Thirteen: General Discussion

[Mikw]

That is an article about a low speed collision that took place back in September. From what I understand from various staff members, the roll back took place early October, a few days before the start of Scarefest and the trains were empty and did not make it back to the station or collided.

I may of been misinformed, but the above article doesn't mention any form of roll back, just a soft collision which you wouldn't get from a roll back.

Welcome back! I've missed seeing you on here.

 

[MattyH]

That is an article about a low speed collision that took place back in September. From what I understand from various staff members, the roll back took place early October, a few days before the start of Scarefest and the trains were empty and did not make it back to the station or collided.

I may of been misinformed, but the above article doesn't mention any form of roll back, just a soft collision which you wouldn't get from a roll back.

This is why I left this forum, it not about just the one post or thread, it the way this forum has been for the past few years and nothing has improved.

Skyscrapers post seemed to dismiss the whole rollback and collision theory which had been confirmed by Alton Towers in official press statements as other members were quick to point out. If he had been saying about a second incident then this wasn't as clear as it could have been, meaning other members were talking about the September issue.

As it has been said multiple times any issues with the way the forum is run need to be taken up with staff. Posts and comments such as yours can cause bigger issues within the community but ultimately we are a community that needs to learn and grow. If a person is contributing to discussion then its not in the interests of the membership to alienate them. Ultimately this is a topic that has been talked about in multiple places multiple times and this thread is really not the place to be discussing it.

 

[Steve74]

There's some truth in there. The Corkscrew motor was a cause of complaint by locals. I believe a solution to this was priced up around the time Rita was installed (and Corkscrew was repainted) but for whatever reason didn't happen.

I only found out recently that the big piece of machinery on the right platform (opposite the curtain into the maintenance area) before the main station platform is actually Corkscrew's motor.

 

[Craig]

Just to make something crystal clear as these past few pages has seen things posted which have then been clarified as not true or incorrect etc.

We welcome speculation about new rides, additions and changes by all means. However if you want to discuss incidents that have occurred, please be careful. No matter how trustworthy you believe your “sources” to be, if you are going to post about it you need to be 100% sure not that just the incident occurred, but also the specific details are correct. I’m not saying whoever those sources are would purposely lie, but specific details especially can get muddled and exaggerated. When that’s concerning something like a rollback issue, that can cause problems.

Be sure that what you’re saying is true, and as is the case for anything in here, be sure that what you say is not going to get someone or their wider team into trouble. Thanks all

 

[Skyscraper]

Just to clarify, I was referencing the October incident, which was the reason why Thirteen isn't operating in the rain. I got the information from a very reliable source.
Apologies for not making this clear in my previous post.

 

[AT86]

Just to clarify, I was referencing the October incident, which was the reason why Thirteen isn't operating in the rain. @RoyJess gave me the information from a very reliable source (he has asked me not to divulge where though, so don't ask ).
Apologies for not making this clear in my previous post.

I am only referencing this again because of the sensitively around Alton Towers and ride incidents and the importance of ensuring the information put out is correct. It is nothing personal against you at all.

There were accounts on this forum and elsewhere from people visiting in September who experienced the closing in the rain, this was after 9th Sept but before any incident in October. One such post from 16th Sep:

I would hazard a guess the very minor collision occurred due to wet weather, likewise the subsequent on/off closures. When I visited Tuesday the ride was down all morning and coincidentally reopened once the rain had stopped.

Perhaps as a result of this we will see Th13teen only operate in dry conditions, at least for the foreseeable future.


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[jon81uk]

Just to make something crystal clear as these past few pages has seen things posted which have then been clarified as not true or incorrect etc.

We welcome speculation about new rides, additions and changes by all means. However if you want to discuss incidents that have occurred, please be careful. No matter how trustworthy you believe your “sources” to be, if you are going to post about it you need to be 100% sure not that just the incident occurred, but also the specific details are correct. I’m not saying whoever those sources are would purposely lie, but specific details especially can get muddled and exaggerated. When that’s concerning something like a rollback issue, that can cause problems.

Be sure that what you’re saying is true, and as is the case for anything in here, be sure that what you say is not going to get someone or their wider team into trouble. Thanks all

There was discussion in the new Merlin midway for Blackpool thread about people making “I know something you doing don’t” type posts, but I think that is broadly okay when it is speculation about a new attraction. Whereas as Craig says posting unverifiable information about incidents and breakdowns has potentially wider consequences, many people have commented before about the press picking up in stories of guests being paused on the lift hill and making it sound horrific, if the press were reading these forums they could jump on those statements and try to make something of it.

TL;DR unknown sources for new rides/attractions is okay, for breakdowns/incidents not so much.

 

[Skyscraper]

There was discussion in the new Merlin midway for Blackpool thread about people making “I know something you doing don’t” type posts, but I think that is broadly okay when it is speculation about a new attraction. Whereas as Craig says posting unverifiable information about incidents and breakdowns has potentially wider consequences, many people have commented before about the press picking up in stories of guests being paused on the lift hill and making it sound horrific, if the press were reading these forums they could jump on those statements and try to make something of it.

TL;DR unknown sources for new rides/attractions is okay, for breakdowns/incidents not so much.

That's a good point, we really do need to be careful. As Alton Towers fans, the last thing we want to do is inadvertently tarnish their image by posting supposedly innocent speculation on here.

 

[RoyJess]

As Craig say's make sure what is said is 100% accurate, otherwise we will end up in a situation of Chinese whispers. From my understanding, there were no roll back, just the train slipping on the lifthill. When this actually happened I can't say.

