July 9, 201213 yr comment_138813 Slightly confused. I mean I can't say that I go to Thorpe that regularly but I sure do try to keep up with every day goings on and to be fair, the ride seems to be having a pretty decent first year, especially compared to the likes of SAW and Stealth. It is bad for a B&M to be on one train and have seats not in operation on that only train but a bit of perspective is needed. Saw decided to commit suicide on its first day of public operation followed by a lengthy stint on reduced capacity. Stealth spent the whole of its first summer in 2006 closed by order of the king. The Swarm having problems isn't uncommon. It's a ride in its first season and whilst the company has experience with a B&M wing rider, Thorpe does not. The Swarm will settle, it is just unfortunate that its chosen the parks second busiest period to do so. Fastrack on the other hand is appaulling. The biggest aspect I hate is sellers at the rides entrance. There was one outside Inferno the other day. The queue wasn't even 30 minutes long but the little kids ran up to her with pride buying the one shot pass.
July 9, 201213 yr comment_138891 Note, The Swarm has and is currently running reduced capacity due to essential maintenance. Normal operation will continue shortly.
July 10, 201213 yr comment_138901 I quote from when I asked a question to Thorpe about the water effects, this is the reply I got: "Hi! The water effects are actually just skims to look as though the train is brushing the water. They're not intended to get people wet!" Would seem like it is intentional that they go off after the train passes!
July 10, 201213 yr comment_138902 Personally I think the water effects should be in sync with the train but be aimed away from riders thus keeping them dry but making it good to watch in the surrounding area as you see the train appear from behind a wall of water. Regarding the one car situation, it's better to have it open than closed and all new rides have problems. I remember Luke A posting in the Colossus ert thread about them changing the tightness of the magnetic brakes after the inline to improve throughput so hopefully when the second car is back on track we will see more throughput records which are already high at 1260.
July 10, 201213 yr comment_138904 Well, I'm not 100% sure if this is the right place to share my latest edit of the swarm, However. I hope you all like! I do not own this image, I just edited and made it much better! (: Feel free to ask me to make more.. Thank You - Alex Doughty
July 10, 201213 yr comment_138920 Wow, who is actually suprised!? Its Thorpe Park! They never seem to keep the effects going, although I would expect them to at least survive one season! Its a shame really, but I am not surprised, its nothing that was not going to happen in 12 months time! I never took any effects for granted or made much of them, because I knew, sods law would indicate the moment you take someone to show off The Swarm, the effects would not be in operation! LOL
July 10, 201213 yr comment_138940 Went to thorpe park for the 1st time this year. Went on the first ride of the day on the Swarm. Both cars were working in the morning, but at some point in the day there must have been something wrong and they reverted to one car (although all seats were available). All the effects were working today and in sync (I think!). On my second go I went on the front. Unbelievable!!
July 11, 201213 yr comment_138965 Glad to hear at least one train now has all seats in operation. It was a big hit on the queue time for me when even two trains where in use but both had different rows out of action so staff had to move people depending on which train just entered, guests would then moan about not being able to sit together or on the same train or same side; it just got a little chaotic.
July 11, 201213 yr comment_138966 All the effects were working today and in sync (I think!). On my second go I went on the front. Unbelievable!! Nice! Even the fire?
July 11, 201213 yr comment_138968 Nice! Even the fire? Sorry, still no fire. All the waters effects were working though and in sync most of the time, plus while queueing in the stairs, The Swarm noise played at the correct time everytime.
July 12, 201213 yr comment_139001 Yesterday when I went the jets were out of action, but everything else was working. I'm starting to notice the small things are no longer working though, for example the lights on the helicopter and fire engine no longer flashed, and the truck outside the island had no smoke or lighting anymore. After the first hour it ran all day on 2 trains and completely gobbled up the queues. Also noticed 2 things, at the entrance theres a smallish sized circle fenced off, there were loads of bricks there and a plastic sheet covering something up. Not sure what this is for, whether its just relaying some dodgy bricks or perhaps putting in another stall or something. Secondly, I noticed a few guys wondering around with TG Cruise Groundworks coats on. They had one of those distance measuring wheels. I know these guys are working on SW7 at AT, not sure if they're responsible for THE SWARM too or not, though, but looks like some kind of development should happen soon.
July 13, 201213 yr Author comment_139036 This image was posted by 'Rollercoaster5000' over on TTF: A Studios North van has also been spotted on park.. A bit strange really, so just what is it for..?
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139037 Maybe a giant statue of a Swarm creature will be sitting here? Who knows?!
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139040 This image was posted by 'Rollercoaster5000' over on TTF: A Studios North van has also been spotted on park.. A bit strange really, so just what is it for..? It's the hatch from LOST
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139042 They set that VERY quickly, two days ago it was literally just a pile of rubble...
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139048 Here are my ideas in order of probability: 1) Gas/water pipe repair/maintanence 2) New piece of scenery/guest interaction with water effects 3) New food/retail kiosk 4) Early marketing for 2013 ride - once again, workers have unearthed something during a routine dig Should be interesting to see what this amounts to!
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139049 We spotted the Studios North van behind the swarm, so I can only assume they are creating a new theming feature as there is no room on that island for another ride.
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139053 I'm going for the fire engine from near Depth Charge. As in that moving to where this is?
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139054 Hopefully it won't be a kiosk because it would completley ruin the plane theming where it is. I don't think that they would move that fire engine because it wouldn't really look good with both on the island in my opinion. Personally I hope that it is a new piece of theming
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139055 Personally I want to see some Swarm creatures around there, I've heard people aswell saying they think they may squirt water (sort of like that lizard over at Rumba used to do?) Might be pretty cool to have there! Wouldn't want the Fire engine being moved, looks good when your walking over to Swarm island!
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139057 If we get something like Leviathans statue but more suited to The Swarm I'll be a happy bunny. Imagine The Swarm creature all lit up at night like the one from Leviathan does. Unfortunately, it will most likely be a fastrack unit because this is Merlin we are talking about.
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139058 The Leviathan statue also spurts steam out of the nostril holes. Just though I would say... Lets put two and two together here though... You can see in the picture that there is some sort of a metal support thing that looks like it is there to hold something up. There is also a Studio North van on site. I'm sure you can work the rest out. In all seriousness, if there was to be something here that required water or electricity, wouldn't there be some pipes/wires exposed? It looks as if any potential wires and pipes have been concreted over. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of vehicle or large chunk of debris that is placed so it looks like it has fallen from the skies. I can imagine a car of some sort that is place in the ground with its boot in the air and bonnet driven into the ground. Maybe a pit around it due to the impact with some debris and possibly even some smoke..? I may be looking too far into this, but it is speculation.
July 13, 201213 yr comment_139060 I do hope it is another piece of theming. I will be impressed if it it, so long as it does not interfere with views etc. I would say maybe a submerged vehicle of some sort, but then again, I usually always get this stuff wrong.
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