[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

[Alastair]

If I'm understanding this correctly, the "inverted drop" idea looks a like a variant of a zero G roll unless you're suggesting that it stays inverted for a length of time.

Why must people keep coming up with unnecessary new names for elements that already exist? It's bad enough that we have about a million different manufacturer names for cobra rolls/boomerangs/batwings. We don't need "Staffordshire Knot" and "inverted drop" thrown into the mix.

If there's one element that is arguably worthy of a new name, it's the opening one on the plans. I don't think it has ever been done before on a coaster but I've seen no one else mention it so correct me if I'm wrong. By the looks of it, it's a variation on the aerobatic manoeuvre, the Cuban Eight. In this case, effectively back to back dive loops. G-Force at Drayton has a similar element but with back to back Immelmanns and a Norwegian loop could be seen as having one of each.

I'll admit that the differences between these elements are subtle but I find it strange that people are determined to give every element on the ride a new name apart from the one that's new.

Cuban Eight is a perfect name then. It's certainly as good as "Sea Serpent Roll" for the other element, of which I'm not sure of the origins.

 

[CGM]

Cuban Eight is a perfect name then. It's certainly as good as "Sea Serpent Roll" for the other element, of which I'm not sure of the origins.

That one I do know. It's what B&M call their version of what Vekoma calls a Rollover. There's only one example of the element on a B&M coaster and that's Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. As for how they came up with the name, I'm just guessing but it's a bit like a cobra roll only it switches direction so they maybe thought an alternative snake like thing was needed.

RCDB lists it as a Rollover and Sea Serpent is just another unnecessary manufacturer's name really. B&M just like to have their own names for elements.

 

[Alastair]

Cuban Eight is a perfect name then. It's certainly as good as "Sea Serpent Roll" for the other element, of which I'm not sure of the origins.

That one I do know. It's what B&M call their version of what Vekoma calls a Rollover. There's only one example of the element on a B&M coaster and that's Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. As for how they came up with the name, I'm just guessing but it's a bit like a cobra roll only it switches direction so they maybe thought an alternative snake like thing was needed.

RCDB lists it as a Rollover and Sea Serpent is just another unnecessary manufacturer's name really. B&M just like to have their own names for elements.

I think there needs to be a standardising of coaster element names. There is absolutely no point in having several names for the same element - surely they can all just agree on a universal name for each?

 

[JB1985]

towers2go's recent photo is rather interesting, looks like new track is up

 

[Alastair]

towers2go's recent photo is rather interesting, looks like new track is up

 

[LiamC]

Those supports are really quite large. Excellent

 

[Josh]

Just a quick update, concrete slabs and station steelwork are now being moved to the site, but I've not seen any track move yet

 

[Dave]

The track on the pics is the top of the knot, don't think any track has gone up yet.

 

[Mi-Nigle]

I really hope this is going to look iconic like Oblivion, rather than an eyesore like Spinball, when viewed from the other side of the lake. As complex as the support structure appears, I don't think it looks like a mess as of yet. I'm hoping the engineers have found a good balance between a minimal design and a strong support structure.

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Going back to the recent theory of a inverting drop and with Towers2Go's latest images I thought I would have a quick play with No Limits...

This is the image that was taken by Towers2Go

Heres another angle:

Look on the left of the above photo - it clearly shows an inverting support so I went onto No Limits to recreate it and show an inverted drop. As you can see I've marked the support that looks like the one in Towers2Go latest image:

Food for thought...and here is two more images just showing off the inverted drop:

 

[JB1985]

excellent work there. i think its safe to say its inverted

 

[Rob]

Great to see a good number of supports up. It definitely looks like the track is going to invert up there which will be interesting. I don't think we will see any actual track go up this week though, I reckon it will just be supports until after FHT.

 

[Prometheus]

Going back to the recent theory of a inverting drop and with Towers2Go's latest images I thought I would have a quick play with No Limits...

Oh I love that! You've made what sounded like an insane idea look really feasible (and pretty epic).

 

[Trixico]

towers2go's recent photo is rather interesting, looks like new track is up

The track on the pics is the top of the knot, don't think any track has gone up yet.

I'm not so sure, it seems very close for it to be the knot...though maybe the perspecive is confusing me. I'd be suprised to see them putting up track whilst the park is still open, thought they'd be getting on with the supports and groundwork.

 

[Rob]

towers2go's recent photo is rather interesting, looks like new track is up

The track on the pics is the top of the knot, don't think any track has gone up yet.

I'm not so sure, it seems very close for it to be the knot...though maybe the perspecive is confusing me. I'd be suprised to see them putting up track whilst the park is still open, thought they'd be getting on with the supports and groundwork.

It definitely is part of the knot. The photo doesn't give a great sense of perspective but that is track right down at the bottom of the sigh, hence it looks really low down. As far as I am aware no more track has been moved from the car parks, only supports.

 

[James]

It is the knot. TowersNerd took a picture at a similar angle last Saturday showing the same thing. The perspective looks weird due to not being able to get near the site.

 

[Nick]

With the drops being (possibly) inverted, and the possible trims being put in place, Merlin are killing the air-time. Oh well, hopefully they'll mess up the heartlining and have it as an ejector zero-G (like Blue Fire).

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Eurgh....it obscures the view of Oblivion and looks ugly from across the lake.

 

[electricBlll]

Eurgh....it obscures the view of Oblivion and looks ugly from across the lake.

And Oblivion obscures the view of the natural landscape and looks ugly from the Towers. Whose idea was it to build a theme park on a beautiful historical estate anyway?

No need to moan at every change that happens - it looks brilliant!

 

[Sammy]

Alton Towers have just tweeted the following image;

Honestly, this thing is going to be damn massive! Look how huge it is in comparison to the toilets!! Also, am I spotting yet another potentially inverting track tie on there too!