Hex [2024 Refurb]: General Discussion

[Ciaran]

Is there not an emergency hatch somewhere. perhaps in the middle under something or on the top.

Yes, there is a maintenance hatch somewhere on the drum wall. I’m not sure where as it’s well hidden to blend in with the theming.

 

[Alsty]

Many years ago I asked this question and was told the vault is weighted so it naturally levels out if you remove power. The doors also open in the event of power loss. I'm not sure if it's true but it would make sense to work that way.

I can't imagine manually jogging it would be acceptable for an emergency situation.

 

[pluk]

Many years ago I asked this question and was told the vault is weighted so it naturally levels out if you remove power. The doors also open in the event of power loss. I'm not sure if it's true but it would make sense to work that way.

I can't imagine manually jogging it would be acceptable for an emergency situation.

I presumed something like that would be the case, but that still requires a lot to go right to work in the event of the thing seizing up in some way.

I was expecting to find some sort of trap door escape in every horizontal panel or similar. I really can't think of any other public space that traps you in this way if that's not there.

 

[djtruefitt]

With here being so many of the rides across the world in many countries, they must be perfectly safe and meet fire regulations. I’m guessing in the event of e stop or emergency it would just reset quite quickly to the stop position, with doors the open. I don’t think there are any hidden hatches or anything (not for evac purposes anyway), there are only fire exit signs above each of the four doors.

 

[Ciaran]

With here being so many of the rides across the world in many countries, they must be perfectly safe and meet fire regulations. I’m guessing in the event of e stop or emergency it would just reset quite quickly to the stop position, with doors the open. I don’t think there are any hidden hatches or anything (not for evac purposes anyway), there are only fire exit signs above each of the four doors.

There is a hatch on the drum wall for maintenance purposes, but this wouldn’t at all be suitable for the evacuation of the ride.

 

[Alsty]

I presumed something like that would be the case, but that still requires a lot to go right to work in the event of the thing seizing up in some way.

You'd have to be having a really bad day for there be to a complete mechanical failure of the vault that defeats the self-levelling, and also simultaneously have a fire.

I really can't think of any other public space that traps you in this way if that's not there.

Elevator?

 

[jon81uk]

I really can't think of any other public space that traps you in this way if that's not there.

I suppose in a sense any indoor coaster does in a way, you can't release the restraint yourself, so have to wait for staff to get out the train.

 

[Skyscraper]

From what I know, if the e-stop is pressed of there's a fault the drum and gondola will stop suddenly (it stops a little too suddenly to be realistic on the Ride Sims simulation though I think) then the system will power off. The op/tech services the have to power on the system and initiate a manual reset.

 

[Steve74]

And after all this talk, this is from a post in the "Merlin Annual Passholders" group on Facebook:

"Could only happen to us. An almighty clunk and hex has broken. We can't get off and engineers are on the way."

(Can't link to it as it's a private group)

 

[Skyscraper]

And after all this talk, this is from a post in the "Merlin Annual Passholders" group on Facebook:

"Could only happen to us. An almighty clunk and hex has broken. We can't get off and engineers are on the way."

(Can't link to it as it's a private group)

Oh dear! Think we jinxed it

Edit: Spoken to a friend of mine who worked on Hex a few years back, and he said that the drum can be manually rotated but is not sure if power is needed.

 

[Skyscraper]

Bump!

Not sure what's up with it, but Hex closed a few times yesterday and has been closed all day so far today. Fingers crossed it's nothing serious and is open a week today!

 

[Trooper Looper]

Well, since it looks to be that Hex is fixed now, does this also mean that the Smiler is also fixed or going under maintenance as we speak, since a staff member told me l that the reason they weren't operating was because ethat it was a lot harder to get spare parts over to the UK from central Europe ever since Brexit.

 

[Dave]

Well, since it looks to be that Hex is fixed now, does this also mean that the Smiler is also fixed or going under maintenance as we speak, since a staff member told me l that the reason they weren't operating was because ethat it was a lot harder to get spare parts over to the UK from central Europe ever since Brexit.

Unless there is a new fault Smiler will be fixed for the next season, the delays where all around getting parts because of brexit and global supply flow issues.

 

[Danscott22]

I think it's a pretty impossible question to ask and answer as The Smiler is closed for winter now anyway. It'll definitely be back open for late March with the start of the season though, I've never been so sure.

 

[Skyscraper]

Bump!

Following on from the 2022 discussion thread, fingers crossed that Hex being removed from the app is just an indication that they just need more time to fix it. The ride system is over 20 years old though, so will surely need a refurbishment soon? I know the effects were refurbished during a full season closure a few years back, but I don't believe the ide system was touched apart from the parking issue being rectified. Plus, if (god forbid) it did eventually have to close permanently, nothing else would be able to go in the showbuilding as that would have to be removed as per the planning permission. Could we see it being SBNO like Slammer at Thorpe if both costs and the risk of damaging the listed Towers were too high?

As I said, hopefully more time is needed (or they are waiting for a part), and Hex will be back in operation in the near future, but time will tell.

Also, I've just noticed that this thread will be 10 years old in October.

 

[Trooper Looper]

Bump!

Following on from the 2022 discussion thread, fingers crossed that Hex being removed from the app is just an indication that they just need more time to fix it. The ride system is over 20 years old though, so will surely need a refurbishment soon? I know the effects were refurbished during a full season closure a few years back, but I don't believe the ide system was touched apart from the parking issue being rectified. Plus, if (god forbid) it did eventually have to close permanently, nothing else would be able to go in the showbuilding as that would have to be removed as per the planning permission. Could we see it being SBNO like Slammer at Thorpe if both costs and the risk of damaging the listed Towers were too high?

As I said, hopefully more time is needed (or they are waiting for a part), and Hex will be back in operation in the near future, but time will tell.

Also, I've just noticed that this thread will be 10 years old in October.

I'm sure Hex is just having a quick maintenance schedule. The Haunting at Drayton Manor has been operating ever since 1996 with little down time, so I can't see why Hex, with it being newer, would need more maintenance than one of the original Modern Madhouses.

 

[Skyscraper]

I'm sure Hex is just having a quick maintenance schedule. The Haunting at Drayton Manor has been operating ever since 1996 with little down time, so I can't see why Hex, with it being newer, would need more maintenance than one of the original Modern Madhouses.

Apparently Hex is still using bulky Windows 95 PCs. Those will definitely need updating at some point.

 

[s_g_k]

Let’s hope it’s just extended maintenance and they’ve taken it off the app to distract from the fact that an attraction is closed.

Hex is a world class dark ride in a park with embarrassing dark rides in a country with questionable dark rides. If it were to go, it would be a major blow to the U.K. dark ride lineup. It personally has the best music score of any ride on park and is the only surviving “golden age” dark ride on park.

Long live Hex!

 

[Trooper Looper]

It personally has the best music score of any ride on park and is the only surviving “golden age” dark ride on park.

Ahem *Cough*

A former shadow, yes, but it theoretically still exists.

Hex does have some of the Best music a Theme Park can offer, with Villa Volta just below perhaps.

 

[Skyscraper]

I've heard that the reason Hex is closed is because of an issue with some doors, which they understandably want to get fixed. If parts are required, it could be a while.