August 4, 201510 yr comment_213967 It might actually be an idea to relocate samurai to somewhere else within the park and get a whole new flat ride in samurais location that would be around the same size or bigger as long as it doesn't go past the rocks opposite, but somehow I don't see that will ever happen....
August 7, 201510 yr comment_214173 After being closed for over a month now, Samurai is finally getting some work done to it, well a lot of work done to it! All the pods have been taken off. (Credit to themeparkguide for the photos)
August 7, 201510 yr comment_214179 Looks as if they are going to be putting the main arm down into maintainance position like they do in winter, would explain the green crane. Either that, or they are removing it which I highly doubt. And in the background Saw seems as if its running an empty train, Gerstlauer quality...
August 7, 201510 yr comment_214294 Just bin the bloody thing. Is it sad that this is the same ride that probably helped you fall in love with Chessington all those years ago?
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214308 Never got to see it at ches but for me it was what made me enjoy flats and actually go on them, I like it but it should just be binned, its always broke and the cycle running on it is horrifically short, slow and the opposite of intense which it was designed to be. I find that now your lucky if your pod tilts gully over once nowadays.....
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214311 Is it sad that this is the same ride that probably helped you fall in love with Chessington all those years ago? Most of the rides that I fell in love with have either been ruined by management or already gone. I'll always have my memories of that fantastic red and black gondola spinning away in Mystic East however I've never got on with Samurai at Thorpe. Only a couple of times has it ever shown the pace or thrill of when it was back at Chessington. It's become a bit of an embarrassment and its really kind of astounding that it and Slammer still get money pumped into them.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214318 Most of the rides that I fell in love with have either been ruined by management or already gone. I'll always have my memories of that fantastic red and black gondola spinning away in Mystic East however I've never got on with Samurai at Thorpe. Only a couple of times has it ever shown the pace or thrill of when it was back at Chessington. It's become a bit of an embarrassment and its really kind of astounding that it and Slammer still get money pumped into them. Half agree / disagree.. Slammer when it's working is actually pretty reliable... It's most recent major down time was for them to install a new system on the ride, apart from that touch wood other than opening late this year it's been running pretty well. Agree with samurai..but then not to sure what else they could fit in the space, and it's better than them laying some turf!
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214331 Agree with samurai..but then not to sure what else they could fit in the space, and it's better than them laying some turf! Is it though? Thorpe is very short on green space, and finding places for people to sit and rest is quite a task. All Samurai really does these days is waste both guests and engineers' time. It being open is very rare, and when it is open, its running a pitifully dull cycle. So surely it would be better just to ditch it in favour of a nice picnic field?
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214353 Slammer they plan to open late as there isn't enough demand early on for them to be able to easily balance it and although a picnic area would be good, what Thorpe really needs is done more filler rides if they do remove it they could even replace it with the carousel if they still had it in storage and just repaint it and all....
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214361 Slammer they plan to open late as there isn't enough demand early on for them to be able to easily balance itI'm no expert but from following the park and maintenance on slammer, it is an extremely rare and complicated ride, therefore maintenace on the ride is likely to be particularly difficult. Combined with the fact that Thorpe Park are lacking in engineers, as shown by the lack of rides open at the beginning of the season and the amount of rides closed in general, it is likely to be due to an engineering and maintenance delay that slammer wasn't ready for the beginning of the season. Maintenace also is likely to take longer on a one of a kind and complicated ride.In an ideal world slammer should be ready for the beginning of the season and I'm confident that the park do strive to try and get all rides maintained and running as early as possible. Winter maintenance wouldn't be carried out late on a ride due to lack of demand. It's as simple as that. On the plus side, once slammer does get up and running it seems to be pretty reliable and it runs on good settings as well. That's why it's the far superior asset to thorpe park than samurai which is constantly down and when it is rarely open, runs on the dullest settings I have ever seen a topscan operate.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214364 I think Matt means on a daily basis, and he's right - it has a planned opening of 11. The saga of when in the season they manage to open it is another matter, and clearly not a planned delay.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214365 I think Matt means on a daily basis, and he's right - it has a planned opening of 11. The saga of when in the season they manage to open it is another matter, and clearly not a planned delay. Ah sorry, my misunderstanding completely.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214371 Samurai is now almost completely dismantled. The end of the end, or extensive repairs? Samurai seems to be even worse than Slammer for reliability nowadays
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214375 It's pretty much completely dismantled!? I have never seen it like that, interesting. I'd rather it just went, but I have a feeling Thorpe are going to keep it. Slammer they plan to open late as there isn't enough demand early on for them to be able to easily balance it I don't think the reason it's open late is due to balancing issues, as I've seen it with 2 people on before. At Fright Nights later on it's dead and there is no balancing issues.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214377 They put it down in that position over the winter quite a lot to do a full over inspection, if the signs go down and the floor starts to be taken up that's when we will be able to be certain of its fate.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214378 I kind of feel like if this was indeed the end, Thorpe would be saying that, rather than it just being a "scheduled closure". Presumably this is for some pretty big maintenance. Despite views from the enthusiast community about how it is operated, Samurai is still a well-received ride by the public. Given the amount of effort they put into Slammer, I'd be surprised if they gave up the ghost just yet with the ride.
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214379 The thing is though Slammer is the last of its type and over the last few months round samurai I have heard a lot of people saying that it seems slower then before or that it seems slow and short but the only good things I have heard people saying about it is about the fact that it is loading quickly....
August 8, 201510 yr comment_214382 The thing is though Slammer is the last of its type -Just because it's the last of its type, doesn't mean it's any good. -Thorpe don't advertise this. The average guest won't be aware that it's the last of its type, so it means nothing to them!
August 12, 201510 yr comment_214865 Hopefully they're getting a brand new Topscan. I doubt it though.
August 13, 201510 yr comment_214904 Well it is merlin.... I dont see your point? Are you saying they should buy another fair ground ride not really designed for a theme park environment so we can all moan about its reliability in a few years time?
August 13, 201510 yr comment_214908 I dont see your point? Are you saying they should buy another fair ground ride not really designed for a theme park environment so we can all moan about its reliability in a few years time? It's what they did with Zodiac... Perhaps a new Top Scan would be an idea, who knows if Mondial have improved the design? Bearing in mind Samurai is 16 years old, it might be the best avenue for Thorpe to take...
August 13, 201510 yr comment_214915 Samurai is still a popular ride as I'm aware seeing it receives 30-45 minute queues on moderately busy days (more so than other flats bar Rush & Detty). Whilst I'm unsure what's happening with the ride, when I did my Swarm lift my guide did say that the ride is just getting some TLC and the park generally like keeping their rides, though who knows. A new updated one could do the job well IMO especially if there is now a park version.
August 13, 201510 yr comment_214917 Ultimately it's a good and popular ride. Buy a new one, they're not expensive in the scheme of things, run it properly and be comfortable with the fact it'll have to be binned in 10 years. The cost of investment per year of operation would still be quite low.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.