• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

The Smiler - General Discussion

Starting to think it'd be cheaper in the long run if they dismantled it, redid all the ground work properly and then put it back together again, hopefully in such a way that the track doesn't snap apart again.
 
Blaze said:
Starting to think it'd be cheaper in the long run if they dismantled it, redid all the ground work properly and then put it back together again, hopefully in such a way that the track doesn't snap apart again.
Click to expand...

And perhaps used a competent company to do the work this time around.
 
Since it opened it has been operating far more days than it has been closed. How often do you see oblivion, air and nemesis have the odd day closed. Th13teen was closed a lot to, expand the point and you also had the same with Stealth, Swarm ect.

It's ground work issues are terrible and I think the company they used probably won't be getting any more work but beyond that week when the track split its downtime hasn't been any worse than any other new roller coaster. Doesn't excuse the issues they have had and the clear problem Towers have with project management but I'm not too concerned that these 2 days represent anything more than a bit of new ride maintenance.

I would guess even if they had opened it in March and had no ground work issues they would have looked into some September downtime to fix any little niggles that new rides develop before the busy October season.
 
Rupert said:
^ The phrase 'beyond that week when the track split' says it all...
Click to expand...

No it says the damn things footers where badly built.

My point is as a ride its running as expected with expected downtime for season one. Unfortunately that is competing with the ridiculous ground shifting issues as well. As wardley said in his Oakwood Q&A it seems they hit a few issues with the ground and based on the H&S reports the ground work company was not using techniques that where adequate to ensure the ground was stable. Ultimately project management has a lot to answer for on that.

But it has certainly been operating well above 50%, stating its down as much as it is up is exaggerating. And what would people rather, it close pre-warned on one of the quietest parts of the season or go completely belly-up during Scarefest.
 
Thing is, a large proportion of the downtime is being associated with activities that do not seem common for standard new coaster downtime. For example, the loud noises that have been coming from the indoor section when the ride has been closed recently, there is clearly extensive work going on in there. Then you have the presence of sandbags which is slightly unusual. And the pumping vehicle that was on site when The Smiler was closed on Monday. Downtime due to technical reasons is understandable and unavoidable, this happened twice yesterday and is fair enough. It's the fact the ride of often down for this other work to take place, it just isn't normal at all.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to how late this was planned. All subsequent problems stem from this in my opinion.

:)
 
They would have almost been better to delay this project and open it in 2014. That way they could have done a lot more planning and preperations on the site. Which would then have hopefully not caused so many problems in the rides groundwork and construction, and also since it has been open.

However I would like to congratulate Alton Towers this time, on finally doing some good customer service, by giving people more than a few hours notice about it being closed, and offering people who have pre-booked the chance to come on another day! Do we think they are finally getting this thing called customer service?
 
djtruefitt said:
They would have almost been better to delay this project and open it in 2014. That way they could have done a lot more planning and preperations on the site. Which would then have hopefully not caused so many problems in the rides groundwork and construction, and also since it has been open.
Click to expand...

The banks would never have allowed the project to open later than it technically could, they loan the money based on projections on how the park will increase guest numbers for the project. Delay the project a year and a whole years revenue increase is lost which reduces confidence in the park from a banks perspective.

And yes Blaze it is in many ways like that, I'm just trying to point out that if you look at the actual ride its running quite well (Th13teen was down for a week just because technically it was buggered). That doesn't mean the downtime due to foundations isn't relevant, just think its a bit silly to say its been down for half it's potential operating days when it hasn't and factor in that they would probably have taken the ride out for a few days at this time of the year anyway to work on technical aspects.

It's pretty much operated consistently through the busy part of the summer season, they definitely now need it to do the same for Scarefest and Fireworks and therefore I can understand them doing work now. And it at least works unlike said log-flume at PL which should have opened this year. Yet few are griping at the fact PL can't open a ride who's concept has existed for around 40 years.
 
I heard on the grapevine they've got problems with the foundations of the station building - it could be a load of rubbish but that's one of many things I've heard.

This project has had problem after problem. The ground seems to be the main issue. They didn't expect the land to be so soft (they were hoping the land to be similar to where Nemesis lies) - so it seems from there onwards some awful 'fixes' have been made to ensure the land stays solid... although it has clearly failed to provide a stable site to hold a roller coaster. The groundworks company has done an awful job.

