The Smiler - General Discussion

[bbooth2]

180 min on ridetimes

180min seems to be the "Maximum" value of the displays on the website, since it never seems to go above that.
For those who've been on the Smiler already, is it actually exaggerated or under-estimated? (Or maybe accurate?)

on the opening day they told us at the entrance it was about an hour and a half queue, we were in there for little over 2 and a half hours...

then again that was opening day so the staff had no idea how long it would take haha

[Phild94]

Ouch!

3 hours is a hell of a long time to stand in the sun!

WHAT SUN XD it's cloudy all day today

[MatthewR1990]

Well so far this has been the worst trip of my lifeZ other than the smiler I have not managed to get on anything else. Ridiculous queu times. Turns out its East Midlands school holidays. It's horrid. On a side note. The smiler really is phenomenal. Best ride in the country and it would take a LOT to top it.

[daboywunda]

I've seen the queue boards listing The Smiler at 240 minutes. I've also seen them list Th13teen at 320 minutes previously too. Not sure about ridetimes.co.uk though.

The trains were running no problems on Saturday.. On 4 trains with the 5th one still wrapped up in the shed. There was a noticeable noise coming from just one train (that when you count it seemed to be every 4th train... suggesting that it was consistently the same train). It was a squeal not like the other squeals the other trains were making and seemed to be worse going through the final twists and the batwing. But didn't have any problems..

[Instant Mix]

A heavier train will take longer to stop due to conservation of momentum.( however it will still have the same vertical speed). The lighter the train, the quicker it loses energy when travelling the circuit, meaning it will not go as high ( as less kinetic > potential ) than if it was a heavier train. They will both have a maximum height however.

That's why it's valleying. It's cold, meaning more friction, and there's no dummies on the car, reducing the weight and momentum.

Thank you, Mike see this bit "That's why it's valleying. It's cold, meaning more friction, and there's no dummies on the car, reducing the weight and momentum"

That's not why it is valleying at all.

The points above effect EVERY rollercoaster in the world - its natural physics.

The reason the train valleyed yesterday is because it had a bad wheel which has already been documented by people on this thread.

We also saw said train being removed via van without its front wheel.

I really do not understand what more can be said to prove that this was simply a train issue and nothing more.

Had it been anymore then the ride would not pass H&S and would NOT be open.

If it was a bad wheel it'd be really obvious. It wouldn't valley, it would screech and make dents in the track and probably stop moving after a few metres.

[mikecloud1984]

Ouch!

3 hours is a hell of a long time to stand in the sun!

WHAT SUN XD it's cloudy all day today

Sorry - 22 degress and not a cloud in the sye down here on the Costa Del Portsmouth.

[halso86]

Is there still a school holiday? Seems really busy for just a Wednesday?

[JamieH93]

Well so far this has been the worst trip of my lifeZ other than the smiler I have not managed to get on anything else. Ridiculous queu times. Turns out its East Midlands school holidays. It's horrid. On a side note. The smiler really is phenomenal. Best ride in the country and it would take a LOT to top it.

Thougt they were all off achool last week :/

[mikecloud1984]

Thank you, Mike see this bit "That's why it's valleying. It's cold, meaning more friction, and there's no dummies on the car, reducing the weight and momentum"

That's not why it is valleying at all.

The points above effect EVERY rollercoaster in the world - its natural physics.

The reason the train valleyed yesterday is because it had a bad wheel which has already been documented by people on this thread.

We also saw said train being removed via van without its front wheel.

I really do not understand what more can be said to prove that this was simply a train issue and nothing more.

Had it been anymore then the ride would not pass H&S and would NOT be open.

If it was a bad wheel it'd be really obvious. It wouldn't valley, it would screech and make dents in the track and probably stop moving after a few metres.

It would screech - which has just been documented by an eye witness.

Who is to say the fault with the wheel wasn't developed on the lift hill? the first opportunity the train would have (running on three wheels) to stall would be the batwing.

It would not "dent" the track either due to there still being the majority of wheel in contact with the track.

This point really is mute now - it was a train issue - this has been confirmed by eye witnesses throughout the last few pages of this thread.

[BHXDMT]

Pretty sure there are very few, if any, school holidays this week! Majority were last week, or at best the week before. None that I can see on holiday this week!

I'm heading down to AT this afternoon to go on The Smiler again with family, so hoping the queue dies down a bit by the time we arrive! Oh, and that it doesn't break in that time too!

[Renoh]

Love how everyone fights over the "it's the train - no it's the track BS". Surely you all have qualifications in rollercoaster engineering.

