• 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.

X-Sector Developments (Including Oblivion)

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
DiogoJ42 said:
I'll believe it when I see it tbh.
Click to expand...
The latest aerial construction image clearly shows some work being done on parts of Oblivion's brake run and the catwalk on the turnaround. It appears as if layers of paint have been stripped down to the zinc layer, since the track looks unnaturally bright in some sections, while part of the brake run looks like it has already been painted black. That image was from 6 days ago, so work is already progressing.

Of course this is great news. A much fresher X Sector is guaranteed for 2013, as long as they clear up the construction site on time. They will probably have to repave the entire area because it looks like the flooring has all been removed to allow the trucks to move around. There is also much hope for the broken props in the queueline being fixed at last!

What would really improve X Sector as a whole would be bringing more atmosphere into the drop pit; perhaps by bringing back the video that used to play in Rehydrator or intermittently playing security announcements over loud speakers.

Let's see... Unmemorable, non-area Merry England received a proper theme in 2008; worn out Cred Street was refreshed in 2009; outdated, confused Ug Land post-Rita was replaced in 2010; Forbidden Valley saw an unexpected update in 2012 with Sub Terra; and now poor X Sector, unloved for a decade, will also see a new lease of life in the form of the parks biggest rollercoaster since Air and a long awaited Oblivion refreshment. This five year plan is working out quite well.
 
I would love a chrome and black toilet block with lots of stainless steel as it's lovely to disinfect, ahhh the clean bleachy smell of Ajax. The toilets need to look space age and futuristic like the rest of the area. maybe paint the outside of it too? That brown is disgusting as so 80's. :p
 
Fantastic to hear that Blivvy's finally getting some TLC. I'm not going to go entirely nuts about it as it should have been done long before this, but I really didn't expect it to happen so I'd like to say well done to the park/Merlin.

I feel a bit ungrateful for saying this, but when can we expect Nemmy (particularly the station) to receive similar attention?
 
I am so happy about this news!!! :D Blivvy is very close to my heart and I used to occasionally bug the managers there when I was working about getting it re-painted - the response was that they did want it repainted, but it was a lot of money to spend where there was going to be no financial return! I resigned myself to Oblivion just continuing to deteriorate into a sadder, completely decrepit state.

So this is more than just a repaint, this is Merlin spending significant of money on something which isn't going to bring a return! Obviously I imagine this is a lot to do with wanting the area to look amazing what with SW7 bringing the focus back there... but it's showing an awareness and a pride in everything looking tip-top, when they would previously argue that NO ONE ELSE CARES that Oblivion is now closer to white than black!

So this is great news. :D It's always baffled me with Oblivion. £12 million. And it was just left to look the way it does now. £120k every few years to keep it looking as it should is surely worth it when you've made such an investment, on something that relies on looking so imposing and so sharp.

This is Merlin acting in the true spirit of what a theme park is all about. It's wrong that profit > experience all the time!! And with this, it wasn't even really that... if you have a major piece of machinery that is on the world stage as Oblivion is, you should look after it! It's sheer maintenance of the experience you've worked so hard to create and market! :D

I can't wait to see it. It's going to make a dramatic difference. I'm going to be so proud!!
 
He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore. Then the CEO thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Profit, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Theme Parks, perhaps... means a little bit more!

And what happened, then? Well, in Farley they say - that Merlin's small heart grew three sizes that day. And then - the true meaning of Alton Towers came through, and the Company found the strength of *ten* Paint can's, plus two!
 
I think when each of us visit we should comment on how awesome oblivion looks on social networking. If we can make a big enough buzz about it, it may give the incentive for other rides that need refreshing will get a bit of TLC.

It will help the park management next time they try and get a budget for refreshing rides. As they can say " just look at the Buzz caused by the refreshing of Oblivion"
 
X-Sector is going to look awesome next year! I can just imagine walking through the entrance gate, and seeing two massive pitch black Rollercoasters dominating the area. It'll return to an industrial feel, and hopefully create an even more tense environment.

In terms of Sanctuary, when is it expected that it will close again?
 
iain said:
Does anybody think a change of name from x-sector is likely?
Click to expand...

