Alton Towers Secret Weapon 7 (SW7)

[UK-Trigg]

Staff are on site today attempting to clear snow. We should know by the end of the day if it will open or not.

The pressing thing is further delays to The Smiler. It's already providing rather a rush to get it ready for May. If this weather keeps up we will have another delay!

Alton Towers have just announced that they are to re-open tomorrow from 10am.

http://www.altontowers.com/weather-updates/

 

[UK-Trigg]

Construction continues in the snow...

Photos from Lee, Alton Towers Guide facebook account.

 

[UK-Trigg]

Been on park for a couple of hours this afternoon. Constuction stopped for the weather for 2 days, they manages to get up and running again yesterday. 2 pieces of track went in whilst I was there.


Smiler update....Go

X Sector

New track pieces since my last visit

Air time hill track

Fixing track into place

Up Close and personal, Smile. Always.

New air time hills to the left of this pic

Another angle showing air time hill with trims

Inside the station

Station walls going in

Ground works continue at the top end of the site

I had a good scout round the car park and could not see any lift hill. Maybe the rumours of them being ready off site are correct?

Few geek shots

Smiler update....Stop

Please give credit and link back to http://forum.towerstimes.co.uk/the-smiler/secret-weapon-7-construction/msg716002/#new if replicated

 

[Felipe]

Thanks for the update, Roodles! I loved the "go" and "stop"

This is gonna be crazy! Inversion after inversion after inversion after inversion after inversion.... :died:

 

[Hockeyman55]

Awesome update Roodles.

Whats the back story with the ride height issue over there?

 

[UK-Trigg]

They cannot build above tree height and rides should not be visible from outside of the park.

To do with keeping the locals happy, and not blighting the countryside.

Although this is a pain in the backside it has resulted in some fantastic rides as they have to think out side of the box.

example....Oblivion was the worlds first dive coaster and has a drop of 196ft even though the lift hill is only 60ft, the rest goes underground, or into oblivion. The ride cost £12m back in 1998 (She just had her 15th birthday) a huge chunk of this would have been excavation.

Another example is Nemesis, rockwork were blasted out and she is built into the pit these rocks left behind this makes it the intense ride that it is.

Back on topic, The Smiler has also had massive excavation to bring it in line with the height conditions, the cobra roll and batwing sit in a huge pit. You can see the pit in th epic below.

Site line plans

Super imposed plans

All plans can be found here

http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?keyval=LWI1WJPG0D700&searchtype=PROPERTY&module=P3

Latest aerial shot showing the whole of Xsector.

Aerial from https://www.facebook.com/TatenhillAviationLtd

 

[Hockeyman55]

That situation totally makes these rides unique and really some of the most interesting anywhere for that matter. Good to see they have taken this restriction and turned into one of their advantages.
I really want to see what is behind that blue box that is blocking something

How far is the park from London?

 

[UK-Trigg]

Their are aerial shots in this thread without the bluebox Hockey, it doesn't really hide anything.

I believe it to have been a red herring, leading us up the garden path if you like. It worked because no one guessed we were going to get this awesome coaster.

Alton Towrs is right in the heart of England approx 2 hours 48 mins from London

I live in Derby, you can see it on the map SE of Alton Towers, 30mins drive away. Are you planning on a trip Mike?

 

[Hockeyman55]

Their are aerial shots in this thread without the bluebox Hockey, it doesn't really hide anything.

I believe it to have been a red herring, leading us up the garden path if you like. It worked because no one guessed we were going to get this awesome coaster.

Alton Towrs is right in the heart of England approx 2 hours 48 mins from London

I live in Derby, you can see it on the map SE of Alton Towers, 30mins drive away. Are you planning on a trip Mike?

I eventually want to make it over there but not sure when. Probably years away, our next big trips will be to Disneyland and a Disney cruise hopefully in the next couple years.

I was just checking out Derby on Google street view and looks like a nice little town

 

[Hockeyman55]

 

[UK-Trigg]

Trains arrive onsite.

After months of talk regarding the Smilers trains all the rumours and speculation can be put to rst as the trains have been delivered to Alton Towers.

Alton Towers have been posting the pic via Twitter.

Ready for unwrapping

Teaser shot

OTSR are confirmed. I for one am gutted and hope these dont give a head banging experience similer to Saw the ride.

And the big reveal........

Very yellow, I think they will contrast well against the black track. Not sure if I like them or not.

Intersting optical illusion on the back of the seats

Edit.

Just noticed Mike has already posted. So I guess it was not so much of a big reveal :rofl:

 

[Hatetofly]

Three things

1. Awesome update Roodles!
2. Alton are the masters of sight lines regardless of restrictions
3. Are they trying to make people vomit with that art work on top of the layout of this thing?!!?

 

[UK-Trigg]

Three things

1. Awesome update Roodles!
2. Alton are the masters of sight lines regardless of restrictions
3. Are they trying to make people vomit with that art work on top of the layout of this thing?!!?

That optical illusions art work plus a mimimum 14 inversions could indeed be asking for trouble:ack:. Maybe they will have paper bagsin the hold :rofl:

- - - Updated - - -

Latest construction update.

Spent the day on site today, got a good ride count but an even better construction photo count, below are just a few of the 146 I took today.

As already reported the first leg of the marmaliser went in today, below is the story of how it was installed.

Plans for fixing the legs in place.

And a bit closer

Starting the lift

Marmaliser LED screens

Marmaliser in place

Fixing into place

Leg on the move

Putting into position

Marmaliser leg bracket

begining the lift of the second part of the leg

Side view

Fixing to the body

Waiting to fit onto the first section

Fixing the leg into position

Marmaliser body and first leg in place

Footer for next leg and possible themeing part?

No track was installed today but it is installed all the way upto the top end of site (except for the near side airtime hill) as the marmaliser was in the way, unti today. Ground works were in full force with diggers shifting tonnes of earth, footers being placed and concrete was being poured.

Track all the way up to the top end of site

Concrete was being pumped onsite for most of the day

Nearly ready for the lift hill

Other random construction pics

Mainatenance shed and station in the background

More of the walls are complete and marmailser parts in the foreground

Close up of the walls

I counted 20ish track pieces in the car park, only 3 of those were straight pieces and I presumed these to be maintenance building track. There is still no sign of any lift hills.

 

[THORPID]

Great update Roodles!

Question: With regards to the lift hill, is it going to be a standard chain lift? Or is it launched? Also when do you think they will install it?

:thumbs:

 

[bobwadd]

^ Great update. Thanks :thumbs:

 

[Hockeyman55]

What is a marmailser?

 

[UK-Trigg]

The marmaliser is the theming element that the ride is centered around. Read the link be;low for a brief description

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2286085/Alton-Towers-The-Smiler-Psychologists-set-unveil-terrifying-roller-coaster-ever.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Marmaliser plans.

Marmaliser art work

 

[Hockeyman55]

Wow that sis pretty cool. Lights up and everything id imagine?

 

[UK-Trigg]

You should try the Smiler App Mike, shows the ride off quite well :thumbs:

http://www.the-smiler.com/the-game/

 

[UK-Trigg]

I was hoping for a launch but I believe we are looking at 2 chain lifts one of which will be vertical. There are still no lift hill parts on site which leads me to believe thet will turn up prefabricated. If this is true they wont take long at all, also with trains onsite they will be looking wrapping up the track asap. Rumour was track to be finished by month end but snow seems to have held them up yet again.

Once the last few footers are in and the ground works complete it shouldn't take long at all.