• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Oblivion: General Discussion

Secret Weapon said:
I still don't fully understand this; if the problem is that the back rows in a 10-row train would be whipped over the edge too forcefully after the front rows begin to drop, then couldn't this be solved by gently moving the entire 10-row train onto the vertical drop section before the train gets held (instead of having, say, 5 rows on the vertical drop section, and 5 on the horizontal section) - similar to a tilt coaster?

The only problems that I can see are that it wouldn't solve the problem as the train leaves the tunnel (e.g. the back rows may be whipped up too forcefully as the train exits the hole), and it would also lead to poor visibility for people sitting in the back rows as well.


This is interesting! If I had known this then I would have mentioned it in my e-mail to Renny.
Click to expand...
I would guess that it may be due to the lack of springs on the wheels, (the reason objivions drop isn't 90 deg) if adding another row it would have to be trailered and I wonder if it would fishtail down the drop creating a quite rough experience, with newer sprung wheels theyvare able to maintain their contact to the rails per.anenetly even during vertical zero-G moments.
 
rockstar223 said:
They've re-instated the original station audio so it no longer cuts out the "eternal darkness" part. I actually kinda thought they'd lost it so it's a welcome return. However, the lord of light video doesn't appear to have been re-instated.
Click to expand...
Somebody’s been on YouTube during the closed season lol.

Have they fixed some of the broken screens in the space projector queue point?
 
rockstar223 said:
They've re-instated the original station audio so it no longer cuts out the "eternal darkness" part. I actually kinda thought they'd lost it so it's a welcome return. However, the lord of light video doesn't appear to have been re-instated.
Click to expand...
Oh finally! It has been so long that I'd just assumed current management didn't even know a part of the station audio had been cut out.
 
Hid said:
Would like them to put the audio uo the top again and for the stop before the drop to be longer
Click to expand...
The audio at the top was removed following on from complaints about noise coming from Oblivion (hello Mr and Mrs Roper), it was a while back now but I think there may have been a noise abatement notice served at the time. It was decided that the audio further encouraged guests to scream, so it was removed (make your own mind up as to whether you think that really had much on an impact).

I'm sure there is someone who has better knowledge than me on here to explain about what determines how long the shuttle is held before it drops, but I believe it is partly to do with parts on the shuttle. Hence why some hold for longer than others.
 
Rob said:
The audio at the top was removed following on from complaints about noise coming from Oblivion (hello Mr and Mrs Roper), it was a while back now but I think there may have been a noise abatement notice served at the time. It was decided that the audio further encouraged guests to scream, so it was removed (make your own mind up as to whether you think that really had much on an impact).

I'm sure there is someone who has better knowledge than me on here to explain about what determines how long the shuttle is held before it drops, but I believe it is partly to do with parts on the shuttle. Hence why some hold for longer than others.
Click to expand...

When I did the lift hill walk a while back, they said it’s always been programmed to hold for the same time. It’s not able to be changed and it’s due to the weight of the train. The heavier it is, it may drop quicker. I assume due to the age of the ride it’s just more often than not shorter these days.
 
Ita really hard to believe Oblivion is 28 years old this year. And without it we wouldn't have all these other Dive Coasters. Still the one Dive that does the drop the best largely due to the tunnel
 
AltonLover123 said:
When I did the lift hill walk a while back, they said it’s always been programmed to hold for the same time. It’s not able to be changed and it’s due to the weight of the train. The heavier it is, it may drop quicker. I assume due to the age of the ride it’s just more often than not shorter these days.
Click to expand...
I can’t even remember how long it’s been since the hold was longer then .3 seconds. Other dive coasters are getting on and perform as expected so this might be a maintenance issue but it’s been allowed to occur which is so sad
 
It’s a pity they can’t get the hold on Oblivion to be a bit longer as it feels more like a slight glitch rather than something deliberate.
Just had a look back at a video from Efteling last year- the hold was at least a couple of seconds on Baron and it really racks up the tension!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ash
Alphe86 said:
I can’t even remember how long it’s been since the hold was longer then .3 seconds. Other dive coasters are getting on and perform as expected so this might be a maintenance issue but it’s been allowed to occur which is so sad
Click to expand...

Of course. But apart from the Oblivion clone in Taiwan, the next one to open was in 2005, 7 years after the debut. A lot of technology advancements happen in that time, and Sheikra was already miles ahead of Oblivion technology wise.

It’s a prototype. Naturally it will age quicker and not perform as well as later models.

I’ve have seen it hold for 3 seconds in recent years, but it’s very rare.

If they do ever give it the Reborn treatment, I’d hope they replace the hold mechanism to bring it back to life.
 
Hypothetical question (apologies if this has been asked before):-

If Oblivion gets retracked, then would B&M retain the current 87.5-degree incline, or would they use the newer spring-loaded wheel design and rebuild it at a true 90-degree angle instead?

I had assumed that they might rebuild it at 90 degrees, but – for some reason – the Oblivion ride at Gardaland was built at 87 degrees in 2015, even though 90-degree technology was available by then!
 
You’re probably right. To be honest, I think that’s part of Merlin’s problem at the moment: playing it safe, instead of thinking of ways to improve or enhance their existing rides.

Granted: reprofiling Oblivion might be a costly job, but a cheaper enhancement they could make would be to add lap bars to The Smiler at Alton Towers, as well as to Colossus at Thorpe Park (assuming that these modifications are possible) – even if it was only on one of the trains! (I believe there is a ride somewhere that has different restraint types on each train)

I’m not sure how much a new train costs, but I believe they cost around £250k each, which would probably be within Merlin’s budget (I assume!), and they might even be able to sell one of the old trains anyway (as they did with Corkscrew's old trains).
 
Secret Weapon said:
You’re probably right. To be honest, I think that’s part of Merlin’s problem at the moment: playing it safe, instead of thinking of ways to improve or enhance their existing rides.

Granted: reprofiling Oblivion might be a costly job, but a cheaper enhancement they could make would be to add lap bars to The Smiler at Alton Towers, as well as to Colossus at Thorpe Park (assuming that these modifications are possible) – even if it was only on one of the trains! (I believe there is a ride somewhere that has different restraint types on each train)

I’m not sure how much a new train costs, but I believe they cost around £250k each, which would probably be within Merlin’s budget (I assume!), and they might even be able to sell one of the old trains anyway (as they did with Corkscrew's old trains).
Click to expand...

I’m not expecting but I’d expect trains to cost way more than £250k
 
Secret Weapon said:
Hypothetical question (apologies if this has been asked before):-

If Oblivion gets retracked, then would B&M retain the current 87.5-degree incline, or would they use the newer spring-loaded wheel design and rebuild it at a true 90-degree angle instead?

I had assumed that they might rebuild it at 90 degrees, but – for some reason – the Oblivion ride at Gardaland was built at 87 degrees in 2015, even though 90-degree technology was available by then!
Click to expand...

They’d most likely have to deal with clearances if they ever did that which would increase the cost exponentially.

I don’t think it’ll ever get a retrack. I can’t see it needing it. X-sector could do with a valley type refresh though…
 
AltonLover123 said:
They’d most likely have to deal with clearances if they ever did that which would increase the cost exponentially.

I don’t think it’ll ever get a retrack. I can’t see it needing it. X-sector could do with a valley type refresh though…
Click to expand...
It could do with an industrial batch of Cillit Bang 😅 But I totally agree ,It should next be on the agenda for a refresh, The Oblivion queueline is looking very tired and the glass blocks before "the cages" look like 1980s toilet decor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top