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That's awesome! Was it running any faster than it used to? An engineer told me that it had a new pump.

Wouldn't get your hopes up, it was testing on Sunday and wasn't right. Apparently there was no sign of testing today.

Yeah they tend to throughout the day, but most people go to the Swarm first and no one tends to go to Saw and Colossus first so you get straight on both of them in the morning.

Yeah we were discussing this in chat yesterday. The thing is how are people meant to buy things from a shop or buy a photo if they have already handed there bad in at the beginning.

I don't really find it intense, but I think it is the most intense ride on the park. It's the only ride on the park that gives me a really weird feeling in my tummy. When I am sitting up there it also feels a lot higher than it actually is, and you don't necessarily know when you are going to drop, because most staff drop it at different times and sometimes when they are not playing the theme music. Detonator is my (Joint) Favorite flat ride on the park and I love the theme music. I think I'll miss the theme music when they re theme it.

I thought this was an Annual Pass day......

I don't know why, but I love it how they call you adventures at Chessington.

Doubt it will be that busy as it is a weekday, although it is the start of the season so I don't really know. If you get there for opening, go to Colossus then Saw and you should get on both of them straight away. Enjoy:)

Yeah I know, but what I'm saying is why would they go out of there way installing them on the ride if they didn't come with it. If they aren't going to use them, what was the point putting them there.

Hm fair enough, don't see why It should be a rule though, it doesn't necessarily make a difference and it's just slowing down operations.

I noticed that Nemesis inferno now has LEDS on the back of the seats, they are green when the restraints are released/up and when they are down they go orange. I don't know why they have them because they didn't use them, they still check all the bars. But maybe in the future, they might just look at the LEDS.

Really random, but one thing I noticed at the annual pass day was that on empty seats, and running empty trains, the staff done up the buckles on the restraints, and when someone didn't do it on Detonator, the operator said on the mic that he needs to. Is this a new rule for 2014? As I always thought they never used to, on Detonator I used to see the straps flying upwards when it dropped.

Agreed, and they need to take away the signs and block off the hole in the wall where it used to be.

http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/ride/Detonator/media - 'Detonator - Queue 2007' Is what they were playing in the queue. Earlier on in the day they had the normal theme and countdown but it kept going off then on again, so I think they just gave up on it and turned it off.

Were they running the cycle they always use to, with 2 parts? Loved that cycle, compared to ripsaw anyway

Well he did end the conversation with a huff and saying 'Yeah a long way to go yet' so probably won't be ready for opening, but yeah maybe the 27th! Hopefully they'll have Slammer up by then as well!

Yeah I was gonna say that, you can hear it from ages away haha. It still does it but I believe it has always made that noise?

I'm guessing he knows because it's a new rule for this year, they never use to do this. Also they test the ride with no one on it? So why would it make a difference if 10 people were on it rather than 15?

I've never noticed or heard about this 'crack' before?

They do the same at Thorpe park with Samurai.

Got to the park at about 9:40 today, got my new annual pass and then was straight in the park at about 9:50. Had a brilliant today and had an amazing ride count, bearing in mind we didn't rush around the park. Both rides on Colossus today were really smooth, I think the smoothest time I've ever ridden on it. I rode on either row 4 or 5 not sure. 1st ride on saw was really smooth but the last 2 were quite rough, the rough car was number 7 Vortex wasn't great and Rush was running awfully in the morning, well the second swing was anyway and it was really out of sync. In the after noon it was only running 1 swing. Loved the improvements on X but did think the older music was better. The lazer behind you as you are going up the lift hill is really good! Shame Slammer wasn't open:'( Ride Count Colossus X2 Saw X3 Rush X1 Loggers X1 Tidal wave X4 Flying carpet X1 Vortex X1 Detonator X8 (We were going for 10 but then they closed it early) Swarm X2 Stealth X3 X X2 Nemesis- Lost count, stayed on from 4:30 till 5

Every time I went to Thorpe park in 2012, I think I must of saw Detonator have at least 1 breakdown every day but last season I don't think I saw a breakdown once, which is pretty good.

Spoke to an engineer working on the ride today. He said there's nothing wrong with the ride they've just basically completely rebuilt it and it isn't ready yet. He said it should run a lot faster as a new pump has been fitted, which is good news!

Went on it around 2 today, and was probably the worst ride on vortex I've ever had. The video doesn't show it, but when it first starts it shakes and vibrates loads, it's like it's struggling to get up. Not too good for the 3rd day of it being open.

I didn't see it 'In action' but I saw it coming down, it took like 6-7 minutes to come back to ground level. Got a little bit of it on video.