Project LC Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Interestingly the smiler is not listed under the x sector on the scarefest map. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 The actual ride image is still there... They won't put it on the map in case it doesn't open, but it seems so obvious that they're trying to. Personally if it did reopen this year I don't think they would make a big deal about it or advertise it over social media etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Can't take much from the map really. It will have gone into printing quite a while ago probably. The FN map still has Tidal on it although they knew that would be closed. It basically has no meaning on top of what we know, it might open this year or it might not. Tom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwinOkli Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 The default response on social media now seems to be: "As you may have already seen we have said we would like to reopen The Smiler but the final decision will only be made after we’ve undertaken all necessary steps." Nothing surprising but there you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted October 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 Translation: we want to re-open it but the ride still has a prohibition notice on it so we can't until that's lifted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 Translation: we want to re-open it but the ride still has a prohibition notice on it so we can't until that's lifted. It is not known if this (that the prohibition is still on) is the case. The prohibition is lifted when Towers chose to show HSE that the risk that was identified has been removed. So either they have not been able to remove the risk yet (so they won't want to re-open), they have removed the risk but they have not asked HSE to review it yet (showing they don't want to re-open), or the prohibition has already been lifted (we wouldn't necessarily know) and Towers are just waiting for the moment they feel is right. I am still expecting the HSE preliminary report to come out soon, I expect that report to explicitly state the ride is now safe, and I expect Towers to open it that day, whenever that day may be. Just a waiting game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 It is clear they have intention to open it this year. The fact they say Sub Terra and Flume are definitely closed for the rest of the season but Smiler doesn't get such a statement, it is only scheduled to be closed (and schedules change) show this. Plus putting crates of stock back in the shop after it was removed from Park, putting fresh bin bags in the bins and working on the effects. Yeah testing the ride might not have been a sign of anything but all the other little things show they want to be ready in case they can open it this year. OldFarmerDean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamminGamer Posted November 24, 2015 Report Share Posted November 24, 2015 BBC News reporting that the park have confirmed the incident to be a result of human error. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34911943?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_breaking&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=news_central UPDATE: They are also reporting that the park plans to reopen The Smiler for the 2016 season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam T Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 I feel like this really isn't good news, yes the ride is reopening but at what cost? We're not out of the tunnel yet, the dark days of Alton have only just begun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 The cynic in me wonders how this news happened to slip out on the same day world war three started? What a coincidence. As has been said, it was pretty obvious that this is what it would come down to, but I look forward to a more in depth explanation that I'm sure will become apparent on the publication of the HSe report. I'm probably one of the few who would rather it was scrapped than reopened, but not because of the accident, just because I think it is a very poor ride. Adam P, MattyMoo and HermanTheGerman 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretchy Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 I am not sure if it is a poor ride Pluk. I think it is a unpredictable ride. Some days and some cars can be as smooth as a B&M, unfortunatley that doesn't last long as the same car 2 days later can be rougher than corkscrew was. I predict the ride will reopen, there will be lots of bad press which will be ignored. Gate figures will be knocked down again and the park will be a ghost town for the first 4-5 weeks of the year. Then by end of next summer it will be all forgotten and the ride will be back to haveing 2-3 hour queues, leaving Nemesis free for me to ride. Mer and pognoi 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 The only reason they would've scrapped it was if the HSE told them that they could never operate the ride again... That would only have happened if they had discovered severe problems with the mechanics/system of the ride, which was clearly not the case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Surely with pretty much anything in the entertainment industry inconsistency