If we wanted to get technical track has technically been erected... Allbeit it is only the maintenance track.. but progress for the sake of progress..And Javs, may I stress the building structure we have is only the maintenance part of the building so its going to be bigger then that! Also will be higher then what we already have.

Woah, how did you get permission? Lol did they hold it intill you got the picture? Thanks for the updates

My friend happens to be a ride host at thorpe and helped us get permission from the operator. I took the shot whilst we were being lifted to the top so there was no need for the operator to hold us at the top. There is a strap attached to the camera so it was tied securely to my arm, perfectly safe. As mentioned earlier, track has technically started to go up. They have got the track into the maintenance building. We saw some supports on a truck on the construction site, so that is a sign that supports should be going up soon... unless hurricane Katia doesn't cause disruption to the construction of The Swarm.

Some updates from Merlin Mania show that the footers around the lift, drop and zero-G roll are yet to be poured. It is believed that there is still a concrete mixer moving around site, suggesting that they're not finished - recent photos show the footer merely as shells rather than filled out footers ready for supports. My God this is slow. I don't think vertical construction of track will commence until by next weekend.Something to stimulate a little conversation to pass the time:

That footer shell was not there when we we visited so it is nice to see work on the footers progressing. My god, The Swarm is gonna really tower over the fish !

Wow it really is going to stand tall over flying fish. When will they remove it, isn't Thorpe supposed to be aimed at the teenage tier?

I used to LOVE the flying fish, but not it's back it's really not the same, without the theming it's pure awful

They're not going to remove it. It hasn't long returned! It's also worth pointing out that with the one way on and one way off Swarm island; a huge surge in population along that path, I think the fish will become a little more popular once again, target audience or not.

Was on park today and got a few pics :)There on our new Mini Site http://www.lc12.co.uk/

Lovely shots Marc. It seems that maintenance shed skeleton is going up rather fast, and more footers have already been poured since Friday; nothing non-enthusiasts would like to see but it still send enthusiasts into overdrive.

Some great pics there Marc, well done mate. And to think that I thought we were only going to get long distance shots from behind bushes and trees!

There's not a heck of alot more reinforcing steel to go in - about 75% of it is already on site! All being well - what with the weather - it should be complete by the end of September.

My friend happens to be a ride host at thorpe and helped us get permission from the operator. I took the shot whilst we were being lifted to the top so there was no need for the operator to hold us at the top. There is a strap attached to the camera so it was tied securely to my arm, perfectly safe. As mentioned earlier, track has technically started to go up. They have got the track into the maintenance building. We saw some supports on a truck on the construction site, so that is a sign that supports should be going up soon... unless hurricane Katia doesn't cause disruption to the construction of The Swarm.

The operator is not the person you need permission from, nor ride hosts.As far as I'm aware (and please correct me if I'm wrong) the park management's stance is that no onride photography is allowed during regular park operation.Anyway, nice to see the piling is continuing, That'll add a little more interaction to FF. It needs a bit more love, I think Neil is right about getting more footfall next year!

^I don't know about the idea of filming outside regular park operations, though that seems right anyway, I believe there's an awful lot of H&S paperwok that needs filling out before on board filiming can take place, especially from an outside party.

They're not going to remove it. It hasn't long returned! It's also worth pointing out that with the one way on and one way off Swarm island; a huge surge in population along that path, I think the fish will become a little more popular once again, target audience or not.

Fair enough, from my point of view, maybe or maybe not it's because I'm a thrill seeking teen but it just looks like an old fairground ride that's constructed from bendy straws. Speed isn't everything but it's a factor for me, also the track isn't too epic, figure of 8 (clarify?) I really don't see the attraction. While were talking about the fish, where did it used to be located?

Fair enough, from my point of view, maybe or maybe not it's because I'm a thrill seeking teen but it just looks like an old fairground ride that's constructed from bendy straws. Speed isn't everything but it's a factor for me, also the track isn't too epic, figure of 8 (clarify?) I really don't see the attraction. While were talking about the fish, where did it used to be located?

where stealth is pretty much

^^ It was pretty much exactly where the Stealth Diner is now. I know what I'd rather be in that spot...Dave

Supprised there's no updates....

Wanna bet? I've knocked together a few pictures from my trip today, I'll be honest the quality is shocking but then I only had my camera phone with me, was just quick shots too as I was with a non enthusiast and the weather was all over the place from one minute to another. In brief:-- New banner went up this afternoon above the fence next to Stealth- Concrete mixers seem to have left the site- Few workmen working on a footer just before the station, other workmen just working on the maintenance bay roof- An absolute ton of supports/ track has been layed out at the top of the site (more than what I've seen in the most recent pictures anyway)That's about all I can think of for now, construction was very very very slow today Again, sorry about the picture quality...

Some great pictures, thank you!

Not bad mate, what's the box type thing above the new banner?

Stealth's pressure control room, if by "the box" you mean the front of the small building just underneath Stealth's track.

Great pictures, made me realise how great the view of The Swarm will be from on the Storm surge lift!Anybody think the garden behind stealth is starting to look abit.. mazelike?EDIT: is that photo from storm surge or detonator? just realised the station doesn't look in line to be storm surge haha, either way, still a great view.

Cheers for those Val, top work!

Nice one Val, great pics mate.

Stealth's pressure control room, if by "the box" you mean the front of the small building just underneath Stealth's track.

Ah yeah couldn't picture it, the part that sticks out looked like a coffin haha