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2017/18: SW8 Speculation

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Leah said:
Probably a simple question, but what's a "deer wall"?

Still looking forwards to this even if the layout isn't what some people expected. And to those thinking it might not be a gimmick, look at tower's last few investments ;). I'm not geeky enough t be able to say this will be a good/boring coaster by the layout, but I can definitely see a woodie having that layout. Could be decent.
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A wall to keep deer out of the ride area, no one wants another incident like on the ultimate at lightweight valley. Looking at this my money had sadly gone in the water ride pot, looking at the sweeps and angles all too shallow to be a coaster :(
 
The Screening Opinion Request is an interesting read. In summary:
  1. Development includes ride building, shop, games unit and food kiosk - fairly standard
  2. Number of tunnels proposed to reduce noise impact.
  3. Three themed features to be incorporated into the ride design (max height 15 metres)
  4. 70-80 trees to be felled
  5. Removal of the flume track will take place but footers will remain 'to minimise impact on established trees'
  6. Restoration of the 'deer wall' - which apparently is designated as protected.
Doesn't specifically mention what sort of ride will be built, unlike the EIA report that was released for the "old" SW8. When you look at the size of the area this development contains it is certainly a big project. I hope that they will at least utilise some of the woodland for a queue as opposed to cramming it underneath the ride like the rest of Merlins developments.
 
The site is a lot bigger than it looks, that overlay shows the scale. It looks like it's going to utalise unused space that was between the flume and Rapids. Good I think it will make the whole area feel more dynamic.

@jonny9403 i don't see that a reality, there is only one lift hill. One can only dream tho.
 
Hmm...

I really don't know what to say about this. A SW without a USP element might be risky, but nonetheless interesting to see what they cook up.
 
There will be some form of USP as it is part of how a business makes it product appealing to customers.

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Let's not write it off until we've at least seen the elevations. Was expecting more in to the woods but it's compact so hopefully interacting with itself will make up for it a bit. Plus there's tunnels and the interaction with the Flume station should be fun.

It's clearly a coaster but don't think there's enough in the plans so far to tell us what it will be but I'm definitely leaning towards wooden coaster, the layout seems to fit, there was the old application, and I doubt something like a Mack family coaster would turn enough heads.

It's not exactly captured my imagination like Thirteen and The Smiler's plans but I'm optimistic and look forward to seeing more detailed plans.
 
I'm pleased its not in the woods. The tree felling is always an issue with local conservationists and the number of trees removed in order to get the track in makes the area look bare for years. We all hoped that Thirteen would interact with its surroundings more but its taken nearly 6 years for it to get close to doing that.
 
There are some truly epic woodies being built around the world at the moment, especially wildfire at Kolmarden and Lightning Rod at Dollywood.

I know that AT cannot build anything above tree height which limits the scope, but I maintain that you don't need to build 200 feet high to create a great coaster. Whilst I would like something a decent length with plenty of airtime, it does look a little short...

But... I don't think AT would commit the SW tag to something that isn't world class in some way... and they have proven before just what they can do with limited space and height... cough... Nemesis.

I'm quietly optimistic.
 
Am I the only person to see 3 lines as 2 tracks aka
BPPB_GrandNational.jpg

??? Or could it be 3 tracks aka
DSC_0176-509x309.jpg

Either way this feels very Blackpool to me
 
rightbackgranty said:
The park needs a like for like replacement for the flume in term of its target audience - a ride for all of the family. A compact wooden coaster, or something similar, with a low height restriction, would be great. I'm not clamoring for another water ride. A coaster seems most sensible.

Looking very roughly at the plans - high point of the ride is 201m above sea level. The first drop ends at 185m above sea level - so a 15m drop. Not bad :)
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Like for like replacement would be replacing a flume ride with a flume ride. There's no dressing up with a 'family audience'. Members of the public see that Alton Towers has a lot of roller coasters. Adding another whilst removing a family water ride - and critically *not* a coaster - to replace with yet another coaster is not *like for like*

This is clearly a wooden coaster. And it's also clearly a very small scale coaster that does not take advantage of the space around it. There is an unused old coach park the other side of the path crying out for development, and there are the woods where the extended part of the flume currently resides waiting for something else. But no, instead of having a woodie swooping over the paths in Katanga and intruding into the space of where the flume used to sit, we see a very reserved footprint barely leaving the current flume queue/station area, with a drop followed by about 4 turns before arriving back at the station.

We haven't seen the proposals in profile yet, but from the footprint there is very little room for this ride to do anything other than cruise casually from the initial drop through the flume lake back to the station.

I will wait to see what is pulled out of the bag for this one to be impressed. But if this is the offering for a woodie, if rather they didn't bother
 
I'm still thinking a launch instead of a lift hill. I expect something very ground hugging. I'm also hoping for head choppers and airtime. As long as if this a woodie.
I do hope if they go for RMC and that's not confirmed that it's not an Iron Horse just to appease the natives.
 
shawnoc said:
I'm still thinking a launch instead of a lift hill. I expect something very ground hugging. I'm also hoping for head choppers and airtime. As long as if this a woodie.
I do hope if they go for RMC and that's not confirmed that it's not an Iron Horse just to appease the natives.
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c25fd707f190d53d1eb910e7b78dd87e.jpg
unless they are going to do a dollywood I'm afraid to say that looks like a lift
 
Leah said:
Probably a simple question, but what's a "deer wall"?
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After a bit of reading of the documents, the 'Deer Wall' is mentioned alongside other listed structures or buildings in the vicinity, including the stable block and the wall in front of it etc. When coupling this with the fact that much of the land in and around the resort (including what is now FV and further inwards and outwards) was the Earls of Shrewsbury's Deer Park, I am going to summize that this is a wall that is still in place which originated in the 1800s or earlier. As the name suggests, it would have been in place to keep livestock in their desired place. It is entirely possible that the remainder of these walls in the vicinity were lost many years ago but this is a section that has somehow survived, and now may have to stay in place due to listed status. So yeah, that's the most likely explanation. I will do some 'on the ground' research next time I go, if I can get anywhere near it. It will give me an extra thing to do on my next visit ;)

Edit - First one to get a picture of the actual 'Deer Wall' wins, something, maybe, or not :)

Further Edit - Also came across this from the documents:

"In addition, the deer wall, located immediately to the south west of the development site is a non designated heritage asset. The construction of the proposed ride will be set back from the deer wall to ensure that there is no adverse impact on it or its foundations. The majority of the applications site is located within the Registered Garden, but whilst the log flume that is to be removed, encroaches the area to the south of the deer wall, the proposed new ride and buildings are concentrated to the north of the deer wall".
 
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something else I noticed. read the words in red. That's a gentle lift hill for woodie and why does the gradient of it change?
sw8.jpg
 
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