Smiler shuts after wheel hits someone

[furie]

Don't B&M's get put together in such a way that the footers aren't set until the track is all up?

Or, in other words, would this have happened with a B&M? No. Of course not. Why?

It's a good point. I don't know is the answer. It may be that B&M have a system in place which allows for minute alterations at the footer. It may be that they demand much higher construction tolerances - which is part of their higher cost?

Even if it was the fault of contractors, Gerst signed the ride over to Alton in spite of the issue. It's their fault.

I think we're in to a massive grey area here. When the track didn't fit, do you think Alton wanted to hear "sorry, you need to take down those entire sections, dig up the footers and re-lay then, then reassemble the ride before we'll sign it off. It's May now, you may have your new ride open by July"?

They wanted to hear the answer to the question "what can we do to get this ride open ASAP?"

I have no doubt Gerstlauer advised them, but put in a big proviso saying "this is beyond us and we're not responsible for what happens if you do it".

As for their parts not lasting, I bet that's a direct result of excessive strain the structure and the cars. Whilst these parts do not appear to have anything directly to do with it, I bet every part suffers slightly. It's too grand a coincidence otherwise.

Nah, this is the wheel bearings from the lift hill apparently. That's like blaming the launch on Stealth for the kicker wheel motors failing in the station. Obviously, if it's from the train, that's different, but the lift hill chain mechanism is completely unconnected from the rest of the ride and the stresses.

 

[Smithy]

Would it not be put under more strain than most other (or all?) Gerstlauer's with vertical lifts given it's got a four car train rather than the usual two car train? Or would that part not be under any stress at all

 

[furie]

Again, I don't know. They were guide wheels for keeping the lift chain in the trough though. So maybe they've used Eurofighter bits and you're right, the heavier trains are too much.

It's still unconnected to the rest of the faults of the ride

 

[MouseAT]

They were guide wheels for keeping the lift chain in the trough though. So maybe they've used Eurofighter bits and you're right, the heavier trains are too much.

I was thinking along the same lines. As you say though, the ride seems to be horribly broken in too many ways to count right now.

So yeah, bottom line Gerstlauer have to take some of the blame, mostly due to the fact they actually agreed to build it, but if Alton didn't keep on with this worlds first **** they could of actually built something similar to Karacho, which in my opinion would of been better received by the public and a lot less problematic.

As much as I dislike the ride I had on the Smiler back in September and agree I'd have preferred a much better and more reliable ride than the one we got, The Smiler does seem to have been a massive hit with the general public that have actually had the chance to ride it.

When I've been talking to non-enthusiasts and The Smiler has come up in conversation, pretty much everyone has been surprised by the fact that I wasn't impressed by it, and the taxi driver who brought me back from the Towers after GhosterForce said he was the first person he'd spoken to who didn't like the ride.

It's typical Merlin taking the easily marketable route, but unfortunately it seems to be working for them.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I think we're in to a massive grey area here. When the track didn't fit, do you think Alton wanted to hear "sorry, you need to take down those entire sections, dig up the footers and re-lay then, then reassemble the ride before we'll sign it off. It's May now, you may have your new ride open by July"?

They wanted to hear the answer to the question "what can we do to get this ride open ASAP?"

I have no doubt Gerstlauer advised them, but put in a big proviso saying "this is beyond us and we're not responsible for what happens if you do it".

I'm skeptical, given the ridiculous H&S Merlin abide by.

 

[marc]

Loved the story on Watchdog, the person thought it was 3d effect lol.

Alton Towers they called it Faulty Towers

No mater what people think of Merlin there is no way they would force a company to do something that was not safe. The construction company would have said it was safe to join the track like that. Bolts come off rides a lot, Swarm is meant to have shed a few in its first year.

 

[Darren B]

This may sound like a stupid question, but what are the chances of this coaster being torn down?

Many coasters in the past have been taken down after 1-2 years as they just couldn't shrug off the maintenance nightmares.

I get the fact that we're in 2013 now, but if the Smiler struggles throughout 2014 then what?

 

[Swat]

This won't go anywhere, If Merlin continue with Slammer a discontinued flat that was a tiny percentage of investment compared to this then they will continue to just keep correcting issues until its able to last a few months with no major issues.

 

[Smithy]

They'll sue Gerstlauer and put them out of business.

In all actualities they'll get the problems fixed in the off-season, until new ones present themselves next year. They won't get rid of it though.

Genuine question too, what coasters (I can't imagine there's as many as you suggest) that have been taken down after a few years of service?

