Secret Weapon 7 Discussion

[Alastair]

Looking forward to hearing (and seeing) what's going to happen over the next few days. I predict an influx of excitement within the next week or so!

P.S - Hello everyone on TST.

Welcome to TS Jay! You couldn't have joined at a more exciting time in terms of construction news

 

[Rob]

So, still no track has gone up and the majority of the site is footerless. My concerns have grown further.

 

[Stevie]

Let's just face it...

It won't be finished by March 16th.

It's a fact, and we all know it.

 

[James]

Station foundations are down by the looks of it. The lack of track is rather worrying though. We're in December now!

Track has apparently been moved onto site this afternoon, so who knows, they might get a move on soon.

 

[Rob]

Thing is, looking at the site as it is today, the only place where track could be erected is the indoor section. No footers for the outdoor main section have been fully done. I don't even think they've finished some of the digging of the site yet, let alone started most of the digging for footers. I just don't know what to think, I wish we were just able to see a realistic schedule that shows they can get everything finished for opening.

 

[Sam]

There is simply no way this can possibly be finished on time now.

Didn't realise you've had access to the construction schedule and high-level planning meetings!

It won't be finished by March 16th.

It's a fact, and we all know it.

No it isn't. You have absolutely no idea when it will be finished for. As James said, this is Alton Towers, not Wicksteed Park. Every day that ride isn't open, it'll be losing them a lot of money. I still think this'll be ready for opening day, even if they have to pull a month's worth of all-nighters.

 

[Scott]

I'm starting to seriously lose faith in this ride being finished on time... There are barely any footers on site and the whole top half of the site seems devoid of anything even mildly ride related. I wish Towers would just pipe up and say something about the work so we have an idea in terms of schedule.

 

[DiogoJ42]

If it's complete in time for the start of the season... I will eat my pirate hat

 

[Alastair]

Look on the upside. At least there is some noticeable change in the site since the last update, something that's not been the case for the past 2 months at least.

 

[queenofspeed]

Station foundations are down by the looks of it. The lack of track is rather worrying though. We're in December now!

Track has apparently been moved onto site this afternoon, so who knows, they might get a move on soon.

They better do.... I have drooled over that track for long enough. Seriously, if it is not ready in time something BAD will happen to altons reputation and everyone will be generally peed off. I have said before how I didn't think SW7 will be ready on time but if it really isn't i am going to cry bitter tears.....

There is simply no way this can possibly be finished on time now.

Didn't realise you've had access to the construction schedule and high-level planning meetings!

Um.....WHAT THE HECK? ? ? ? ?

EDIT: the spaces in the question marks were because there was to much confusion for one question mark but when bunched together i get a weird face thing so that is why.

 

[Harv]

There is simply no way this can possibly be finished on time now.

Didn't realise you've had access to the construction schedule and high-level planning meetings!

It's not longer about planning meetings. It's about how they cannot logistically expect to erect a huge rollercoaster with extensive theming and most likely a large piece of hardware concerning the world's first element in just a few months, with only the most straightforwards work completed as of now. Almost half the time is up and less than a fifth of the ride's progress is ready.

 

[Rob]

Look on the upside. At least there is some noticeable change in the site since the last update, something that's not been the case for the past 2 months at least.

In 2 weeks they've poured concrete for the stations foundations, poured concrete in other small areas, half prepared a few footers and done some more digging. That is slow slow progress to me.

 

[BigAl]

"World beating" roller coasters don't tend to get thrown up in a couple of months. I do hope they don't rush it if they can't get it up on time! ???

 

[James]

I'm certain the ride itself will be done by March. However I doubt the full 'experience' will be ready by March. I quote myself from the previous page:

Regarding construction, Alton Towers will do everything in their power to get it open by March. Even if it means half the theming is missing, paths aren't fully laid, paint is soaking wet etc.. they will still open the ride. Their priority will just be to get the hardware ready by March. Everything else will just follow on.

Which is a shame as I feel people don't get the full experience, their full moneys worth when they visit a ride that just has the hardware working fully - not the extras.

As Sam has quite rightly put it too, each day is costing them money. There is no way they will want to be wasting more and more money by going over the deadline (and they have a budget that has to be stuck by).

---

Thing is, looking at the site as it is today, the only place where track could be erected is the indoor section. No footers for the outdoor main section have been fully done. I don't even think they've finished some of the digging of the site yet, let alone started most of the digging for footers. I just don't know what to think, I wish we were just able to see a realistic schedule that shows they can get everything finished for opening.

The bottom half of the site will be a cut and cover job. Assuming that track has indeed arrived on site this afternoon. They will get the 'underground' section constructed as soon as possible and then at a guess I would assume the land near the top half of the site needs to be used for the cut and cover technique. That's most likely why the top half of the site has hardly been touch apart from earth movement.

The construction team are most likely waiting for the underground section to be completed first (with the earth at the top of the site moved over this section) then they will put the rest of the site footers in place.

This is all an assumption mind, I have no clue how the construction is planned.

 

[Rob]

Thing is, looking at the site as it is today, the only place where track could be erected is the indoor section. No footers for the outdoor main section have been fully done. I don't even think they've finished some of the digging of the site yet, let alone started most of the digging for footers. I just don't know what to think, I wish we were just able to see a realistic schedule that shows they can get everything finished for opening.

The bottom half of the site will be a cut and cover job. Assuming that track has indeed arrived on site this afternoon. They will get the 'underground' section constructed as soon as possible and then at a guess I would assume the land near the top half of the site needs to be used for the cut and cover technique. That's most likely why the top half of the site has hardly been touch apart from earth movement.

The construction team are most likely waiting for the underground section to be completed first (with the earth at the top of the site moved over this section) then they will put the rest of the site footers in place.

This is all an assumption mind, I have no clue how the construction is planned.

You're possibly right there. What's frustrating is that the indoor section footers have been in place since the end of the season, yet no supports or track have gone up. I was expecting track for this section to go up in the first week of the closed season. Now I'm sure there is a reason this track hasn't gone up yet, they possibly can't erect it until other aspects of construction have been done.

At the end of the day it was always going to be a "messy" site to build a coaster on because of its location and different level etc, and this is proving to be the case I feel. They have to work with one area at a time.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Maybe the reason Towers always keep their projects secret is less to whip up enthusiast speculation, and more so that they can open a half finished ride and say "no no, that's all it was ever supposed to be"?

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

In my opinion this entire project has turned into one massive farce.

For god sake this is an £18 million investment but what the hell have they been doing for 8 months?! An entire month can pass and the only visible change from construction photos is a deeper hole and a bit more rebar in place.

The track should have been up by the end of November at the very latest. Very indicative into how Alton Towrs is being run at the moment.

Possibly contender for the dullest ride construction ever? Even hardcore coaster geeks must be bored by now.

 

[Equinox]

Well they've always got the fresh slab of concrete to speculate over and when it rains later they can spend their telling making up ridiculous rumours that the concrete has infact washed away in the rain...

 

[Dave]

Yup it's boring construction, as for the ride opening on time god knows. The vibe from Towers is it will still open on the 16th but if they are still on track they will need to hope to god that the weather is kind.

If track starts tomorrow and there is no hold ups then track will be finished by mid-January, is that enough time to get everything else done?

 

[Moley]

All this talk of it running over deadline and nobody has mentioned shipping containers yet.

Shame on you all.