siralgenon
TS Member
I'm a bit annoyed that the monorail station is still painted in the same drab colours and the monorails have received no up keep what so ever while it's been out of use for a year.
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Monorail Refurbishment
- Thread starter WallisDan
- Start date
Can't say I'm surprised - this sort of thing costs money & the monorail does not draw guests to the park. (Yes, some may moan when it's closed & they have to walk to/from the entrance plaza, but it's the rides that brinh the guests in).
Error
TS Member
Just like an Air Guitar
I'll have you know I'm bloody brilliant at air guitar.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Actually, they are flexible plasic sheets that can be lifted up in the event of an evac. The windows at the end of each carrige (exept the driver cars) actually open for this purpose, so guests can move through the train during an emergency. For that reason, fixed perspex cannot be used.
AstroDan
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
This still is taken from Shawn's ATR vlog from yesterday. Look at the state of it. Vinyl wraps crinkling, damp/moss/rot/mould under the vinyl on the door, graffiti etched into the paintwork. Just bloody awful! These aren't things the ride teams can solve - all that will solve it is money to properly sort it out.
JAMMY_Jaunts
TS Member
I used to really look forward to starting my day on the monorail. Hearing the upbeat station music, the exciting announcements on board and what not. Now it just looks depressing and does not provide a good first impression for your 'fantabulous' day of 'thrilliant' adventures ahead. :/
I really hope they can get the funds to give it the refurb it truly deserves, but somehow I'm doubtful.
I really hope they can get the funds to give it the refurb it truly deserves, but somehow I'm doubtful.
The last refurb of the monorail trains in 2008 was very much instigated by the Marketing Department. Guest feedback / satisfaction scores for the monorail were very low due to the state it was in & were resulting in lower overall satisfaction scores for the park as a whole.
Personally I think any future refurb will have to be driven by marketing again. Will be interesting to see what happens, as those Von Roll trains must be on their last legs by now.
Fully agree on both points. But both options would be hugely expensive, so won't happen.
I've said it many times before, but what would Alton Towers be like today if Disney had chosen the site they were offered near the NEC on the M42 to develop EuroDisney (as it was)? My guess is that Alton Towers would be closed as a theme park.
Despite Merlin being second only to Disney, they have not got a clue. On the monorail front alone, just compare Disney's to Towers. One is modern & pretty high speed on concrete beam track. Towers is like a bumpy elevated go-kart ride with knackered old trains.
jon81uk
TS Member
I’ve ranted about this in another thread, the “second only to Disney” thing is irrelevant. It was how they described the size of the company when Blackstone acquired Tussauds. It has no real bearing on anything. Six Flags also has multiple theme park sites but they don’t the same comparisons. Merlin might operate a lot of midway sites but they aren’t a big theme park operator really and have nothing like the budget of Disney so those comparisons make no sense.
The Florida Disney monorail isn’t that modern anymore either, their trains are over 30 years old, although controls have been replaced and they have recently been adding automatic signalling.
It’s had many issues recently such as travelling with doors still open.
Hopefully AT do realise the importance of the system and do something soon to get a budget to sort it though!
tayspru
TS Member
Honestly the monorail really wouldn’t take that long for at least an aesthetic refresh , the insides are really quite grim these days.
- Replace all of the safety notice vinyls on the interior of each car (leek signs bulk order)
- Take a craft knife to the windows to allow for views out again, and brighten up the dank journey for guests. The monorails that remain in use are mostly one pattern (like the cow and jellybean) and wouldn’t suffer from exposed windows
- Have all trains play one audio track that covers the basics of the day. While some trains have kept their themed audio tracks, some just play the same loop of sound effects. This would take the most effort but with the other improvements of in park music the talent is there
In an ideal world the windows would be replaced entirely as many are cracked , but that would really up the cost
These are changes that could easily be implemented at minimal cost. The monorail is the start and end of many guests day and should really be a good impression
- Replace all of the safety notice vinyls on the interior of each car (leek signs bulk order)
- Take a craft knife to the windows to allow for views out again, and brighten up the dank journey for guests. The monorails that remain in use are mostly one pattern (like the cow and jellybean) and wouldn’t suffer from exposed windows
- Have all trains play one audio track that covers the basics of the day. While some trains have kept their themed audio tracks, some just play the same loop of sound effects. This would take the most effort but with the other improvements of in park music the talent is there
In an ideal world the windows would be replaced entirely as many are cracked , but that would really up the cost
These are changes that could easily be implemented at minimal cost. The monorail is the start and end of many guests day and should really be a good impression
stealthyjim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Montu
I like this idea, it wouldn’t take much to improve the look of the monorail - giving merlin time to save their pennies for new trains
tayspru
TS Member
If they put me up in their hotel for a week I’d do the windows myself for free after ride close each day !
Steve74
TS Member
Would an automated system cut personnel costs though? I mean the Docklands Light Railway in London is driverless and controlled by a central system but there is still a member of staff on the trains to take over if needed. So I guess a member of staff would remain on the monorail trains too for the same reason (and to reassure guests in the event of a breakdown) - just like now?
