[Control Panels]

Well I've found quite a few control panels over the internet. Just didn't know TPM had a thread for this! Hopefully some new ones for those of you interested in this stuff. There's mainly Thorpe Park stuff but also ones from fairground equivalents and also some that aren't from Thorpe Park.

 

Please note some of the pictures are from previous posts within this very thread that I've re-uploaded due to the fact certain other pictures have been deleted and so those pictures don't share the same fate. My other intention is to create a comprehensive guide within this one post for Thorpe Park ride control panels. Some new pictures have also been added to give a different view of the control panel. 

 

I don't know how to operate these so if anyone is willing to share that'd be great!

 

Detonator (Bomb's Away) Control Panel:

 

 

The Swarm control panel:

 

Swarm's CCTV cameras views for the operator:

 

Interesting stuff about the operation of The Swarm including that if someone let's go of one of the buttons the trains stops! :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv_wXGCbFYA

 

Olympia Looping Control Panel:

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9mR9FhKyXI

 

Mondial Top Scan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwoRM3tdVWg (like Samurai)

Still image of panel: 

 

KMG Afterburner:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/KMG_Afterburner_Control_Panel.JPG   (like Vortex, sry it's in European)

 

 

Rush's Control Panel (unobstructed shot without the sound panel unlike the one previously posted here - also taken in 2016 so many years after the previous image on here):

 

 

Source: https://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71751&start=20

Also interesting to note that this review also says on their BTS tour that the reason The Swarm backwards was removed was that in a potential crash this would have unthinkable consequences for the park so they removed it (which does make sense that it was removed for the season after The Smiler occured).

Remnants of The Swarm backwards rows:

 

Colossus control panel (source: Reuploaded from prior post in this thread):

The restraint-checker's safety control panel:

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1pJFBBlB/

 

Huss Enterprise (taken from a sim as I couldn't find a real one online annoyingly) - This is similar to Zodiac: 

 

A Dodgems Control Panel (looks similar to the one at Thorpe Park iirc from my brief glimpse through the control box window - this is NOT the one at TP sadly):

 

 

A Reverchon Bumper car control panel (guessing Bertazzon - the company that made the King Pig's Wild Hog Dodgems ride - have a similar style):

 

Nemesis Inferno (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PNzPJU7LAY) :

 

Closeup of the Inferno Control Panel (reuploaded from prior post in this thread):

 

Also potentially of interest is how the glow is made on Nemesis Inferno in the tunnel - it uses way more lights than I thought it did: 

Source: https://www.southparks.co.uk/features/behind-the-scenes-thorpe-park/)

 

Rage Control Panel (a Gerstlauer Eurofighter which is the same model as Saw:TR)

However I've actually seen Saw's control panel (can't remember where) but it looks very VERY similar to this more modern look than the above image:

(below is control panel for a Belantis Eurofighter. source: http://www.coastersandmore.de/previews/belantis/belantis.shtml)

The differences above to Saw's are the top left button (next to key) is yellow on Saw. Also, where there are 2 green buttons in the bottom centre, on Saw's panel there are 5 green buttons (I'm guessing because there are 2 load/ 2 unload stations and 1 spare button). The Allen Bradley display obviously shows Saw ride-related information.

 

"Tidal Wave" at Adventure Island (I'm guessing has a similar control panel to Depth Charge at Thorpe Park seeing as they're both raft slide rides):

 

Source for above 2 pictures were from this thread but unviewable. Luckily the "Wayback" machine somehow retrieved them: https://web.archive.org/web/20200116233837/https://forum.maniahub.com/topic/6156-control-panels/page/1

 

Flying Fish Control Panel:

Before this Flying Fish was manually controlled (changed due to Smiler accident) as seen in the following photo:

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BeiNnEiFHAi/

 

Slammer Control Panel (reuploaded from prior post in this thread):

 

Stealth:

 

Closeup of control panel (reuploaded from prior post in this thread):

 

Rocky Express (right, through the door. The teacups ride has a similar control panel too):

 

Logger's Leap:

 

 

3rd Picture Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIMB5lBhQ65/

4th Picture Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd3VaK-Fpk-/

 

Rumba Rapids (from Hurjakuru situated in Linnanmaki. This ride doesn't have a rotating disk-platform but is also an Intamin Rapids ride like Rumba Rapids so other controls should be similar. This ride operates from the platform when open at Linnanmaki but in the absence of the actual control panel at Thorpe this is the closest I can get to it. Source: https://themeparkreview.com/forum/uploads/monthly_2012_03/Kuva0039.jpg.5e14361ff8df875767e1afe68197c4e8.jpg

Thread: https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/36235-the-control-panel-enthusiast-thread/

THE ACTUAL photo of the Rumba Rapids control panel from a VERY OLD image (presumably similar to how it looks today) from 1998 including a close up of its audio panel:

Sources for above two images:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Z4b6RJvJq/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ZgNkzJVtk/

 

TWD:TR:

Vekoma Illusion control panel (Revolution at Bobbejaanland  so should be similar) (source: https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/36235-the-control-panel-enthusiast-thread/page/11/?tab=comments#comment-1639947 then ctfl+f "vekoma)

Look into the control box of TWD:TR (from RCDB copyright Nic Jenkins) when it was formerly known as X:\ No Way Out:

 

Above is an image of the actual control panel. However it is quite old and it's probably been upgraded/ rehauled by now (photo from when TWD:TR was X:NWO)

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BfAnY2EFCUy/

Another more complete image is below (source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BfGxhkilZSS/😞

 

Storm Surge host control panel (source: https://themeuk.net/CWTP/?page_id=6690#1489589875900-5e48a9e8-714a)

 

DBGT:

 

Above images are from:

https://merlin.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/8008?c=merlin

 

 

The rides at Thorpe which we don't have a picture of the control panel on this thread are therefore:

Timber Tug and Lumber Jump

Mr Monkey Banana Boat

Tidal Wave

Storm Surge (main)

Quantum

 

I will edit this post/ make a new one as I find more rides. Hopefully @StevenVig can repost his old Saw photos so we can cross that one off the list.

If you're interested in control panels and also programming and PLC logic I recommend checking out Irvine Ondrey Engineering: https://www.facebook.com/IrvineOndreyEngineering

They have very informative posts about programming control panels and they're the ones who did The Swarm control panel amongst a huge range of other very popular and large rides.

Many many American coaster control panels and assistance panels: https://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=61998&start=350

You may also be interested in a glimpse of morning inspections on a Windseeker ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdZcGclDzts

[2020 Season]

For things that will occur during the 2020 season and isn't really something being done over closed season I felt it was right to create this thread.

Thorpe Park are getting proper lifeguards next year this year (link to job ad for the supervisor position):

https://merlin.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/5304?c=merlin

The description states that Amity Beach used to be run by the attractions department (didn't know that tbh) but they're transitioning to lifeguards:

Quote

This is a brand new role and is an exciting opportunity to develop and manage a new team of Lifeguards at Thorpe Park Resort. Moving from being inside the Attractions Department to its own individual entity in 2020, Amity Beach is being taken over by lifeguards. You will be required to work closely with the Park Operations Security Manager and the Health and Safety team to meet improved guidelines on Water Park management, giving you the exciting opportunity to trail blaze and innovate.

I'm not sure why they've made that decision but one could make the leap that they're planning on doing something to that area for 2020/ future years.