[user104658]

Originally Posted by Mitchell

(I still have many friends who are theme park enthusiasts, I was a huge one until I got back into TV majorly.)

I'm so confused. Are these two hobbies mutually exclusive?

[Tom4784]

I doubt it'll open again if it hasn't by now. Too much bad press. They'll likely replace it with something else.

[Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I'm so confused. Are these two hobbies mutually exclusive?

Na, I just sort of phased out of theme parks, football among other things and got back involved in TV and Disney (these sorts of forums) and sort of just lost interest, although I will catch up now and again.

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Quasar

Well it would be a massive pain in the arse to lose a leg but I would just sue the pants off them and I would be rich.

Alton Towers are giving all the victims of this disaster more money than any law suit would ever trump up. On top of that they are ensuring that those who have permanent disabilities have their own house with full facilities to accommodate them, a disability car and all the private nursing care they will ever need.

Its called damage limitation, for them, not the victims in this accident.

[T*]

Originally Posted by Quasar

And the smiler is Alton Towers biggest attraction

that, or nemisis.

I think it should reopen, but not yet

[Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Tøm

that, or nemisis.

I think it should reopen, but not yet

Unlike Thorpe Park with Stealth, I don't really think Alton Towers has a headliner ride?

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by Mitchell

Unlike Thorpe Park with Stealth, I don't really think Alton Towers has a headliner ride?

Isn't it Nemesis? till this day it's their best ride they have.

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Hasn't the Smiler been plagued by technical problems since it was built and even on the day itself there had been issues with it before the accident

Yes, its spent as much time being closed as it has being open but that's because its a very complex structure that mainly runs off a computer system. The tiniest error in that system will close the ride down, not because its necessarily unsafe but because it is programmed to be over cautious.

[Mitchell]

Originally Posted by LukeB

Isn't it Nemesis? till this day it's their best ride they have.

May be the best ride, but its not one everyone talks about (considering Thorpe has a nemesis too)

May sound odd, but I've heard more people rave about Charlie and Chocolate factory than Nemesis.

Maybe Rita?

I'd say Thorpe has Stealth, Chessington has Bubbleworks, Legoland has The Dragon?

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by Mitchell

May be the best ride, but its not one everyone talks about (considering Thorpe has a nemesis too)

May sound odd, but I've heard more people rave about Charlie and Chocolate factory than Nemesis.

Maybe Rita?

I'd say Thorpe has Stealth, Chessington has Bubbleworks, Legoland has The Dragon?

True and pleasure beach as Pepsi Max

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Quasar

That's the draw of roller coasters. That's the point of theme. When I go onto a rollercoaster allsorts of ideas enter my head about what could go wrong. I still ride them.

Me and mine are high wall climbers who venture thousands of feet up vertical walls with a few ropes and some necessary bits of kit. I've never been on a roller coaster in my life though. Just the thought of what could happen absolutely freaks me out!.

[Cherry Christmas]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Hasn't the Smiler been plagued by technical problems since it was built and even on the day itself there had been issues with it before the accident

Yes it has was just coming in to post this, so it was not a freak one off accident

[Thotmas]

[RichardG]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Hasn't the Smiler been plagued by technical problems since it was built and even on the day itself there had been issues with it before the accident

Yeah I heard it was always having issues

Maybe I'm crazy but I feel like "the rollercoaster with the most number of loops" is a title that should go to a bigger ride in a bigger theme park with more land available. I've never seen it in person but on screen at least it always looked pretty small and cramped. Regardless of their decision I think with their next build they should instead focus on making one a bit more appropriate to the space they have rather than always trying to break another world record... I'm not necessarily saying that's the reason it broke that day, last I heard it was human error(?) but idk it just never really looked 'right' to me, I heard some people say it was super uncomfortable/kept getting bashed about everywhere!!

[GypsyGoth]

I've heard the girl who's leg was amputated speak about that awful accident, it's truly harrowing. I feel that they should dismantle it and build something new.

[T*]

Originally Posted by RichardG

Yeah I heard it was always having issues

Maybe I'm crazy but I feel like "the rollercoaster with the most number of loops" is a title that should go to a bigger ride in a bigger theme park with more land available. I've never seen it in person but on screen at least it always looked pretty small and cramped. Regardless of their decision I think with their next build they should instead focus on making one a bit more appropriate to the space they have rather than always trying to break another world record... I'm not necessarily saying that's the reason it broke that day, last I heard it was human error(?) but idk it just never really looked 'right' to me, I heard some people say it was super uncomfortable/kept getting bashed about everywhere!!

not to mention that they have to build rollercoasters within the height of trees so they have to dig way down to build stuff

[Amy Jade]

I don't think it should have been closed this long really, it was a freak accident like a plane crash.

[Alf]

Alton Towers admits Smiler ride safety breaches

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36111412

[arista]

Originally Posted by LukeB

I think not yet... i do think it should be re-opened as long as it's safe and secure like other rides.

They have admitted they are Guilty

There was a warning
but the Bloke ignored the Screen

The next Warning needs a Loud Alarm
with it. Or Something.

[DemolitionRed]

Human error. That staff member has to live with what he did and his bosses have to live with allowing a staff member override something so fundamentally important.

[arista]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

Human error. That staff member has to live with what he did and his bosses have to live with allowing a staff member override something so fundamentally important.

Yes and Soon a Mega Fine,

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by arista

They have admitted they are Guilty

There was a warning
but the Bloke ignored the Screen

The next Warning needs a Loud Alarm
with it. Or Something.

I said that last year

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes and Soon a Mega Fine,

They have been fully expecting that. At least they haven't tried to wriggle out of things.

[Kizzy]

I think they've been trying to wriggle out of it this past year, fancy being able to manually override a detected error :/

[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.