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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

Re: Thorpe Park

I'm surprised by this dome toilet talk, on all of my visits this and last year there has been a cleaner in there standing guard (and telling dumb people how to make the taps work) at all times, like in a nightclub actually but without the little table of hookie aftershaves and a plate of coins, making these the cleanest toilets on park even though they are the busiest.

Maybe he's off sick. Dysentery probably.
 
Re: Thorpe Park

Fredward said:
Just because one chain is worse, does not mean you can ignore the problems at Thorpe.
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This is what annoys me in general, I've never found the dome loos too bad to be fair, and I seem to always have chosen busy days to friggin go!

However, what is this "well they aren't as bad as so and so" that is always used to challenge opinions? I hope you don't judge your work like that! Cannot believe how much it is used on here for our so called premium attractions.

"Yeah, well it ain't as bad as a kick in the scrotes is it eh?".

Standards? Anyone?
 
Re: Thorpe Park

TheMan said:
Fredward said:
Just because one chain is worse, does not mean you can ignore the problems at Thorpe.
Click to expand...

However, what is this "well they aren't as bad as so and so" that is always used to challenge opinions? I hope you don't judge your work like that! Cannot believe how much it is used on here for our so called premium attractions.

"Yeah, well it ain't as bad as a kick in the scrotes is it eh?".

Standards? Anyone?
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Ah, but I was not trying to challenge his/her (I dont know) opinion, I was only trying to give evidence for my own opinion. I was trying to show my standars, by comparing something that I can accept (Thorpe Park), with something I cant (Six Flags). I dont want to be blunt about my public toilet preferences because that should not matter!
 
Re: Thorpe Park

HaydenCR said:
TheMan said:
Fredward said:
Just because one chain is worse, does not mean you can ignore the problems at Thorpe.
Click to expand...

However, what is this "well they aren't as bad as so and so" that is always used to challenge opinions? I hope you don't judge your work like that! Cannot believe how much it is used on here for our so called premium attractions.

"Yeah, well it ain't as bad as a kick in the scrotes is it eh?".

Standards? Anyone?
Click to expand...

Ah, but I was not trying to challenge his/her (I dont know) opinion, I was only trying to give evidence for my own opinion. I was trying to show my standars, by comparing something that I can accept (Thorpe Park), with something I cant (Six Flags). I dont want to be blunt about my public toilet preferences because that should not matter!
Click to expand...

I wasn't aiming that at you in general, and in fairness, Six Flags aren't exactly a small company, but I'd like to have comparisons for a higher standard. It is just something that crops up with every debate more or less, I'd have quoted you directly if I meant you personally Hayden. I actually agree with your point in this case about the lavatories ;D
 
Re: Thorpe Park

Well after watching the POV. I see why Thorpe Park chose to advertise a 'sign' as their new(ish) for 2013 attraction instead of X.
 
Re: Thorpe Park

haydn! said:
Well after watching the POV. I see why Thorpe Park chose to advertise a 'sign' as their new(ish) for 2013 attraction instead of X.
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To turn the tables (not on you Haydn by the way just in general), don't judge a dark ride on a POV.

Endless moaners Diogo and I, don't think it is too bad! I from the POV, knowing how poorly those FX translate to video, and Diogo after actually riding it and being an expert in lighting etc.

It seems a decent turn around to create a more friendly attraction that is actually indoors, something they lack badly.

I know some liked the theme before, I did, but I never got to experience it in all it's freakish original glory, so for me personally, it seems a great thing to breathe some new life into it.

I cannot wait to get down and give this a blast!

DISCO COASTER ;D FTW
 
Re: Thorpe Park

When i went on X, as much as i enjoyed it there were still signs in the station area saying X no way out. Does the ride now have two names? Or have thorpe just not bothered to remove/change the signs? Just wondered if anybody knew :)
 
Re: Thorpe Park

With Colossus becoming increasingly rough and in desperate need of a re-paint, I fear the ride may now start to become redundant especially with its inversion record being beaten now by The Smiler.
I fear the ride may also be ageing in the thrills department thanks largely to its roughness, but also to the fact that Saw is next door and (in my opinion) is more intense. What do you think?
 
