Ride Availability/Operations 2022-25

[DistortAMG]

I haven’t seen the opinion parroted recently that Thirteen can’t run in the rain, however surely days like today can finally but that one to bed. It ran pretty reliably all day long through varying assortments of light rain to heavy rain and everything in between.

It was not an opinion it was a widely known fact. After the accident where a train slipped backwards off the lifthill, the ride would shut at the first hint of precipitation

This remained the case for at least a season afterwards. Good to hear it is back to running normally now though.

Edit: Just seen that someone else addressed this above.

I have never once heard of the locals hating Spinball, but I am pretty sure it has been widely known almost since 2004, that planners are not the most keen on Spinball being where it is, due to it's location and how it ruins vistas of the Towers. Therefor, from what I understand, it's removal could be used as a bargaining chip to get more favorable planning permission else where for something else. Kind of like what they always do with planning permissions, be it restorations, investments into the hertige and everything in between.

There are not really any locals near Spinball, the Ropers were nearby but have long since left. So I dont think the locals would be an issue, as perhaps the single family that live close, brought the house after the ride was built, once the Ropers moved out. Even so, the trees will absorb quite a lot of sound from that ride. Oblivion on the other hand...

 

[flyingguitar]

I have never once heard of the locals hating Spinball, but I am pretty sure it has been widely known almost since 2004, that planners are not the most keen on Spinball being where it is, due to it's location and how it ruins vistas of the Towers. Therefor, from what I understand, it's removal could be used as a bargaining chip to get more favorable planning permission else where for something else. Kind of like what they always do with planning permissions, be it restorations, investments into the hertige and everything in between.

There are not really any locals near Spinball, the Ropers were nearby but have long since left. So I dont the locals would be an issue, as perhaps the single family that live close, brought the house after the ride was built, once the Ropers moved out. Even so, the trees will absorb quite a lot of sound from that ride. Oblivion on the other hand...

yeah I meant planners and not locals, I have heard this parroted multiple times

 

[VerticalLoop123]

It was not an opinion it was a widely known fact. After the accident where a train slipped backwards off the lifthill, the ride would shut at the first hint of precipitation

This remained the case for at least a season afterwards. Good to hear it is back to running normally now though.

Edit: Just seen that someone else addressed this above.

I have never once heard of the locals hating Spinball, but I am pretty sure it has been widely known almost since 2004, that planners are not the most keen on Spinball being where it is, due to it's location and how it ruins vistas of the Towers. Therefor, from what I understand, it's removal could be used as a bargaining chip to get more favorable planning permission else where for something else. Kind of like what they always do with planning permissions, be it restorations, investments into the hertige and everything in between.

There are not really any locals near Spinball, the Ropers were nearby but have long since left. So I dont think the locals would be an issue, as perhaps the single family that live close, brought the house after the ride was built, once the Ropers moved out. Even so, the trees will absorb quite a lot of sound from that ride. Oblivion on the other hand...

This is correct, in the Long Term Development plan (remember that iconic document?) Spinball is earmarked for removal due to the close proximity to the historic listed Towers.
I think with the colour scheme as well it doesn’t necessarily blend into the natural surroundings.

 

[Kraken27]

Surely better staff transport from bigger population centres like Stoke, Derby or Nottingham would also help?

Or if the park aren’t going to do that, perhaps they at least need to consider a more compelling salary and benefits package for their engineering staff? When JCB are nearby, offering year-round employment that remains indoors, probably pays better, and is somewhat less rural, Alton will have to work a little harder to attract talent.

In the era we live in, I think the novelty of simply working in a theme park alone isn’t really enough to counteract the numerous negatives of working for Alton over, say, JCB, and the park has to find a way to address this if it wants to recruit and retain engineering staff.

It's worth noting that pretty much ALL of the Technical Services staff are on permanent year-round contracts. After all it is the closed season when the techies can work on the rides all day, 7 days a week should they wish. (In general the park drops to a 5 day week in closed season). You do get some seasonal ride staff who get offered Winter contracts to assist Technical Services, but they do the "donkey work" so as to speak and leave the specialist stuff to the qualified techies.

So for the Technical Service Engineers, it is certainly not job security [i.e. seasonal] that is the issue - which would indicate it is pay and benefits that is the recruitment problem. As Matt N says, having the likes of JCB right on the doorstep does not help at all. Even if Alton pay the same as JCB, I would put very good money on JCB's training & development program / long term career prospects being far superior to Alton's.

My employer has exactly the same recruitment issues - albeit for hospitality staff on minimum wage. Our sites are rurally located which realistically means the staff need a car [costly to run]. Early start / late finish shifts, so public transport difficult / non-existent. The potential staff can get a similar job, e.g. bar / restaurant work for the same pay nearer home with good public transport available.