• 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.

Incident on The Smiler 02/06/2015

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Ryan B said:
They do seem to be going all around, this is after the first half (where the accident happened) does not seem that significant but I don't think it will be long before H&S report comes out and it can re open, then give it 3-4 weeks after that and it could re open! It seems 40/60 to me I think, 40 percent chance of this season, 60 per cent for next, I could be completely off but that is what I think
Click to expand...
The HSE report will likely never come out, they have likely been allowed to reopen it for quite some time now, but have chose not to.

When Hero at flamingoland had a train fall apart, the prohibition order was lifted within hours, and once the cause of the crash was discovered (human error) which was likely discovered in the first 48 hours, as long as towers had taken appropriate action to deal with the cause. Which in human error is not that difficult, moving the staff members involved, and a bit of retraining, the HSE would have to have lifted the order.

If there was nothing wrong with the ride itself or it's safety systems, which clearly there was not, the HSE can't make towers keep the ride out of operation.

This is Merlin thinking maybe the time is right to reopen, and as i am staying 2 nights at Scarefest with the wife (first weekend of freedom from the little one for nearly 2 years) i am crossing my fingers and my toes.
 
As the ride hasnt been used for some time they could be going over every part of the track to check its safe to reopen perhaps....Although it looked like the guy had some black cabling with him on the vertical hill and the guy at the bottom looking up also had some next to him. Could they be fitting some sort of system to monitor where each train is on any part of the track in real time perhaps?
 
I think this has to point at a opening this year now IMO. It's little over over 6 months until the start of next season, so why fiddle now? If it was being left until next season best thing they could do is leave it until next season and use the close season to repair/change re profile/ reprogramme the system.

As the aftermath of the crash proved people see things at Alton = opportunity to take a picture= chance to get a story my name in the paper. So having people absail up and down it, checking it out could be a PR disaster itself.

Christ John Broome opening a theme park in Cornwall was 3 on bbc news top read because of the name Alton Towers!
 
GaryH said:
Although it looked like the guy had some black cabling with him on the vertical hill and the guy at the bottom looking up also had some next to him. Could they be fitting some sort of system to monitor where each train is on any part of the track in real time perhaps?
Click to expand...

Black cabling? Where? All I see is black rope, on the guy on the floor & on the track:confused: or am I that excited that my mind has fartedo_O
I hope this does mean they're testing the lift hill so they can start testing the trains though. the anticipation is beginning to hurt!!!

I also now see what people meant about the state of the track, if it's left any longer without any TLC it's going to need to be relocated to the DF where it will fit in. [insert applause here]
 
Grand_Nash said:
I think this has to point at a opening this year now IMO. It's little over over 6 months until the start of next season, so why fiddle now? If it was being left until next season best thing they could do is leave it until next season and use the close season to repair/change re profile/ reprogramme the system.

As the aftermath of the crash proved people see things at Alton = opportunity to take a picture= chance to get a story my name in the paper. So having people absail up and down it, checking it out could be a PR disaster itself.

Christ John Broome opening a theme park in Cornwall was 3 on bbc news top read because of the name Alton Towers!
Click to expand...
There's always the chance that it's HSE looking at it (though probable not) but I'm hoping that this means it will open this year. They could probably open it today if they wanted to, or next week,or next month, or even next season, but I think scarefest.
 
What I hope they're doing up there is:

1) ensuring the chain guide wheels cannot fall out
2) locking all track bolts with locknuts / wire / split pins (if castellated nuts)

Wheels falling off and potentially deadly lumps of metal falling on people in the queueline are certainly going to do the reputation no favours.
 
I find it more likely that the people you see are merely part of the ongoing investigation and/or design review of the ride.
 
I'd have thought they'd restore the signage before the ride itself opens, so I'd have thought that will be a better warning that the ride is likely to reopen soon.
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top