Secret Weapon 7 Discussion

[BigT]

I have a message that Boz has asked me to post which might clear up a few things:

I was the one who created the model. I would like to say for the record, and to clear up any confusion. It is purely representational of how the mechanism could work, and not of a final product. We expect that if this is accurate, it will be in the dark, and accompanied by many disorientating special/scare effects.
The drum was purely for effect, and has no inclusion in the mechanism. But I did consider it as a possibility, given the hypnosis theme that seems to be emerging. If you look a bit closer, you will see the track in the model is attached to two rings, which I believe will be rotated in a very similar way to a trommel.
I also do not believe that the trick track will be below the shop, but below the maintenance bay at ground level, before joining the lift hill. I do however believe the ride will pass below the shop after a steep drop.

Below is a diagram of how he personally believes the indoor section will look:

The main point to note is that he believes the trick track will be in the maintenance area. The part under the shop (which might or might not be visible) is a regular section of track. This matches the footers that have just appeared and matches what morgano was just saying.

I said in January when first seeing the plans that the maintenance shed was part of the ride mechanism and was laughed at.
I think this is exactly how the ride will turn out thank for the drawings.
Tom, I don't think I said that the launch would be a world first that would be silly, but most inversions would be however you get there.

 

[morgano]

I said in January when first seeing the plans that the maintenance shed was part of the ride mechanism and was laughed at.

I think this is exactly how the ride will turn out thank for the drawings.
Tom, I don't think I said that the launch would be a world first that would be silly, but most inversions would be however you get there.

Well technically the shed will still be the maintenance shed on the upper level (with transfer track from the brake run at the end). But beneath could be anything I suppose...

 

[Tom]

While I do have a great deal of respect for Boz and his ability (his 3D recreations of the known elements of plans are brilliant), the mock up of the indoor section is pure speculation at this stage. Everything looks great when it's all been neatly drawn and seems to fit perfectly, but this could be done with any number of configurations. We saw how the ABC dark ride concept could fit within Sub Terra perfectly, but obviously it didn't turn out to be that.

This whole thing is still shrouded in mystery really and I hope that it actually turns out to be nothing that we have speculated about the whole time. They really need to do better at keeping things secret if stuff has got out. If I were them, I would release fake information to throw people off the scent. Indeed, I think they did partially try that last year when someone came onto TT claiming that they saw tunnels at the Sub Terra excavation site.

 

[morgano]

While I do have a great deal of respect for Boz and his ability (his 3D recreations of the known elements of plans are brilliant), the mock up of the indoor section is pure speculation at this stage. Everything looks great when it's all been neatly drawn and seems to fit perfectly, but this could be done with any number of configurations. We saw how the ABC dark ride concept could fit within Sub Terra perfectly, but obviously it didn't turn out to be that.

This whole thing is still shrouded in mystery really and I hope that it actually turns out to be nothing that we have speculated about the whole time. They really need to do better at keeping things secret if stuff has got out. If I were them, I would release fake information to throw people off the scent. Indeed, I think they did partially try that last year when someone came onto TT claiming that they saw tunnels at the Sub Terra excavation site.

Saw & Takashiba both contain a similar indoor layout. It's safe and compact which seems to be a Gerstlauer signature when it comes to indoor sections. (Drop, turn, in-line twist and out of the building.)

 

[Tom]

While I do have a great deal of respect for Boz and his ability (his 3D recreations of the known elements of plans are brilliant), the mock up of the indoor section is pure speculation at this stage. Everything looks great when it's all been neatly drawn and seems to fit perfectly, but this could be done with any number of configurations. We saw how the ABC dark ride concept could fit within Sub Terra perfectly, but obviously it didn't turn out to be that.

This whole thing is still shrouded in mystery really and I hope that it actually turns out to be nothing that we have speculated about the whole time. They really need to do better at keeping things secret if stuff has got out. If I were them, I would release fake information to throw people off the scent. Indeed, I think they did partially try that last year when someone came onto TT claiming that they saw tunnels at the Sub Terra excavation site.

Saw & Takashiba both contain a similar indoor layout. It's safe and compact which seems to be a Gerstlauer signature when it comes to indoor sections. (Drop, turn, in-line twist and out of the building.)

