Monorail Refurbishment

[rob666]

When run properly, it had long, very quick running queues, with clear windows.
Fifteen minutes tops from the bottom of the ramps.

 

[Jb85]

It hasn't ran properly since 1999

 

[Johnny_5]

My flabber would be well and truly gasted if Towers refurb or replace the monorail. It’d be frighteningly expensive and this is Merlin. New Merlin, yes. But Merlin all the same. They’ll use busses and land trains. Young first time towers visiting nostalgia wants me to want them to keep it / refurb it / replace it. But they won’t. It’s on seriously borrowed time.

 

[cyyan]

Does anyone know why there appears to be a third station on the monorail as it passes between Runaway Mine Train and Congo River Rapids? It looks as though there's a full on platform on each side of the track, complete with white/yellow line to stand behind. I've been digging around but can't seem to find any info on it. I can't believe I've never noticed it before,

Can be seen in this video from around 1:30


From: https://youtu.be/RUQirFechzY?si=JKHi_uQiaygUWwx7&t=91


Looks like the fire extinguishers on the platform are kept up to date, possibly implying some kind of usage?

 

[Josh]

Does anyone know why there appears to be a third station on the monorail as it passes between Runaway Mine Train and Congo River Rapids? It looks as though there's a full on platform on each side of the track, complete with white/yellow line to stand behind. I've been digging around but can't seem to find any info on it. I can't believe I've never noticed it before,

Can be seen in this video from around 1:30


From: https://youtu.be/RUQirFechzY?si=JKHi_uQiaygUWwx7&t=91


Looks like the fire extinguishers on the platform are kept up to date, possibly implying some kind of usage?

They are evacuation platforms, from before they installed the metal grates between the tracks which are now used for evacuations.

They are still used though if a train stops there and can't be recovered, which is why the fire extinguishers are still there.

 

[DistortAMG]

They are evacuation platforms, from before they installed the metal grates between the tracks which are now used for evacuations.

They are still used though if a train stops there and can't be recovered, which is why the fire extinguishers are still there.

It's a very wierd evacuation platform. Due to it being very similar to station platform, the ability of it being used as an evacuation platform depends entirely on the train breaking down in exactly that place.

But thinking about it some more, i'm guessing they could push the trains to it in an event of say a power cut, where the main stations were already occupied with other trains.

 

[Dave]

It's a very wierd evacuation platform. Due to it being very similar to station platform, the ability of it being used as an evacuation platform depends entirely on the train breaking down in exactly that place.

But thinking about it some more, i'm guessing they could push the trains to it in an event of say a power cut, where the main stations were already occupied with other trains.

I think the logic is it’s about mid-way between the stations so you aim to stop at it if you can.

But that is 1980’s logic hence the new platforms now.

 

[karl.stubbs]

The monorail needs replacing with a modern wider train and none of that horrible window screening. I know it's a film but like the ones in Jurassic World. Let's not forget these were made for the 1980's expo and then transported and installed at Alton Towers after.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

The monorail needs replacing with a modern wider train and none of that horrible window screening. I know it's a film but like the ones in Jurassic World. Let's not forget these were made for the 1980's expo and then transported and installed at Alton Towers after.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

If you change the width of the train, you're going to have to rebuild all three platforms. Monorails are incredibly expensive and this one's a custom build.

 

[John]

In our company archives there's a scan of an article about the monorail from The Structural Engineer in the early 90s. Here's a quick facts box from that article (sorry about the low resolution), they're quoting 4800 as the theoretical capacity, even higher than previously mentioned in this topic.

I miss the monorail being properly useful.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Seventy five seconds between trains? If only!

 

[djtruefitt]

I’ve no idea when it went, but I noticed last weekend that the old daisy train monorail has left the park now! So god help them if they need anymore spare parts.

However I’m also sure there are some trains which I’ve not seen all season rubbish, so maybe these are broke now. Ones like the celebration and jelly bean trains.

 

[Ash]

I’m sure there are companies like Severn Lamb, Garmendale, Fairfield Controls, Alstom that could all do a job replacing the trains if needed.

The track structure as well I’m sure could be made to measure. But would they want to?

And whilst you’re doing it surely you’d want to make improvements such as adding air gates to the stations and perhaps an extension to the new car park expansions for the future

 

[ScottishChris]

I’m sure there are companies like Severn Lamb, Garmendale, Fairfield Controls, Alstom that could all do a job replacing the trains if needed.

The track structure as well I’m sure could be made to measure. But would they want to?

