Roller Coaster crash at Alton Towers

[flittle]

Four seriously injured in Alton Towers crash - BBC News

 

[Jon84]

Apparently it was restarting, but the empty carriage didn't move on and the guests crashed into the back of it.

They'll be lucky to get it open for school holidays now

 

[Brian G.]

Oooof. Hopefully the 4's injuries aren't life threatening.

Looking at the track record of the Smiler, may be time to shut it down for good.

 

[ynnoj]

This coaster has a worse track record than HRRR.

 

[shiekra38]

This coaster seems to have had issues since day one

 

[UK-Trigg]

Yep, terrible news. 12 minor injuries and another 4, all teens, with serious leg injuries. Emergency services had to build a temporary platform to rescue the 16 riders involved and air ambulance were on park to take the injured to hospital.

Seems to be a brake block failure but that is pure speculation on my part, an investigation will eventually tell us what the cause was, for now though thoughts go out to the injured and their families.

Was looking for my construction thread but seems to be lost, oh well.

 

[Jon84]

The accident is on the bat wing between inversions 5 and 6. I don't think there is a break run between the start of the ride and there. A very sad situation. I've read someone has lost a leg. The park can wave goodbye to much profit this summer

 

[flittle]

Video of the aftermath, took me a second to realize its TWO trains stuck together, not one

 

[ynnoj]

Video of the aftermath, took me a second to realize its TWO trains stuck together, not one

Those kind of screams should never be heard in any theme park. Terrifying.

 

[Alex23]

Since it's my local theme park and I'm a member of an Alton Towers forum I have been following it closely.

The first train was sent around empty as a test train, there were high winds which probably had a factor in the train stalling, the second train which was full was dispatched and stopped at the top of the 1st lift hill due to the block section. After around 10 mins the train was somehow released from the lift hill and crashed into the stationary train.

Out of the four with serious injuries one has been released from hospital this morning but it appears that one of the injured may have to had a leg amputated (this has not been confirmed but reported in the sensationalist papers). If true this is awful news because technically it should be impossible for two train to be on the same section of track which is what the CEO of Merlin Entertainments was saying last night, he also mentioned that Alton Towers will be shut pending the investigation into the accident.

 

[OLSinFLA]

Rumor (And it just that but makes sense) is it was still in maitenence mode due to downtime, and so they could have overrideen the block sensor

 

[anihilnation]

Rumor (And it just that but makes sense) is it was still in maitenence mode due to downtime, and so they could have overrideen the block sensor

Read that on screamscape as well, that would be my personal guess as well. I mean, in regular operational mode, an accident like this should be impossible. Seems like a poorly designed coaster as well.

 

[shiekra38]

Why a coaster would be dispatched, in a maintenance mode, with people, is the thing that makes no sense to me..

 

[UK-Trigg]

Why a coaster would be dispatched, in a maintenance mode, with people, is the thing that makes no sense to me..

Why was a loaded train dispatched before a test vehicle had completed a full circuit?
Why did the test train stall in the bat wing? this had happened in the same spot three times before and should have been addressed.
How was a train able to enter the same section of track occupied by another train?
What happened to the brake block? how could the train carry on?
Sensors, brakes, system or human failure?

Lots of questions which all need answering and will in good time.

In the mean time the park is to remain closed for a second day whilst H&S continue investigations.

Thoughts still go out to the three that remain in hospital with what are being reported as life changing injuries, so very very sad.

 

[anihilnation]

Why was a loaded train dispatched before a test vehicle had completed a full circuit?

Yes, this has puzzled me as well, even when the ride is put in normal mode again, you do not dispatch a loaded train until the test train has successfully complete the course.

 

[UK-Trigg]

Our old friend Bob got in touch asking if I would write an article on the Smiler for Pixels. Not much of a writer but gave it a shot non the less.

For anyone interested you can read it here.

Briman, not sure on the rules for posting links so please remove if I am out of line :thumbsup:

 

[shiekra38]

^ Good article...I still think that there is something fishy about all of this

 

[UK-Trigg]

^ Good article...I still think that there is something fishy about all of this

Thanks buddy :thumbsup:

I'm leaning towards human error, but that's just my opinion and by no means based on any facts, too early to speculate really but the next few weeks will be interesting.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Our old friend Bob got in touch asking if I would write an article on the Smiler for Pixels. Not much of a writer but gave it a shot non the less.

For anyone interested you can read it here.

Briman, not sure on the rules for posting links so please remove if I am out of line :thumbsup:

Maybe it is time for a new signature

 

[UK-Trigg]

Maybe it is time for a new signature

Yes indeed, was going to change when I changed my name but figured Id wait a while so people could still recognise me.