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Incident on The Smiler 02/06/2015

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phildenholm said:
So read what you want into this and it was likely someone's interpretation of something he heard in the staff toilet but a guy on air told me today that they had been trying to recreate the situation that caused the accident but they haven't been able too as it was a bit of a freak situation. Just putting that out there and like I say maybe not really what's happening.
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If it was caused due to high winds they wouldn't have had much chance in current conditions and sending dummies in the car ain't going to help (as stalled train was empty).
 
Surely all they would need to do is make the brakes slow the train down a bit too much?
 
Wouldn't the best way to recreate what happen be hold a train at the first block at the bottom of lift 2 and send a train up lift 1?

(I'm not sure how to word the bit after happened so it ma read a bit weird)
 
spinba11 said:
Wouldn't the best way to recreate what happen be hold a train at the first block at the bottom of lift 2 and send a train up lift 1?

(I'm not sure how to word the bit after happened so it ma read a bit weird)
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If I remember correctly a couple of weeks ago they did keep a train at the bottom of lift hill 2.
 
I agree that stalling the train in public would not be a good idea this is why I don't put much stock in what he said. I do think they are testing the control system and let's not forget it had a good reputation for going technical most days so a bit of reliability wouldn't go a miss.
 
We won't be told if the prohibition notice has been lifted, they aren't updated on the website. If you look it's still apparently under it to allow it to open in 2013, they probably won't remove it off the H&S website.
 
I think the notice must have gone, as there are plenty of towers staff around the ride and queue, and I have seen Alton towers techies on the transfer track, etc. I would assume if it was under notice towers wouldn't be allowed to do anything with it.

All the actual testing to see why it stalled and crashed would have been done while the park was closed and the area was closed, or even at night! The park closes at 4.30-5 there is plenty of time in the evening to do more testing.
 
djtruefitt said:
I think the notice must have gone, as there are plenty of towers staff around the ride and queue, and I have seen Alton towers techies on the transfer track, etc. I would assume if it was under notice towers wouldn't be allowed to do anything with it.

All the actual testing to see why it stalled and crashed would have been done while the park was closed and the area was closed, or even at night! The park closes at 4.30-5 there is plenty of time in the evening to do more testing.
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I believe the notice means that members of the public are not allowed to ride but to get it lifted towers need to demonstrate improvements and thus would be allowed to work on the ride.
 
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I think that Smiler will re-open as soon as the notice is lifted, this means that once they have made the changes necessary and HSE approve it will re-open, how long that will take is anyone's guess. But don't let that stop you having another 10 pages on discussion about the same points...
 
The notice could have been lifted a few days after the crash (when the ride was testing) as towers stated that it was part of the HSE investigation it could of been towers demonstrating improvements or HSE getting to know a bit about the ride systems.
 
I find it extremely hard to believe it is still under a prohibition notice. As has been said there is no way to know if it has been lifted and considering how much it has been testing it suggests it is for opening as if it was the HSE then surly they would just had to show them it working not continuse testing over many days.

Also if they were trying to replicate what happened all they would have to do is set off the sensor off at the top and then send the next train up the lift hill then you have got the conditions of the day. The only thing I could see being difficult is knowing what could be seen of the stalled train.
 
Would I be right in saying the weather has been calm at Towers the past few weeks? I think we will probably never know a date in which the HSE notice was lifted.
 
ASturge21 said:
The notice could have been lifted a few days after the crash (when the ride was testing) as towers stated that it was part of the HSE investigation it could of been towers demonstrating improvements or HSE getting to know a bit about the ride systems.
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The notice hadn't been lifted 3 weeks ago.
 
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On 11 September, the BBC reported that it had not been lifted. This information came to light after the park were approached by them for a statement. The reality is that the HSE were not satisfied more than three months later that they were capable of operating the ride as safely as is reasonably practicable. It could easily be the case that they are still not satisfied, but once again, we do not know.

In any event, the reality - and evidence - is that if they are still installing things like staircases and many other physical objects, the ride is not going to open a day or two after their appearance. The park will want/require a period of testing (not just in terms of the trains going around) and documentation following the installation of all of these physical additions, in order to be sufficiently confident of opening.
 
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