[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

[Tim]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

As bizarre as this post might sound there are two World’s Firsts that I seem to keep coming back to. Both were suggested in former concept art by Alton Towers, both were planned for X-Sector or with it in mind and both are still possibilities for SW7.

The first one is the vertical launch. We’ve discussed this quite a bit before and while many disagree with me I still belive it’s a possibility and would fit the term World Beating as no ride actually launches from vertical (only horizontal into vertical).

I’ll just leave the concept art for this one and say no more:

The second is the inverted launch. Now this is the one which has been intriguing me lately. We know that Alton had plans for an X-Car that launched upside-down out of the Black Hole tent, although the plans were pulled very quickly after being leaked so I never saw them. But I believe the general theory was that the cart went through half an inversion, launched then rolled back to upright at the end of the launch track?
Having looked at TT’s Ariel shots we know that what they’ve covered up is an upward heart line roll. But what if the reason they’ve covered it up is because it’s only half an inversion? What if the track remains upside-down, straightens out under the station, launches towards the first lift hill then flips the right way before emerging outside? This would also explain why there is an odd support at 90 degrees under the station as it could connect to an inverted section of track (for pictures of said support see this post). How practical this would be I do not know but it would be far more interesting than some Washing Machine or a bunch of barrel rolls.

 

[Alastair]

[SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

As bizarre as this post might sound there are two World’s Firsts that I seem to keep coming back to. Both were suggested in former concept art by Alton Towers, both were planned for X-Sector or with it in mind and both are still possibilities for SW7.

The first one is the vertical launch. We’ve discussed this quite a bit before and while many disagree with me I still belive it’s a possibility and would fit the term World Beating as no ride actually launches from vertical (only horizontal into vertical).

I’ll just leave the concept art for this one and say no more:

The second is the inverted launch. Now this is the one which has been intriguing me lately. We know that Alton had plans for an X-Car that launched upside-down out of the Black Hole tent, although the plans were pulled very quickly after being leaked so I never saw them. But I believe the general theory was that the cart went through half an inversion, launched then rolled back to upright at the end of the launch track?
Having looked at TT’s Ariel shots we know that what they’ve covered up is an upward heart line roll. But what if the reason they’ve covered it up is because it’s only half an inversion? What if the track remains upside-down, straightens out under the station, launches towards the first lift hill then flips the right way before emerging outside? This would also explain why there is an odd support at 90 degrees under the station as it could connect to an inverted section of track (for pictures of said support see this post). How practical this would be I do not know but it would be far more interesting than some Washing Machine or a bunch of barrel rolls.

That's a very interesting idea and not one I thought of or have seen so far in speculation. You're right in that it would explain the odd covering up of the inline on the TT aerial photo - it would also be a world's first. Not sure of how comfortable or enjoyable it would be to experience though, especially if the ride uses OTSR's as has been suggested.

 

[Tom]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

There's no time for a launch or the ridiculous washing machine concept as I see it. With two lift hills, the ride time advised (2:45) will be consumed with conventional chain and drop rollercoaster elements only, in my mind.

I guess they could do an inverted launch with that sort of propel-as-it-goes acceleration stuff (magnetic?) which I've seen on Cheetah Hunt, but I don't know much about them. However I'm sure the trains will syncronise after each hill, so I can't see that being possible with a vertical section as well.

 

[Alastair]

[SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

There's no time for a launch or the ridiculous washing machine concept as I see it. With two lift hills, the ride time advised (2:45) will be consumed with conventional chain and drop rollercoaster elements only, in my mind.

I guess they could do an inverted launch with that sort of propel-as-it-goes acceleration stuff (magnetic?) which I've seen on Cheetah Hunt, but I don't know much about them. However I'm sure the trains will syncronise after each hill, so I can't see that being possible with a vertical section as well.

You don't know how they are measuring the 2:45 though. Is that from boarding point, dispatch point...does it include time on the brake run and waiting at the second lift hill? There's a lot of ways that a launch could happen and that time still be made up.

 

[Tom]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

There's no time for a launch or the ridiculous washing machine concept as I see it. With two lift hills, the ride time advised (2:45) will be consumed with conventional chain and drop rollercoaster elements only, in my mind.

I guess they could do an inverted launch with that sort of propel-as-it-goes acceleration stuff (magnetic?) which I've seen on Cheetah Hunt, but I don't know much about them. However I'm sure the trains will syncronise after each hill, so I can't see that being possible with a vertical section as well.

