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First SW to be Removed?
- Thread starter JB1985
- Start date
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
See, I’d be far more sad to see Thirteen go than to see Galactica go, personally.
I personally find Thirteen far more fun, although I accept that that is entirely personal preference, and I also think you could do considerably less with the area than you could with Galactica’s; they’re very limited with what they can do in the woods, so you’re effectively only left with the site occupied by the building and lift hill if you remove the ride, which isn’t much space at all. And I think Thirteen’s reliability is something they were looking at solving this off-season, as it was caused by a very identifiable issue that they know how to solve (the tires on the lift hill). Other than that issue that begun to crop up at the end of last season, which I believe is being rectified for 2022, it seems fine reliability-wise to me.
With Galactica, on the other hand; that coaster actually occupies an area of around 15,000 square metres, which is the largest coaster site at Alton by a surprising distance!
I personally find Thirteen far more fun, although I accept that that is entirely personal preference, and I also think you could do considerably less with the area than you could with Galactica’s; they’re very limited with what they can do in the woods, so you’re effectively only left with the site occupied by the building and lift hill if you remove the ride, which isn’t much space at all. And I think Thirteen’s reliability is something they were looking at solving this off-season, as it was caused by a very identifiable issue that they know how to solve (the tires on the lift hill). Other than that issue that begun to crop up at the end of last season, which I believe is being rectified for 2022, it seems fine reliability-wise to me.
With Galactica, on the other hand; that coaster actually occupies an area of around 15,000 square metres, which is the largest coaster site at Alton by a surprising distance!
I'd disagree. If you removed Rita and when replacing it thought about the area, when the time came to remove thirteen you'd have plenty of space.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
In that case, I agree; removing Rita would open up more space. But ideally, I don’t think they’d want to remove two coasters without replacing at least one beforehand.
If Rita was removed first, I think it’s highly likely that Towers would want a replacement of some description as opposed to just waiting a few more years to remove Thirteen before replacing both in one hit. Rita doesn’t take up a huge area, so I think they’d likely have to use most of, if not all of, its current plot when replacing it.
I agree that there’s a lot of space in Dark Forest as a whole, but if you removed Thirteen on its own, then I think that would open up far less usable space than removing Galactica.
Do you get what I mean?
Yes however I think they could remove Rita and replace it with something that takes into account the eventual removal of Thirteen to allow for more room. Rita currently cuts right through the middle of Dark Forest not really allowing anything to pass over it (because of tree height rule) and building loads of tunnels doesn't seem practical either.
When they replace Rita if they've already got plans for replacing Thirteen they could do it in such a way to leave the room for something there.
Well how do we know that? Anyway I don't think something like that is likely to happen for quite a while. I think Rita isn't going for at least another 5 years, probably more. I'm talking in the long term future here.
I doubt any of the SW's are likely to be removed any time soon.
Like I've said, I'm talking in the possible long term future, my personal long term prediction, not what I think is happening anytime soon.
pluk
TS Member
Logic says Oblivion would be the first to naturally come to the end of its working life now Nemesis future is secure. With the weight of those trains the stresses on the track at bottom of that drop must be insane. The rest of the ride should comfortably outlive that small section, so the question would be if it is possible to replace it in the hole.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
What I’m wondering is; will any of the others eventually receive the Nemesis treatment?
My current thought is that one or two others might, but certainly not all of them.
If anything else gets a Nemesis-style retrack, I actually think it’ll be The Smiler when its time eventually comes; while it’s perhaps not the biggest enthusiast favourite, it’s become quite the icon among the general Towers-visiting populace! Even though it’s now nearly 10 years old, I think an argument could be made for it still being the park’s most popular and well-known coaster; whenever I mention to people I visited Alton Towers, the first ride they bring up is The Smiler, and it’s very rarely about the accident nowadays, instead being more about how nuts it is and how much they love it! People on here may talk about how iconic Nemesis is, but I think Smiler has a much stronger brand image and overall following than Nemesis in non-enthusiast circles. Even Wicker Man, while also very popular, doesn’t seem to have quite matched Smiler.
I also think Smiler has that Nemesis-type factor to it where you’re not entirely sure that they could pull off anything more highly received in that plot of land, which would strengthen the case for a retrack.
My current thought is that one or two others might, but certainly not all of them.
