Oblivion "Mist"

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Watching that video you can really hear how the shuttle squeals as it hits the most vertical section of track. Anyone know why this has started to happen and will the track repaint help?

 

[Olii]

I was just wondering...

Obviously the misters send a considerable amount of moisture down the tunnel. Combine this with rain and there must be a fair amount of water descending into Oblivion, or at least, the tunnel of our favourite dive machine. So my question is; how is the tunnel drained? Surely it would be too deep just to let water run off into the ground? And also, it would seem that moist conditions shielded from cold winds would be ideal conditions for mould to grow, so how do Towers prevent that?

A bit of a weird question to be almost losing sleep over, I know. Sometimes my geekiness amazes even me...

 

[Ian]

I vaguely remember someone suggesting that there are pumps in the tunnel to pipe out any massive excess of water, but how much truth there is to it I don't know

 

[DiogoJ42]

I would guess there must be some kind of sump at the lowest point of the tunnel, that collects water pefore it is pumped out.

 

[Trixico]

Is that where the pipes that run into the pond at the tunnel exit come from? Or are they just theming, and serve no actual purpose?

 

[Islander]

Is that where the pipes that run into the pond at the tunnel exit come from? Or are they just theming, and serve no actual purpose?

Those are definitely just theming

I would imagine that the pumps in the tunnel just feed straight into either foul water or rain water drains.

 

[Kaycee]

There's one switch in the operator cabin that switches on the mist ring, and this is switched on every day as part of the start-up procedures... as far as I'm aware, there's no way of 'turning it up' - maybe it's something the techies can do, I'm not sure, but not in the cabin! :/

I think it's fine! It does build up a treat when the ride has been idle for a short time. And if you're on the first shuttle to plunge in after it's built up - like the first little staff ride of the day, well... it used to ruin my hair and make-up for the rest of the day. The effect is impressive with the second ring as well, but I'm thinking Oblivion would turn into a water ride.

 

[RustyRider]

I was just wondering...

Obviously the misters send a considerable amount of moisture down the tunnel. Combine this with rain and there must be a fair amount of water descending into Oblivion, or at least, the tunnel of our favourite dive machine. So my question is; how is the tunnel drained? Surely it would be too deep just to let water run off into the ground? And also, it would seem that moist conditions shielded from cold winds would be ideal conditions for mould to grow, so how do Towers prevent that?

A bit of a weird question to be almost losing sleep over, I know. Sometimes my geekiness amazes even me...

To answer your question, the tunnel floor is completley covered in those little silica gel packets you get in a microwave/shoebox to soak up moisture...

there's literally millions down there. They get replaced every few months or so after park close as part of a massive covert operation, before this, alton used to hire consuela to mop & dry any damp patches in the tunnel, although this proved to be very expensive! This also explains the lack of maintenance throughout the park, they're blowing the budget on silica!

 

[Daniel_F]

I personally have found the quantity of mist to vary. At times this season the hole was almost mist free, other times there's been so much that its covering the hole and also drifting across to x-cite! It definitely adds so much more to the experience when it's working properly ;D

 

[e4kenndr]

I can only assume Alton pay the water board a set amount for "unlimited" usage. Therefore the water would work out cheaper for them to use than smoke fluid.

Ive had a few smoke machines and the fluid is about £10-£15 for 5 litres on average. This might sound a lot but considering how little is used to generate smoke it can last a long while.

Where did the figure for £70 per day on sub terra come from? I'd be surprised if it's that high. Surely they'd have thought about it and bought some longer lasting, thicker fluids so it lingers in the exit cave longer.

It might be the cost of keeping the smoke machines hot around Oblivion (they generally have to stay very hot to vaporise the fluid) and I'm guessing you'd need a few around the hole which when temperatures drop it would be hard to maintain the heat perhaps?

 

[Towseriv]

I can only assume Alton pay the water board a set amount for "unlimited" usage. Therefore the water would work out cheaper for them to use

Surley the water they use will be from the lake/other internal sources, and treated to be safe like the flume and rapid water?

 

[e4kenndr]

I always thorugh the flume and rapid water came from the lakes there which are brown-yuck lol

I always assumed if they were spraying stuff into guest's faces ie sub terra, obvlion or rapids water guns it would have to be clean drinkable water? Who knows

 

[Wilsy]

Pretty much all the water that will directly hit you will be clean, the flume showers, sub terra, I've age and oblivion etc.

The water from the lakes would need to be filtered, not only because its dirty but algae would block the pipes.

 

[Towseriv]

Pretty much all the water that will directly hit you will be clean, the flume showers, sub terra, I've age and oblivion etc.

The water from the lakes would need to be filtered, not only because its dirty but algae would block the pipes.

The water is cleaned surley since that all hits you much more than any of the others

 

[Islander]

The Oblivion water will just be mains water, which is plenty clean enough.

 

[thefatone]

Where did the figure for £70 per day on sub terra come from? I'd be surprised if it's that high. Surely they'd have thought about it and bought some longer lasting, thicker fluids so it lingers in the exit cave longer.

Not entirely sure, however they wouldn't have been able use thicker fluid as I imagine they need actual visability between shows (for ride operation and so on)

 

[TPMC]

I personally have found the quantity of mist to vary.

They started to use mist again few days ago, however it is not intensive (or thick if you prefer) as was before in my opinion.

This is a photo I took yesterday - you can judge yourself

and now you can compare to some old photos:

 

[GaryH]

I think in the "old days" they used 2 rows of mister sprays, whereas now, only the 1 row is used. Also, it can depend on how quickly the cars are going through the hole. We had a huge build up of mist last year when we were stuck in the station for a few minutes

Taking photos on the ride, tut tut naughty naughty

 

[TPMC]

I think in the "old days" they used 2 rows of mister sprays, whereas now, only the 1 row is used. Also, it can depend on how quickly the cars are going through the hole. We had a huge build up of mist last year when we were stuck in the station for a few minutes

Yesterday they just operated one loading bay - so there was half of the "normal trafic"

Taking photos on the ride, tut tut naughty naughty

It was fully automated "hands free" process

 

[Towseriv]

I think in the "old days" they used 2 rows of mister sprays, whereas now, only the 1 row is used. Also, it can depend on how quickly the cars are going through the hole. We had a huge build up of mist last year when we were stuck in the station for a few minutes

Yesterday they just operated one loading bay - so there was half of the "normal trafic"

Taking photos on the ride, tut tut naughty naughty

It was fully automated "hands free" process

It's not the hands free that's the issues is it? What if whatever it was attached to broke free and injured someone on the ride, the gp below or worse the ride itself?