Mark9 Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Three very popular rides currently closed. They are having a bit of a mare at the moment. Sidders 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidders Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 When I went, it was when The Smiler first started taking a fancy to having a rest mid-circuit in the batwing. The result of course was not only Smiler down. but Oblivion, Enterprise and Submission too. Add to that that on the second day me and Mikey were there they also had Th13teen intermittently down, Air down the whole day, and Spinball on three passengers a car and it's really worrying to think how long to piss-poor reliability has been going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thinking about it, in the last month or so, Nemesis is the only roller coaster at the park that hasn't had a long period of downtime. It well and truly is the parks star ride Sidders and Whiteknuckle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 I'm supposed to be going to Alton in October, wonder if The Smiler will be fine by then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC! Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Its really Ironic that the oldest "big ride" here is the only one that I haven't seen have downtime like Mark9 said. When in doubt you can always rely on the good ol' girl Nemesis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 You've probably jinxed it now. Just you wait, you've probably killed the gearbox or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Currently only Smiler and Rita are down... Thirteen's back up then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Currently only Smiler and Rita are down... AGAIN??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Apparently down all day today too, They should really make it clear on their website and what not that it will be down, a lot of people will be going just to ride The Smiler and will end up being disappointed. And yes I know they have over 50 rides and attractions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 It's strange that they're the only Merlin park that doesn't have some form of closed ride scroller... Maybe it's the different website style, or perhaps they're just not as used to having half their park closed at once? The social media person has probably quit or gone on holiday, hence why there's been no mention of it being shut... Hopefully though, whichever support is being worked on is a quick(ish) fix, like every other major breakdown that has happened recently... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 When it opened late they were able to add a message at the top of the site which scrolled through, They certainly need one this year with Oblivion being down for 2 weeks, Thirteen had a few days and Smiler every couple of weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han30 Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Apparently down all day today too, They should really make it clear on their website and what not that it will be down, a lot of people will be going just to ride The Smiler and will end up being disappointed. And yes I know they have over 50 rides and attractions Totally agree ^^ there are going to be some very disappointed people particularly if they have gone just to ride The Smiler. I was lucky that it was open when I went, and I would have been disappointed had it been closed but it was my first ever visit to Towers so the other rides would have made up for that a little bit. Really feel for people who have travelled long distances to ride Smiler only to find out it is not open.....again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Maybe they should ask for a 5 minute spot on the 6 o'clock news with tomorrows reliability forecast. If they aren't careful they will end up on WatchDog again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Know what I find really weird, only Saw and Smiler have had such problems for Gerstlauer coasters... Yet meanwhile, things like Karacho are running fine (though unfinished, but that's the German way sometimes)... Did Takabashi even have over the top problems during it's opening months? If so, there's something strange about that only two Gersts have major issues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 To be fair though, both Saw and The Smiler are classed as prototypes, Saw was the first Eurofighter to dual load and offload and The Smiler is a Infinity something or another. Saw's first major problem happened to be a manufacturing discrepancy then after more manufacturing discrepancy causing frequent checks to be made in certain areas. Same with Smiler, I hear they are having to replace a part every week or so. Whilst both seem to be having/have had manufacturing difficulties it's made worse by the fact they both have/had teething problems which happens on all rides, after all! They should take a leaf out of B&M's book, *If you decide to build a new concept don't release or build it until you have perfected the systems and manufacturing of the ride* - The Swarm is still yet to of had a full day closed. Shame Smiler is having so many of these issues though, it is a fantastic ride, whereas these days you look back at Saw's opening year and think "Yeah I don't really care if it spontaneously combusted" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 But on the other hand, aside from Fluch's theming taking over a year to do because of snow (excuses eh?) with both a LSM launching system and vertical lift/drop could that not also be termed as a prototype? Can also look at Lynet and Wild Hog for other prototypes... Though it's hard to say if they were unreliable tat breaking down every 5 minutes because of being in parks that are very rarely looked at... It seems clear that they've moved away from the dual loading system now, even Takabisha doesn't have it... Even that can be termed as a prototype with the amount of brakes at the top of the lift for the however many degrees drop... Atm with Smiler, it seems to be a support issue that has kept it closed currently (aside from the lift hills when I visited)... Now, is this down to Gerstlauer? OR the construction team externally brought in for the job? Indeed, a fair few of Smiler's issues had nothing to do with Gerstlauer (or least, I doubt they have anything to do with checking the type of soil on site), and the flying bolt of freedom isn't a specific manufacturer issue and clearly a result of the harsh weather changes (hooray for metal expanding and contracting!) It is a shame because the more issues have the more it paints a picture on Gerst (although, the Texas Giant issue will do more for that than anymore bolts flying off Smiler), as it's their biggest project and their rides are actually good (Saw being the exception) and as a still young and growing company they do provide something different... Perhaps though they are being too Intamin-like for their own good what with their new ideas being broken when used in the actual environment... Overall, it's not a good year for Towers either, everything seems to be breaking simultaneously, with Runaway's motor dying, Thirteen's hydraulics being sprayed everywhere, Oblivion's lift hill, Rita being Rita... It's on the cards for the Valley to take the next hit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Lets hope it's not Nemesis eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Anyone else think it's a bit concerning that Alton Towers haven't made an official word on the closure - or put anything on Twitter (unless I've missed it)... could it be something serious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 Lets hope it's not Nemesis eh? I wouldn't look on ridetimes if I were you Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styles Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 I'm going towers on Monday for 2 days do you think the smiler will be back open, iv been on it twice already but I would like to go and do it again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted August 1, 2013 Report Share Posted August 1, 2013 I wouldn't look on ridetimes if I were you Was it closed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Closed for an entire 20mins. Appeared on ridetimes as closed though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkadder312 Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Rita was down first thing this morning and reopened like lunch time with 50+ min queues with single rider closed. The Smiler does have a little slight possibly will open tomorrow but probably working Sunday as is still waiting for the part as of today. Thirteen is back up and running and I confirm that the shutters worked it was pitch black when I went into it also being my first ever go on it I love it also forgot to mention Ripsaw the engineers was working on it throughout most of the day might reopen tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Ripsaw was open after about 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cernuschi Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Towers have now put a message up on the homepage saying the Smiler is closed and will open soon. Although I bet people will miss it as its in tiny white writing under the top icons. pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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