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32 hurt in Big Dipper Crash

Going slightly off topic quickly, but I have always heard that PMBO was running 3 trains when it crashed, so how come some people now saying it was only running 2?
 
It was running 3 when the PMBO crashed so I read. One was in the station, one was on the brakes waiting to go in the station and the other one was not stopped at the MCBR as it was off.

Thats looking back through the stuff on the net though.
 
^I read somewhere that it was the media that claimed the ride to be running three trains to make the story more sensational. I'm sure someone will be able to confirm that cool)

Sure are a lot of questions about how this crash managed to happen. I'm assuming the second empty train was being sent around with the intention of taking it off the track, as it did occur later in the day. Usually when they take a train off they send an empty one around leave it on the second lift and then take the one behind it off when it has been emptied. Perhaps that's what was happening, although it doesn't explain why the train which would have been left on the lift carried on. It would explain though why a train might have been sent before or just after the buzzer had gone if they were planning to stop it on the chain?

Probably a load of rubbish but a theory at least. What I don't get is how the first train even managed to get stuck. Is there any information on whether it was due to the track of train?

Looking at some other people's posts that compared to other rides on the Pleasure Beach I began thinking about the Wild Mouse. Does that have block sections? There's sometimes even 5 cars going around on that but I can only think of one brake after the chain before the final brake run and I'm pretty sure that's just a trim. Anyone have any knowledge of this?
 
Yeah there are block sections on the Wild Mouse. There's one after the lift, one on the zigzag section, and I think one more before the 2 drops, then one before the S bend, I think.
 
Martyn B said:
Going slightly off topic quickly, but I have always heard that PMBO was running 3 trains when it crashed, so how come some people now saying it was only running 2?
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PMBO's first crash, was when it was running two trains.

It was running on three trains during the second crash, but thats nothing to do with the reason why it doesnt run three trains anymore.

Rollercoaster is now open as a permanent attraction until further notice.

Big Dipper is now having work done to it and is expected to open on one train in the next few weeks, HSE have carried out checks and handed it back to PBB.
 
Update

Family to sue over Big Dipper crash

A DAD whose two sons were injured when Blackpool's Big Dipper ride crashed plans to sue for compensation.

Blackley shopkeeper Zahid Hafez, 45, watched in horror from the ground with his wife as two cars on the historic rollercoaster collided last month, leaving riders trapped 20ft above the ground.

The couple's two young sons - Zain, 13, and Sohaib, 12 - were in the second car - causing Mr Shafeez's wife, Selha, to faint with worry.

Both boys suffered bruising to their knees in the crash. They were taken to hospital after being rescued by specialist firefighters. After being checked over, they were given painkillers and discharged.

Zahid says he has not been contacted by The Pleasure Beach resort owners since the accident which left 21 people with a range of injuries, including to their backs, legs and necks.

He said when he phoned the company he got no satisfactory response to his complaint.

Zahid said: "We're considering legal action because we have not been contacted by anyone.

"It was terrible to be on the ground watching it happen and the rescue.

"I was so worried for my sons and my wife, who fainted.

"Fortunately they were not too badly injured, but they are young children and this should not have happened.

"I expected someone from The Pleasure Beach to contact us, but it has not happened so far."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1134755_family_to_sue_over_big_dipper_crash
 
Yeah a link to that was posted above.

Good to hear it could open in a few weeks, I wasn't expecting it to open untill next year.
 
Martyn B said:
PMBO's first crash, was when it was running two trains.
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So which crash is that, I'm on about the 'main' crash that everyone knows about?
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Sorry for slow reply.

The main crash, was the first crash, when they only had two trains on the system.

For further Big Dipper updates, keep checking our forum;

http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/viewt ... m=bickopbb

The station is having alot of work done to it, including new CCTV being introduced to make sure a similar incident doesnt happen again. The trains are going to have new livery and the place of the accident is now being re-tracked.
 
Have they said what caused it yet? what are they doing to make sure it does not happen again?

Putting in camera's to the station and painting the trains is not going to stop a crash again. Or do you mean the camera's are being installed around the track?

Plus I did not know that by putting in air gates at the station can stop trains crashing on the track, must be a new thing. :wink:
 
Camera's as in CCTV, so it wont happen again, because at all times the operator will know where the train is.

Big Dipper is not getting airgates.
 
^ It was obviously something to do with the track I'd guess. Something must have happened to it to make the train grind to a hault.
 
Camera's as in CCTV, so it wont happen again, because at all times the operator will know where the train is.
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Thats if they are paying attention at all times and not distracted by anything. I'd prefer an automatic system which doesn't rely on the operator having to stop the train.
 
Emmett said:
Camera's as in CCTV, so it wont happen again, because at all times the operator will know where the train is.
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Thats if they are paying attention at all times and not distracted by anything. I'd prefer an automatic system which doesn't rely on the operator having to stop the train.
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My thoughts exactly. We've had one accident already because of a failure in the existing manual system, and I'd be extremely surprised and concerned if Big Dipper is permitted to re-open without an automated blocking system. Health and safety should be having a field day over this.
 
Just to echo that.

When running two trains. One in the station, one on the lift hill. You know where both trains are - it's not rocket science. The operators (either on their own or under orders) were running Big Dipper in an unsafe fashion. CCTV will only help if the ops care to check it out. They didn't care to check out if the first train had returned, so why will they check CCTV?

the first question that has to be answered is "was the first train already stuck before the second train was released off the lift hill?" If it wasn't, no CCTV in the world is going to solve the problem.

One train hits the offload section, the other train goes. While that train is going, the offloaded train is loaded and waits for the first train to return.

Your waiting time is all on the people offloading and loading - that can never be speeded up. Whether one train is halfway round the track as the other is released or not - the time taken is identical. By running two trains on the track, you speed up nothing but increase risk.

One train offloading, one train released onto the lift hill - it's the only way to run two train operations. CCTV will not fix the problem of ops rushing.
 
Just so you know, a automatic shut off system is being installed, which will cut power to the lift if the train isn't back within a certain time, thus preventing a repeate.

The ride will remain manually operated, which can only be a good thing, we dont want another Grand National and niether do PBB.

During normal 2 train operation the 2nd train is usually on the 1st lift or just off it, heading for the main lift, so if the first hasn't cleared the brake run, the 2nd lift with stop the 2nd train.

I dont know about the rest of you, but that to me seems the best option all round, as capacity of the ride shouldnt be affected (unlike the nash)

The station does look a lot better, I still dont know for sure if they'll re-open it this year once the tracks ready or if they intend to wait until everything is 100% complete and repainted , in which case it will be next year with the RollerCoaster remaining open this year.

Ash
 
The ride will remain manually operated, which can only be a good thing, we dont want another Grand National and niether do PBB
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Too damn right, Nash's loading times have been destroyed with them new brakes.

I personally think it would be safe enough to release train one from the station, when you see train 2 entering the final stretch.
 
furie said:
One train hits the offload section, the other train goes. While that train is going, the offloaded train is loaded and waits for the first train to return.
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Or alternatively, some sort of signal when a train is within say 30-40 seconds of the final brake run, and a system to prevent a train leaving the top of the lift hill (or engaging on the second part of the lift hill) if the other train hasn't reached the off-load in time.

That way, you'd gain 30 seconds or so each time by being able to dispatch a train shortly before the other one gets back, but you can guarantee that there are never two trains on the main section at once. You've got a fair time between dispatching a train and it going down the first drop, and it would be a shame to slow down dispatch times excessively by waiting for trains to reach the off-load platform every single time.
 
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