If anything else gets a Nemesis-style retrack, I actually think it’ll be The Smiler when its time eventually comes; while it’s perhaps not the biggest enthusiast favourite, it’s become quite the icon among the general Towers-visiting populace! Even though it’s now nearly 10 years old, I think an argument could be made for it still being the park’s most popular and well-known coaster; whenever I mention to people I visited Alton Towers, the first ride they bring up is The Smiler, and it’s very rarely about the accident nowadays, instead being more about how nuts it is and how much they love it! People on here may talk about how iconic Nemesis is, but I think Smiler has a much stronger brand image and overall following than Nemesis in non-enthusiast circles. Even Wicker Man, while also very popular, doesn’t seem to have quite matched Smiler.
I also think Smiler has that Nemesis-type factor to it where you’re not entirely sure that they could pull off anything more highly received in that plot of land, which would strengthen the case for a retrack.
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Trooper Looper
TS Member
Same could be said for Oblivion as it is the deepest Coaster in the park, with a good odd 100-130 feet beneath X-Sector. But how on earth would they even be able to retrack it XD, even though its smooth as glass for now. In 20 years time, that might not be the same, so what would the park or Owners do to retrack it.
Another thing to point out is that Filling Oblivions hole if the ride would ever close would not be an easy task, so the choices are rather limited on what to do with Oblivion in the future, though for now, I think it's far from danger of being removed.
The Smiler will be turned in to razors and replaced with something else when the time comes.
While it makes very efficient use of the land it's sat upon, it is ultimately a coater built on a plot rather than a pit created for the ride; nothing will ever make better use of Nemesis' pit than the B&M Inverted coaster it was created to accommodate.
If The Smiler brand remains as strong as it does now when the time comes perhaps they'll make use of it again.
Worth noting as well that full-ride retracks of steel coasters are a fairly rare occurrence - other than Hulk has there ever been another?
While it makes very efficient use of the land it's sat upon, it is ultimately a coater built on a plot rather than a pit created for the ride; nothing will ever make better use of Nemesis' pit than the B&M Inverted coaster it was created to accommodate.
If The Smiler brand remains as strong as it does now when the time comes perhaps they'll make use of it again.
Worth noting as well that full-ride retracks of steel coasters are a fairly rare occurrence - other than Hulk has there ever been another?
QTXAdsy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
Apart from maybe doing some replacement of track in places and some enhance theming, the one thing that might be considered is it getting lap bar trains which is something many of us would like to see that might help with the roughness and might make it far more terrifying than it should be even without including the accident if it is still hanging over thr ride by then.
Actually Smiler could have a few tweaks done to it's queue line in which doesn't have you in the pit but rather somewhere where the old Black Hole overflow queue was and regarding the theme, I always thought with its zany and black comedy vibe that it was suppose to be a parody of Oblivion for which while the queue line videos for that ride play up the sinister factor straight, Smiler could have its own queue line videos playing up the black comedy aspect almost being like one of those 1960's education videos with that cheerful background music asking if you are down and how to improve your life and all that stuff. If done well would not add to the ride's story but add to the experience.
Plus I don't know how possible this is to do but if am overhaul of Smiler happens, might it be an idea to add a second loading bay like Oblivion to help with throughput? Always thought this was a mistake not to include this originally for had this been it place then waiting times might have not been so bad. So IMO, Smiler is just about 5 or 6 steps away to become something really special.
John_P
TS Member
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Don't forget The Incredible Hulk as well. Though that still had a rattle after the retrack, fingers crossed this isn't the same for good old Nemmy.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Difficult to say which Secret Weapon will be the first to go now - none of them are feasibly leaving the park anytime soon.
jon81uk
TS Member
Space Mountain at Disneyland California.
Aye I did think of that one but thought it was more an overhaul with parts retracked than a whole ride jobby? Anyway, I think we can all agree it's a rare thing and I honestly can't see a steel coaster other than Nemesis getting the same treatment in the UK. Possibly Big One if they can find a way of doing it in such a way that it won't need constant track replacement going forward.
EDIT: and Oblivion, but even that would really only need the section underground and at the turnaround to be done I'd imagine.
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jon81uk
TS Member
I think Space Mountain was pretty much a rebuild, it was closed for two years.
I agree though, very unlikely anything in the UK will be. The Big One will have a lot replaced over time, but I don’t see any major sections of that done in one go, it will continue to be piecemeal.