June 19, 201510 yr comment_211507 It had two trains today (Thursday), despite queues not exceeding 35 minutes. Although, separate note, it was the most reliable coaster of the day, all the rest broke down a good few times.
June 23, 201510 yr comment_211982 Colossus was only running on one car yesterday (22nd) which rather slowed queues, anyone know why?
June 23, 201510 yr comment_211984 I thought they only ran it on one car on weekdays? Yeah they will open it on 1 train, but if the demand is there they will try and add another train as soon as they can. If they predict it to be a busy weekday however, they will open it on 2 trains. Colossus was only running on one car yesterday (22nd) which rather slowed queues, anyone know why? I can only assume that there was something wrong with it at the moment? On the 22nd it reached 60 minutes, and yesterday (23rd) it reached 70 minutes. That length of time is clearly enough demand for a second train to be added.
June 24, 201510 yr comment_211989 Yeah they will open it on 1 train, but if the demand is there they will try and add another train as soon as they can. If they predict it to be a busy weekday however, they will open it on 2 trains. I'm fed up of this whole pathetic "demand" thing, trying to cover up the real reason why the coasters don't operate on two trains at thorpe. It's just a shoddy excuse to hide the fact that Thorpe don't want to or are unable to add more cars to the circuit. A queue, of any length is quite frankly enough "demand" to warrant the second train. Therefore, unless of a genuine technical error, more cars should be added to the circuit as soon as a queue is starting to form. However, it's not a irregular occurance at thorpe to see the coasters operating one train all day on a weekday. Many a time I've been on a weekday and the coasters have reached 30-70minute queues and second trains haven't been added on any of them. This is shockingly poor on Thorpe's behalf and it is almost impossible to defend them here as this has happened on several occasions. Unless of technical errors, it seems to be due to understaffing or the fact thorpe simply don't want to spend money as to why more cars are not added. This is completely unacceptable and the fact thorpe constantly cover up the real reasons with excuses about "demand" is pathetic as often they say this when queues are well above half an hour on reduced capacity. I think Europa Park in 2 weeks will be a real eye opener for me, it's going to prove how poor operations at certain UK parks really are.
June 24, 201510 yr comment_211992 6/7 trains on EuroSat and Mir, 3 on Wodan, dispatching trains with open lap bars... You have a lot to look forward to...
June 24, 201510 yr comment_211994 There 4 at once on wodan when I went in 2013 lol but then the queue was like 70 minutes for it so is to be expected lol
June 24, 201510 yr comment_211996 I'd assume if all the other coasters were on 2 trains when you went and Colossus wasn't and had a long queue that there was something up with the second train. A lot of the time the demand thing is just the social team talk for "it's not ready/safe/checked to have 2 trains"
June 24, 201510 yr comment_212001 Then they need to be honest about it, telling people stuck in a 60 minute queue that there is no demand for two trains is frankly taking the mickey.
August 3, 201510 yr comment_213765 Most of the time when its been on one train lately, you just see the other one sitting in the workshop with no engineers even in there, suggesting that they just don't have enough engineers to run multiple trains and that they choose which days are going to be run at both train capacity and if they get it wrong they don't add another train. As well as this, this year, Colossus pretty much always starts on one train and a second one is brought out about an hour and a half later, again showing that they don't have enough engineers or they are not bringing them in earlier enough because each train takes an hour and a half to sign off for use each morning.
August 3, 201510 yr comment_213825 Colossus maybe more operational as it often needs to use Sand dummies when empty early in the day, as when Colossus doesn't have a queue its a ball ache as all the bars need to be raised to reset the system ,locking out cars can help this, it also prevents excessive wear and tear rather than running empty. I'm not saying its an excuse but I can see why they do it those bars are not light and cause back problems for staff
August 3, 201510 yr comment_213840 It would really be beneficial for staff and guests if the Colossus restraints raised by themselves like Stealth's, but that would never be added unless they bought new trains and changed a bit of the electrical systems, but even changing the trains to new models would make the difference on its own as the restraints are much lighter. And with the system it is really annoying that all the bars have to be raised unless they have been locked down, so actually a few software changes could make the life of differences and while they are at that they could finish painting the ride! But this is Merlin we are talking about here and they wont do anything unless it is massively below standards that the park has to meet....
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214309 The only good things about the current system on it is that a lockdown of a car is literally a press of a button that's below the jutty-out gold bit that you step on getting in and out of the train (don't know the name of it).
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217153 For me Colossus is the only big roller coaster at Thorpe which I would not reride, it is in need of some help! Last time I went on summer nights they only had one train, and half of the seats where broken, so only 12 people on one train could go. For me it needs new trains with lap bars, and then it'll be ok. But as Matt said it's merlin so a repaint would be impressive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217154 At summer nights they close off rows as it is ride procedure (something to do with stalling I think). It is not an issue with the trains. Of course the ride would be far better with new trains and a lick of paint but I don't see it happening. They still continue to pour money into samurai to keep it working. I don't see that culture changing any time soon. I reckon they will pour money into those trains for many many more years to come.
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217157 At summer nights they close off rows as it is ride procedure (something to do with stalling I think). It is not an issue with the trains. Of course the ride would be far better with new trains and a lick of paint but I don't see it happening. They still continue to pour money into samurai to keep it working. I don't see that culture changing any time soon. I reckon they will pour money into those trains for many many more years to come. Rows are shut off to make it easier for staff - noting to do with it stalling. On Colossus every bar needs to be raised before you can re-lock them , on dead timed that's alot of effort so it's acutely more efficient to run with less seats
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217160 Rows are shut off to make it easier for staff - noting to do with it stalling. On Colossus every bar needs to be raised before you can re-lock them , on dead timed that's alot of effort so it's acutely more efficient to run with less seats I sorta remember the staff saying to me about it was just easier for them. When I went it was dead and I got front seat to myself and the back half of the train was closed anyway aswell as only running one train.Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217175 The gates wont open unless every seat is raised or in lockdown so when its quiet with low staff, they adopt that procedure to save time and so the staff don't completely do their backs in raising the seats.
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217178 Technically it would still be an ohr as new intamin trains use the stealth restraints....
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217180 I'm f***** if I'd ride Colossus with just a lap bar. That did make me laugh I've always said I wouldn't fancy going on anything that goes upside down without an OTSR - however I would make an exception for Colossus purely for the head banging I incurred the last time I rode it
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217181 Could you imagine the neck bang with stealth style restraints on Colossus ...
September 8, 20159 yr comment_217182 Altair is the newest Colossus clone which has lapbar trains with no straps.
September 9, 20159 yr comment_217189 Why Merlin don't get updated trains something like that is beyond me. Those awkward trains need to go.
September 9, 20159 yr comment_217190 Why Merlin don't get updated trains something like that is beyond me. Those awkward trains need to go. [/skinnermoney.gif]
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