Re: Thorpe Park

I doubt Colossus will be going anywhere for a fair few years. If anything, assuming its sister attraction at Hopi Hari is still meant to be getting new style Intamin trains with lap bars I wouldn't be surprised if Thorpe decided to purchase a pair, re-paint, and re-market it as a new, upgraded ride experience like they have done with X and Swarm reversed this year. It'd be a cheap way to advertise something new in their low budget years, and it would no doubt increase the level of thrill in many people's eyes thanks to the new restraints which would offer a new, free ride sensation. It'd keep it in competition with The Smiler too.

I've never once found the roughness of Colossus to be an issue, and it's still one of my favourite coasters (In my top 10), though it is in dire need of a damn good clean and lick of paint. It's no B&M, but it's still one of the UK's large scale coasters, and it's one of the rides which helped make Thorpe the thrill park it is today. Given it's still very much one of Thorpe's signature attractions I think they'd be foolish to consider removing it any time soon.

It's another example of a brilliant ride that's been left unloved for too long, just like Oblivion pre 2013 and Nemesis. With some investment they could keep it as one of the biggest coasters at Thorpe, and it would never really date. To me Thorpe's choices in large coasters means they more or less cover all areas. They have something high (Stealth), something fast (Stealth), something with lots of inversions (Colossus), something inverted (Ninferno), something intimidating (SAW), and something unique to the UK (Swarm). They've very much have their fingers in all the pies so to speak, and it's this range which gives the place its thrill appeal if you ask me.

Now if only they'd build something wooden to round it all off... :p
 
Re: Thorpe Park

For all it's faults, I wouldn't remove Colonsucks. As has been said, new trains would solve most of its issues. If Vekoma can make Python ridable by fitting vest restraints (Why they are not doing this to Goudurix is beyond me), then similar restraints on Colossus would elevate it from one of the most painful rides in the UK to one of the best.
 
Re: Thorpe Park

I personally love Colossus but cannot ride it anywhere apart from the front, it hurts me in ways I cannot say. It needs a repaint and some TLC but I would think that the main problem lies with the trains!
 
Re: Thorpe Park

I love colossus at the front, everywhere else is quite rough and horrible though. Colossus with lap bars would be awesome though....
 
Re: Thorpe Park

Themeparkmania said:
I personally love Colossus but cannot ride it anywhere apart from the front, it hurts me in ways I cannot say. It needs a repaint and some TLC but I would think that the main problem lies with the trains!
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This! Lol!!

I am a Vekoma apologist for goodness sake, so rough isn't something that bothers me too much, I quite like it at times (ooh err!) - however, the back especially, of Colossus is just horrible.

If I ride I try to ride at the front only if possible, and will wait extra time, as it is the difference between riding a quite brilliant coaster and one of my favourites, and one my least favourites!

Love the front, absolutely hate it at the back. Oh and I still do not like the in lines to ride, but they are awesome as a spectacle over the path and a real icon of the park.

A great ride, being paid a terrible disservice by being in such a bad state of repair right now. If new trains will fix that then brilliant!! :)

I think even this will be more comfortable than Colossus at the back!! ;D

handcar.jpg
 
Re: Thorpe Park

i now this sounds weird but how do rollercoasters become rough :/
 
Re: Thorpe Park

Coastermaster said:
i now this sounds weird but how do rollercoasters become rough :/
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Same as anything mechanical mate, they warp under force and temperature change, components wear down etc, no different to why a train or bus/car etc would as they age.

No doubt some here can give more exacting answers than that lol, but that is the basic principle really.
 
Thorpe Park

Coastermaster said:
i now this sounds weird but how do rollercoasters become rough :/
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It's generally down to loose or poorly
maintained wheel bearings. An example is on most older SLC's, the side and top wheels don't even touch the track when the train is parked normally.
 
Re: Thorpe Park

One of the things noticable at Thorpe with Colossus is that if you look at the wheel running lines along the track you can see just how much it's all moved over time. This is no doubt a side effect of building the ride on what can only really be described as marshland.

The American Adventure used to suffer massively from subsiding ground, to a point that they had to actually close their main entrance and build a new one! It seems that the side of the park where Colossus and SAW are built moves a bit too (Isn't SAW mostly reclaimed land?).

I'd hope that the ride will settle down eventually, and in Colossus' case it may well have already. But that's only half of the problem. The trains on the ride are generally considered poor design and are not very well built. This only amplifies any imperfection in the rails. If they could sort the trains out I think that it'd go a good way towards fixing the problem though :) Other's like SAW's drop could need something more major such as re-profiling the track to create a smoother arc.
 
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