planenut

For me, my TP season ended yesterday having jumped in for an extra day due to the changing weather forecast, a great day for me. It could not have happened without the Staff and it would, like life, be easy to thank those who helped me directly. There are many staff whose contributions to that, and all my TP days, are normally not acknowledged. I do thank everybody from the cleaning, washroom, maintenance, management, security, gardeners and ride team, a lot of people. Just like the bus on which I ride to the Park, so seldom do I hear a "thank you". We, as visitors, don't get the chance to wish those well in their futures who, within a few days, won't have a job. Just my thoughts.

Great news, thanks.

Thanks for that Jordionie, very pleased.

Seriously? That's not good news considering last weeks replacement, and I 've recently been praising it up with suggestions that we still have a few years. Cable replacement is expensive, and they have be made.

Will keep watching.

What has proved interesting is the flow of people towards rides that apparently "the app" shows as having shorter queues. There must be loads of people who waste their time moving between rides because of that. The same mindset as someone already seated on a ride praising a ride elsewhere as "being better"; make the most of what you have.

CalCal, they certainly are very clear pictures. I certainly wouldn't expect that quality from my phone, well done.

Cal, your pictures are very good, can I ask what device you used? Fred (planenut)

We shall have to wait with baited breath, the engineers don't give much away.

That squeaking noise was under discussion yesterday. There was a problem with a drive wheel at the loading platform. So hopeful that they sort things as I may only get one more visit this season.

Sadly, engineers were working with Stealth today, after apparently, again replacing the cable on Wednesday. They could not open the ride all day.

Having seen all their lighting always made me imagine stealth with at least some lights. having said all that, Stealth often has a start light bulb out so, realistically, they would never cope.

Did you ever see Rip Ride Rocket?

Watching SWARM running round wih the led's on still makes me wish Stealth's headlights were real !

Stealth had a couple of hiccups yesterday but was generally on very good form, and with the extended hours. For this strange period of Fright Nights, and only after twilight, there is an additional smoke effect on Stealth above the plant room, and it has coloured lights. The best observation is from the front row, as nobody at the station can see it, and those in other rows are somewhat shielded by the seating.

Certainly the costs of Annual Passes as opposed to daily entry does not make sense to me, though even the different grades of passes seems odd. Not just in the U.K.. Last year, I bought an Annual Pass for Canada's Wonderland for my five day visit, which, I had to reduce to three days and I was still in "profit". Whilst it is still available I buy a Thorpe Park Annual Pass which costs just over the value of two day tickets, great for me but not for shareholders.

Okay, I'll keep watching.

Well it has been announced that Puy du Fou wish to create a "themed" park near Bicester, not another factory outlet but a park, emulating their established park in France. An investment figure of about £600 million, but a conservative forecast of 2.7 million annual visitors (optimistic I think). It's a different operation to those theme parks we are familiar with in the U.K., creating "period" villages, but no mention of nutty rides. Apparently the French park is the "third most visited in France". Though I think it carries more weight than the Kent wetland prroject did, I cannot see it working, and I'd stick with Beamish.

Went today and only on one train, number 3. There seemed to be less staff around. At least a couple of hiccups later in the day, possibly a positional sensor. The weather was good with plenty of sunshine therefore warmth.

Went to AT on Saturday and the place was heaving with, it seems, most rides having 75 minute queues from around lunchtime. It did feel that the aim of the park has changed, and it seems, to me, that it was not the pleasant visit that I had previously experienced.?

Very interesting write-up Cal. How did you rate the upturn gradient on Red Force? I.e. does it have the same G-force as Stealth?

Very well done, rhat's cramming.

Another good report Matt along with good pics. Enjoy your studying, remember, it's not luck but you proving your worth.

Rollbacks mean loss of ride time; done one in the past, don't need another. The team on Stealth have to observe the train until it's cleared the top hat, but the number of rollbacks are so few, they can achieve faster launches by their present routine.

That's good news Matt. It always amazes me when someone who's been queuing for ages gets to the platform, then delays getting on, annoying.