Canonball Express

Leon · Serious Squawker

Canonball Express

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Yeah, I must admit the Canonball Express theming was much better than it's current form. I remember there being a few rocks for theming which were removed which is a shame as they looked quite good. Now it's just a coaster in a crater.

I think they should cover it up and make a really good dark ride out of it.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I must admit the Canonball Express theming was much better than it's current form

When it first opened, yeah, but themeing was never looked after and was just tatty crumbling away, so thy done the right thing in removing it (I believe).

Back in the day it first opened, it had 4 trains, never seen 4 running though, has anyone?

Leon · Serious Squawker

Seriously 4 trains?! wooah. So that must be, one in the station, one running, one at the first block brake, and one at the exit block section?

I remember reading somewhere that one of the trains was canobalized a few years back for spare parts for the other trains, and, up until recently, there was a second train on the transfer track. Where did the other go? lol.

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

All it needs now is a second train. It just isn't worth running one train on it:

Ok it takes about 2 minutes from the bottom of the lift hill to the unloading platform. Add another 2 minutes to bring the train back round and load - 4 minutes.

8 people per train.

About 120 people an hour running one train which is absolutely rubbish!!

Jools · Serious Squawker

The trains they use to have:

Red (First Scrapped)
Green (Second Scrapped)
Purple (used the most, scrapped third)
Blue (Still in use)

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

All it needs now is a second train

It needs more than a second train though, its something to do with the brakes, I guess they aren't working how they should be? And they dont want to run 2 trains if theres a risk of an accident, but, that leads to 2 questions:

1, Why scrap the spare the train? Even if you wont run 2 trains, it could be kept incase of a fault with the train they use the most?

2, Why spend all that money on the re-furb, yet not bother spending money on fixing the ride so it can be run properly?

Thats one thing I'd like to see done. People keep saying about replacing it, but it doesn't need replacing, it just needs some TLC. IMO, you can get a better coaster with the same footprint as Enigma.

Enigma is basically Shwarzkopf's version of the Pinfari Cyclone/Zyklon, and they clearly aren't no where near as good as Enigma.

-- Edited by Martyn on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 04:00:08 PM

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Martyn wrote:

its something to do with the brakes, I guess they aren't working how they should be?

I didn't realise it was something to do with the brakes. It's a shame really as it is a nice little coaster but at the moment I think it is letting the park down due to the lack of throughput.

Leon · Serious Squawker

I think the block brake sections stopped working a good few years ago, so they manually brake the sections? It's throughput is horrendous something like 100 per hour?

Does anyone have any pics of it running more trains, or when it was at Rotunda?

Jools · Serious Squawker

It cost to much to repair the brakes basically, so they just narrowed cars running to one.

Jools · Serious Squawker

The green train wasn't scrapped just in storage, it was on track when I went on Friday (in cannball colours), and the other one with question marks on was on the transfer track!!

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Did you take any pictures Jools?

Jools · Serious Squawker

My camera didnt work, I've got a video on my phone though, I could try and find the cable for that and share it, mind you it's bad quality.

datman · Serious Squawker

Leon wrote:

I think the block brake sections stopped working a good few years ago, so they manually brake the sections? It's throughput is horrendous something like 100 per hour?

Does anyone have any pics of it running more trains, or when it was at Rotunda?

Brakes on Enigma are still automatically applied , only time manual brakes are used are when the ride is tested each morning :)
Operator hs no brake button whatsoever
ride automatically stops in unloading station then after a key switch and delayed time the train is automatically transferred back to the loading station where again it is automatically stopped

Jools · Serious Squawker

About that, when I visited the other day, the train kept overshooting the station a bit.

datman · Serious Squawker

Jools wrote:

About that, when I visited the other day, the train kept overshooting the station a bit.

This normally happens when the train is stuck in the final break blocks, if the train is mostly full of adults , when the train is released from the blocks the weight of it will force the train through the stopping area of the unload station, sometimes it overshoots the station a little, other times it will completly over shoot the station all together, but as the unload station has slowed the train it will normally stop before hitting the tire that brings it back around to the loading point , when this happens its a case of manually pushing the train untill it connects with the wheel.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

God, the ride is such a mess. Like I said in the other topic. ALL the breaks and electrics need to be replaced by a completely brand new system. It will cost money but will make the ride 'complete' again.

datman · Serious Squawker

Martyn wrote:

God, the ride is such a mess. Like I said in the other topic. ALL the breaks and electrics need to be replaced by a completely brand new system. It will cost money but will make the ride 'complete' again.

it looks tatty and scruffy with weeds growing all around the ride ect.
the way the overhaul was being talked about is that the ride will be compleatly dismantled and rebuilt. if they are going to think at using a second train next year then perhaps they will rebuild the longer version of the ride.
and at the same time do something with the surrounding area rather than let it overgrow with weeds ect

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Wow, some activity on the forums in the last couple of days! I do check regularly - it's been quiet for about a month!

Anyway, thanks for the information Datman. I would love to see Enigma restored to full operation. It must be infuriating on busy days at the moment! As for it being relocated? I personally wouldn't mind seeing it moved but I would prefer it to be in fully working order and it to have some sort of theme.

I think it could be next on the list of a rename as it bears no relevance to anything at the moment. Like Mellow Yellow had this year I can imagine it being renamed, restored and hopefully rethemed. At the moment it is just a red coaster in a hole!

datman · Serious Squawker

Josh wrote:

Wow, some activity on the forums in the last couple of days! I do check regularly - it's been quiet for about a month!

