javs

Great updates guys, keep up the fantastic work. I particularly like Coaster Extreame's pics, especially the one taken from up high, Detonator maybe? You can see how big the station is going to be and there is loads of track on site at the back of the tent!!!! Plus looks like still some footers to fill in, but all coming along nicely!!

So exciting! Lets hope peeps can get some decent photo's!

Cheers chaps.

Wow, its been quiet here for a few days! Anyone know how the construction is coming along?

I think he means because it is a new B&M design. Blivvy and Air both had pretty unreliable openings and first seasons.

Yeah I will go with you on that, 7.5 / 8m ish. The drawing info does say it is a 1:100 scale drawing, but I am sure as you say there is some flex regarding the actual positions of the engines, other wise I guess they would have put those dimensions on as well.

Look at the attached picture and if it is to scale, which I believe it is, then you can see that the horizontal tail plane is 8.25m. If you use that as a measuring guide, then the gap between the engines is about 8m.

Just popping back to the aircraft wing and engine discussion guys. I have just been looking at the plans, and the dimensions are on the aircraft drawing. So the gap between the engines is about 8m. That completely dispels any theory of arm guards, right?

Well, I would not start to panic until the end of September. If we have not started to see any track going up by then, we can then start the speculation!! Loads of time just yet and this preparation stage always seems to take ages with not much seemingly changing.

How cool is that! Cheers Sidders.

So the engines on a Boeing 707 are about 20ft apart. Even if Merlin go for 25ft which is about 7m, would that not be enough? Just to put that in perspective, a 747's engines are about 30ft/8m apart.

So stating the obvious, these are not B&M, so are there any B&M examples, or is this just more wild speculation?

OK, so coming from a pilot, it would be far cheaper to make a mock up than buy a wing and two engine nacelles. I say nacelles as all of the engines mechanical parts are recycled, as is the aluminium and steel used for the wings. So if they go for the cheaper option, then this will be a mock up.

Good stuff, if vertical construction has began, we should be seeing more track arriving very soon. Although the pics I have seen of the track already there does not look like straight station track to me, but hey, it is hard to make out. Does anyone know for sure if we have any footers yet? hopefully we will get some more pics soon!

Good grief peeps! Can we get a separate thread for this flipping tank!

Well I was having a close look at the plans for this one as I wanted to see if the ride comes close enough to the water in that stunning high 'G' turn. It comes very close, but I don't know if it is close enough for water scoops to be added to the train to create a splash effect. The only other way I know of doing it would be like on Manta, with water jets under the water. I think this is a dodgy route to go down, as not only is it expensive, but the likelihood of it still operational at the end of the season is pretty much zero!!

Well, I am having a little rest for a few weeks, but I am probably going to work on Canada Creek next. Lots of nice theming and buildings in there. I am scratching my head over the flume a bit though. I am going to do it, but not entirely sure how to do the bit thought the trees yet! Watch this space!

My initial thoughts were that it would be a real plane, decommissioned of course. But then it occurred to me that 'The Swarm' will fly under its wing. Now I am not sure how this works. Will they have to build reinforcement into the wing structure or is there a tunnel? I am pretty sure H&S would not let a ride simply fly under an old aircraft wing that had not been heavily modified and reinforced in some way. Just a thought.

So I am confused! Are there pieces of track already on site?!

Porta-loo's! Yaaaaaaay. Construction is well under way then. I would imagine that track will arrive in 6-8 weeks and will probably take around 2-3 weeks to construct. But hey, that is just a guess based on the countless constructions I have followed over the years. I would say the land prep, landscaping and theming on this one is going to take the longest time.

Fab, if the break run is like that, it will make a nice intense ending to the ride.

Does anyone know where the actual break run on 'The Swarm' is? I have been trying to work it out for ages on the plans. The thing is, the turn after the roll through the ruins is nicely banked back towards the station, suggesting it will carry some speed. My thoughts, are that there may be a trim break before the final turn back to the station, then the break run leading up to the station itself. Any thoughts? I would rather not see a trim break and hopefully the ride will take the last turn at full speed.

I love the air raid siren!!! I hope that makes it into the theming of the final ride, so cool. Reminds me of Oblivion's marketing when they had a guy standing by the fence telling people to move clear of the hazardous area.

Well at least all this pretty much ends the speculation of the ride being 4D!

I feel like I need to take a step back and look at this from a distance because it can be easy to become complacent with such an amazing project. We are getting a brand new B&M Wing Rider called 'The Swarm' with a kickass layout, 4 inversions and amazing themeing! Are we still in the UK?! We won't have seen a project on this scale since Air 10 years ago.