If an incident did happened with regards to a roll back resulting in a collision, this will be all over the news and not just a few tweets on social media. Broadcasting media have rules that they have to comply with to remain within the law. Plus H&S will probably not allow the ride to reopened until further investigation.

The bottom line is that I wasn't there when this happened, nor was any of this forum members, so none of us are in a position to make any bold claims. Like Craig says, I have to be very careful with repeating any info that has been passed onto me by staff members.

I'm just going to leave it there.

Welcome back! I've missed seeing you on here.

Thank you. I was just passing. I've no plans to hang around here

 

[Matt.GC]

I only found out recently that the big piece of machinery on the right platform (opposite the curtain into the maintenance area) before the main station platform is actually Corkscrew's motor.

Me too. Awesome little Easter egg that one of the main culprits as to why we're stuck with this tyre lift hill nonsense anyway still sits there proud, almost like it's winking at us. The Corkscrew lift hill motor whine was the ultimate theme park sound to me.

 

[Steve74]

Me too. Awesome little Easter egg that one of the main culprits as to why we're stuck with this tyre lift hill nonsense anyway still sits there proud, almost like it's winking at us. The Corkscrew lift hill motor whine was the ultimate theme park sound to me.

Yeah I agree that whine and memories of the log flume takes me back to school trips in October in the late 1980s!


I noticed that in the queue line just before you turn to go down the stairs to the station that there are what looks to be compressed air cylinders on the floor as theming - I wonder if they are those at 12 sec in that video? Or others from around the corkscrew perhaps.

 

[Skyscraper]

Did Thirteen twice yesterday and was pleased to see that ambulant RAP guests can still use the FastTrack steps. Noticed that the batching host has a light to allow them to see the card, which indicates that the change could be permanent (or do they already use that for FastTrack tickets?). When we exited there were loads of non-ambulant (or those who didn't know they they could use the other route) RAP guests waiting on the ramp. We saw quite a few of them still entering via the exit, which was odd because there is a "Disabled Entrance" sign next to the FastTrack entrance. If towers are going to permanently allow ambulant RAP via the FastTrack entrance (and non-ambulant too), they should update/change the entrance, exit and queue split (where it splits into two lanes; left for Fast-Track and ambulant disabled (under the FastTrack sign), right for non-ambulant (no sign)) signage and accessibility info over closed season to reflect that.

 

[pluk]

Did Thirteen twice yesterday and was pleased to see that ambulant RAP guests can still use the FastTrack steps. Noticed that the batching host has a light to allow them to see the card, which indicates that the change could be permanent (or do they already use that for FastTrack tickets?). When we exited there were loads of non-ambulant (or those who didn't know they they could use the other route) RAP guests waiting on the ramp. We saw quite a few of them still entering via the exit, which was odd because there is a "Disabled Entrance" sign next to the FastTrack entrance. If towers are going to permanently allow ambulant RAP via the FastTrack entrance (and non-ambulant too), they should update/change the entrance, exit and queue split (where it splits into two lanes; left for Fast-Track and ambulant disabled (under the FastTrack sign), right for non-ambulant (no sign)) signage and accessibility info over closed season to reflect that.

The last thing the park needs is actual signs pointing out RAP is the same benefit as fastrack!

 

[Skyscraper]

The last thing the park needs is actual signs pointing out RAP is the same benefit as fastrack!

Think you're forgetting that Smiler has a combined ambulant disabled and FastTrack entrance, with the appropriate signage.
It's good that Thirteen now essentially has the same.

 

[pluk]

Think you're forgetting that Smiler has a combined ambulant disabled and FastTrack entrance, with the appropriate signage.
It's good that Thirteen now essentially has the same.

I'm not forgetting it, it remains an absolute disaster that doesn't need expanding upon!

 

[jon81uk]

Think you're forgetting that Smiler has a combined ambulant disabled and FastTrack entrance, with the appropriate signage.
It's good that Thirteen now essentially has the same.

also every Disney park has combined quick entry, VIP and access pass queues. Now the FastPass brand is gone it’s Premier Access in Paris and Lightning Lane in the USA. But Disney where possible send wheelchairs down standard queues.

where AT need to make it clear is it should be the RAP return queue, you aren’t skipping the line, just returning having waited out the time elsewhere.

 

[Skyscraper]

also every Disney park has combined quick entry, VIP and access pass queues. Now the FastPass brand is gone it’s Premier Access in Paris and Lightning Lane in the USA. But Disney where possible send wheelchairs down standard queues.

where AT need to make it clear is it should be the RAP return queue, you aren’t skipping the line, just returning having waited out the time elsewhere.

Not all the hosts marked my card either. Only happened on four of our rides (two of which were Thirteen I think).

 

[jon81uk]

Not all the hosts marked my card either. Only happened on four of our rides (two of which were Thirteen I think).

and that is the single biggest issue with RAP. The system as designed is fine, but it needs to actually be carried out to make it work properly, otherwise as has been said many many time it becomes free fasttrack. They really need to switch to an electronic Q-bot system.

 

[Skyscraper]

and that is the single biggest issue with RAP. The system as designed is fine, but it needs to actually be carried out to make it work properly, otherwise as has been said many many time it becomes free fasttrack. They really need to switch to an electronic Q-bot system.

Yeah, I agree. That's the main reson people take advantage of it and abuse it.

 

[JAperson]

Sorry for the thread bump.

So I know there's been rumours going around but do we know for sure whether Alton Towers is doing work on thirteen to make sure it can operate in the rain next session. Personally, I really hope they are because if not this could cause significant issue's and is frankly a bit ridiculous.