-
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.
2014: General Discussion
- Thread starter Alastair
- Start date
Well, its about 27-28 years old now. Despite the repaint, the carriages still have holes in them between the cars (where the bendy stuff is) and the motors etc must be well aged now, not to mention all the moving parts, etc. Must be a bugger to get spares for it now as its so old.
James
TS Founding Member
It is very old now. The trains are in a right state on the inside and outside. The vinyls and new chairs were a good temporary fix although even now they cannot save what is a very very old system.
The stations though are even worse. They are so 80s and very 'council car park'. Then even when you get off that you're welcomed by an outdated and very 80s entrance plaza. Honestly for such a high profile place they have a really crap way of welcoming you into the theme park. It's embarrassing.
The stations though are even worse. They are so 80s and very 'council car park'. Then even when you get off that you're welcomed by an outdated and very 80s entrance plaza. Honestly for such a high profile place they have a really crap way of welcoming you into the theme park. It's embarrassing.
Ted
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Kondaa
According to Wikipedia, they do. Not sure if they still make monorail trains though. But since Disney have replaced theirs many times, surely Alton could do the same?
John
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I've been concerned for a while that the monorail doesn't have long left. It just seems to be a complete bodge-job in a desperate attempt to keep enough trains operational at any one time to provide a decent level of capacity.
My understanding is that pretty much all the trains have minor faults that the staff have to compensate for and the drivers just have to work around them. Eventually they'll either lose too many trains to part failures or else have a major incident that results in them just giving up on the whole thing, if it's still running in 10 years I would be extremely surprised.
My understanding is that pretty much all the trains have minor faults that the staff have to compensate for and the drivers just have to work around them. Eventually they'll either lose too many trains to part failures or else have a major incident that results in them just giving up on the whole thing, if it's still running in 10 years I would be extremely surprised.
John
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
There was, but my concern is more that they won't have built a new entrance before the monorail gives up the ghost completely and everyone either has to walk or get monorail replacement buses
delta79
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis, Air
The Monorail could do with replacement trains, failing that they need a major electrical / mechanical overhaul. without this they wont be running in 10 years.
Most parts with have modern day equivalent. any parts that have not can be made by local engineering firms.
If they go for a change in motor types (and subsequent control circuit upgrades) then the efficiently and reliability of the train motive system.
The question of moving the entrance is, do they want to lose the view from the gates as you enter the park?
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
The Monorail only had an overhaul a few years back didn't it (2006-7?), when they replaced all the drive systems with newer, more up to date technology. Ultimately the ride will only last for so long in its present state, but the likes of purchasing new trains would be incredibly expensive, and no doubt result in a system-wide overhaul to make them compatible. I doubt you could just take a MKIII(?) train from the EP Express, pop it on Towers' antiquated setup, and watch it work.
As far as I'm aware monorails are still a pretty expensive technology, even all these years on. The original installation supposedly set Towers back around £12M back in the 80s, so it was a major investment for them! At least with Towers' setup it's not as frequently used connection in the same was the Skyride, EPE, or WDW Monorails are. Your average guest probably spends less than 5 minutes a day aboard one of the trains, so to Towers from a financial point of view as long as they can keep the cosmetics half decent (I'm not saying the trains are perfect at the moment. There are improvements which could be made) it's not such an issue.
Maintenance to the Monorail is pretty much ongoing, as is my understanding, with trains being taken out one at a time and repaired/upgraded to extend their life. Everything has its expiry time, and those trains probably should have hit it years ago, but the techies still manage to keep them soldiering on in one form or another. There's only so much you can do to this sort of tech though, even less when the manufacturer stops supporting them, but aside from the niggles we as enthusiasts hear that the trains have, it does tend to be fairly problem free. It's not like it goes down every day and causes major headaches.
As far as I'm aware monorails are still a pretty expensive technology, even all these years on. The original installation supposedly set Towers back around £12M back in the 80s, so it was a major investment for them! At least with Towers' setup it's not as frequently used connection in the same was the Skyride, EPE, or WDW Monorails are. Your average guest probably spends less than 5 minutes a day aboard one of the trains, so to Towers from a financial point of view as long as they can keep the cosmetics half decent (I'm not saying the trains are perfect at the moment. There are improvements which could be made) it's not such an issue.
Maintenance to the Monorail is pretty much ongoing, as is my understanding, with trains being taken out one at a time and repaired/upgraded to extend their life. Everything has its expiry time, and those trains probably should have hit it years ago, but the techies still manage to keep them soldiering on in one form or another. There's only so much you can do to this sort of tech though, even less when the manufacturer stops supporting them, but aside from the niggles we as enthusiasts hear that the trains have, it does tend to be fairly problem free. It's not like it goes down every day and causes major headaches.
