Quote:
Originally Posted by DemolitionRed
An update....
The Smiler has a number of things that can go wrong. One of those things is a loose empty carriage on the track. This is called 'valleying' and when valleying happens, an alarm goes off in the control room. Once the valleying alarm goes off, the ride must be stopped/halted and the vast camera system must be checked for a stray carriage on the line.
The problem is, the valleying alarm goes off half a dozen times a day and this member of staff, a woman, happened to become complacent. She says she stopped the ride and checked the cameras but didn't see anything else on the track. The likelihood is, she didn't check anything.
Now here's an interesting thing and something the press have yet to pick up on. Before a ride like this is opened it has to go through rigorous tests and part of those tests are sending the trains along with crash dummies, round the tracks hundreds of times. During that testing an almost identical incident happened and the crash dummies received severe leg crush. The system was modified to be more sensitive but the problem with that is, the warning alarm became such a regular occurrence that at least one person didn't continue to take it seriously.
All compensation has now been settled but because health and safety was breached, there will be a £multi-million fine.
The ride is running again.
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This can't be an official response?...