You see, that's the logic I don't follow. Most rides at Alton Towers are unique or at least relatively pioneering. I find it extremely unlikely that they'd virtually recreate what was elsewhere with a Secret Weapon rollercoaster, particularly when there is an example of it at a park owned by the same company.

 

[Fredward]

the tricktrack semi makes sense with that indoor section regardless what it does, it can keep the riders in one place stationary and entertained long enough for the previous train to get to the vertical lift hill and have a synced dueling layout.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[mattsteveal]

In addition to a trick track, I was wondering if rotating seats also counted as inversions, couldn't the extra inversions be achieved with 4d cars? it wouldn't affect throughput if the seats could be rotated whilst on the move - although it's not likely for this coaster - still unknown what ride cars will be used...

 

[Tom]

That 4D rollercoaster (forgot its name) is credited for the most inversions as it flips riders 14 times.

 

[Martin]

Doesn't this image contradict the whole idea of having a glass viewing area. The Rebar is placed in such a way that you can see the layout of the track in the underground section.

But the station is at the back. That front area is where the cobra roll and batwing are.

Isn't it?

 

[morgano]

I think the cobra roll and batwing are going to be where the workers are standing.

 

[RustyRider]

Apologies for the quality:

I Was under the impression that the pit directly in front ( blue outline) was for the cobra roll/batwing element, and the area at the back with the green outline was the pit wall for the station?

 

[Jonathan]

I think you're right. According to the overhead plan of the site, which is viewable in the 'plans' tab of the SW7 mini-site on TowersStreet, the four inversions at the Enterprise end of the coaster sit alongside the station, which will probably be on the ridge above where the concrete's being poured towards the back of the photo.

 

[morgano]

You'd think so, but the size of the station on the plan would suggest at least half of that pit is underneath the shop area.

The footer you can see next the workers I think is part of the track for the interlocking roles.

The pit in front of them (closest to the camera) is possibly one of the tunnels in the middle of interlocking cobra.

I think the Rebars are for the footers directly underneath the station for the indoor section. If this is totally wrong then the current construction/pit would suggest that there will be NO significant indoor section, no track underneath the shop (the cobra section is outside the shop).

You can also see that the pit is supported by girders, which will have concrete slabs placed between them. The plan shows the cobra role pit will have a gradient on the side nearest oblivion and not a solid wall construction. Again this leads me to the believe the pit area is solely for the station/shop and indoor section.

 

[RustyRider]

As there is no other public access to the area this is the only angle we can get for the pit photos, but there is a definate second hole behind the main pit, which is clearly where the station is meant to be, it's just hard to see due to the angle of shot... Stop me if I'm wrong?

 

[Martin]

The back pit looks big enough for a small indoor section.

Remember, there's no confirmation at all there's a large underground section.

If you look at the overview pictures from Oblivion, you can see the front pit is exactly where the inversions are going, and there's no room between the pit and the fence for anything in front of that pit. The pit is pretty much against the fence.

 

[GaryH]

A lot of people seem to be thinking the trick track is going to be something that moves, rotates etc. Personally, from the point of view of capacity, reliability, cost I dont see this to be possible.

Whatever the trick is I believe it will be a fixed component on the track. I've been told its inversions within the loop, but who knows.

I really cant see the washing machine idea at all, unless you want all your riders to queue for hours to get on and then throw up afterwards. Whatever it is, it will need to be reliable and enable quick throughput - remember than there will be more than just the 1 car flying around the track given this ride wont be carrying as many people as say the likes of Nemesis and Air, and we know their queues on a busy day can be pretty horrific!

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

Credit: Towersstreet Facebook


First look at the Ministry Of Joy's logo perhaps.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

A bit of a long shot, but anyone else think the ride could actually be called 'Ministry of Joy'?

 

[James]

Could be. Although I was under the impression the Ministry of Joy are just like The Phalanx - an organisation that forms as a part of the story/experience. You never know though.

 

[DiogoJ42]

I have exclusive footage of the prototye trick track testing...

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITMJETmhqbQ[/youtube]