is poor? Should be good for every customer every time. I just think the whole thing is so ill conceived and poorly executed it should never have been built in it's current form. Although the incident has had not much to do with the ride hardware, something like this happening felt like an inevitably all along. You can feel that it's been rushed and was a bit of a bodge job just standing looking at it; the theming is a mess and the ride, building and queue line are shoddy. The ride itself could have been good enough if the time was taken to plan it and build it properly, but it wasn't, and now they've spent their money and are stuck with it. It'll be their version of Slammer in years to come, I'm sure! And Towers have done it to themselves with their own short sightedness. No sympathy. SteveJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Think comparing it to Slammer is a bit too far, especially given that Slammer was a complete prototype and the use of air canisters for it was always (in hindsight) going to cause some problematic issues... Smiler doesn't really do anything too drastic enough (and some of the smaller problems like bolts popping out happen on any coaster, even if the company involved in the construction of this were absolutely terrible)... Your problems with it can be pretty much attributed to most other Merlin additions, therein lies the main issue... Taking this quote out of context: You can feel that it's been rushed and was a bit of a bodge job just standing looking at it; the theming is a mess and the ride, building and queue line are shoddy. The ride itself could have been good enough if the time was taken to plan it and build it properly, but it wasn't, and now they've spent their money and are stuck with it. Could relate to Zufari, Sub Terra, Saw, Swarm, etc. Take your pick... Merlin's budgeting for these attractions never seems balanced correctly... Especially when you end up having the budget for another ride slashed because some idiot did the ground survey for Smiler wrong... Mer, HermanTheGerman, OldFarmerDean and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Think comparing it to Slammer is a bit too far, especially given that Slammer was a complete prototype and the use of air canisters for it was always (in hindsight) going to cause some problematic issues... Smiler doesn't really do anything too drastic enough (and some of the smaller problems like bolts popping out happen on any coaster, even if the company involved in the construction of this were absolutely terrible)... I didn't mean to actually compare The Smiler's problems directly with those of Slammer, but it is already in such a state I can see it being a huge drain in resources to keep it going safely and presented somewhere near acceptably in the same way Slammer was/is. I always got the feeling from both attractions that hey were operated with a cautiousness that shouldn't be necessary and is a little unnerving, like there was something to be nervous about. Taking this quote out of context: ... Could relate to Zufari, Sub Terra, Saw, Swarm, etc. Take your pick... Merlin's budgeting for these attractions never seems balanced correctly... Especially when you end up having the budget for another ride slashed because some idiot did the ground survey for Smiler wrong... This is exactly the case, thinking about it. I suppose the bigger the attraction the bigger those issues will shine, and with The Smiler being so huge it really stands out as a wasted opportunity and mess that the park are now saddled with. As with all things in life, you reap what you sow. The situation Alton and Merlin now find themselves in is nothing but their own doing. Hopefully the 'restructuring' announced as part of the cuts includes a full review of how projects are planned and implemented, I think the whole organisation really does need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 I think The Smiler is a fantastic coaster, however it can't be denied that it has caused a ridiculous amount of issues for Alton in it's two and a half years of operation, not only through the crash but the entire construction process, delayed opening and the fact that it seems to have shed bolts and guide wheels more often than any other coaster seems to. Also, I remember hearing something a while ago about the supports sinking but that may not be true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 How many bolts has Smiler shed? It's not that many. Just does it inconsiderately onto toilet blocks and the queue line making people more aware of it. Swarms done it, Colossus does it, heck I've been spited by Manta doing it. The guide wheel was just a rubber seal from the chain, not even a wheel. It's a little blue rubber ring type thing. Just the press being press as per with that one. It stalls, like many coasters. Kinda Ka rolls back all the time, that's technically stalling. Again, when Manta popped its bolt it stalled. No biggie though, was open again by 7pm that night. Saw stalls. It's just a thing. It's just bad luck that all the bad press seems to be on Smiler for every little thing that goes wrong. I don't think its sinking, if it is, Colossus still does that a bit right? Can just join that list. They ultrasound the supports to check for cracks in the concrete structure and if there's any doubt they'll dig