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Windseeker for PBB?

This was after that got announced, they were talking to them about Blue Fire, when they purchased that said ride. I doubt they'd ever get one, but, a coaster like BF would be fantastic and could REALLY make the park much more bearable for a day out.
 
Lofty said:
Robbie said:
Now that the Tower is being properly revamped and (presumably) attracting more visitors, surely that's the "really tall thing in Blackpool" angle covered? Be mad to build an inferior high attraction further along the prom (especially as even the Tower gets closed in high winds).
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Not necessarily (basing this comment on it being a 'stupid idea to build an inferior high attraction'), a Windseeker is FAR different to the Tower, they actually don't compare whatsoever, apart from it being tall, that's it, but then you could ask say about the Big One...
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Yeah I phrased that poorly... I realise that it's a different sort of attraction, but I think Blackpool Council have spent a lot of time and money trying to declutter the prom and would prefer a new attraction to be "distinctive" rather than "tall" but, I dunno, it could work.
 
Ian said:
We can rule out a coaster though, yeah?
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For the time being yeah, but there is something in the pipeline and the closure of the Swamp Buggies is phase one of that project so we've been told on PB Experience, the plan is to eventually take down the bridge from Dipper to PMBO and finally put that space to good use in between Avalanche and Dipper.

This could happen in the next few years, or they may go with other ideas, but something is planned for that area and it isn't fountains.

As for the Wind Seeker, it's a rumour that won't go away. I don't like the idea of it if I am totally honest, it'd be like a glorified version of the Flying Machines IMO.
 
Scott88 said:
As for the Wind Seeker, it's a rumour that won't go away. I don't like the idea of it if I am totally honest, it'd be like a glorified version of the Flying Machines IMO.
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Agreed. Is there a specific loaction that the Windseeker is rumoured for? Either way it seems like a waste and also a gamble if wind could be problematic.
 
It's not a case of IF the wind is going to be problematic, it WILL be a problem, it's a fact. The Blackpool Tower Itself shuts down a lot due to wind, never mind glorified swings...
 
I'm not saying any of them will run when its blowing a gale, but PMBO and Ice blast have never been shut when i've been at the park so I don't see why a windseeker couldn't operate for the majority of the season.
Also different manufacturers will have different operating guidance so you may find that a Windseeker might be able to operate in worse conditions than a Starflyer for instance, something that the park would bear in mind to minimize downtime.
 
I would imagine that a Windseeker type of ride is a lot more 'top heavy' when in operation than the likes of Ice Blast.
 
Plus, PMBO and Ice Blast do actually shut a lot. Just because they've not done it when you're there doesn't mean they don't do it at all. I've seen them shut a LOT of the time during high winds. Not so much Ice Blast, but certainly PMBO does.

Also, the thing with Windseeker's is that they're essentially "free" cars that spin around and CAN swing very close to one another, there's videos of them doing it, I'll have to dig it out. They actually had to put a special mechanism on the Kings Island (?) one that stopped it doing this, but all as it does is minimise the swaying effect. I don't know the strength of the wind at the parks where the previous Windseeker's are (bar Cedar Point), but Blackpool's can get VERY strong indeed.
 
I didn't think the actual Windseekers rides were free swinging at all.... they dont look it anyway. Starflyers yeah, obviously.
 
If they are actually getting this type of attraction, it would be better for them to get the Star Flyer one. They can take wind speeds of over 20 m/s, the Windseeker has a limit of 15 m/s if I remember correctly.
 
PMBO closes (and it does quite regularly) at 50mph (22 meters per second).

So yeah, a Windseeker ride really doesn't seem to be a good idea. Though, if it was a vision in a chip fryer, it's got some credence ;)
 
Lofty, it was Knotts Berry Zfarms version that has the dampeners added to it. Havent heard if they helped or anything.

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Martyn B said:
I didn't think the actual Windseekers rides were free swinging at all.... they dont look it anyway. Starflyers yeah, obviously.
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They're not as "Free Swinging" as the other types, but they are sill able to move backwards and forwards (closeting in on each other) as well as moving outwards.

Intricks said:
Lofty, it was Knotts Berry Zfarms version that has the dampeners added to it. Havent heard if they helped or anything.

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Thanks Intricks, I knew it was one of them that were tampered with to eradicate the problem. Thanks :D
 
No problem! Bob will be there tomorrow so I can always annoy him to do some watching and tell me how they helped or not :3

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Intricks said:
Lofty, it was Knotts Berry Zfarms version that has the dampeners added to it. Havent heard if they helped or anything.

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I'm pretty sure all the Windseeker's got those installed afterwards.
 
Yeah, so, "Official explanations suggested that the hydraulic dampers could fail under high winds: apparently, high winds and the imbalance arising when some swings are full and others not could cause the swings to collide." Suggests why BPB would not be the ideal place to add such a ride...
 
I'm not saying any of them will run when its blowing a gale, but PMBO and Ice blast have never been shut when i've been at the park so I don't see why a windseeker couldn't operate for the majority of the season.
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PMBO closing in the wind depends very much on the direction of the wind, for example a North Westerly wind is usually the one that can cause it to be shut for the day, but it does very much depend on the direction of the wind, the actual wind speed and how frequent the gusts of wind are and obviously how strong they are too.

Someone said on the previous page PMBO shuts a lot, it doesn't shut a lot, it only shuts when it really has to due to the reasons I have stated above. It has hardly been closed this season due to all three of the trains having new wheel compounds which have resulted in a much quicker and better performance from PMBO overall, some of the people I get on with who didn't used to rate it highly at all are now rating it as one of their favourite coasters.

Onto the topic subject, I have heard a few rumours that do suggest the Windseeker talk will sadly turn out to be true.
 
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