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Incident on The Smiler 02/06/2015

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I thought that the on site HSE investigation was finished once the Smiler site was handed back over to Alton Towers.

Maybe they wasn't testing the cars yesterday, maybe they needed to move a car from the station to the halfway point to test (maybe clearance) what ever they were working on and then they sent the car back to the station. Might explain why few people actually see it testing. I though if they were testing it, they would have it running a bit longer.
 
Hi all, been lurking on here for a while now, but thought I'd sign up to answer a couple of questions I've seen on here recently.

I was on park yesterday and Friday, and saw the ride working myself.
When I was in X Sector, I saw it being run twice (one train operation both times).
On Friday, I saw people checking everything meticulously, including the fences.
I asked one of the people doing the checks, who told me they worked for this company: http://www.ltci.co.uk/ - they had nothing to do with HSE, and were being sub contracted by Alton Towers to conduct the checks.
 
I did take a video, but don't have a YouTube account. Couple of pictures for now:

2zfvebc.jpg

v6hxuf.jpg
 
There is no evidence to suggest that the ride has remained closed to this point only due to the loss of two trains.

Given that the park as a wider entity has suffered a dramatic reduction in popularity since the crash, I have to ask once again what makes people think that the ride itself will not be affected? Three train operation would be more that sufficient capacity to open for the rest of this season.
 
I think that its still difficult to tell whether or not they will reopen it before the end of the season. Personally I think it would be a wise move but either way I'm sure towers have sufficient reasoning.

Also I think that three train operation would be fine for this season at least as the popularity of the ride will be massively affected, the GP are hard to sway when it comes to things like this especially when they have the media reporting so negatively. Its much more acceptable to follow the crowd these days as that way you cant be called out if you are believed to have 'the wrong opinion'.
 
The only way the GP are going to perceive the ride as "safe" again is through a proven track record of operation - I think Merlin will want to get it open again as soon as possible now the media storm has settled. That is obviously assuming the prohibition notice has been lifted by the HSE.
The reduced throughput is essentially a moot point, particularly given a lot of people will avoid the ride.
 
It will work fine with 3 trains for now. Be good to keep getting the views of people who are visiting during the week.
 
Rattlesnake re opening today might have some relevance, similar work in regards to track inspection (I think it was) and hit had been closed since 2nd June.
 
Ryan B said:
Rattlesnake re opening today might have some relevance, similar work in regards to track inspection (I think it was) and hit had been closed since 2nd June.
Click to expand...
I'm sure rattlesnake opened ages ago, with dragons fury, spinball and saw.

I might be wrong, I'm sure it was opened a few weeks after the accident?
 
Wow, I wonder if they have been doing to the rattlesnake what they have been doing to the smiler.... It's just that nobody pays any attention to the rattlesnake?
 
I probably just misread their website then. I'd sort of forgotten about all the other rides that had been closed, other than the smiler
 
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