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Monorail Refurbishment

delta79 said:
In two years (2026) it will be 40 years old
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When you put it like that no wonder it’s clapped out. Didn’t it do a few years service before moving as well?

Needs a serious refurb. But so does the rest of the park. Nobody is going to write a £100m+ cheque to fix the park. We need to accept a new norm. I mean it’s been like tips for at least 10’years now.

Only hope is Todd Boehly buys the place. He likes to spend money.
 
Plastic Person said:
While nothing comparable to the level of grime infesting Alton’s system, the trains on EP Express were also looking pretty knackered on my most recent visit.
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Maybe Mack will design and build a replacement train system as they’ll want to keep their monorail system. Heck, I can see it being extended to reach Rutlantica.

Then there may be an option for Alton to purchase some new trains…
 
The whole process of using the monorail is so painful these days…the long waits for the next train, then the long wait sitting there in the station…not being able to see anything out the window. It makes for a painful and underwhelming first appearance for the park.

The paint is peeling inside…it’s vile.

I wish Merlin would just invest in their parks and get them up to a decent standard.
 
deathproof69 said:
The whole process of using the monorail is so painful these days…the long waits for the next train, then the long wait sitting there in the station…not being able to see anything out the window. It makes for a painful and underwhelming first appearance for the park.

The paint is peeling inside…it’s vile.

I wish Merlin would just invest in their parks and get them up to a decent standard.
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They are starting to invest in refurbs. And this goes really against the grain defending them, but if they were to refurb everything at once, most things would be closed.

I’m sure it’s obvious this needs doing, but time and ride availability are probably the biggest issues over cash.
 
Surely this will be the next Skyride: a 'suddenly' identified massive capital spend requirement and close.

With all the talk of new/additional entrances in the past, it is obvious it has been in factored into long term strategic plans for years. Another can kicked down the road.
 
deathproof69 said:
Just the two are they using…yeah.
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I have seen them using more throughout the season, normally I think I see 3 at the start and end then 2 in the mid day, then 3 at the end.

Currently there isn't much advantage to running more than 3 as the station pens don't have air gates they have to keep the ramp closed whilst the monorail is entering the station then people have to be batched into the monorail after it has stopped significantly reducing opps meaning with 3 or more they will start stacking on the main loading station.
 
jibbsie said:
Currently there isn't much advantage to running more than 3 as the station pens don't have air gates they have to keep the ramp closed whilst the monorail is entering the station then people have to be batched into the monorail after it has stopped significantly reducing opps meaning with 3 or more they will start stacking on the main loading station.
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They don’t have to keep the ramp closed though. The monorail operated for 20-30 years with batching people onto the platform before the train arrives. Also stations across the country have people waiting behind the yellow line as a train pulls in.
 
jon81uk said:
They don’t have to keep the ramp closed though. The monorail operated for 20-30 years with batching people onto the platform before the train arrives. Also stations across the country have people waiting behind the yellow line as a train pulls in.
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No, but they have changed their rules to require it, also not really similar to trains as alton will have a lot more children at the park, and after a long day it only takes one to sprint out infront of a monorail and a parent not catch them to cause a tradergy.

there are standards that they may have switched to iroc is one such rule set that quite a few parks went to, it requires many things, for instance cedar point switched to it (and then back from it) and it caused some problems by requiring ride attendants to be within a sage area.
 
I think what happens with the monorail will be a great metaphor for the rest of the park. Invest in it, maybe expand it and perhaps it’s a sign of a vibrant long term future (as has been taken with the sky ride.

Maybe do one project a year.

Year 1 - 1st station has airgates added
Year 2 - 2nd station
Year 3 - Control system upgraded
Year 4 - 1st new monorail train added
Etc

Leave it or close it and we see the future ahead…
 
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