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Here's my mini-review of Thorpe Park based on my visit on 4th November: Park was dead, so everything except the "I'm a Celebrity" Maze was pretty much walk-on. The Swarm: Excellent, well-themed and a great ride with all the near-miss elements. We forgot to go back to do it backwards though...

That's true, even Sheikra at Busch Gardens doesn't cut it. Actually, I have a theory on that one, Sheikra is actually truly vertical by virtue of sprung underside wheels where Oblivion ensures the topside wheels remain in contact with the track by being ever-so-slightly not vertical. However...

I do wish they had managed to fit the beyond-vertical drop though, it seems a bit backwards to have the vertical lift hill, but then no vertical (or beyond) drop.

I'm going to say something a little controversial here, I prefer the Smiler's sister ride, SAW. It just seemed to have a bit more about it, such as the headchopper effect on the indoor section and the beyond-vertical drop. Also, the lighter 8-person carriages seemed to whip around more...

Well, looks like those that said it wouldn't open this season were right, apologies for doubting you. It's probably for the best though, the last thing the Smiler needed was to be in a rush to be open. See you next year you crazy Gerstlauer creation.

Having now ridden Colossus, I have to say that I was very impressed, but not by the inversion count. Four heartline rolls in a row is a bit lazy. For the variety, I do find the Smiler more interesting, even if it does have to do it over a few block sections.

I was at Thorpe Park last week, and that place felt like a Ghost Town when it came to finding members of staff. At several times I felt I'd need to take a long cane onto the ride with me so I could push the 'start' buttons from my seat. Merlin certainly are not investing their money there, with...

You were right there, my wife came off in tears her head had been smashed about so much. It was Samurai that knocked me off my feet, came off that thing feeling so ill, was a good hour until I was right again.

It's very disappointing to have had the flourish of testing activity, for it to all tail off. My brother will be there tomorrow, I'll ask him to report on what is going on.

Probably the marketing department getting in the way.

Funniest thing I heard was from my friend whilst queueing for Nemesis a fair few years ago. As we got closer and closer, he was turning whiter and whiter until he came out with this gem: "I've never been on a rollercoaster before". What a way to break him in gently!

Anyone's guess I'm afraid

It goes without saying folks, but please don't steal, especially don't steal radioactive sources when you don't understand them: http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub815_web.pdf

I thought so, I wasn't following the enthusiast forums around that time.

They managed to keep Th13teen's secret until launch day didn't they?

That's the funny thing, there are some very expensive rides out there that are almost clinical in their execution, and thus don't excite. I think it's the smaller track gauge and lighter carriages that give it a character that I really like. I suppose it's like trains, I much prefer miniature...

Outdoor section is great, really tight and technical, feels like something you could build in your backyard and ride on a modified skateboard.

Very interesting that they're running one with dummies, one without. Having said that, when the Smiler first opened, despite the trains being nominally identical, there were some that rode better than others.

That's what I was thinking, effectively the Smiler is three coasters back-to-back.

10 inversions in a single block for Colossus, now that's more impressive to me than the Smiler somehow. I'm heading to Thorpe Park two weeks tomorrow, I'll see if it is so impressive. Having said that, I need to break in the middle of the Smiler to reorient myself.