Yep, it's awful! I'm guessing it's not all down to budget then if all the Mack ones are closing, or are they more expensive to run?

I doubt it's down to budget - I'm sure Legos flume isn't affected and probably has similar costs.

Just can't see them closing all of one ride type at every park to save money - if parks need to save money they will do do individually id imagine.

They're being closed/removed as part of Merlin's mass H&S overreaction following The Smiler accident as I'm sure everyone with a brain has figured out.

They're being closed/removed as part of Merlin's mass H&S overreaction following The Smiler accident as I'm sure everyone with a brain has figured out.

But there is nothing dangerous about log flumes, as has been proved by the fact that most of them have been operating for over 30 years!

 

Thorpe are still telling people via social media that it is closed for essential maintenance, so if it doesn't ever reopen then I will be asking why they claimed it to be maintenance.

Wonder what's happening with Dragon Falls?

But there is nothing dangerous about log flumes, as has been proved by the fact that most of them have been operating for over 30 years!

Well, they obviously think there is something wrong, otherwise they wouldn't be shutting a bunch of staple attractions would they?

They have their reasons, even if they are a bit naff.

But there is nothing dangerous about log flumes, as has been proved by the fact that most of them have been operating for over 30 years!

 

Thorpe are still telling people via social media that it is closed for essential maintenance, so if it doesn't ever reopen then I will be asking why they claimed it to be maintenance.

Wonder what's happening with Dragon Fall

I guess log flumes don't have any type of restraint, maybe this could be why they are considered dangerous - merlin figures that if another person is hurt on one of their attractions then they will lose yet more customers. Maybe we will see them open again with individual lapbar restraints? For something like this its better for them to be safe than sorry, can you imagine what would happen to the parks if there is another high profile ride related incident?

Is it common to have people standing up on any of the flumes?

Thorpe had better close Depth Charge and Storm Surge too then.

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Very common; you'd be surprised how many people have caused trouble on flumes daily by standing up on lifts or even getting out.

 

On top of that, because of the rides condition, these rides have random break downs alot and this can really cause havoc in getting guests off to a safer place. Evacuations on log flumes are long and challenging processes that can be very time consuming and resource consuming, and if boats stack on hard to access points, real problems do occur.

Is it common to have people standing up on any of the flumes?

 

Just out of pure stupidity, yes, and at the worst possible time too. On Dragon Falls when a conveyor stops at the top on the tiny pre-drop lift to keep the log spacing at a safe distance people think it's gone wrong and stand up. There used to be (still is?) a 'Please, remain seated' auto announcement, and that should be enough, but apparently people are getting stupider. 

 

Thorpe had better close Depth Charge and Storm Surge too then.

This is why I think it is a crazy decision - where does it end?  Do Zodiac and the Tea Cups have to go as well?  And what about rides like Stormforce 10 and Valhalla?  None of those have a belt either.

 

Maybe we will see them open again with individual lapbar restraints? For something like this its better for them to be safe than sorry, can you imagine what would happen to the parks if there is another high profile ride related incident?

It's a possibility, but would it be viable to implement lapbars on log flumes without having new boats altogether?

 

 

Well, they obviously think there is something wrong, otherwise they wouldn't be shutting a bunch of staple attractions would they?

I'm not so sure, it could be a cost-cutting measure like the other rides at Alton - has it actually been confirmed that the log flumes will be leaving altogether or are people just assuming it?

@CoasterJamie how hard is it to understand that there is blatantly a very good reason why Merlin are shutting all their log flumes and they aren't just doing it to piss people like you off. I'm sure they wouldn't be closing them all if they didn't have to.

Jamie even you yourself assumed that Loggers was leaving altogether due to those 'firm' or 'heavy' rumours so I'm not sure what you're trying to get at there?!

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I suppose that linking it all together, log flumes could be high risk in that people standup a lot etc. But I'm sure it's something totally different as this seems to be a systematic set of closures if you like and people have said things about it being with Mack more than anything (I don't know much about that, I'm just putting two and two together and getting seven most likely). I don't think they'd close several rides of the same type by the same manufacturer for no 'valid' reason to be honest

It's not on cost cutting grounds. If it was, then they wouldn't be tearing them down would they.

