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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. - Favourite Ride
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Rumours come from a vacuum of information though don’t they. Yes they don’t have to offer any info at all however surely they must understand after previous ride issues that people will come up with all sorts of stuff.
See also Stardust Racers and the theories about why that was closed for so long
Secret Weapon
TS Member
That's true. Some rumours end up being false (such as the rumoured closure of Ice Blast last year), whereas others end up being accurate (such as the closure of Rumba Rapids this year), so it's only natural to speculate.
Merlin never officially confirmed that Hyperia was having trouble with its wheels etc, but it almost certainly was.
Dave
TS Founding Member
No park will give out that information, it’s commercially sensitive.
QTXAdsy
TS Member
The whole Oblivion hullabaloo does have the scent of certain individuals wanting to have a pop at Towers and that list of people online has grown significantly and so will jump to conclusions.
I'm honestly getting fed up with this and the sooner the ride reopens the better so they can shut up.
I'm honestly getting fed up with this and the sooner the ride reopens the better so they can shut up.
Rob
TS Team
Christ alive, are we actually discussing the potential the Oblivion's tunnel is structurally compromised and might be about to collapse!? Let those on social media generate all the rumours they like but let's keep some realism here shall we? If a shuttle is stopped at the bottom of the lift hill then that does suggest an issue with the lift motor/chain or something similar.
PS. If I am wrong and X-Sector collapses into the ground in the coming days I will eat my hat whilst you all throw humble pie in my face.
PS. If I am wrong and X-Sector collapses into the ground in the coming days I will eat my hat whilst you all throw humble pie in my face.
Benzin
TS Member
The explanation is that people should stop using the site formerly known as Twitter.
Agree that the train sat at base of the lift suggests that a motor or something relating to the lift hill has given out.
Steve Minor
TS Member
Again that is speculation, the train could be sat at the bottom of the lift hill if the rides computer detected an issue and E stopped the ride. Maybe someone came
off one of the other shuttles and told ride ops he saw concrete falling off the tunnel so staff E stopped it.
Truth is we don't know only those involved will know and they are likely to have signed NDAs
Dave
TS Founding Member
You often able to see that much when traveling around 80mph in the dark?
Maybe I need a sight test but I think not!
Tech services can override the computer so long as there are no guests on the ride, and if at all possible would jog the shuttle back to the maintenance bay if the fault wasn’t with the lift hill or the service brakes. What they can’t do is reverse the shuttle once it has engaged the lift hill, hence why the most likely scenario is a lift motor/ chain issue.
Mykeprime
TS Member
The prophecy is true
Dave
TS Founding Member
Can’t speak for Oblivion but Nemesis used to go through motor clutches yearly, I’m sure Oblivion will have been through its fair share.
flyingguitar
TS Member
I wouldn't be too suprised if it was the original, they are usually built to last and can last decades,
they also would only have only one with no spares as they are very expensive, large and may not even be required if they outlast the ride
they may not have to wait for a new gearbox they may be able to get this one restored.
tbh it could be many things, it could be a wheel has gone on that shuttle as it was rising up the lift making it difficult to get off, it could be that a ride perimeter get sensor or something has gone and they don't want to send it round untill they can be sure they can secure the area, it could be the electrics for the lift motor has gone or even the connection to the grid has gone.
it could be many things we aren't probably going to know why.
Secret Weapon
TS Member
The latest rumour in the Digital Dan YouTube comments section is that it might be a problem with the water pump that removes water from the tunnel. This is just speculation, though. Allegedly, the tunnel has flooded in the past as well, although I don't remember this.
P.S. In a 100% entirely separate sidenote - I have a conspiracy theory (or, rather, an anti-conspiracy theory): some people speculate that Alton Towers had an exclusivity agreement with B&M for Oblivion, because no other park (besides Taiwan) built another dive coaster for another 7 years or so afterwards.
However: was it perhaps the case that no other park wanted one at the time because B&M were still perfecting their spring-loaded technology in order to make it a true 90-degree dive coaster, and so simply they chose to wait until the technology was ready?
I say this because Merlin didn't appear to have any type of exclusivity on the other B&M models (inverted, flying, and wing), as other parks began building them within a year or less.
P.S. In a 100% entirely separate sidenote - I have a conspiracy theory (or, rather, an anti-conspiracy theory): some people speculate that Alton Towers had an exclusivity agreement with B&M for Oblivion, because no other park (besides Taiwan) built another dive coaster for another 7 years or so afterwards.
However: was it perhaps the case that no other park wanted one at the time because B&M were still perfecting their spring-loaded technology in order to make it a true 90-degree dive coaster, and so simply they chose to wait until the technology was ready?
I say this because Merlin didn't appear to have any type of exclusivity on the other B&M models (inverted, flying, and wing), as other parks began building them within a year or less.
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