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The Swarm


JoshC.

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I thought the fire only happened every 3 trains?

 

Seems to change a lot.  Usually it's every 3 trains, but sometimes it's more (I've seen it anything up to once every 7 trains, though that was in 2012) or less.  Some Summer Nights that I went to they had it going off every train which was pretty sweet.

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I thought the fire only happened every 3 trains?

 

It changes a lot I think. I remember it being 1 every 2 last year, and this year I've only seen it 1 every 3. 

 

The fire engine was sporadically spiting out flames too, but it only seem to be every second train and only when the train was at the top of the drop, timing wasn't quiet right on it.

 

Yeah I noticed that this year. Last year it used to be really close to the train, but not anymore :( 

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Yesterday it was every 3 trains (I like to count as I like to try and get fire where possible  :P )

 

The original timing was when the train was at the top of the zero g roll. Last year it was changed to when the train is at the bottom of the first drop which from what I saw yesterday was what was happening.

 

They tried every one, kept filling the area with gas though as it didn't always ignite (and it would go off every minute or so). 7 was a bit extreme in the it hardly ever happens sense so 3 seems to have become the settled upon number.

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Every three trains it must have been then, to be honest I was so dizzy from continuous re-rides my son was insisting on it could have been alight continuously and it probably wouldn't have registered with me.

We never did see it go off while on the ride though, I must inform Jr of that, he will insist we return immediately and ride until we do see it *evilgrin*

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  • 4 weeks later...

They try to get all rides open then finish work on the second train and put it on when the demand is there

 

Hehe, 'demand'...

 

The maintenance department is lacking severly in numbers, it's a poor excuse, especially when Thorpe don't particularly consider 'demand' as 30+ minute queues on some days...

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Running one train is better for the environment or some crap like that.

Don't shoot the messenger, it was just something I heard (here I think) not sure if it was a serious comment though.

 

110minutes isn't demand...?

Dread to think what kind of queues you like to stand in.

This is the point I was making about Chessington, a lot of people are satisfied to sit in a queue for 2 hours, it's beyond me why anybody would, but if Chessington on Monday was anything to go by, there are far more people willing to do it than not, and what's worse is they go back, day after day to rinse and repeat (some people I know who were there Monday have gone back today too, paying full price to get in, crazy!).

All the time the crazies are prepared to pay full price to sit in a queue and not complain, nothing will change operation-wise.

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When I went on the Stealth bts with TT, we were told something along the lines of them having to 'prioritise' if you will. As in if they use both trains today, the engineers will have more work to do tomorrow morning and so they mightn't get the rides running on full capacity when it could potentially be needed more tomorrow than today.

 

 

I don't know if that explanation made the greatest deal of sense but that is what I was told, do with that information what you wish.

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When I went on the Stealth bts with TT, we were told something along the lines of them having to 'prioritise' if you will. As in if they use both trains today, the engineers will have more work to do tomorrow morning and so they mightn't get the rides running on full capacity when it could potentially be needed more tomorrow than today.

 

 

I don't know if that explanation made the greatest deal of sense but that is what I was told, do with that information what you wish.

 

Some excellent BS right there.

 

Why can't these parks take a leaf out of Alton Towers' book?

It would be like the Smiler opening on 2 or something.

 

Something to do with money probably. In the same way Towers likes to close earlier then it should Thorpe likes to run less trains then it should and pretends it's for the guests own good.

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^^ I did find it quite bemusing myself, especially as it is was the very first thing that we were told, as though they knew how much of a qualm it was for enthusiasts. I've no idea exactly how many engineers there are on park at a time, but I wouldn't have necessarily thought that would've been so much of an issue!

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Good to see Thorpe have resolved their issues

How is it parks like Towers, DLP & Blackpool (to most extents) amongst others can operate daily two train p,U.S. Operations and Thorpe at the best of times somehow cannot, I just can't understand it, it's things like this that can be the difference of somewhere being a world class or regional park.

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Good to see Thorpe have resolved their issues

How is it parks like Towers, DLP & Blackpool (to most extents) amongst others can operate daily two train p,U.S. Operations and Thorpe at the best of times somehow cannot, I just can't understand it, it's things like this that can be the difference of somewhere being a world class or regional park.

Here, here!  I've just spent two days at Alton Towers and not once did they start a coaster on low capacity!  I know they save money on opening times (they are dire), but it still doesn't excuse Thorpe's complete lack for care of the customers enjoyment.  If 110 minutes isn't demand then what is?!

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What if demand is just the public lingo they use like when a ride is broken, they don't delve into details. I've said it before, they don't have the staff to service all the rides ready on two trains each morning. Yes, they should have the staff and budget to allow two train op at any time. Do you think park managers and ride staff want rides open on one train? As much as you might think it help aids fast track that really isn't the aim even if it sometimes seems like that.

It's not acceptable for a ride like Swarm to have a 110 minute queue on one train but Thorpe are only doing the best they can with what they've got. It's higher up you need to look when trying to pin the blame.

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What if demand is just the public lingo they use like when a ride is broken, they don't delve into details. I've said it before, they don't have the staff to service all the rides ready on two trains each morning. Yes, they should have the staff and budget to allow two train op at any time. Do you think park managers and ride staff want rides open on one train? As much as you might think it help aids fast track that really isn't the aim even if it sometimes seems like that.

It's not acceptable for a ride like Swarm to have a 110 minute queue on one train but Thorpe are only doing the best they can with what they've got. It's higher up you need to look when trying to pin the blame.

So we get to blame Merlin?  Yay!  :lol:

 

In all seriousness though I think that whoever controls the budget Thorpe gets is to blame, they can only work with what they're given and it clearly isn't enough.

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  • 1 month later...

Was at Thorpe yesterday, and it was only on one train. How long has it been like this, and when is it likely to end...

Even Fastrack and RnR queues were huge. :(

They absolutely should not offer fastback when running reduced capacity. If they gave the tiniest crap about guest satisfaction over profits they wouldn't.

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