And no, they're not going to ever publicly confirm it. Wouldn't exactly look very good.

It doesn't look great now either tbh

IMO it is a H&S overeaction or cost cutting due to the Log Flumes probably being a drain on resources..

Either way it is a pretty dumb move by Merlin. If it is H&S then why do a million other log flumes across the world run safely?

Anyway simply moding the logs to have lap bars surely wouldn't take a year.

IMO it is a H&S overeaction or cost cutting due to the Log Flumes probably being a drain on resources..

Either way it is a pretty dumb move by Merlin. If it is H&S then why do a million other log flumes across the world run safely?

Exactly!

 

Jamie even you yourself assumed that Loggers was leaving altogether due to those 'firm' or 'heavy' rumours so I'm not sure what you're trying to get at there?!

I'm asking whether it has been confirmed or not.  Simple as.

 

@CoasterJamie how hard is it to understand that there is blatantly a very good reason why Merlin are shutting all their log flumes and they aren't just doing it to piss people like you off. I'm sure they wouldn't be closing them all if they didn't have to.

Essential maintenance according to Thorpe.  I'm looking forward to seeing Loggers return in a better state for 2017!

There must surely be a massive reason behind these flume closures besides cost cutting if all Merlin mack ones close.

Maybe this a big knee jerk operation to something major that happened behind the scenes that we don't know of and as a result Merlin are implementing extra safety protocols.

If Fall is t open next year, I may cry. Looks like that will win the award for the best water ride then.

I'm struggling to find the logic here, maybe I am an idiot. 

 

Step 1:
There is an incident at a Merlin park, caused by incorrect operation of a ride. This ride has restraints.

 

Step 2:
Merlin's solution is to apparently reopen said ride the following season, but close a trio of rides that are completely unrelated, have had no serious incidents, purely because an incident MIGHT occur which will almost certainly bare no resemblance to the original one and the ride doesn't have restraints despite many other attractions in the park also not having restraints and any incident caused by the lack of restraints will almost certainly be a patrons fault (unlike original incident)

I just can't see it being a health and safety thing.

Last season as far as I'm aware Logger's didn't have an incident, however, both Rumba and Storm Surge had people leave the boat! Yet these will continue to run next season. Seems strange if it's a H&S thing.

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I'm struggling to find the logic here, maybe I am an idiot. 

 

Step 1:

There is an incident at a Merlin park, caused by incorrect operation of a ride. This ride has restraints.

 

Step 2:

Merlin's solution is to apparently reopen said ride the following season, but close a trio of rides that are completely unrelated, have had no serious incidents, purely because an incident MIGHT occur which will almost certainly bare no resemblance to the original one and the ride doesn't have restraints despite many other attractions in the park also not having restraints and any incident caused by the lack of restraints will almost certainly be a patrons fault (unlike original incident)

I just can't see it being a health and safety thing.

You've just described exactly how health and safety works.

To be fair - as guests we have very limited knowledge of what happens on these rides and the possible reasons for Merlin choosing to close mack log flumes if indeed that is what they are presently doing.

It might be all to do with risk assessment.. They have assessed the other rides (rapids and the like) and can minimise the risk of serious injury, but can't with Mack Flumes... meaning that the only way to keep guests safe...? Close them...

 

Could they be replacing them with Intamin flumes?

So what's the story with Mack flumes? What made them go to the dark side after 20+ years of operation?

So what's the story with Mack flumes? What made them go to the dark side after 20+ years of operation?

Well Star Wars is coming out soon, Maybe it could be..

Stars Wars: Revenge Of The Mack Log Flume

It could be that, rather like what happened with Black Hole at Alton Towers, in order for the flume rides to comply with some change in the law (be it H&S, water quality - whatever), that the parks would have to fork out £x,000 money. Rather than do this, the decision has been taken to close them all as they are all old, and instead (hopefully, possibly) redevelop the sites for 2017 and beyond.

 

Black Hole was always going to be removed at Alton Towers eventually, but they decided not to spend the money on evacuation stairs when the ride only had a few years left in it anyway.

 

It is very sad to see this though, after all - these rides have given long service - and there has been no opportunity to say goodbye.

 

There are still Mack, and Arrow, log flumes operating safely across Europe, of course...