James
TS Founding Member
Whoever came up with the idea of a new entrance wouldn't have been considering losing the view. They would have been thinking how cheaper it would be to not have a monorail system yet still charge people the same/more to park there and enter the theme park. A view means nothing when money is involved.
It's a bizarre idea, but then I've heard of some awful scrapped plans worse than a new entrance without the Towers view.
A more sensible option would be to have a second entrance and keep Towers Street. If they plan it well they could build the second entrance. Close down the monorail/Towers Street/the current plaza. Over the year the new entrance opens knock down Towers Street plaza and rebuild a new modern one. Create a new Towers Street (even knock it down and start again) and demolish the monorail stations and rebuild them. Add a new monorail system or new trains on the current rails. Then open it back up and you have a new modern plaza and a second entrance near the hotels (maybe hotel guest/AP holders only allowed to use?).
It's a bizarre idea, but then I've heard of some awful scrapped plans worse than a new entrance without the Towers view.
A more sensible option would be to have a second entrance and keep Towers Street. If they plan it well they could build the second entrance. Close down the monorail/Towers Street/the current plaza. Over the year the new entrance opens knock down Towers Street plaza and rebuild a new modern one. Create a new Towers Street (even knock it down and start again) and demolish the monorail stations and rebuild them. Add a new monorail system or new trains on the current rails. Then open it back up and you have a new modern plaza and a second entrance near the hotels (maybe hotel guest/AP holders only allowed to use?).
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
There's clearly a reason as to why significant money has not been spent on the Monorail in recent years. If they had long terms plans for it then I think we would have seen some substantial works to the stations to actually make them nice place to be.
I fear a re-location of the entrance and a loss of that beautiful view sooner rather than later. When you think about it Towers Street itself is quite dated now and apart from a lick of pain and a cheap-ish refurb of Towers Trading there hasn't been much investment to modernise it either.
I fear a re-location of the entrance and a loss of that beautiful view sooner rather than later. When you think about it Towers Street itself is quite dated now and apart from a lick of pain and a cheap-ish refurb of Towers Trading there hasn't been much investment to modernise it either.
jon81uk
TS Member
A few years ago the trains got new exterior wraps and seating plus the stations were completely repainted, so it isn't as if they are completly ignoring the monorail, that was a pretty big refurb it got.
Although I agree the extended queue sections at the Towers Street station needs some work as it is pretty grim and shed-like. The car park station is perfectly fine though.
Slugjc
TS Member
I think to get rid of the monorail and towers street, would be an absolute shame. Forget the view for a moment and look at this way. Mingo Land/ Blackpool all have there entrances next to rides, and they are both very cramped and claustrophobic. Whilst at the towers you get this street that can be used to freshen up after a long journey. Get yourself ready for the journey.
The street is also a excellent place to get away from the noise and drama of being near one of the big coasters. and lets not forget of the dilemma at the end of towers street left to Nemmy or right to smiler. I haven idea where the new entrance would be. But I would assume it would be between the Haunted House and forbidden valley. Not an ideal location surely for the beginning and end of the day.
Keep Towers street and have the entrance/exit in the middle of the park.
The street is also a excellent place to get away from the noise and drama of being near one of the big coasters. and lets not forget of the dilemma at the end of towers street left to Nemmy or right to smiler. I haven idea where the new entrance would be. But I would assume it would be between the Haunted House and forbidden valley. Not an ideal location surely for the beginning and end of the day.
Keep Towers street and have the entrance/exit in the middle of the park.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
That was over 5 years ago. The person resposible for those changes to the monorail left the Resort a few years ago also (things just so happened to have got worse since she did, we miss you Morwenna!!). Plans can change significantly in 5 years with different management.
jon81uk
TS Member
That was over 5 years ago. The person resposible for those changes to the monorail left the Resort a few years ago also (things just so happened to have got worse since she did, we miss you Morwenna!!). Plans can change significantly in 5 years with different management.
But in the almost 20 years before there wasn't as many changes done to the monorail as happened that year!
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
But in the almost 20 years before there wasn't as many changes done to the monorail as happened that year!
Very true. Morwenna was very keen to improve things like the Monorail and the Skyride, hence we had the re-furb to the Monorail and the new Skyride gondolas around same time. She was also largely responsible for the Corkscrews being put up in the entrance plaza. I don't know if it is the same now but a lot of decisions in the park around then were marketing led.