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THE SWARM: Construction Updates


Marc

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LC12 - details so far. - Its £18,000,000- A Steel Wind rider- B&M rollercoaster- The lift/launch system is chain- its hight peak is 127 ft (38.6m)- It has 4 inversions- According to the submitted plans, it will re-create "flying through a crash scene" and will feature extensive themeing including a crashed aeroplane and helicopter around its layout. It will feature four inversons including an inclined loop, zero-g a corkscrew and a inline twist. - The rollercoasters rails will be filled with sand to reduce the noise.- The area will be themed as if being partially destroyed by explosions associated with a major disaster. There is a crashed plane, crashed helicopter, a crashed fire engine and an over turned lorry as part of the themeing- The ride will begin in the station, a partly destroyed church, and will climb up a 40m lift hill. Upon reaching the top of the lift hill the track will rotate 180° and dive down through a large half loop. The train will dive under a wrecked plane and incline into a zero-g roll and before entering the inclined loop. It then enters a turn around with a wrecked helicopter in the centre followed by a corkscrew through the loop creating a near-miss point. Upon leaving the corkscrew the train will curve past a crashed fire engine and a partly destroyed church tower and enter an inline twist before the final brakes of the ride.-LC12.net has a brief description of the possible theme of the ride and also has a countdown until 1st August 2011post-4593-0-25683600-1310903067_thumb.jpIt may look a bit like this?post-4593-0-46105100-1310903156_thumb.jpAnd this was the plan.So guys we put it all together what do we now think of the ride?

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Welcome to the forum Louise, It's nice to see someone bringing some fresh enthusiasm! -_- I wouldn't rack your minds too much over the "LC" meaning, as with the SAW project it'll be more than likely just some throw away codename. Things will become much clearer once we hit August 1st.As for the trains, I keep seeing visions of some F16 fighter jet style decals covering the gimbals, seatbacks etc...Got thinking about possible names last night and started typing apocalyptic type names into google and wiki, quite like the idea of "Ragnarök" which in old norse implies "final destiny of the gods"

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LC12 - details so far. - Its £18,000,000- A Steel Wind rider- B&M rollercoaster- The lift/launch system is chain- its hight peak is 127 ft (38.6m)- It has 4 inversions- According to the submitted plans, it will re-create "flying through a crash scene" and will feature extensive themeing including a crashed aeroplane and helicopter around its layout. It will feature four inversons including an inclined loop, zero-g a corkscrew and a inline twist. - The rollercoasters rails will be filled with sand to reduce the noise.- The area will be themed as if being partially destroyed by explosions associated with a major disaster. There is a crashed plane, crashed helicopter, a crashed fire engine and an over turned lorry as part of the themeing- The ride will begin in the station, a partly destroyed church, and will climb up a 40m lift hill. Upon reaching the top of the lift hill the track will rotate 180° and dive down through a large half loop. The train will dive under a wrecked plane and incline into a zero-g roll and before entering the inclined loop. It then enters a turn around with a wrecked helicopter in the centre followed by a corkscrew through the loop creating a near-miss point. Upon leaving the corkscrew the train will curve past a crashed fire engine and a partly destroyed church tower and enter an inline twist before the final brakes of the ride.-LC12.net has a brief description of the possible theme of the ride and also has a countdown until 1st August 2011post-4593-0-25683600-1310903067_thumb.jpIt may look a bit like this?post-4593-0-46105100-1310903156_thumb.jpAnd this was the plan.So guys we put it all together what do we now think of the ride?

The details of how the coaster will commence makes me all excited, I love the idea of descending under a wrecked plane, I'm praying they keep the original budget for the theming and I think it will be one of the greatest additions to Thorpe yet!
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I think I'm still convincing myself the ride will be a 4d b+m prototype, and am preparing myself to be massively disappointed when it inevitably isn't!!

Well then, stop trying to convince yourself then you may well not be disappointed... Unless it gets announced officially as a spinning 4D, then it is (and always was) enthusiast fancy with no actual factual backup to the idea...
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I thought we'd got past this... It isn't going to be 4D.Not 4D.4D is something this coaster will not be. Ok?Valentez, that name is pretty cool but might be a bit 'thinky' for a theme park, especially Thorpe -_- It sounds like something someone would make in RCT actually! -_-

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Well then, stop trying to convince yourself.

No, I want to believe!!

I thought we'd got past this... It isn't going to be 4D.Not 4D.4D is something this coaster will not be. Ok?

