September 14, 201113 yr comment_123249 Perhaps some credit actually that AT/Merlin listened and acted upon the criticism. Some people are still just moaning about what they did to the ride - it's all completely gone now.
September 18, 201113 yr comment_123472 It is.. absolutely gorgeous isn't it. Really wanted a Fanta afterwards as well
September 18, 201113 yr comment_123473 My God ha! Although I can understand the sponsorship on this ride as there is NO theming so it doesn't really matter.
October 27, 201113 yr comment_125937 Probably a stupid question but it's been bothering me for the past few days. Has Oblivion ever stalled? I appreciate that the track is very short so it doesn't really have time to slow down that much but I was just wondering...And on the same note, does Alton Towers have access to the bottom of the drop? I suppose they must do but I wasn't sure as it is a very deep hole.
October 27, 201113 yr comment_125939 Probably a stupid question but it's been bothering me for the past few days. Has Oblivion ever stalled? I appreciate that the track is very short so it doesn't really have time to slow down that much but I was just wondering...And on the same note, does Alton Towers have access to the bottom of the drop? I suppose they must do but I wasn't sure as it is a very deep hole.It would only really stall on the chainlift or the curve prior to the drop. They manually stop it when someone has a camera on-board and they get a man to climb up and take it from them - awkward They definately has access to the bottom, I'm not sure where the entrance is though.I took this in 2009 because I thought it were funny/concerning:
October 27, 201113 yr comment_125940 ^ Most B&M coasters have gaps like that where the switch/transfer track is, or else when it moves it would obviously scrape and possibly damage the track.Oblivion can only be stopped on any of the 'pinch brake' sections, the conveyors at the top of the lift and between the main brakes and transfer track. Or the main lift. It cannot be stopped on the holding brake, as it is effectively a reverse of the chain-lift, therefore if there is a power cut in between the block just before the drop where there are some friction wheels and a pinch brake, the chain will just let the train roll straight off of it, as there is no power to hold the train. Never heard of it stalling though, seeing as it goes through the tunnel and turnaround at quite a pace! :SAs for the access to the tunnel, there must be some sort of access near the exit of it near Enterprise? Although I'm not sure about this, can you access the tunnel from the door/hut thing to the right of this picture?
October 27, 201113 yr comment_125956 Thanks for the response guys! I thought it was unlikely but knew there'd be more informed people than me who would know about this sort of thing. I'm guessing they don't have to go down into the pit very often but it must be quite impressive seeing it down there when they do.
October 28, 201113 yr comment_125999 Nice pics, but how did you get them? Every time I try and go to any gallery on ATA it tells me 'fatal error', been like that for quite a while.
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126331 Cheers Neilfever. Ha! That tunnel really doesn't look as impressive when you can actually see the walls. It always amazes me that it travels 120ft underground because it never seems like it has enough space to go that deep and then come back up in time for the stall turn. Even those pictures make the incline look really shallow but I guess there's not much to compare the steepness of the track to.
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126337 To be fair when your travelling at 55mph you don't tend to notice the walls ;)I can't see why you think it would stalled because every time I have rode oblivion it seems to be faster than the breaks and always comes to a sharp stop, Theirs more than enough speed to make it carry on through a circuit as well as appear from the hole
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126344 Yeah, I know it was a long shot. I was just wondering if it had happened once when it had been really windy and rainy and maybe just hadn't made it up to the brake run and had then come to settle at the bottom of the vertical drop. Part of me was thinking that it's been around for so many years now with so many circuits each day that it wouldn't be that unreasonable to think that just once it had stalled. On the other hand, speeds of 68mph does make my notion of stalling sound ridiculous.
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126349 ^ 68mph*Oh sorry I thought Rita was the fastest on the park at 60mph, as they keep advertising
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126350 Also, rain actually can actually make a rollercoaster run slightly faster as it means there is less friction between the wheels and the track. It is a fair point to ponder about though, it is a forum for open discussion =].
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126354 The only way I think it could stall is if something major tangled in the wheels which although unlikely is most definitely possible. Pretty certain it has never happened though.
November 1, 201113 yr comment_126391 Oblivion has far more problems with it overspeeding than potential stalling (infact most delays in the ride is due to overspeeding into the brakes).So yeah, doubt it'll ever happen!
November 2, 201113 yr comment_126490 I do love Oblivion but really my only real gripe about it is the restraints. It seems every seat has a different shade of orange (or peach maybe a more accurate colour ) and alot have faded right down to black around where riders' heads are; I think it would go a long way to tidying up it's appearance if it was sorted.
November 8, 201113 yr comment_126949 I do love Oblivion but really my only real gripe about it is the restraints. It seems every seat has a different shade of orange (or peach maybe a more accurate colour ) and alot have faded right down to black around where riders' heads are; I think it would go a long way to tidying up it's appearance if it was sorted.If this is your only gripe about Oblivion then there isn't really a problem with it!Still my favourite ride in Alton Towers
November 8, 201113 yr comment_126950 ^To be fair, looks are EVERYTHING on a ride, and Oblivion is in a right old state atm, both the track and cars are in a desperate need of repainting, made clear by the redone train this year, which looked tonnes better than the rest...
November 8, 201113 yr comment_126973 If this is your only gripe about Oblivion then there isn't really a problem with it!Still my favourite ride in Alton TowersFair point but like I said it is my only gripe among so many other things which are great about it; never mentioned there being a gargantuan issue with the ride else where and the experience it provides. I do still love the ride.Plus, if there has been one that has been redone this year then we can only hope something will be done to the rest over the closed season
November 9, 201113 yr comment_127005 Fair point but like I said it is my only gripe among so many other things which are great about it; never mentioned there being a gargantuan issue with the ride else where and the experience it provides. I do still love the ride.Plus, if there has been one that has been redone this year then we can only hope something will be done to the rest over the closed season More than one has been done. From memory, there's one that's been completely redone (which was done for the advertising this year) and then there's about four or five others with the front row done. If I remember, there's only one with full new restraints (or fresh ones) and about two with none at all, the rest are in limbo, and there's definitely one (at least) sat in the workshop with the restraints ready to be put on, but it's been there for months...
November 11, 201113 yr comment_127117 Of course, you could always telephone the Oblivion help-line.But unfortunately I do not have the number. God. I bloody love Oblivion.
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