[🌎 Universal GB] General Discussion

[xtpower]

Are we classing the 12th as the official start date for the development? I'm not expecting an army of diggers to rock up on site but more a gradual ramping up of activities. There is alot of grading and site prep to do this year so I'm sure they will want to get cracking. I'm surprised we haven't heard who the main contractors are going to be.

I'd say it's the official date but Universal have said they will respect the statutory review period and so I think late Jan will be when they truly begin. Of course that doesn't prevent them from delivering machinery and expanding the compounds and site offices they currently have.

 

[dave___]

I'd say it's the official date but Universal have said they will respect the statutory review period and so I think late Jan will be when they truly begin. Of course that doesn't prevent them from delivering machinery and expanding the compounds and site offices they currently have.

I would assume this too, it takes time to stand up site compounds and the like - it's not like they can go all-out and flood the area with convoys of earthmoving equipment without all the support, refuelling/wash areas, means of disposal for earth etc. I'd expect a slow trickle of machinery and portakabins to start arriving over the next 1-2 months at a minimum before any "proper" work started. Probably a small army of people with theodolites and stakes too.

I'm on the transpennine route upgrade corridor and it took TRU months to get all their staging areas set up for example.

 

[xtpower]

I would assume this too, it takes time to stand up site compounds and the like - it's not like they can go all-out and flood the area with convoys of earthmoving equipment without all the support, refuelling/wash areas, means of disposal for earth etc. I'd expect a slow trickle of machinery and portakabins to start arriving over the next 1-2 months at a minimum before any "proper" work started. Probably a small army of people with theodolites and stakes too.

I'm on the transpennine route upgrade corridor and it took TRU months to get all their staging areas set up for example.

I think as the staging areas are built up they'll have a smaller team doing stuff like top soil stripping and land clearance. Then as they are more able to support the sheer volume of machinery required they'll ramp up everything. I think the biggest works in the early months will be the creation of site access entrances, capable of handling the big ole machines required to land grade and what not.

 

[SeeSharpy]

Are we classing the 12th as the official start date for the development? I'm not expecting an army of diggers to rock up on site but more a gradual ramping up of activities. There is alot of grading and site prep to do this year so I'm sure they will want to get cracking. I'm surprised we haven't heard who the main contractors are going to be.

Nah, the SDO can be opposed in Parliament for another couple of weeks, I imagine they will wait until after that before doing anything major, (I doubt that anyone will oppose).

I imagine deliveries etc might ramp up from the 12th though.

 

[dave___]

Nah, the SDO can be opposed in Parliament for another couple of weeks, I imagine they will wait until after that before doing anything major, (I doubt that anyone will oppose).

I imagine deliveries etc might ramp up from the 12th though.

Be interesting to see if anything happens as it's now the 12th.

Other than various Facebook groups and the like frothing at the mouth that is.

 

[xtpower]

Be interesting to see if anything happens as it's now the 12th.

Other than various Facebook groups and the like frothing at the mouth that is.

Other than deliveries and general compound related stuff I don't see anything for the next two weeks. Universal have stated they will respect the statutory review period which has about 2 weeks left. The CEMP is pretty much a slam-dunk, after all they had an outline CEMP in the SDO docs, so it's not like the SoS will be blind-sided by anything in it (unless Universal go uncharacteristically off-book with it).

 

[Blackrock]

I imagine they’ll start with demolishing the houses they’ve purchased first won’t they?

 

[jon81uk]

I imagine they’ll start with demolishing the houses they’ve purchased first won’t they?

Depends if the residents have moved out yet.

I expect just as likely to see earthworks on the rest of the site, once all the security & safety hoarding is done

 

[SeeSharpy]

Other than deliveries and general compound related stuff I don't see anything for the next two weeks. Universal have stated they will respect the statutory review period which has about 2 weeks left. The CEMP is pretty much a slam-dunk, after all they had an outline CEMP in the SDO docs, so it's not like the SoS will be blind-sided by anything in it (unless Universal go uncharacteristically off-book with it).

The SDO can be annulled by a motion up until the 10th February (highly unlikely due to Government majority)

As a statutory instrument, the Order can be subject to an annulment motion in Parliament during a period of 40 sitting days from the date it was laid

The Order may also be challenged as unlawful by bringing a claim for Judicial Review within 6 weeks of the date it was laid.

The statement of reasons wasn't published until the 22nd of December, which is when the 6 week clock starts for Judicial Review, so both end in February (2nd, and 10th)

 

[rob666]

I imagine they’ll start with demolishing the houses they’ve purchased first won’t they?

Often used for offices early on with big projects.

One of my care homes became a welfare station on a building site...to make a retirement village.

 

[WanderingNortherner]

This is what we could see before the SDO gets final sign off:

“Permitted Preliminary Works” means works consisting of environmental surveys and monitoring, ecological habitat creation, geotechnical surveys, surveys of existing infrastructure, and other investigations for the purpose of assessing and monitoring and levels, the preparation of facilities for the use of contractors, the provision of temporary means of enclosure and site security for construction, vegetation clearance, the temporary display of site notices or advertisements, and any nominal compounds related to such works

I expect we'll see compound grow in size over the next couple of weeks.