I'm 99% sure it won't be too, but really? You seen the plans down to the detail of train mechanics design? No. When exactly did we get passed this? I don't remember that confirmation being made by Thorpe.BTW, I know you are right, I just don't want you to be. I think the layout seems somewhat uninspiring as it stands, where as adding the 4d element could make it stunning.
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Uninspiring?You HAVE seen that first drop right? It'll certainly be the most impressive part of the entire ride...Besides, my experience of X was nothing short of unimpressive... 4D isn't the be all or end of of this and every other B&M Wingrider...

The first two inversions do look great, but after that it all looks a bit aimless to me. Obviously I don't know this as we can only imagine the experience from the plans on paper. X is insane, it is quite horrible and quite brilliant in equal measures. No, a B+M 4D isn't the be all and end all. But there hasn't been one yet, and I want one. Whats wrong with that?
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My thoughts. It could be impressive but I am exceptionally worried that they will skimp and save here there and everywhere on the theming and the experience will suffer for that. Even though I hear that some elements of the theming have already been purchased and are already at Thorpe (old fire engine, some plane pieces).I am also worried that it will be too short.

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I'd be very surprised if B&M ever made a 4D coaster. I just doubt they'd build something that just has so many variables and unpredictability. Everything they do is to replicate the sensation of flight and rider freedom. Wrenching their riders in awkward and sometimes uncomfortable positions is not something B&M do on purpose. But I can understand why people would want one and as it hasn't been stated that it isn't one, then go ahead and speculate. Ha.One comment I'll make though, I've seen several posts on here and other forums saying how they want an inverted/ standup wing rider. Are you guys thinking this through? There is no track above you, no track below you- this has to be one of the most exposed riding experiences out there. Not only does it already have the qualities of an Inverted Coaster, the thought of making it a "stand up" coaster makes me want to go and bottle up my own sperm and store it for future use; I can assure you they won't be in working order afterwards!

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I'd be very surprised if B&M ever made a 4D coaster. I just doubt they'd build something that just has so many variables and unpredictability.

You, as usual, make a good point Sheeps! If you think of it, this is the crux of why B&M stay away from launched coasters. Their reliability is one of their major selling points and they really pride themselves on it, you may well be right that for that reason they'd avoid 4D too.
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I'm not so sure. If they can get the actual motion of the seats to work smoothly, and I'm sure there is a way they can, they may well try it. By turning the seats to counter the outward forces of the track you can get in the most comfortable and floaty positions imaginable, as x does manage on a couple of fleeting occasions. It's getting the seat rotation smooth that's a massive challenge, but I think it would be well worth them giving it a go.

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According to Wikepedia, this is what the trains might be like: Wing Rider trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.Also, I went to Thorpe Park yesterday, and they have fenced the part you can take photo's from for the LC12 area. However it was possible whilst at the end of riding stealth (whilst still on the ride) to see how its progressing. So what I saw were plenty more diggers (about 4). I could see some sort of metal fencing rolled up with all the other things ready for the ride. The concrete footers were piled in rows beside the area which they had leveled out (these footers were absolutely massive may I point out!). There were other bits and bobs like portaloo's and a cabin. There was also large wiring layed out beside the footers (what looked like it), and also something that resembled metal netting?There were also plenty of signs about, everywhere! 'LC12 the END is COMING' on plain black and white A4 paper, but when you saw them their were about 5 stuck in one place. They had them in queue lines, in KFC, pizza hut, on the windows of ride operators etc. They have made some detailed progress since last time.

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The first two inversions do look great, but after that it all looks a bit aimless to me. Obviously I don't know this as we can only imagine the experience from the plans on paper. X is insane, it is quite horrible and quite brilliant in equal measures. No, a B+M 4D isn't the be all and end all. But there hasn't been one yet, and I want one. Whats wrong with that?

sorry, but what is this "X" everyone is on about?
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OK, sorry to double post, but I am bored and have been looking over the plans for LC12. So I did not realise just how intense this coaster is going to be. The turn around over the lake around the helicopter is a 90 degree bank following a drop from an over banked turn 70 feet up!! I also think I may have stumbled upon a possible theme for the ride other than what we already know. There appear to be a lot of references to aircraft, and the layout is very much what a fast jet would do if trying to escape/evade or even recce the area. Just my opinion, but it looks very much like the sort of motion a military/high performance aircraft/fast jet would fly.

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