it up and re do it. Smiler as a ride is a good ride. Its theme has huge potential. It's just a Merlin ride, there's your problem. Mer, holtjammy16 and OldFarmerDean 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 In fairness, from beginning of 2014 to May 2015, Smiler was a well-received, fairly reliable coaster, which was a massive draw for the park. I think it's easy to forget about that. It's biggest flaw was the low-ish throughput for a major coaster at a place like Towers. HermanTheGerman and holtjammy16 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 How many bolts has Smiler shed? It's not that many. Just does it inconsiderately onto toilet blocks and the queue line making people more aware of it. Swarms done it, Colossus does it, heck I've been spited by Manta doing it. The guide wheel was just a rubber seal from the chain, not even a wheel. It's a little blue rubber ring type thing. Just the press being press as per with that one. It stalls, like many coasters. Kinda Ka rolls back all the time, that's technically stalling. Again, when Manta popped its bolt it stalled. No biggie though, was open again by 7pm that night. Saw stalls. It's just a thing. It's just bad luck that all the bad press seems to be on Smiler for every little thing that goes wrong. I don't think its sinking, if it is, Colossus still does that a bit right? Can just join that list. They ultrasound the supports to check for cracks in the concrete structure and if there's any doubt they'll dig it up and re do it. The Swarm only shed a bolt once though didn't it? The Smiler has definitely done it at least twice, and I also remember during construction when two pieces of track didn't line up properly. It may well be that other coasters have suffered the same or similar issues and it has just been less known-about, but I do think The Smiler has had more than a few issues during its time at the park (before this year). In fairness, from beginning of 2014 to May 2015, Smiler was a well-received, fairly reliable coaster, which was a massive draw for the park. I think it's easy to forget about that. It's biggest flaw was the low-ish throughput for a major coaster at a place like Towers. Agree with this, The Smiler was a huge crowd puller and a success for the park in terms of popularity before the incident in June. It is also a very good coaster IMO! I don't think it could be called reliable though, it broke down most days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 I don't doubt Smiler has had issues, I mean it has no drainage in the queue. That's quite a big issue. But unlike other rides that have regular issues with popping bolts etc, Smiler was just posted about more probably because it got into the press early on for being delayed, track being welded into place etc. Its construction was a disaster which just gave it a bad image from day one. But once it finally opened, the cows were lifted out of Oblivions tunnel and all major reliability issues were solved it became a solid coaster. 13 brakes down most days, as does Rita. Smiler was by no means the worst reliability wise once it settled in. It became the image of Towers. People loved it. It got 3 hour queues (irrespective of throughput, people were willing to queue ages for it), its merch was all over the place. For what can probably be seen as the most rushed large investment it was one of the more successful ones. The fact that after the accident people were putting off their visit because Smiler was still closed helps show this. Hopefully, with it reopening Towers can slowly find its feat again. MattyMoo, HermanTheGerman, Coaster and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 I also remember during construction when two pieces of track didn't line up properly. This happens all the time. All. The. Time. Like literally the only manufacturer who doesn't do that is B&M. With wood they can bend it a tiny bit, gerst's rides have popped out during construction a couple times, (karnan's weird serpant thingy had it) and I read rumours somewhere that tarons highest S bend had it too! SteveJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Although it was a bit odd when they bolted track in the wrong way and then unbolted it to turn it around again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 TBH I think The Smiler is great except from its awful layout.. Boring inversion,after boring inversion. I could argue Blue Fire's Horshoe Roll is better than Smiler's 14 inversions put together.. But it opening gives X Sector life, X Sector feels lifeless without Smiler. Also nobody can doubt than The Smiler is popular with the GP,(probably even now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 TBH I think The Smiler is great except from its awful layout.. There's no point in complaining about the layout really. Remember this was built on the old Black Hole site, so they obviously can't pull off anything spectacular in that space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Although it was a bit odd when they bolted track in the wrong way and then unbolted it to turn it around again. That's what happens when you hire in crap construction companies to build it... Probably set the scene for the rest of the ride tbh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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