Yes, not much happening realy, the only other noticable things is that the barrel organ van that was next to the train resturant has been repainted and relocated next to the toilets near the pirate ship , how i miss those duff notes, xmas carols, church hyms belting out (NOT) biggrin
Poor operator of the pirate ship gets to listen to it all day long biggrin
also the Annie Oakley Train has had a repaint , the engine is still green but the carraidges are now ,red,green,yellow,orange and the general public seem to now call it the rainbow train, personally speaking i do not think this was a good idea, as i much preferred the train in a traditional colour.

-- Edited by datman on Monday 27th of July 2009 01:19:33 AM

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Slightly off topic but this picture from the official site is very deceiving - makes it looks like Enigma is incredibly steep and high.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

also the Annie Oakley Train has had a repaint , the engine is still green but the carraidges are now ,red,green,yellow,orange and the general public seem to now call it the rainbow train, personally speaking i do not think this was a good idea, as i much preferred the train in a traditional colour.

Yes that does sound disgusting! Why couldn't they just keep it the nice green colour, like you said, it looked much more tradtional then, now it will just look tacky. God they really obssesed with bright colourful colours, its making the park look so tacky and it all sticks out so much in the parks nice natual setting.

Anything new Timber Falls datman? Any more ground work or queue line work?

the way the overhaul was being talked about is that the ride will be compleatly dismantled and rebuilt.

I dont think it will be dismantled and then rebuilt - unless its being relocated - which would be a waste of money as they would need to apply for planning permission.

One thing I have always said to myself though, if Pleasurewood were to ever get a EuroFighter, it would have to have to go in Enigma's current location, but I wouldn't like to see Enigma removed....

The more I think about it, the more this relocating of Enigma sounds do-able. Chances are, they'll be taking alot of it apart to sort the breaking system out, so whilst they're doing that, they might as well take the rest down to relocate it. Sounds plausable, as thats kind of what they done with Timber Falls, apart from relocate it; parts needed replacing, so they took it all down and re-painted.

Enigma could be moved to where I said the park needs a coaster, where the Wavesiwnger is sitting. Dont really know if there's enough space there though, with the Chairlift above. Apart from that, I cant really think of anywhere else it could go.

-- Edited by Martyn on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 04:15:54 PM

datman · Serious Squawker

Martyn wrote:

Anything new Timber Falls datman? Any more ground work or queue line work?

The more I think about it, the more this relocating of Enigma sounds do-able. Chances are, they'll be taking alot of it apart to sort the breaking system out, so whilst they're doing that, they might as well take the rest down to relocate it. Sounds plausable, as thats kind of what they done with Timber Falls, apart from relocate it; parts needed replacing, so they took it all down and re-painted.

Enigma could be moved to where I said the park needs a coaster, where the Wavesiwnger is sitting. Dont really know if there's enough space there though, with the Chairlift above. Apart from that, I cant really think of anywhere else it could go.

-- Edited by Martyn on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 04:15:54 PM

only thing new on timber falls is the tacky fountain, looks like they will not be doing anything else to it.

RE Enigma, doubt if they would relocate the ride over the waveswinger side of the park due to the closeness of residents in corton long lane, can imagine they would have a field day complaining about the airbrakes on enigma.
only places i could think of would be where it was said it might be relocated to,
behind pirate ship where the kids playground is or possibly between wipeout and the toilets by the dodgems.

-- Edited by datman on Wednesday 29th of July 2009 06:53:39 PM

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

If they could get something worthwhile to fill the hole then I would welcome a relocation of Enigma. Plus a relocation would bring an air of "new" to the ride.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Datman, I see what you're saying about the noise from the brakes. Though I dont think the locations you mentioned are too good either. Whilst it would fit in between Wipeout and the toilets, it look a mess having two coasters wham bam next to each other, and the niose issue would come up again.

And it wouldn't fit on the play area next to the Timber Falls, with out rearranging the pathways etc, and then the area would be a mess.

Plus a relocation would bring an air of "new" to the ride.

It would be very very odd, after 14 years of riding it in the crater, to then ride it on flat land!

I do think a couple of rides in the park need to be moved though, as weird as it sounds, it does make the park better having the rides in the right location. I think the Carousel should be moved to opposite Wipeout. And just ANYTHING put in that space where the Hungry Bears Pavillion used to be.

Leon · Serious Squawker

Josh wrote:

Slightly off topic but this picture from the official site is very deceiving - makes it looks like Enigma is incredibly steep and high.

That's Photoshop for you

The angle it has been taken at, along with the tree in the background help to decieve too.

Back on topic, I'd hate to see it moved. It's almost 'sacred' and vintage where it is atm. I do hope they get it restored to the glory days of August 1996 when I was 10 and it was the tallest rollercoaster in the world for me, and the cues stretched right near the old sea lion queline

MattyH · Passionate about Pleasurewood

i would like to see a youtube clip of all 4 trains running together, asi can barely remember it, and for those who can't it would be a nice thing to see what this ride used to be like

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

It was amazing when it first opened, I was only 11 or 12 and CE was just ace. The Western theming and whole ride experience was awesome from what I remember. It's just a shame it's so bare now :(

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I dont think they ever used 4 trains at once to be honest. Most probably 2, or 3 at max.

But yeah, like Josh I remember it being awsome compared to how it is now. But then, when you're that age, most things are awsome!lol

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

I'd still class it as awesome if they got it running properly again and maybe refurbed the track to get it to full speed and capacity... It would seem a lot more impressive if you saw 2 or 3 trains speeding around the track though!

Also, I honestly don't understand how they can't have 2 trains running... 1 automatically stops in the exit anyway - you could unload one while the other one loads, and by the time the next one gets to the exit station the other one will have finished loading. You could halve queuing times without even having 2 going round at once...