You don't know how they are measuring the 2:45 though. Is that from boarding point, dispatch point...does it include time on the brake run and waiting at the second lift hill? There's a lot of ways that a launch could happen and that time still be made up.

I'm saying a launch or anything like that 'washing machine' concept would take the ride time considerably over the 2:45 indicated, not speed up the cycle.

They usually measure it from train movement commencing in the station to it coming to a standstill within the station don't they?

 

[CGM]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

There's no time for a launch or the ridiculous washing machine concept as I see it. With two lift hills, the ride time advised (2:45) will be consumed with conventional chain and drop rollercoaster elements only, in my mind.

I guess they could do an inverted launch with that sort of propel-as-it-goes acceleration stuff (magnetic?) which I've seen on Cheetah Hunt, but I don't know much about them. However I'm sure the trains will syncronise after each hill, so I can't see that being possible with a vertical section as well.

You don't know how they are measuring the 2:45 though. Is that from boarding point, dispatch point...does it include time on the brake run and waiting at the second lift hill? There's a lot of ways that a launch could happen and that time still be made up.

I'm saying a launch or anything like that 'washing machine' concept would take the ride time considerably over the 2:45 indicated, not speed up the cycle.

They usually measure it from train movement commencing in the station to it coming to a standstill within the station don't they?

I can't see how a launch would slow down the ride cycle particularly as Gerstlauer launches are from a rolling start.

 

[Tom]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

There's no time for a launch or the ridiculous washing machine concept as I see it. With two lift hills, the ride time advised (2:45) will be consumed with conventional chain and drop rollercoaster elements only, in my mind.

I guess they could do an inverted launch with that sort of propel-as-it-goes acceleration stuff (magnetic?) which I've seen on Cheetah Hunt, but I don't know much about them. However I'm sure the trains will syncronise after each hill, so I can't see that being possible with a vertical section as well.

You don't know how they are measuring the 2:45 though. Is that from boarding point, dispatch point...does it include time on the brake run and waiting at the second lift hill? There's a lot of ways that a launch could happen and that time still be made up.

I'm saying a launch or anything like that 'washing machine' concept would take the ride time considerably over the 2:45 indicated, not speed up the cycle.

They usually measure it from train movement commencing in the station to it coming to a standstill within the station don't they?

I can't see how a launch would slow down the ride cycle particularly as Gerstlauer launches are from a rolling start.

That's basically what I was trying to describe as a possibility I could accept, cheers.

 

[Fredward]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

Spoiler

Still can't get over how much of a terrible Photoshop that is... Can't believe it's official.

 

[James]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

Still can't get over how much of a terrible Photoshop that is... Can't believe it's official.

To be fair on Merlin's part, it is just a mood board - at that stage of any project it's simply a matter of throwing crazy ideas together, doing a cut and paste job to have a rough idea of visually and technically where they want and where they can lead the project. It's not meant to look well refined, as only the people within Merlin Studios working on the project will see it (and in some cases this stuff gets shown to the public, but even then it's a matter of 'look what ideas we thought of and threw together').

 

[Fredward]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

Still can't get over how much of a terrible Photoshop that is... Can't believe it's official.

To be fair on Merlin's part, it is just a mood board - at that stage of any project it's simply a matter of throwing crazy ideas together, doing a cut and paste job to have a rough idea of visually and technically where they want and where they can lead the project. It's not meant to look well refined, as only the people within Merlin Studios working on the project will see it (and in some cases this stuff gets shown to the public, but even then it's a matter of 'look what ideas we thought of and threw together').

I know what a mood board is... still doesn't mean it isn't terrible!

 

[James]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

As far as mood boards go, I'd say that exceeds what you normally get from one.

 

[JB1985]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

As bizarre as this post might sound there are two World’s Firsts that I seem to keep coming back to. Both were suggested in former concept art by Alton Towers, both were planned for X-Sector or with it in mind and both are still possibilities for SW7.

The first one is the vertical launch. We’ve discussed this quite a bit before and while many disagree with me I still belive it’s a possibility and would fit the term World Beating as no ride actually launches from vertical (only horizontal into vertical).

