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TBC: SW9 Speculation

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The theme park geek said:
I don’t really think Merlin will put in another flume maybe a water coaster but a flume is not really something that the public demand for the park to get. I think new flats and ml work on other areas of the park are higher up the agenda.
Water rides are also very expensive to run as you have to pump a lot of water round the circuit and they can be quite maintanenece intensive.
What could work is a water coaster where there are magnetic brakes that can be installed under the water level in the splash down so the water level can be dropped to limit the splash and the train can still stop. If they did a water coaster it would be a great opportunity to the theme but I’m not sure where I would put it. Possibly on the staff land behind Mutiny bay or Katanga Cannyon. All the major water infrastructure is focused in this area of the park.
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Disagree completely that there isn't the public demand. As I said they are extremely popular. One only needs to look at Tayto's success, and how often on social media members of the public complain about the loss of the Flume or Loggers Leap. A new flume would definitely be a hit. And in my opinion should be at the top of the agenda.

Water coaster would also be great but I'd imagine more expensive to manufacture.

I do also think Merlin won't build one though. Especially with the further cuts to the budget for new rides, and the fact it would be difficult to find an USP.
 
I've heard quite a few times 'Let's go on the The Flume' or 'Let's go on Ripsaw' from the GP in the past 2 season definately displays an intrest in water rides. If SW8 or DBG is anything to go on theming, I would like to see a Chiapas style logflume.

There's definately a demand for Water rides and Flat rides, The GP may not visit as many theme parks as enthusiants but a lot of the time they would have visited more than one, For example they would have visited other UK parks, DLP or Florida parks.
 
I highly doubt they would put in a flume you may disagree with me on why I’m not bothered about not having one. But I have logic as to why they wouldn’t add a flume.
1. They just removed one from one of the most practical plots of land at Alton to build a flume.
2. The ride would more than likely need to be built in Katanga Cannyon or Mutiny bay because this is likely where all the high volume water supplies are. Land is tight in these areas meaning they would have to more than likely expand the park boundary. This in its self could cause huge problems for the project.
3. It would be difficult to come up with a USP or a compelling reason for people to re-visit towers to ride it.
Because of these factors I think they would just build another coaster with the money.
 
Guys! I've got a theory here as to when SW9's planning application is filed. SW8's planning application was filed on the 31st May 2016... exactly 3 years after The Smiler (SW7) first opened! So, if SW8 opens on the 17th March 2018 as presumed and Merlin goes with a 4-year cycle... then I feel the SW9 planning application will be filed on the 17th March 2020!

No? OK, I'll get my coat and leave this topic.
 
The theme park geek said:
I highly doubt they would put in a flume you may disagree with me on why I’m not bothered about not having one. But I have logic as to why they wouldn’t add a flume.
1. They just removed one from one of the most practical plots of land at Alton to build a flume.
2. The ride would more than likely need to be built in Katanga Cannyon or Mutiny bay because this is likely where all the high volume water supplies are. Land is tight in these areas meaning they would have to more than likely expand the park boundary. This in its self could cause huge problems for the project.
3. It would be difficult to come up with a USP or a compelling reason for people to re-visit towers to ride it.
Because of these factors I think they would just build another coaster with the money.
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All new build water rides have to use a clean supply of water under H&S legislation. For the water that will be splashed onto guests. This has been the case since the mid 2000,s. This makes the two first points in your reasoning irrelevant because, a natural lake like the one the Flume was in, is no longer a practical spot to put a water ride. They would never ever get planning permission to isolate that lake and replace the lake with a man concerete lined lake using clean, chlorinated filtered water. The type required by law for new builds, as the water will be splashed onto guests. They would have more hope removing the lake all together (which it appears they have done)

Secondly, as it is not natural water being used. The location a water ride could be can be anywhere. As They can just truck the water in. Like they have done with Vallhalls water many times.
 
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TomW said:
I really hope they go back to B&M, I hate that the park used to have such a strong working relationship with them that they just gave up on.
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That left with Wardley...

I would imagine Merlin are going to start looking at cheaper options in the future if SW8 is a success rather than going back to expensive manufacturers like B&M.

If they can get the same return on a lesser investment, it'll be very difficult to justify to Merlin why they should be given bigger budgets going forward.
 
DistortAMG said:
All new build water rides have to use a clean supply of water under H&S legislation. For the water that will be splashed onto guests. This has been the case since the mid 2000,s. This makes the two first points in your reasoning irrelevant because, a natural lake like the one the Flume was in, is no longer a practical spot to put a water ride. They would never ever get planning permission to isolate that lake and replace the lake with a man concerete lined lake using clean, chlorinated filtered water. The type required by law for new builds, as the water will be splashed onto guests. They would have more hope removing the lake all together (which it appears they have done)

Secondly, as it is not natural water being used. The location a water ride could be can be anywhere. As They can just truck the water in. Like they have done with Valhalla water many times.
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I wasn't talking about using an existing lake at all anyway. If they were going to truck water in they would just build the ride in the most accessible part of the park too big vehicles and this is the front of the park. The front of the park also probably has the biggest mains water supply. And the rapids is already in that area of the park so it would only be a case of using that water source for the new ride.