And whilst you’re doing it surely you’d want to make improvements such as adding air gates to the stations and perhaps an extension to the new car park expansions for the future

For me, it's all about the financial outlay - replacing the current monorail must be in the same financial ballpark as a new E-ticket attraction (if not more). i do get that there is a need to move people from the car park to the front gate, but is it worth spending 3, 4, 5 or more million doing this? I mean, who says "I want to go to Alton towers to ride the monorail"? Who leaves the park stating that their favourite ride of the day was getting from their car to the front gate?

Add in the fact that I only ever hear people complain about the monorail (too hot, too crowded, too slow, it smells, you cant see, the queue is too long etc.) is it something that Towers would realistically replace like-for-like? New Systems (like Intamin's) look amazing, but it would require the old monorail to be completely removed and replaced, with all new stations and likely new alignments too.

I know I got roasted previously for saying this, but shuttle busses or land trains/ trams on a dedicated roadway make so much sense from initial cost, reliability and ongoing operational costs. With minimal re-alignment of existing pathways, this is more than achievable. Maybe not as flashy - but how many people really care *that much* about how they get to the gate.

 

[Poisson]

For me, it's all about the financial outlay - replacing the current monorail must be in the same financial ballpark as a new E-ticket attraction (if not more). i do get that there is a need to move people from the car park to the front gate, but is it worth spending 3, 4, 5 or more million doing this? I mean, who says "I want to go to Alton towers to ride the monorail"? Who leaves the park stating that their favourite ride of the day was getting from their car to the front gate?

Add in the fact that I only ever hear people complain about the monorail (too hot, too crowded, too slow, it smells, you cant see, the queue is too long etc.) is it something that Towers would realistically replace like-for-like? New Systems (like Intamin's) look amazing, but it would require the old monorail to be completely removed and replaced, with all new stations and likely new alignments too.

I know I got roasted previously for saying this, but shuttle busses or land trains/ trams on a dedicated roadway make so much sense from initial cost, reliability and ongoing operational costs. With minimal re-alignment of existing pathways, this is more than achievable. Maybe not as flashy - but how many people really care *that much* about how they get to the gate.

That routing makes the bus try and drive against the flow of traffic at either end of the day. This is where Towers have big issues as they aren't even remotely setup for such a network

 

[James]

Even with land trains/buses you will be looking at £1-2m (or more) to get the hardware and infrastructure in place to support such a system.

Updating the current monorail would no doubt spill into the millions but it’s already there and doesn’t require any demolishing/building anything.

I guess it’s a case for Towers on whether they view it as beneficial to spend on the monorail or invest in an alternative. The whole ‘people don’t say they go to Alton Towers to ride the monorail’ is a bit of a pointless argument. The same could be said for the Skyride and same logic applied if there were buses or land trains to get to the park entrance. It’s a transportation system.

Hopefully with new management in place and a few years of patience, maybe they will look at doing something, whether that be monorail 2.0 or a new transportation system. Worst case, monorail is demolished and everyone has to suck it up and walk.

 

[delta79]

They could install a automatic monorail system. It would cut down on staffing cost and over the life of the system pay for itself.

 

[QTXAdsy]

If they were to send out the Monorail trains out to a company to gut them out and reengineer them to make them fit for modern works such more energy efficient or as driverless trains as mentioned above, I do wonder if the shells of the trains will remain as likely keeping the remaining body, with cosmetic changes, would be a more likely solution than rebuilding a new design from scratch.

I know it would cost millions to give it the overhaul needed but long term could be beneficial for the park, especially if they weren't with driverless train operations which cuts down on staff costs which is always a attractive option for any major corporation to cut costs though honestly I doubt Merlin ever had long term planning in their minds for anything back then.

 

[mo237]

Regardless of how damaged the system is, or how expensive it would be to refurbish it, or even install a completely new one - the Monorail has been part of the basic guest experience for over three decades, and the prescence of it has become synonymous with arriving at the Resort. Monorail's aren't common in most peoples lives; it could be discounted as a gimmick, but when the Jackson family have travelled from Bournemouth with their three kids, it's much more appealing and inviting than taking the lengthy walk on the pathways that also aren't really fit for service.

Having the option is necessary at this point; some people might like to stretch their legs after a long journey and choose the walk, but you've also got to consider that it's not entirely viable or accessible for others.

 

[Kraken27]

I think it is worth noting that we probably only got the existing monorail for two reasons...

1. John Broome wanted to market Alton Towers as the "UK's Disneyland". Disney had a monorail, so he had to have one too.
2. The existing trains were picked up at a discounted price from Expo86 in Canada.

Even Disney have stopped building more monorail extensions (although I admit their concrete box beam track is more expensive than Towers steel track). They have moved to Skyliner - a Poma cable car system... hold on, what is Skyride? Enough said! Disneys Skyliner works. Clearly transport to/from the main entrance and within the park is not a Merlin priority for Towers.