I’ll just leave the concept art for this one and say no more:

The second is the inverted launch. Now this is the one which has been intriguing me lately. We know that Alton had plans for an X-Car that launched upside-down out of the Black Hole tent, although the plans were pulled very quickly after being leaked so I never saw them. But I believe the general theory was that the cart went through half an inversion, launched then rolled back to upright at the end of the launch track?
Having looked at TT’s Ariel shots we know that what they’ve covered up is an upward heart line roll. But what if the reason they’ve covered it up is because it’s only half an inversion? What if the track remains upside-down, straightens out under the station, launches towards the first lift hill then flips the right way before emerging outside? This would also explain why there is an odd support at 90 degrees under the station as it could connect to an inverted section of track (for pictures of said support see this post). How practical this would be I do not know but it would be far more interesting than some Washing Machine or a bunch of barrel rolls.

That seems feasable

 

[smudge]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

Without trawling through the 2 topics, I'm sure someone worked out the theoretical throughput, but just to speculate on what I think/ what I have worked out:

According to Nemesis94's NL recreation, the longest time between blocks is 31 seconds.

Dispatching a train of 16 people every 31 seconds would mean a theoretical throughput of 1856pph

Pretty darn special! Obviously we will get nothing near that, but with good training I think 1500 is achievable.

(3600 seconds in 1hour, divided by 31seconds = 116 trains an hour = 1856PPH incase anyone was wondering)

 

[Dar]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

Just veering away from the current discussion...

The batwing-cobra-roll-mess that should be at floor level, with a plaza under it. Could we see some of it covered, with pathways between?

I think it would look quite sinister to see bits of this jutting out from under where you are walking.


Unless this is the bit that will be covered by the glass walkway?

 

[Coolbeans14]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

wait, there's a glass walkway???

 

[James]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

It was rumoured (and initially reported on TowersTimes?) that the shop would have a glass floor overlooking the 'secret element'. Haven't heard anything else about glass floors/walkways though. I'd assume it won't happen now as it's clear there there is no space for an element to be underneath the shop (assuming the shop will be in the same position as the plans originally shown).

There might still be a possibility of a glass floor/walkway somewhere, although with the current state of the site it's hard to imagine where such a thing would be positioned.

 

[BigT]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

So we have 8 1/2 weeks until the supposed opening, we have plans (which seem to be acurate) and ariel pictures to look at and we still don't have a clue what is going to be unique about this ride.

A big pat on the back goes to Alton Towers for this, in this day and age with social media etc how have they kept it under wraps?

 

[Tom]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

TowersTimes have - rightly or wrongly is not for me to say - agreed to preserve the ride's secret. I personally do not believe that someone would go out to beat it if they found out what it was two months ahead of opening, but that's just me. I personally think TowersTimes are missing an opportunity to expose the world-first element and develop a reputation for boldness.

I received a relatively hostile reaction to posting those thoughts on TT itself, while others more reasonably mentioned having a good relationship with the park. I personally find it an opportunity lost to be truly independent and stand out from other sites, including this one.

I do believe it would do no harm to the ride, the park or Merlin as a whole - for the secret element to be exposed on the internet at this stage - but I agree very much that it is remarkable that they've been able to keep in under wraps for this long. Even Gerstlauer themselves will not acknowledge that they are working on this ride.

 

[Rupert]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

That's still assuming there is actually some kind of secret element though, which hasn't been confirmed at all by the park (not that much has). It's only TT who have said there will be one (and continue to do so by covering parts of the photos), but I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were only doing it in an attempt to generate discussion.

 

[siralgenon]

Re: [SW7] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

TowersTimes have - rightly or wrongly is not for me to say - agreed to preserve the ride's secret. I personally do not believe that someone would go out to beat it if they found out what it was two months ahead of opening, but that's just me. I personally think TowersTimes are missing an opportunity to expose the world-first element and develop a reputation for boldness.

I received a relatively hostile reaction to posting those thoughts on TT itself, while others more reasonably mentioned having a good relationship with the park. I personally find it an opportunity lost to be truly independent and stand out from other sites, including this one.

I do believe it would do no harm to the ride, the park or Merlin as a whole - for the secret element to be exposed on the internet at this stage - but I agree very much that it is remarkable that they've been able to keep in under wraps for this long. Even Gerstlauer themselves will not acknowledge that they are working on this ride.

As can be seen on the images themselves, TowersTimes are working with the Resort for future photos. It seems Alton Towers and TowersTimes have come to a mutual agreement to condone photos of the site, yet the Resort have asked that the secret element is kept hidden.