Alton Towers | Wicker Man | GCI Wood

[Matt N]

Why are they still mentioning Smiler? I can see the news outlets promoting Alton Towers' new ride in 20 years' time, and saying "this ride comes just 23 years after the horrific crash that injured 4 people on The Smiler." The accident was horrific and my thoughts go out to all involved, but it was nearly 3 years ago now.

 

[SilverArrow]

Not that this affects the ride quality at all but the staff uniforms are a bit weird. I feel like they've just tacked on the logo to some random clothes. I suppose it's a bit of a weird theme to find outfits for, at least they look relatively practical I suppose.
http://instagr.am/p/BgEY-vmAGSx/ If you click on it you can see the backview as well.
(source: towerstimes instagram)

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Because the media can't be assed to write original content

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

 

[CrashCoaster]

Here is a queue-line walk through, and off-ride video of Wicker Man by Theme Park Worldwide. Don't worry, you don't see Shawn's face in the video, and he doesn't speak to much.

The lift hill actually does feature a magnetic system, even though it has AR teeth. At 5:08, the train begins to ascend the lift hill, but you can hear nothing but the actual chain itself running through the gears. It uses a system similar to what Vekoma has been using recently. At 6:00, you can see there is a metal rail running just to the left of the chain, that runs all the way up the lift. I think this creates a magnetic field that keeps the chain dogs lifted while the trains move up the lift hill. My theory might be wrong, but I strongly believe it is the case.

 

[Smithy]

Eh, it does look like it might be a bit of a dull ride, but all the feedback I've seen so far is positive.

**** me though, it may be the most aesthetically pleasing ride in the country. That entire area at night, with that soundtrack too, is going to be something else.






For the two nights a year you can ever actually witness it.

 

[Robbie]

I'm still not keen on the white footers, but the rest of the theming looks good and should look even better once the trees grow

 

[Dar]

The lift hill actually does feature a magnetic system, even though it has AR teeth. At 5:08, the train begins to ascend the lift hill, but you can hear nothing but the actual chain itself running through the gears. It uses a system similar to what Vekoma has been using recently. At 6:00, you can see there is a metal rail running just to the left of the chain, that runs all the way up the lift. I think this creates a magnetic field that keeps the chain dogs lifted while the trains move up the lift hill. My theory might be wrong, but I strongly believe it is the case.

Vekoma uses a onboard dynamo to power their electromagnets, so power when it moves and none when stationary.

I think those rails on the left are just conduits/wires for sensors and power up the lift, because they're on Wodan

Joris

Invadr

I'm intrigued now, because they're not on Heidi the Ride

Are they only necessary on taller models? Are they strictly necessary or just optional? What do they do? Find out all this, and more, next time on "Pointlessly spending ages on RCDB for no good reason", live on CF.

 

[CrashCoaster]

Vekoma uses a onboard dynamo to power their electromagnets, so power when it moves and none when stationary.

I think those rails on the left are just conduits/wires for sensors and power up the lift, because they're on Wodan

Joris

Invadr

I'm intrigued now, because they're not on Heidi the Ride

Are they only necessary on taller models? Are they strictly necessary or just optional? What do they do? Find out all this, and more, next time on "Pointlessly spending ages on RCDB for no good reason", live on CF.

Well then that makes me wonder if those yellow things have something to do with it. Or are they just sensors on a yellow bracket?

 

[Pear]

The ride is very good looking and they really did pull of the theme very well.

 

[CSLKennyNI]

ITV news' report on it. #WhatAboutTheLogFlume

PBE's off ride video.

Must say I'm pleasantly surprised, and for the first time ever actually excited to see it and ride it. The theming seems to be very well done. Just hope they maintain it well and keep the effects running.

 

[Crazycoaster]

I’m overwhelmed by the amount of brown. There’s a whole lot of brown in that queueline. The statue does look good, but the rest looks really bland.

It’s a shame Merlin don’t think ahead and plant more fully grown trees and shrubs, as what they’ve planted is gunna take a good few years before it starts looking decent.

 

[Matt N]

I just found out something rather interesting... according to a member on TowersTimes, the ride is the second GCI after Wodan to not contain seatbelts. This should really aid throughputs, and as the attraction can run 3 trains at one time, I think it will be quite the people-eater! I'm going to guess that the ride's theoretical throughput will be at least 1200pph, which is the same as Thirteen's

 

[CrashCoaster]

^What about InvadR? That doesn't have seatbelts... And Th13teen's throughput is 1,100pph.

 

[Dar]

Well then that makes me wonder if those yellow things have something to do with it. Or are they just sensors on a yellow bracket?

Yep, sensor arrays; from the PBE off-ride vid [1:35]

 

[Matt N]

^What about InvadR? That doesn't have seatbelts... And Th13teen's throughput is 1,100pph.

Ah right OK. Someone else told me that Wodan was the only one, but obviously not. And with regards to Thirteen... that's a good thing, because this should eat queues even quicker than Thirteen does!

 

[chrisgeorgiou46]

We have been spoiled! Last week there was nothing (thanks snow) and now all of this! I LOVE that trail of smoke that follows the shape of the train as it rushes out of the sound tunnel.

All I need is a POV! Please Gawd

 

[Pear]

The three trains seems like a bit of a waste really as they cannot dispatch until a train is on the brakes. Hopefully they did something in the transfer building to make the waiting less boring.

 

[CrashCoaster]

They can dispatch one after one has cleared the lift hill, since the lift technically is a block. Are there any brakes in the tunnel just after the station?

 

[melchi]

There can't be any block brakes in the tunnel because the lift chain doesn't begin at the bottom of the hill, the train needs the momentum gained in the tunnel to make it up the lift hill.

 

[oriolat2]

As far as I have seen in offride videos, the lift hill speed is low enough for the previous train to clear the brakerun before the following train crests the hill. That's how Wodan and Mystic Timber work anyway, and they don't feature MCBR either.