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day' Basically, go away unless you have something else to moan about. Just because you are complaining doesn't make you right.

I'm not saying it is your fault, it's the whole thing is just stupid. When anyone goes to complain about anything being closed they should have a copy of the T+C's made of good hard wood to hit them in the face with. It'd all stop then. Extending park hours, like alton have today, is more than enough compensation and fair on everyone.