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Colossus


Adam J

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The whole ride and scenery/landscape really needs to be closed for a year like Nemesis and totally refurbished, it really looks awful. I hope the shop isn't still in this state in 2 weeks time - the steel work's now totally exposed on the left side.

 

image.thumb.png.a7ac7d2328e00e08f8c330ca4074d676.png

 

Photo from https://themeparkguide.co.uk/news-page/Loggers-Leap-Removal-Continues-and-2023-Season-Preparations-Continue

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1 hour ago, ML27 said:

At this point do Thorpe have their own creative team like Chessington? Chessington seem to be always painting something up, old theming and artwork. Thorpe have a lack of theming to paint

 

Not quite in the way you're describing. 

 

They have a team of 'Entertainment Technicians', some of who will have experience and ability to do creative work. But their focus will be more on the technical work for events, rather than scenic work. 

 

The park work closely with external companies, like Unique Concepts and UVE, to provide creative scenic work. In the last couple of years, there's also been overlap of Thorpe and Chessington departments - for example, I believe the Creek Freaks Unchained float used during last FN was designed and made by Chessington's creative team.

 

In the past, Thorpe have had more scenic creative individuals, and have pushed for a more dedicated department. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, it just has happened.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I do genuinley think that the park are trying to do the correct thing with Colossus, they have identified that the ride is beginning to come towards the end of its life cycle and have decided to fix the track over multiple closed seasons so it doesn't have to have a prolonged period of downtime so the ride can still opperate, so the capacity of the park doesn't take a hit.

 

However, I do have some issues with the way thorpe are going about this retrack though. Firstly, I do believe that the better investment for Colossus would be some new trains. The ones they have currently are outdated and very, very uncomfartable (considering I'm 6 foot 4 it is almost unbearable sitting on the breakrun after the ride is over) and I'm sure many would agree with me that new trains with lap bars would definitly change the ride experience for the better. Also, I'm not fully convinced on Taziker doing the retrack. I know that they are a respected company in the retracking buisness considering they were the company that did The Big One retrack but I do feel thorpe may have cheaped out slightly going with them as the retracking company. Considering that Arrow Dynamics is closed down, the only option blackpool had with The Big One was to get an external company in to do the retrack, however, Intamin is a major player in the industry and still even offer the multi-inversion coaster as a model they sell, so I am slightly confuded on why thorpe haven't got Intamin in to do the retracking like towers are doing getting B&M to do the Nemesis retrack. I know there may be a number of factors for why thorpe have chosen Taziker over Intamin (price, ride downtime, etc.) but I do feel like it would have been the better option to get the original manafacture in to at least cosider a retrack of the ride, but then I guess maybe thorpe have done that already and I just don't know about it.

 

About the area feeling run down, definitly. I think the whole of the Colossus area needs some 'thorpe loving care' as they call it. It just feels like the ride has been neglected for years.

 

I do hope this is a step in the right direction for the park with them definitly having a bigger focus on repairing and tidying up the park at the moment, although with thorpe's history anything could happen.

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5 hours ago, tactic said:

Also, I'm not fully convinced on Taziker doing the retrack. I know that they are a respected company in the retracking buisness considering they were the company that did The Big One retrack but I do feel thorpe may have cheaped out slightly going with them as the retracking company. Considering that Arrow Dynamics is closed down, the only option blackpool had with The Big One was to get an external company in to do the retrack, however, Intamin is a major player in the industry and still even offer the multi-inversion coaster as a model they sell, so I am slightly confuded on why thorpe haven't got Intamin in to do the retracking like towers are doing getting B&M to do the Nemesis retrack.

 

I've heard through the grapevine that Intamin would've only done the retracking if the park agreed to an entire coaster rebuild - much like the Nemesis retrack - and not just small portions of the track over time. With Exodus over the horizon, finance at the park is obviously very closely observed right now and the park likely won't want to make any big purchases until Exodus and the surrounding area (flat rides would be nice!) are complete.

 

So I suppose from a financial point of view, Taziker were the only real option and their proven success with The Big One's retrack probably also helped finalise that decision.

 

Definitely agree that an Intamin rebuild, complete with new trains, would be the much better option. Sik looks to have gone down a treat at Flamingo Land and apparently rides amazingly - so a like-for-like Intamin rebuild of Colossus (maybe even with the cable lift! 😍) with Sik-style lap restraints would've given the coaster a whole new lease of life.

 

Perhaps it's because Colossus, being the park's oldest coaster, is probably looking to retire some time in the distant future - and therefore pumping loads of money into a coaster retrack that (in all probability) wouldn't bring any more custom to the park and therefore would'nt make financial sense to do, when building a brand spanking new coaster in its place in a good few years time would drive swarms of customers to the park.

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That is true, the problem with retracking a ride is that it’s only really going to interest an enthusiast and the average person will not notice. A new ride however will do wonders for both communities and the park itself.

 

I guess the park are still recovering from covid and expecting a massive investment for the retrack while they are building an entire new coaster is too much to ask (even without covid that would still be a massive investment).

 

I’m definitely glad they are planning for the future though and I really really hope this is a turn for the better from the park

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4 hours ago, tactic said:

That is true, the problem with retracking a ride is that it’s only really going to interest an enthusiast and the average person will not notice. A new ride however will do wonders for both communities and the park itself.

 

I guess the park are still recovering from covid and expecting a massive investment for the retrack while they are building an entire new coaster is too much to ask (even without covid that would still be a massive investment).

 

I’m definitely glad they are planning for the future though and I really really hope this is a turn for the better from the park

 

What are your thoughts on the Nemesis retrack or is that slightly different because of its reputation?

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9 hours ago, Mark9 said:

 

What are your thoughts on the Nemesis retrack or is that slightly different because of its reputation?

 

I think the nemesis retrack kinda has the same problem, by most of the gp it will be an unnoticed change, making it a large investment without much of a gain.

 

Although, it does seem that towers are going to change the colour of the track and update the theming, possibly giving them a way to advertise the ride as a different/new experience.

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Anyone else concerned that with Taziker taking the track back to, what I would imagine, grind it down a little or solder a little extra on so it actually fits might actually... make the ride experience worse? The trouble with not retracking the entire thing (and now essentially having two different tracks from two different manufacturers) is that it runs the risk of the different bit of track being substantially different.

 

I know it clearly wasn't viable for the park to do an entire refit of the attraction at the moment - but I feel like if the new track rides horribly it will ruin the experience further, but also if it rides smooth as butter it will stick out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the attraction?

 

Hopefully Taziker do a stellar job, but I suppose this is always a worrying prospect with a project like this.

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They probably could have done a full re-track but they either couldn't afford it or didn't want to pay for it. 

 

I just can't get over the Thorpe park social media team for criticising Alton Towers for retracking Nemesis for marketing reasons. A theme park is a commercial enterprise. It's not done for fun or charity (Efteling excluded). They could have re-sold us Colossus as a revamped experience. Instead it's just partially retracked with the wrong sized track apparently and is just as closed as its commercialised brother up North. 

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I agree - a bit unprofessional throwing shade at Towers when their own project is clearly a complete shower of sh**.

 

The track “not fitting”, or whatever the reason, then having to be sent back has got to be a bit of a screw up - you don’t hear of that very often.

 

Delays etc happen, that’s ok, but to be honest it seems Thorpe have once again far over-run on winter maintenance across the park and have tried operating a half-open theme park… again… and they have the cheek to point fingers at Alton Towers? 😐

 

Thorpe will never change will it.

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