[The Smiler] Construction Updates / Ride Speculation Part 2 *SPOILER FREE*

[Dave]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Bit of a mixed bag in there, definitely some lift-hill track and some twisty stuff too. Hopefully this is the last big push now from a track perspective.

 

[Rose Of Dawn]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Bit of a mixed bag in there, definitely some lift-hill track and some twisty stuff too. Hopefully this is the last big push now from a track perspective.

It must be. Surely most of the track is already up?

 

[Alastair]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

How much more track can there feasibly be? Most of it's up, there's still loads left and it's still being delivered! I get the feeling something else is on the cards that no one's foreseen...

 

[Dave]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

There are 2 lift hills, half loop, bunny hop and 2 inverted drops to go. Not loads but there was a lot of rebar in the coach park left on Sunday so not sure if there is still ground work to do.

 

[Andrew]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Copyright to The Alton Towers Guide

Definitely a lift hill part then!

 

[Rob]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

That will be for the vertical lift I imagine as the equivalent piece for the first lift is already in place.

 

[Andrew]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

From The Alton Towers Guide

Looking very technical!

Must be for that washing machine...

 

[delta79]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Lift hill bits thats a good sign, getting excited now.

Please dont move this to the lack of guests thread

 

[TheMan]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Looking very technical!

Must be for that washing machine...

Yes, if you check the round part, that is for rotating the track - bizarre how I mentioned lorries arriving with Washing machine track, and a day later, lorries arrive, with the more complex bits of track ;D

I KNEW really... ahem.... yes indeed.

 

[jmc]

[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

A couple of pictures from around ride close today

A few new additions to one of the marmaliser legs

Looks like a definite piece of lift hill, if you look at the trough in the centre - where the chain will run?

(I do hope these pictures have uploaded OK, this is the first time I've used tapatalk)

 

[DiogoJ42]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

A few new additions to one of the marmaliser legs

I trust there will be some kind of cladding bolted on to cover the joints of the leg? At the moment they are clearly just bits of trussing with metal bits connecting them. They need something to make them look like a mechanical knuckle.
Obviously things aren't finished yet, as we know there are going to be ... "car wash brushes" (urgh) ... bolted on, but I hope they don't forget the smaller details.

 

[Danny]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Installation of a piece of plastic The Flasher:

 

[GaryH]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

Cant wait to see the car wash rollers go up!

 

[cotda]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

How big is that? Was a crane really necessary? Or is it just my eyes? Get that crane on track duty!

 

[Danny]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

The larger panels, I can see why a crane was used. But as for the smaller ones, especially being lifted in the first and second photo, they could have easily been lifted in a cherry picker and bolted on that way.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

That's "the flasher"??? There's no way that will be bright enough to make a difference in daylight.

 

[GaryH]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

It may have super bright LED lights in the panels...... or knowing Alton and running out of money at the end of a project it will prob just be covered in tin foil and pointed in the direction of the sun

 

[Danny]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

That's "the flasher"??? There's no way that will be bright enough to make a difference in daylight.

Yup, and here's a couple more I took:

Also, some general shots from the day [in spoiler tags to ease loading]

Spoiler

And the overall shot from Bliv's queueline:

And I didn't really get any good ones of the lift hill, but nonetheless:

Spoiler

 

[Stevie]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

When I was on the park today, observing the site. I figured that there's approximately 8 weeks for them to get the whole thing built, tested and opened. And there's still a heck of a lot to do in that 8 week period.

Am I the only one thinking that there may be a slight chance that the opening date may be pushed back even further maybe into June? It may just be my pessimistic mind, I just struggle to see how this'll be open in May.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk 2

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Re: [The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation Part 2

It looks OK, but it's nowhere near as impressive as what we were shown in the original plans.

Whilst i'm glad they havn't gone for the rusty aged look, it would look far better if the legs were clad with metal and the central structure was more 'rounded'. It would really give the whole structure more presence and dominance. Also, the hydraulic pistons don't look that impressive either, there is now only going to be one on each leg as oppose to two and they appear to be smaller than the concept art. Losing a leg hasn't helped either because there will be fewer near misses on the ride and when standing under the spider you will feel less enclosed which will make it less intimidating.