Re: New "world's first" coaster at Alton Towers 2013
Ben said:
I guess, but, surely you're just backing me up in the idea that it's probably not something to get too excited over?
Yup.
Though, I've just been over at Towers Times, and they seem to be theorising that what was SW7 has been put on hold and that this is a different project to what we've been hearing rumours of (the Air carpark/valley/Flume coaster). Like, as if this is actually SW8, and SW7 has been put on hold.
I actually think that's pretty plausible, but also no different to how things go every time any park plans a new ride, especially in the case of Alton where it is so difficult to find the perfect thing. They will come up with tonnes of ideas, and many of them will be revisited several times. Thats why we always hear repeating rumours. Rumours are just that, but there is rarely smoke without fire. The problem is we hear them so delayed after they dwindle down through park management to on sight staff, many of which are enthusiasts, by which time the project direction has taken new direction.
But, I think interpreting that image as a vertical launch is a strange thing to do anyway. At the time, people mostly read it as being a backwards drop, and the only reason then to suspect vertical launch was the fact they are using a picture of Wicked. In reality, Wicked was probably only used because it was easy to cut out or the expressions of riders were preferable, or the angle of the car was perfect, or it just happened to be the first thing whoever put the image together came across. The fact that the riders are facing this way, even, could be irrelevant to whatever they were trying to convey.
Someone on Towers Times posted the throughputs for Fahrenheit, Maverick and Saw. Strangely, Saw wins... However, Saw is far shorter with more block sections than SW7 seems to. Someone else responded to me pointing out that Takawhatever in Japan is about the same length as SW7... And looking at it, it lacks block brakes. So, I wonder what it's throughput is like? Does anyone know? Because if it's still good, then my Intamin theory is bust.
Someone else also pointed out that the £20 mill is a project budget. Still, how much does research and development really cost?