I hope not I really like the name give's it some egde.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Quetzal said:
In terms of Sanctuary, when is it expected that it will close again?
Click to expand...

We don't have any details but i imagine it will open for the first few weeks of the season, and if SW7 opens late (as is suspected) it will stay open until SW7 opens. I believe they have to have 50% of the ruins open to the public for a set period of the open season so it can't stay open the whole season.

Although Sanctuary is mostly in the west wing i don't think they can take the scaffolding down in the ToTT part of the long gallery until they take the first corridor of Sanctuary out. So it will have to de-rig at some point in that area.
 
iain said:
Does anybody think a change of name from x-sector is likely?
Click to expand...

I doubt they will, as they specifically state on the SW7 minisite that it's location is the X-Sector. Would probably end up being too confusing if they were to change the name of it. :p
 
I'm so pleased that Towers are giving X sector and Oblivion some attention! It should be fantastic seeing Oblivion looking all new again with its new paint! My only worry though is the Gp...

If Oblivion is the same coulour as SW7 (I don't have a problem with this), then there may be another "Yeah so you go round that spiraly tangled bit of the ride, then you finish with that big drop into dat black hole! Yeah it gonna be amazing"

The GP have a habit of not knowing which coaster they're queuing for, or thinking two rides are one. As daft as it sounds apparently it is possible for a sane person to think Rita & Corckscrew were part of the same ride.

I guess we'll just haft to wait & see what happens.

:)
 
The was the LAST thing I expected to read, very happy indeed to do so though!

Maybe your average Joe Bloggs won't notice, but I'd like to think on a subconscious level that a shiny black coaster will have much more impact than a fading, patchy grey one. In terms of theme and branding, Oblivion is my favourite ride in the park so it's exciting to know there's TLC coming it's way. The secret facility/government testing idea really loses substance with building facade peeling away to show the real rotting structure.

I'm finding it hard to imagine Oblivion with a shiny track, has it not always been matt?
 
Kaycee said:
This is Merlin acting in the true spirit of what a theme park is all about. It's wrong that profit > experience all the time!!
Click to expand...

Kaycee basically sums up in one sentence, everything I've been trying to put into words across most of my posts ;D - Couldn't agree more with everything you have said there!

Also this:

Fredward said:
He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore. Then the CEO thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Profit, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Theme Parks, perhaps... means a little bit more!

And what happened, then? Well, in Farley they say - that Merlin's small heart grew three sizes that day. And then - the true meaning of Alton Towers came through, and the Company found the strength of *ten* Paint can's, plus two!
Click to expand...

Mate, that's just brilliant, post of the new year for me so far that. Way beyond the call of duty for a coaster forum ;D

Ha-ha, still chuckling over that!
 
Yes it has but with it being shiny it will retain it's colour better as more UV rays will be reflected.
 
Mi-Nigle said:
The was the LAST thing I expected to read, very happy indeed to do so though!

Maybe your average Joe Bloggs won't notice, but I'd like to think on a subconscious level that a shiny black coaster will have much more impact than a fading, patchy grey one. In terms of theme and branding, Oblivion is my favourite ride in the park so it's exciting to know there's TLC coming it's way. The secret facility/government testing idea really loses substance with building facade peeling away to show the real rotting structure.

I'm finding it hard to imagine Oblivion with a shiny track, has it not always been matt?
Click to expand...

Yes, it has always had a matt finish, however I believe the new paint is going to be gloss, as it doesn't fade as easily as a matt paint does. At least I assume so anyway.

:)
 
I love Dr Kelman, his message to this forum was lovely too but I have to agree with CupCakey - Dr K is for The Sanctuary, and scary dude is for Oblivion!

There has been a concern as to how SW7 will fit into X-Sector, I do share those I admit, plenty of "naysayers" have been proven correct over time on these issues, so I very much respect their opinions on this issue.

I do hope they have fathomed out a way, because I adore Dr K. his character is fantastic, and if he makes a return (which I hope he indeed does, in queue videos, even in person if possible!), having him as a focal point opposite The Lord of Darkness is going to be two big personalities, very, very close to each other.

Can anyone think of another theme park that has two unique (not IP) character supported rides like that?
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top