Hansa-Park: general discussion

[DiogoJ42]

Sorry for double but I also noticed this:

That looks like the kind of turntable you find on Eurofighters to me. But it doesn't look long enough for a 4 car Infinity train.

 

[TheMan]

People need to quit moaning about The Smiler.

In fairness to the vast majority on here, including me, I don't see many people moaning about it.

I mentioned it's great to have a good length coaster, that whole discussion was whether it was cynical to go for the inversion record, and perhaps what did that come at the cost of.

It's immensely frustrating they didn't finish it off to a proper standard.

There are a few that really don't like it at all, I am certainly not in that camp, I love it taken as a piece of hardware in it's purest form it's utter madness - but then put it in situ, have a look across the path, that's the standards I am talking about.

Anyway, digressing, one thing I will say here about Gerst in general, is they've designed a coaster form that is capable of some insane layouts in tiny spaces - that's why The Smiler also wont remain in any way unique aside from the theme idea - another thing I really love and wish had been done properly.

Karnan shows Gerst are willing to try and squeeze into anything, I like that, they're not my favourite designer in terms of the actual ride, but for eyebrow raising they're on the way - and with The Smiler and now Karnan, I think we may see more parks think a bit more outside the box.

I do wonder though, can this ride design as a whole be pushed past 14 inversions because it's really just about tolerable even for the most hardened of coaster riders that I know.

 

[Dave]

People need to quit moaning about The Smiler.

Yes - the theming quality is mixed and yes the build quality is suspect.

But for years, all you'd read on TTF (when we were all on there) was how much a simple 'sit down looping coaster' was craved at Alton Towers. How much people wanted a long coaster at Alton Towers. How much people wanted a coaster that really put AT back on the map.

The Smiler is it and will probably remain the most popular ride in the park for many years.

I so so miss when the forums had the balance and poise this post has.

Ohh well

 

[Rob]

I'm not sure exactly how recent it is but I've just come across this photo on Google:

Demonstrates how stupidly high the tower is. There doesn't seem to be a lot of space around the tower either so it will be interesting to see where the layout of the coaster goes.

 

[Benzin]

When I visited earlier this year there were markers allllll the way down towards the water slides right at the very back...

That thing is so huge <3

 

[TheMan]

I'm not sure exactly how recent it is but I've just come across this photo on Google:

Demonstrates how stupidly high the tower is. There doesn't seem to be a lot of space around the tower either so it will be interesting to see where the layout of the coaster goes.

I found a picture of the expected layout based on the present design:

 

[Rob]

At last, after a Christmas break we have some new photos. They have installed the supports for the exit of the drop from the tower:

Not too keen on the colour scheme of the outdoor supports and track. A tad murky.

 

[Ted]

I don't mind that shade of green, but the way it goes with the grey building makes it look disgusting, Although it's obviously temporary.

 

[TheMan]

Well, that's not the nicest support structure I've seen.

It's going to look a bit silly coming out of the bottom of a giant castle.

 

[DiogoJ42]

I would imagine the train / car will be going pretty damn fast as it leaves the tower, so it's only logical to need some hefty support at what will be the most stressed part of the track. Having said that, it does seem rather over-engineered. Maybe Gerst. are trying to make sure this doesn't end up like the bottom of Saw's first drop?

 

[TheMan]

I would imagine the train / car will be going pretty damn fast as it leaves the tower, so it's only logical to need some hefty support at what will be the most stressed part of the track. Having said that, it does seem rather over-engineered. Maybe Gerst. are trying to make sure this doesn't end up like the bottom of Saw's first drop?

Yeah and maybe The Smiler taught them a few lessons also. I know that was some ground issues, but it's not unlike a Gerst to not be super smooth.

I guess it if does the job then fair enough, but going to all that effort perhaps adding some theme for that part of the ride would have been a decent idea.

Point take though, it is one heck of a drop.

 

[DiogoJ42]

For all we know, the theming will include cladding the pull out of the drop in a curved shed, covering all those supports.

Curse these European parks that don't theme rides for a year or two!

 

[TheMan]

They say with this image:

"A Component of the special kind"

Come on @John what's this?

And I just copied this @DiogoJ42 from the behind the website, I think you may be right! I hope so, in which case that structure actually makes perfect sense as it would hold a steep bank/incline stronger I'd imagine.

I just love the look of this ride, it's utterly bonkers.

 

[Cheese]

The "component of the special kind" looks like it might be a pop-up brake fin to me.

 

[PeteA]

I would imagine the train / car will be going pretty damn fast as it leaves the tower, so it's only logical to need some hefty support at what will be the most stressed part of the track. Having said that, it does seem rather over-engineered. Maybe Gerst. are trying to make sure this doesn't end up like the bottom of Saw's first drop?

Well I recently rode Iron Shark at Galveston Pier and that was a joy to ride and also quite ashamedly terrifying in places. This Eurofighter had a great drop delivering some great belly moments before a smooth and thrilling ride which ends in a brake run over the sea if you are sat on the right, which is quite unnerving. All this done with lap bars just like Karacho.

Ok, Iron Shark is smaller than Karnan, but if it rides like Iron Shark, then it will be a good ride.

 

[Lordy]

Gerst are just so hit and miss.

Which is a shame, because when they hit, they hit goooood! (Anubis)

Yet when they miss, it's just unbearable (Saw, Speed....)

 

[Tim]

I wouldn't class them as hit and miss. If they build a ride in the UK it'll probably be rough beyond belief, anywhere else and it'll range from good to excellent.

Am I correct in thinking Smiler, Saw and Speed were all built by the same installation team? (I know Smiler and Saw were) if so that probably shows where they keep going wrong.

 

[Benzin]

Speed does have the best airtime hill in the UK though... And Rage is ok...

It's just Merlin who managed to make Gerstlauers REALLY bad...

 

[Rob]

Speed is fine, intense and can get to your head after continuous riding but nowhere near as bad as Saw.

I'd imagine a lot of how Gerstlauers ride does come down to the groundwork, more so than for B&Ms, Intamins and Macks. I'm no expert in this field so I could be totally wrong but I think it comes down to how Gerstlauer go about their footers. The supports are placed into a square hole in a footer/area of concrete and then the support is secured in place by filling said hole with further concrete. So if you make a royal mess of doing the concrete (yes I'm looking at you TG Cruise) then you have problems.

I personally do not like that way of doing coaster footers. Supports should be bolted to the ground/footer as far as I am concerned, especially on larger thrill coasters. A 200ft coaster from Gerstlauer with supports concreted into the ground has the potential to be worrying!

 

[Alastair]

A 200ft coaster from Gerstlauer with supports concreted into the ground has the potential to be worrying!

It won't in Germany though, as it won't be constructed by clueless oafs. I suspect they will actually survey the land prior to digging and pouring the concrete also.