Alton Towers

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

RE: Alton Towers

GB1 · Woody Wannabe

Just awful, I went on it a few weeks ago and the force the cars come down from the loops means that the crash would have been at high impact. I went cold when I heard. Alton twitter account says the whole park is shutting tomorrow now...

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

How did it crash into another car?

Very frightening.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

yes park closed today... seems that the empty car stalled and rolled back somehow.

Same place that a car has stalled before and had to be removed with a crane... I did see the video of the full car going into the empty one ( be it brief ) we are due there in 3 weeks yet are now reviewing as I expect the ride will be closed for sometime now.

very sad day for the park and area as there was a fatality near JCB and another issue in the village

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Seems to be a human error, because two cars shouldn't be able to access the same piece of track, it it's occupied it will automatically stop, unless the system has been over ridden for testing purposes and not switched back on again.

This ride has so many problems it was just a matter of time something serious happened. Maybe they'll just cut their losses and pull it down.

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

there has been a few issues you're right but they shouldn't pull it down. Perhaps rework the section of track where the car stalled so it doesn't do it again. Whether or not the public continue to trust it will be another thing.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

It won't get pulled down, it's too new and expensive.

This incident is probably the Merlin nail in the Gerstlauer coffin though. Not good at all, quick shocking actually.

When I first read that two trains had collided, I just assumed it was on the brake run or in the station, would never have thought of it being mid-ride!

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

the park remains closed for a second day and my trip in three weeks has been refunded

September is still booked though.

Saw was also closed at Thorpe as a precaution yesterday - not sure if it is back up today.

Also heard that the wind may have caused the car to stall yet its in the bat wing section where something similar has happened before - arieal google views on maps actually shows a crane removing the cars from the same spot....

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

It happened before two years ago (to the day actually) when the ride was still new and they had issues with wheel compounds and various other things. It was full of water dummies at the time too.

The stall this time was probably an unfortunate wind gust or something that combined with the empty car. The serious issue is how and why a train entered that block when there was a car on track... It's a fundamental basic of rollercoasters and hopefully this will be sorted.

The park is now closed for an unprecedented third day running too. I must also say that the response from the park has been nothing short of impeccable. The professionalism and attention given to all questions on social media as well as the rapid and personable response of Nick Varney to the event.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Yes it has all been handled very well.

I did also read that for a time all Eurofighter models in the UK had been closed this week ?

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Oakwood confirmed on Twitter that Speed is open.

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

Yup, it's just a Merlin precaution by the looks of things.

Or you could say that Oakwood have kept Speed open because they barely run it with more than one car anyway...

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Alton towers will reopen tomorrow Monday 8th June. No ERT it seems and x sector closed until further notice. All smiler merchandise has been removed on site as have the smiler bays at the main hotel. The big 6 campaign has obviously been suspended and the smiler app has been withdrawn too. Whilst there are many rumours going around 8-12 weeks it seems until any chance of seeing x sector open. Sonic spinball is also closed pending new checks etc. My thoughts go to the people and nearest involved and also to team Alton on what will be a difficult day tomorrow. I will be back at the towers and hopefully in September proudly riding all rides wearing my smiler hoodie.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Now we have had the awful confirmation that one of the injured has lost her leg, how do we think the park/ride can move on ?

A retheme is surely going to have to happen if not a name change ? As I have been reading on other sites how can the name stay the same after this ?

All down to the HSE report and when they lift the ban on it as to how it can proceed I guess

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

X sector has now reopened except for smiler - the smiler sign has also been removed from the ride entrance.

Sonic is now open again too, nemesis sub terra is closed until further notice for a design update - seems the live actor segment has been removed from the end of the ride...

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

Actors were gone since the start of the season.

I doubt smiler will be rebranded or rethemed. Doing so could provide worse PR when it does reopen. You can imagine he press going to town with stories like 'Towers attempts coverup to fool people into riding crashed ride' and so on...

I think they've done the right thing by removing all references of the ride from the park until the media storm dies down.

Equally oblivion has had its queue and station videos/audio edited to remove references to 'eternal darkness' and 'ride cars going missing' etc.

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I see why they've removed the references on Oblivion, but I hope it's not permanent. I still find the whole Oblivion ride video and sound bites excellent.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

its part of the build up isn't it

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Looks like the ride will be closed down for good, I said they would.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

What makes you say that? Some lawyers are saying it may remain closed, but essentially, they're just overreacting to make the whole situation sound worse than it is. That's what lawyers are best at ;)

To even suggest it should close is just absolutely absurd.

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Park not having much luck are they? Not a coaster breaks down leaving people hanging. Thankfully it doesn't seem too serious but it's the last thing they need so soon.

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

More media overreactions with what are routine events. Next it'll be "Theme Park guests queue for 2 hours in 30 degree heat" - non stories.

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Is it really that normal to be hanging from a coaster for two hours?
What's the worse thing to happen at PHW?

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

this is all boring now... no one was hanging from air it was on the main lift hill that's all.

social media has a lot to say for all this cr**

And as Martyn says to even suggest the smiler be removed or dismantled is ridiculous. A retheme or rename perhaps yes yet people have died on rides in the UK and around the world and they are still in operation. I for one will be first in line to ride the smiler again and indeed any ride anywhere

quin · Enigmatic Expert

First ever visit to the towers saturday with another couple and our 2 2yr olds.... well what can i say...... is it bad that i felt a bit under impressed with alton? I had huge expectations but it didnt really meet them :( initially the £6 car park narked me off, but also so many of the rides look unloved, i thought thorpe park a couple of years ago was in a much higher standard of what is supposed to be merlins uk flagship park, ride wise we rode air, nemisis, hex, river rapids, sonic spin ball, in the main park, all with less than 10 min que! Whats all the hype with nemmie, give me odyssey at FI anyday! I felt the park overall lacked any good flat rides, should we sell them TTT back ;) Cebeebies land also only has 5 rides and my littleun was just under.9m so could only ride 2! As num tums was out of action character meet and greets were good though and it is all themed well.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

think alton is in good nick in my opinion - cant think of any issues except smelly restraints

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

haha I thought you said 'residents ' for a moment lol had to re-read that. :P

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

Did someone actually just rate a Vekoma SLC over Nemesis?!

*faints*

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

^ He's not the first person to do that! Quite a lot of people rate JO quite high.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Hours have been reduced by an hour for the main 6 week break so now 5pm instead of 6pm during the week and 6pm at weekends