The ride itself seems perfectly fine. Apart from the vertical lift hill which is expected to have downtime as brand new anyway.
 
I think it shows the major problems with the groundwork when during construction there was a period of a month or so when nothing happened, then they dug and dug and dug, and then filled it all in with concrete! It has certainly gone wrong somewhere! Its probably a mixture of the designers, groundworkers and who ever did the original land surveys.

I expect there to be some major work done on the ride/ground over closed season.
 
I'm feeling very lucky that I rode this Tuesday as it seems to have been the one day this week the ride ran all day without planned downtime.

So yes that means I have finally ridden The Smiler, what did I think? Well just like when I first rode Sub-Terra I really don't feel the ride is ready to be critiqued. The ride was definitely very good but It was also noticeable not riding as intended (the two different trains I rode were notably different). Then there are all the minor details that just felt rushed or not quite right and my god the queue is almost a new low for Merlin. I'm afraid I don't buy any of the "it's dystopian theming" arguments. They were clearly cutting corners left right and centre; Bare concrete everywhere and not even an attempt to conceal ride hardware such as the electric cables between the station and second lift. I know I'm especially critical having just come back from Disney but I can honestly say I've seen better at fairgrounds.

I could go on but like I said The Smiler seems like a really good concept (and the ride itself definitely delivered) but it's also in a state and I do hope they have a lot planned for it. Out of interest I'm very glad I didn't review Sub-Terra when it first opened as this week it was ace! I hope to be able to say the same for The Smiler next year.
 
Well, I heard shortly before it opened that the company responsible for fabricating the [lift hill] chains for The Smiler had gone into administration. I expect soon to hear the same about TG Cruse. :)
 
Dave said:
djtruefitt said:
They would have almost been better to delay this project and open it in 2014. That way they could have done a lot more planning and preperations on the site. Which would then have hopefully not caused so many problems in the rides groundwork and construction, and also since it has been open.
Click to expand...

The banks would never have allowed the project to open later than it technically could, they loan the money based on projections on how the park will increase guest numbers for the project. Delay the project a year and a whole years revenue increase is lost which reduces confidence in the park from a banks perspective.
Click to expand...

Trust me, the bsnk have very little control or involvement in capital expenditure like this. Money is not lent directly against projects, and covenant testing is not related to it either
 
Dave said:
But it has certainly been operating well above 50%, stating its down as much as it is up is exaggerating. And what would people rather, it close pre-warned on one of the quietest parts of the season or go completely belly-up during Scarefest.
Click to expand...

Based on the last four months, Smiler will probably still go belly up during Scarefest, so I applaud them for trying to do it all now.
 
I don't think I've seen this mentioned before, but is it just me who wonders why they bothered fitting the glass floor in the entrance/exit to the shop? It was one of the rumored things during construction which has actually turned up but you can't see a bloody thing through it. I had convinced myself it wasn't really a glass floor into the ride section until my last ride where I made the effort to look up and to the right as you round the bend in the indoor section and, sure enough, there is the glass floor. Seems a waste.
 
Alexsutton said:
I don't think I've seen this mentioned before, but is it just me who wonders why they bothered fitting the glass floor in the entrance/exit to the shop? It was one of the rumored things during construction which has actually turned up but you can't see a bloody thing through it. I had convinced myself it wasn't really a glass floor into the ride section until my last ride where I made the effort to look up and to the right as you round the bend in the indoor section and, sure enough, there is the glass floor. Seems a waste.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It was yet another nice idea that was poorly implemented. I’ve sat on the floor with my face pressed against that glass and you can’t see a bloody thing. :/
 
Yup. Utter waste. It might be possible to see through it in the dark during scarefest, but for 99% of the season, it's totally overpowered by the sun. Just like the Flasher.
 
The indoor section would also look so much better without the glass floor, it lets so much light in, not only sun light but light from the shop.

They would be better either having a plain glass floor (eg blackpool tower) without the silly little white dots. Or just remove/cover it up completely.
 
I saw through it the other day... Does that make me special? ;)

Part of the problem is that the trains rush by so quick and it covers such a small area you blink and you've missed it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top