2017/18: SW8 Speculation

[nickhutson]

Wodan is a far superior ride experience to Silverstar. Wodan offers storytelling, immersion, thrill and superb design elements. Alton Towers has some of the best scenery in the world and I feel when this woodie opens it'll be something else! It's exciting!

 

[jmc]

With the terrible incident on The Smiler and the publics supposed perception of woodies being unsafer than steel coasters, I hope it doesn't effect the potential installation of this woodie.

 

[delta79]

well it could be a selling point that modern wooden coasters have less incidents than steel ones. although I think a tag line of "safer than the smiler" would be very unwelcome

 

[Europa Matt]

I don't even know if the Smiler incident has even had an Impact on SW8. For all we know, it could even be happening in 2018 now instead of 2017 due to all the things that need sorting by the park now.

 

[Stelios]

I always thought SW8 was coming too soon, same with any 3 year plan. Double figure millions every 3 years still in times of austerity!

But certainly priorities on a whole new safety program for all Merlin parks could cost just as much as SW8 for all we know and would be regarded as a priority in the long term, despite the hit of less guests. SW8 surely would cost around the same (if not more £18M) than The Smiler and I doubt Merlin as a whole would be optimistic to splash so readily on something this big when their last investment is currently in jeopardy. Remarketing of a safer Towers say next year or a potentially "Safer Smiler/new name" could always eat into the 2017 budget. I for one would prefer smaller investments and a safer promoted Towers rather than guests being put off a new ride without all this 'safety reassurance' I have proposed, especially with the media hyping up Varney's quoted 'new ride teething problems'.

 

[Alastair]

I always thought SW8 was coming too soon, same with any 3 year plan. Double figure millions every 3 years still in times of austerity!

But certainly priorities on a whole new safety program for all Merlin parks could cost just as much as SW8 for all we know and would be regarded as a priority in the long term, despite the hit of less guests. SW8 surely would cost around the same (if not more £18M) than The Smiler and I doubt Merlin as a whole would be optimistic to splash so readily on something this big when their last investment is currently in jeopardy. Remarketing of a safer Towers say next year or a potentially "Safer Smiler/new name" could always eat into the 2017 budget. I for one would prefer smaller investments and a safer promoted Towers rather than guests being put off a new ride without all this 'safety reassurance' I have proposed, especially with the media hyping up Varney's quoted 'new ride teething problems'.

There is no planet on which a company will use safety as a point of advertisement. It's assumed. It's like going to a restaurant and it saying "NOW HYGIENIC" on the sign.

Also, SW8 is coming 4 years after The Smiler, not 3. I doubt they'd leave it any longer than that between major investments.

 

[James]

It's actually a 4 year plan now. The Smiler was in 2013. SW8 planned for 2017. So 4 years.

To be honest, I doubt in 2017 many members of the public will remember The Smiler incident that well. I know it has been quite a big thing, but still, in today's world people move on and forget about things within a few weeks. Give it two years and while it will be something some people still remember, I doubt it will have a huge impact on Alton Towers, not in the way it would a smaller park.

For SW8 it does need to be planned more carefully though. The Smiler was a rushed plan, the groundworks were a disaster and there were many other problems throughout the construction. SW8 needs to commence works very yearly and be ready a good 2 months before it opens to ensure it opens as a great ride with no problems. Merlin really need to cut it out with building a headline coaster and just about meeting the deadline, with rushed work happening last minute.

 

[blackholes crow]

i wonder if johns having an input to sw8?

 

[Rob]

There is no reason for SW8 not to go ahead in 2017. The same goes for anything Towers may be planning for 2016. However I'm sure all new rides at Merlin parks will have even stricter and clearer procedures than normal going forward, depending on the outcome of the investigation on The Smiler incident.

 

[PeteB]

There is no reason for SW8 not to go ahead in 2017. The same goes for anything Towers may be planning for 2016. However I'm sure all new rides at Merlin parks will have even stricter and clearer procedures than normal going forward, depending on the outcome of the investigation on The Smiler incident.

My biggest fear is reduced capacity rides. We all know 2 trains shouldn't ever be in the same block section, but after this incident it wouldn't surprise me if the H&S & marketing nuts at Towers opt for a 'single train' policy to try and boost public confidence in the park.

 

[Rob]

My biggest fear is reduced capacity rides. We all know 2 trains shouldn't ever be in the same block section, but after this incident it wouldn't surprise me if the H&S & marketing nuts at Towers opt for a 'single train' policy to try and boost public confidence in the park.

Thousands of coasters run around the world on a daily basis with multiple train operation. Towers, HSE and the wider public do know that it is safe. Single train policy would be a total over reaction.

 

[Benzin]

Thousands of coasters run around the world on a daily basis with multiple train operation. Towers, HSE and the wider public do know that it is safe. Single train policy would be a total over reaction.

Like adding fencing in the Gardens?

Or Chessie removing any form of height based queue so no-one falls off again?

 

[jon81uk]

Like adding fencing in the Gardens?

Or Chessie removing any form of height based queue so no-one falls off again?

Except thousands of people do fall/trip on pavements and many of then try to sue, so fencing in the gardens makes sense.

Chessington still has the high queue for tomb blaster, just with lots and lots of fencing. The queue was removed from Rameses Revenge, but that doesn't get enough guests to warrant a queue of that length anyway!

 

[Rob]

Like adding fencing in the Gardens?

Or Chessie removing any form of height based queue so no-one falls off again?

Neither of those have an impact on the day to day running of a theme park though. Single train operation on coasters would have a massive impact on how the park is run; longer queues, more unhappy guests, visitor numbers fall.

Also those examples are to protect Merlin against fairly common indcidents. There is much more chance of someone falling in the gardens and smashing their head open than there being another coaster crash. Now we could argue it's their own fault for not seeing a hill/drop and falling but H&S law does not seem to work like that.

 

[Benzin]

Both those examples however are deemed as 'over-reactions' to quite small problems...

That was my point, we have a fair history of the parks taking the over-reaction route...

 

[jon81uk]

Both those examples however are deemed as 'over-reactions' to quite small problems...

That was my point, we have a fair history of the parks taking the over-reaction route...

My point was they aren't over-reactions, just reactions.
Someone died at Chessington due to inadequate fencing and someone got injured at Warwick Castle due to there only being a low wall (that has been there for hundreds of years) so it was deemed the appropriate reaction was to improve fencing. A three foot railing is appropriate, a six foot railing would be an over-reaction!

 

[Benzin]

My point was they aren't over-reactions, just reactions.
Someone died at Chessington due to inadequate fencing and someone got injured at Warwick Castle due to there only being a low wall (that has been there for hundreds of years) so it was deemed the appropriate reaction was to improve fencing. A three foot railing is appropriate, a six foot railing would be an over-reaction!

Like the six foot railings on the Tomb queue?

Or the complete destruction of Rameses' queue and inserting a cattlepen in a shop?

 

[jon81uk]

Like the six foot railings on the Tomb queue?

Or the complete destruction of Rameses' queue and inserting a cattlepen in a shop?

I know we are getting off-topic so won't keep posting, but I think the Rameses queue destruction was more to do with space for adding the madagascar stuff than safety, plus it was hard to find the entrance and didn't need that length.

From memory the tomb blaster fencing is maybe 5ft max in parts but more line 3ft on most of the queue? But you might be right and it is my memory that is wrong!

 

[smudge]

1 train operation will never happen! A scary though however, although AT would simply not be able to maintain the guest numbers / profit without the current capacity.

 

[PeteB]

Look on the bright side, sales of Fastrack tickets will soar.