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Drayton Manor Park

So, what’s up with The Wave? Train stuck at the top of the lift hill for what seems like a couple of days now. Normal? Or have they run in to problems? Few comments on a few pictures seem to comment that the train is stuck fast. If that’s wild speculation, you’d surely have thought with the train at the top of the lift we could’ve expected it to have completed a couple of circuits by now, rather than sitting there for a few days. Really want Drayton to nail this reimagining, but if the train really is stuck, it doesn’t indicate the best of competence to me.
 
They were working on it today. Lots of welding and cutting involved on both the track at the top and the cars themselves.
The first carriage is now off the track and sticking in the air… but it’s at least over the peak slightly.
Somewhat odd though.
 
This pic…if you zoom in to the first set of wheels…

IMG_7781.jpegYou can see the front lower wheel assembly looks very close to the steel support beam for the evac stairs. All of the other beams have bigger tolerances, probably due to the angle of the track and the crest of the peak, but IF it is indeed hitting that beam and that’s the cause of it being stuck, and not just dodgy perspective, it’s a hell of a mistake.
 
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This pic…if you zoom in to the first set of wheels…

IMG_7781.jpegYou can see the front lower wheel assembly looks very close to the steel support beam for the evac stairs. All of the other beams have bigger tolerances, probably due to the angle of the track and the crest of the peak, but IF it is indeed hitting that beam and that’s the cause of it being stuck, and not just dodgy perspective, it’s a hell of a mistake.

I’m not sure that’s the issue - as the wheels further back look to have similar clearance on their supports.

Might be the angle of the photo. But you are right what a cock up that would be.
 
I don’t know though. If you look at where the catwalk supports join the spine of the track the ones on the incline look to be positioned roughly central. The one where the wheel assembly is and the one ahead of it both look to be set a bit higher?

IMG_7602.jpeg

Like you say, it could be the angle of the shot, but I think it’s certainly a possibility that it is catching?

I’d be surprised if it’s bottoming out on the top of the hill, as it’s quite a gradual crest. If it’s struggling with that, lord knows how it managed to get over the weird restraint check drip at the bottom as it engages onto the chain.
 
I don’t know though. If you look at where the catwalk supports join the spine of the track the ones on the incline look to be positioned roughly central. The one where the wheel assembly is and the one ahead of it both look to be set a bit higher?

Like you say, it could be the angle of the shot, but I think it’s certainly a possibility that it is catching?

I’d be surprised if it’s bottoming out on the top of the hill, as it’s quite a gradual crest. If it’s struggling with that, lord knows how it managed to get over the weird restraint check drip at the bottom as it engages onto the chain.
Yeah it does look like the wheel bogie is almost touching the catwalk support. Could well just be the angle though.
 
Actually, thinking about it, I’d say it’s very likely that they do move up at the crest of the hill. If you think about it when you look at the track in profile, the stairs continue at a straight line and then immediately go level, whereas the track and spine are more of a curve. Therefore, the gap will widen.

Looking at the stair supports they all look to be the same length, so naturally if the stairs start to go higher than the track, the mounting point will move further up the spine too.

You can see this most clearly on the rightmost two supports in the previous photo.
 
As far as issue go, this is relatively minor, pretty simple and quick remedy as far an issues like this go.
Maybe, but I can’t believe that someone didn’t check the clearances before pushing the train up the lift. I’m an optimist at the best of times, but I’d be hard pushed to believe that they set it off up the lift hoping to find any issues, rather than expecting a clean test run.

Minor or otherwise, having a brand new train stuck at the top of a lift hill for, what, 3 days, requiring significant steelwork alterations to free it, isn’t the best look.

At best, this is an internal comms error (testing the train before the technical specifications of track and clearance had been tested or reviewed), at worst (and assuming it did get stuck and it is a clearance issue - of course, it might not be), it’s just plain negligent.
 
Maybe, but I can’t believe that someone didn’t check the clearances before pushing the train up the lift. I’m an optimist at the best of times, but I’d be hard pushed to believe that they set it off up the lift hoping to find any issues, rather than expecting a clean test run.

Minor or otherwise, having a brand new train stuck at the top of a lift hill for, what, 3 days, requiring significant steelwork alterations to free it, isn’t the best look.

At best, this is an internal comms error (testing the train before the technical specifications of track and clearance had been tested or reviewed), at worst (and assuming it did get stuck and it is a clearance issue - of course, it might not be), it’s just plain negligent.

Yeah good point, this is why after all, Intamin do a crane led pull through of all their new coasters, to specifically find issues such as this. It is hard to tell by the photos if it has got stuck, but it does some bizarre to keep a brand new train atop the lift if something has not caught. There does not look to be any damage? Maybe they were running the lift in maintenance mode (much slower) to slowly bring the train up. Something is clearly up though.
 
Yeah good point, this is why after all, Intamin do a crane led pull through of all their new coasters, to specifically find issues such as this. It is hard to tell by the photos if it has got stuck, but it does some bizarre to keep a brand new train atop the lift if something has not caught. There does not look to be any damage? Maybe they were running the lift in maintenance mode (much slower) to slowly bring the train up. Something is clearly up though.

They've cut the front bogie in half on that photo and ground part of the catwalk support away.
 
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Shock…. The Wave issues aside. We had a fantastic day with the 4 year old yesterday.
We left the 8 year old with Family as we didn’t know how busy it was going to be (was quiet as it turns out - he has SEN).
At 1.05m finally there’s literally no better park for her. She find the available options at AT far too .. low intensity for her. Troublesome Trucks >> Octonaughts by far.. then add in Accelerator and Buffalo (can’t spell that new name!) and she’s in heaven.

For families of kids under 1.4 .. just come here.
Sure AT has very limited offerings once they hit 1.2m but the queue are insane for younger kids.

If the rumoured new ride system for SF10 comes to fruition to speed up the queues in summer then it’s gonna be perfect.
 
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