TomW said:
I really hope they go back to B&M, I hate that the park used to have such a strong working relationship with them that they just gave up on.
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The thing is most of the other models B&M sell arnt really suitable for Towers. I suppose they could build a launched wing coaster but that would then detract from Thorpe. They would need to be developing new concepts with them.
Mack and the other manufacturers make rides that can be made in a much smaller form factor so they are more obvious choices. The triangular track design can be shaped to fit in much more confined spaces as shown by the smiler.
 
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The theme park geek said:
I wasn't talking about using an existing lake at all anyway. If they were going to truck water in they would just build the ride in the most accessible part of the park too big vehicles and this is the front of the park. The front of the park also probably has the biggest mains water supply. And the rapids is already in that area of the park so it would only be a case of using that water source for the new ride.
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Actually. The rear of the park has just as good access for large vehicles. Around CCL. The drop section for Thirteen was trucked in on an extra wide load lorry from the rear of the park, past the watch tower from the main road. This could be seen on Thirteen marketing. So that end of the park obviously has good vehicle access too. Lastly, the water supply is still good at that end of the park. It supplies many toilets and facilities, has large bodies of fresh water with the likes of CATCF. The top end of the park is an ideal location for a waterride. Yes CATCF is not as big of a body of water like a big water ride would be but if they can fill that just fine they would have no problem filling a larger body.

DiogoJ42 said:
Why would they need to "truck" water in? They have taps, don't they?
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They can and do truck water in when either they need more water than what the infrastructure can supply at that time, given weather conditions ect. Or, if they need a certain amount of water quickly, quicker than what the mains supply could supply them with. Such if you want to get a ride like Valhalla up and running for the weekend but could not fill it in time from the mains.
 
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The only B&M Towers will see anytime soon is the fabled 4D assuming its not just a myth.
 
A flume is right up there as one of my favourite rides and THE FLUME did us proud for many years. When it was built, it was the longest in the world. Whilst the ravages of time, resulted in a rough and sometimes ugly experience, the sheer epiciness of the flume at the time it was built would for me have been worthy of the SW tag had it been around.

I think there is a huge demand for a new flume on an epic scale, with a substantial ride time, a number of large drops, and the capacity to occasionally get soaked (the will I or won't I get wet is half the fun).

I think we will get a new flume, though it way be some time. Unfortunately, I think it will be a a far smaller scale to the original and will rely on theming rather than size.

Personally, I would love for SW9 to be a new flume. With a budget of £15 to £18 million, and every penny spent on length and drops it could be a world beater.

I was hoping that SW8 would be designed in such a way that a future ride could interact with it, but this does not appear to be the case.
 
I doubt a flume would be SW9 or that Merlin would throw massive amounts of money at one.
But honestly Tayto's new flume only cost 7 million pounds but has good theming and a long and decent layout. I really think something like that would suit Towers.

The lack of B&M's is simply because they don't offer anything that would suit or that Merlin want. Merlin still work with B&M at their other parks - the fact none have come to Towers recently is just because they don't do the ride types the park has wanted recently.

Realistically for SW9 I'd like some kind of multi launch coaster (Intamin or Mack) to replace Rita however given Blackpool is getting one, I can't see Merlin going for one.
 
Would just like to point out something regarding the point that's repeatedly being made about b&m not offering any models suitable for the park.

Towers have never ordered any of their coasters out of the B&M catalogue before.

The dive coaster and flying coaster never existed until they were developed with Towers and the inverted coaster was secret squirrel. None of these coasters was "offered" by B&M at the time. B&M would engineer a new coaster suitable for Towers if the will and imagination where there.
 
matthewgcole said:
Would just like to point out something regarding the point that's repeatedly being made about b&m not offering any models suitable for the park.

Towers have never ordered any of their coasters out of the B&M catalogue before.

The dive coaster and flying coaster never existed until they were developed with Towers and the inverted coaster was secret squirrel. None of these coasters was "offered" by B&M at the time. B&M would engineer a new coaster suitable for Towers if the will and imagination where there.
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Yes but the creativity and ingenuity (and the will to spend money on developing something new) from before no longer exists.
Other than the wing coaster (which wasn't all that original) have Merlin ever introduced to any of their parks a non catalogue coaster?
 
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CSLKenny said:
Yes but the creativity and ingenuity (and the will to spend money on developing something new) from before no longer exists.
Other than the wing coaster (which wasn't all that original) have Merlin ever introduced to any of their parks a non catalogue coaster?
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The Smiler and Th13teen? Neither of those were bog standard out-the-catalogue coasters.

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Frankly there are more exciting and innovative manufacturers out there than B&M these days, its not the 90's anymore when they were unquestionably the best. Mack, RMC, Intamin and Vekoma are more appealing than B&M right now IMO.
 
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