 

[Darren B]

This won't go anywhere, If Merlin continue with Slammer a discontinued flat that was a tiny percentage of investment compared to this then they will continue to just keep correcting issues until its able to last a few months with no major issues.

Thorpe don't have a problem with keeping Slammer shut as it wouldn't affect their attendance figures. My guess is only 0.01% of guests go to Thorpe for Slammer, Alton are relying on The Smiler, it's their biggest draw, but it's constantly in the news for the wrong reasons.

If the Smiler has to be partly dismantled and rebuilt wouldn't it be more likely for Merlin to say "take it down, and we'll see you and your contractors in court for our £18,000,000 back!".

Again I'm going way over the top here, but am I not in the slightest bit correct?

 

[marc]

You would have thought after Saw they would have learnt their lesson, but no.

It's just sad when people at work are asking me about it, I've not even been on it yet.

I don't think they will remove it and it could be their own fault the wheels came off.

 

[Darren B]

They'll sue Gerstlauer and put them out of business.

In all actualities they'll get the problems fixed in the off-season, until new ones present themselves next year. They won't get rid of it though.

Genuine question too, what coasters (I can't imagine there's as many as you suggest) that have been taken down after a few years of service?

The Bat and Drachen Fire are a couple of notable coasters that didn't last long, there are others but I can't think off the top my head, ECG will no doubt reel you off a list. There are loads that have been constructed but never opened due to manufacturer and technical failings, Intamin having a few of them. There has never being anything near the scale of The Smiler though.

 

[tks]

Well if you insist on buying rides from the Heron Frozen Foods of the amusement park industry.. Stupid ride. I'm never going to get on it.. :roll:

 

[caffeine_demon]

Genuine question too, what coasters (I can't imagine there's as many as you suggest) that have been taken down after a few years of service?

Vertigo at walibi belgium, and hershey's roller soaker didn't last that long!

 

[marc]

The only one I can think of was at Knotts Berry Farm.

It was a mouse type coaster and they sued the company and it left them bankrupt.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windjammer_Surf_Racers

 

[furie]

I'm skeptical, given the ridiculous H&S Merlin abide by.

If they were that keen, that ride would have shut the first time it shed bolts and split - and it would still be closed now while they rectified the issue.

Between Alton, the constructors and Gerstlauer, the ride has been deemed "safe to open".

We simply don't have enough information as to why the issues have occurred, but I find it very hard to believe Gerstlauer's manufacturing process is so far out of tolerance. It may be their design isn't flexible enough to deal with bad construction (which is appears B&M manage to cope with), but the bad construction isn't their fault.

But it could be. We really just don't know why.

If the Smiler has to be partly dismantled and rebuilt wouldn't it be more likely for Merlin to say "take it down, and we'll see you and your contractors in court for our £18,000,000 back!".

Again I'm going way over the top here, but am I not in the slightest bit correct?

Alton picked the construction company, not Gerstlauer. Gerstlauer supply all the parts and the technology and instructions on how to fit them and operate them. The rest is up to the park. All the land surveys and the like are also done by the park, so if they're wrong, the ride won't work and it's still not Gerstlauer's fault.

So even if they said "take it down and we'll sue the contractors", they'd have no way of reclaiming the money from Gerstlauer. Of course, if it's manufacturing that's caused the problem, Gerstlauer will no doubt supply replacement parts and the cost of replacement. That's probably contracted in somewhere.

You would have thought after Saw they would have learnt their lesson, but no.

This is what has frustrated me from the start with the failed opening. Merlin new Gerstlauer couldn't deliver on Saw - what made them think they could with this?

I don't think they will remove it and it could be their own fault the wheels came off.

Yep, it won't get removed. I do think that this latest wheels thing is probably a Gerstlauer issue though

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

And after all that, it's open once more...

 

[_koppen]

There are loads that have been constructed but never opened due to manufacturer and technical failings, Intamin having a few of them.

Why don't you mention a few of these Intamin's that has never been opened?

 

[Darren B]

There are loads that have been constructed but never opened due to manufacturer and technical failings, Intamin having a few of them.

Why don't you mention a few of these Intamin's that has never been opened?

Half Pipe in Tokyo, Vertigorama in Argentina, both Sarajevo Bobsleds lasted barely a couple of years, The Spacediver at SFMM and Linear Gale in Tokyo lasted just 10 years, And there are loads more listed on RCDB.

Intamin have built some amazing coasters, but have had their fair share of failures too.

 

[marc]

It's open again.