2025: General Discussion

[Hid]

They really need to have a think about what on earth they’re doing.

Like always, I remember the old gondolas with their barely secure doors. 2 small windows could easily drop things out of (allegedly) and being in them in far hotter days than recently.

Why the change?

This is what back up generators are for.

Yes there’s a risk but it’s small and mitigated.

Adding one way reflective film to the windows seems a sensible mitigating act too.

Like these things don’t operate all around the world.

I’d file this one under the same silly Alton bullshit as the new monorail loading procedures and having to look at the RMT through a plastic window by the tunnel.

Nonsense.

There still a risk and health and safety back in the day was far less stringent now it's way more strict after the Smiler incident.

Any fault no matter how big or small has to be reported to maintenance.

By the sounds of it you want them to compromise on safety which would be a stupid thing to do

 

[Jb85]

They have added the vents used in Florida on some of the gondolas but I assume they have to work based on the ones without those vents at the moment.

Yeh I get that
But didn’t the old gondolas have small windows in the main doors. Not sure why they haven’t done something similar here

 

[Dave]

Yeh I get that
But didn’t the old gondolas have small windows in the main doors. Not sure why they haven’t done something similar here

I assume the issue is the vents need to be in the direction of travel so air is forced through the gondola.

 

[Jb85]

I assume the issue is the vents need to be in the direction of travel so air is forced through the gondola.

Valid point

 

[tech]

There still a risk and health and safety back in the day was far less stringent now it's way more strict after the Smiler incident.

Any fault no matter how big or small has to be reported to maintenance.

By the sounds of it you want them to compromise on safety which would be a stupid thing to do

I can imagine the Daily Fail story now..

“Family TRAPPED for SIX HOURS in HEATWAVE HORROR!”

An Alton Towers spokesperson was quoted as saying: “We developed our stringent safety procedures in collaboration with the enthusiast community, who told us to ‘stop being so woke and get on with it’ so here we are”

 

[dave___]

OK so actual question what happens on the Disney cablecar in Florida - are they air conditioned? It's much hotter over there and they only ever seem to shut down when they are at risk of lightning

 

[rob666]

Anti reflective glass and through ventilation at Disney...as in opening vents on each side.
Not impossible at the Towers I suppose.
Another reason for being risk averse with the ride...it is heavily used by the less mobile, all the more reason to avoid rope evacs.

 

[dave___]

Anti reflective glass and through ventilation at Disney...as in opening vents on each side.
Not impossible at the Towers I suppose.
Another reason for being risk averse with the ride...it is heavily used by the less mobile, all the more reason to avoid rope evacs.

Can't even begin to imagine the angst if they put that dotty stuff on the windows that they have on the monorail and coach companies put on their windows etc to reduce the glare

 

[tayspru]

OK so actual question what happens on the Disney cablecar in Florida - are they air conditioned? It's much hotter over there and they only ever seem to shut down when they are at risk of lightning

They’re not air conditioned, but they also never reach more than 20ft or so off the ground (at a guess), with the entire route much more easily accessible in case of evacuation … ie not suspended 200ft above a huge valley

 

[AT86]

The old Skyride gondolas had windows that opened. These were sealed up when Rita opened due to the proximity of the station/launch to the Skyride path.

 

[AltonLover123]

They’re not air conditioned, but they also never reach more than 20ft or so off the ground (at a guess), with the entire route much more easily accessible in case of evacuation … ie not suspended 200ft above a huge valley

It’s funny how convenient it is people forget facts like this

Like Jesus, get a grip and calm down.

 

[Ash]

There still a risk and health and safety back in the day was far less stringent now it's way more strict after the Smiler incident.

Any fault no matter how big or small has to be reported to maintenance.

By the sounds of it you want them to compromise on safety which would be a stupid thing to do

It’s the park that are more strict. Not health and safety legislation, which as far as I’m aware, hasn’t significantly changed since 2015.

It’s fair enough the park has reduced their risk appetite. That happens in all organisations.

But it comes with consequences.

I don’t want them to compromise safety, I think there’s some confusion in here between risk and safety.

And I assume as one of the few people on here qualified to write and approve risk assessments and method statements (SMSTS/SSSTS for those wondering, granted in a different sector) quite happy to have my two cents.

 

[rctneil]

I remember riding the cableway at Ocean Park Hong Kong and they were sooo hot and even those had windows that can open (bars on outside). I rode it once because it had to be done and the views were stunning, but the air conditioned funicular was a lot more comfortable.

 

[Dave]

It’s the park that are more strict. Not health and safety legislation, which as far as I’m aware, hasn’t significantly changed since 2015.

It’s fair enough the park has reduced their risk appetite. That happens in all organisations.

But it comes with consequences.

I don’t want them to compromise safety, I think there’s some confusion in here between risk and safety.

And I assume as one of the few people on here qualified to write and approve risk assessments and method statements (SMSTS/SSSTS for those wondering, granted in a different sector) quite happy to have my two cents.

The law doesn’t change but case law does, it’s possible that’s why the risk assessments have changed.

 

[rob666]

...And I assume as one of the few people on here qualified to write and approve risk assessments and method statements (SMSTS/SSSTS for those wondering, granted in a different sector) quite happy to have my two cents...

Likewise and similar, from a different professional perspective, that is why I made my comment on closure being reasonable, when we do not know all the facts involved.
When I started spending more time assessing risks for others, instead of getting on with my job, was when I decided to shift career.
A trip to Drayton ran to seventy pages if I recall.

 

[Ash]

The law doesn’t change but case law does, it’s possible that’s why the risk assessments have changed.

Which cases are you citing?

 

[Dave]

Which cases are you citing?

I’m not that’s why I said it was possible not certain, not my area of expertise.

I was simply commenting that legislation being static doesn’t mean the law doesn’t change because of the legal principle of precedence.

It also possible they got a sugar ton of complaints in the past when it has been hot and they just don’t want that pain

 

[MaxPower]

The cable car we went on in Singapore used identical cars to Towers without air con and they go way higher. Had small vents to allow for air flow and were fine.



Fairly consistently above 30° over there and it didn't feel uncomfortable in the cabin, I was bricking myself throughout the journey due to the height though.