 

[Bowser]

I was just thinking, based on the artists render we could guess that the “BTTF” coaster would be an Intamin blitz. Other than being excellent coasters this would be a solid choice for a park intending on operating 365.

The “Jurassic Park” coaster could be a B&M flyer in a similar vein to Osaka. But is this a model more like to face issues in the UK climate?

The rendition doesn’t favour it but imagine Universal building the second Vekoma Flyer, launched soaring through the jungle and dinosaur enclosures. Though I wonder how the foliage would fare in the UK? I guess they manage in Beijing…

 

[Matt N]

I was just thinking, based on the artists render we could guess that the “BTTF” coaster would be an Intamin blitz. Other than being excellent coasters this would be a solid choice for a park intending on operating 365.

The “Jurassic Park” coaster could be a B&M flyer in a similar vein to Osaka. But is this a model more like to face issues in the UK climate?

The rendition doesn’t favour it but imagine Universal building the second Vekoma Flyer, launched soaring through the jungle and dinosaur enclosures. Though I wonder how the foliage would fare in the UK? I guess they manage in Beijing…

Given that Galactica has managed at Alton Towers for 24 years, I don’t see why a B&M flyer would struggle in the UK.

I do think they’d go Vekoma if they were to build a flying coaster at all, though, as I’d argue that the B&M flyers are a little bit on the dated and impractical side compared to the new Vekoma ones (well, one I guess).

 

[Bowser]

Given that Galactica has managed at Alton Towers for 24 years, I don’t see why a B&M flyer would struggle in the UK

That one has never operated in the winter though which was my concern. I suppose Baron at Efteling and Black Mamba at Phantasialand operate reliably in winter climates so there’s a B&M precedent at least.

I’m quite surprised the rendering has 2, possibly 3 outdoor coasters from the offset. A clone or at least something similar to The Mummy would be a great (and much needed) addition to the UK coasters collection imo.

All the big European theme parks have at least one indoor coaster, it’s quite mad the UK doesn’t have any! I suppose we’ll have Mine craft soon though.

Disneyland Paris thrives 365 because virtually the entire park can still operate in almost any weather bar a few exceptions.

 

[Skyscraper]

Given that Galactica has managed at Alton Towers for 24 years, I don’t see why a B&M flyer would struggle in the UK.

I do think they’d go Vekoma if they were to build a flying coaster at all, though, as I’d argue that the B&M flyers are a little bit on the dated and impractical side compared to the new Vekoma ones (well, one I guess).

Also note that Flying Dinosaur is a capacity nightmare, partly due to the baggage system requiring trains to return to the same station they departed from.

 

[JamesA]

The thing that surprised me most about the concept art was the lack of indoor rides.

It does looks like most of the major attractions (other than the potential Jurassic World dark ride) are outdoors.

Was expecting at least one major indoor coaster.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

The thing that surprised me most about the concept art was the lack of indoor rides.

It does looks like most of the major attractions (other than the potential Jurassic World dark ride) are outdoors.

Was expecting at least one major indoor coaster.

What were you expecting? They're all indoors.

The oldest trick in the illustrator's handbook is making a soundstage look like a mountain / castle /temple.

Universal’s entire business model is: "Put guests in a big beige box, shake them about a bit in the dark, and exit through the gift shop".

Rest assured, given this is Bedfordshire and not Hollywood, I suspect there will be more square footage of indoor show buildings than there are damp patches on the A421. Just because the artist drew blue sky doesn't mean it isn't a shed.

 

[xtpower]

The concept art was likely designed in 2024, over a year before they've even broken ground. There's a very high chance alot of it is gonna change. After all everyone touts the Epic concept art as being close to the finished product but that dropped over a year into land grading - ours dropped a year before grading has even begun.

There's no way Universal had finalised the Park design that early into the process.

 

[Bowser]

Also note that Flying Dinosaur is a capacity nightmare, partly due to the baggage system requiring trains to return to the same station they departed from.

Are you sure that’s the case? All baggage goes in lockers in a communal area before the scanners so why would the train need to return to the same station? There’s no storage on the platforms.

In terms of capacity it can run on 4 trains too and ops were churning through on both my visits! I remember trying to film it and it was only a minute between dispatches. That’s theoretical throughput of around 1800 which is hardly shabby!

 

[Skyscraper]

Are you sure that’s the case? All baggage goes in lockers in a communal area before the scanners so why would the train need to return to the same station? There’s no storage on the platforms.

In terms of capacity it can run on 4 trains too and ops were churning through on both my visits! I remember trying to film it and it was only a minute between dispatches. That’s theoretical throughput of around 1800 which is hardly shabby!

Fair enough. I'm pretty sure I saw that somewhere, but it sounds like the system has changed since then.