Exactly! My point is that it could be anything because none of us are rollercoaster engineers.

I can only assume that you are a very pessemistic person in real life.

When all evidence points to one thing (the train), then chances are thats the answer.

Saying "it could be something else" does not help a discussion without actually telling us what "something else" is.

I am assuming you didn't mean there are goblins living in the track at the batwing element?

"All evidence"? Have you got all the facts? I'll answer that. You don't.

What you actually mean is all the information you have available has led you to make an assumption.

[RCD27]

Pretty sure there are very few, if any, school holidays this week! Majority were last week, or at best the week before. None that I can see on holiday this week!

I'm heading down to AT this afternoon to go on The Smiler again with family, so hoping the queue dies down a bit by the time we arrive! Oh, and that it doesn't break in that time too!

Although slightly off topic. I had a quick google and a few schools don't go back until next Monday, one near my house is still off.

[BHXDMT]

Pretty sure there are very few, if any, school holidays this week! Majority were last week, or at best the week before. None that I can see on holiday this week!

I'm heading down to AT this afternoon to go on The Smiler again with family, so hoping the queue dies down a bit by the time we arrive! Oh, and that it doesn't break in that time too!

Although slightly off topic. I had a quick google and a few schools don't go back until next Monday, one near my house is still off.

Fair enough! I only checked E Mids as that is the area that had been mentioned, and my Mum works Staffs/E Mids so I knew they weren't likely to be off. Some schools do take different holidays though so there's bound to be some.

In better news - 100 minutes on ridetimes.co.uk now!

[mikecloud1984]

Exactly! My point is that it could be anything because none of us are rollercoaster engineers.

I can only assume that you are a very pessemistic person in real life.

When all evidence points to one thing (the train), then chances are thats the answer.

Saying "it could be something else" does not help a discussion without actually telling us what "something else" is.

I am assuming you didn't mean there are goblins living in the track at the batwing element?

"All evidence"? Have you got all the facts? I'll answer that. You don't.

What you actually mean is all the information you have available has led you to make an assumption.

FACTS:

Trains have been completing circuits. 1 train didn't. It valleyed.

Eyewitness reports of 1 train suffering from screeching from the wheels.

Suspect train being removed from site with no front UPVC wheel attached.

Smiler reopens THE NEXT day - so it cannot possibly be a structual or track problem.

It cannot be a temperature issue as no coaster in the world would be able to operate with a small change in temp.

What else do you want?

Your reaons for "oh something else happened" is irrelevant when you look at THE FACTS.

ALL FACTS have led me, as well as numerous other, to the conclusion that the issue was with the train - unless you have a counter argument to the facts?

[dangerousdave1983]

Exactly! My point is that it could be anything because none of us are rollercoaster engineers.

I can only assume that you are a very pessemistic person in real life.

When all evidence points to one thing (the train), then chances are thats the answer.

Saying "it could be something else" does not help a discussion without actually telling us what "something else" is.

I am assuming you didn't mean there are goblins living in the track at the batwing element?

"All evidence"? Have you got all the facts? I'll answer that. You don't.

What you actually mean is all the information you have available has led you to make an assumption.

Cmon guys lets get away from the discussion if it was the train or not.

The point of the matter is there is a fault either with the train or the track, but none of us can factually prove it. Lets wait and see how it copes today and over the upcoming weekend. if the any of the trains stall again then it's possibility that they may close it for foreseeable future to investigate the issue. We can just hope that it was a wheel cause and not the track cause that means inspection of the track possibly removal of the said defective track and we dont want that.

[mikecloud1984]

I can only assume that you are a very pessemistic person in real life.

When all evidence points to one thing (the train), then chances are thats the answer.

Saying "it could be something else" does not help a discussion without actually telling us what "something else" is.

I am assuming you didn't mean there are goblins living in the track at the batwing element?

"All evidence"? Have you got all the facts? I'll answer that. You don't.

What you actually mean is all the information you have available has led you to make an assumption.

Cmon guys lets get away from the discussion if it was the train or not.

The point of the matter is there is a fault either with the train or the track, but none of us can factually prove it. Lets wait and see how it copes today and over the upcoming weekend. if the any of the trains stall again then it's possibility that they may close it for foreseeable future to investigate the issue. We can just hope that it was a wheel cause and not the track cause that means inspection of the track possibly removal of the said defective track and we dont want that.

I will leave it here.

But please be aware that if there was an issue with the track then the ride would not be allowed open today or for the forseeable.

[RobStandley]

Can you get on The Smiler before 10am? (Season Passes etc..) Will be there with my Sun Free tickets tomorrow and obviously will be heading straight to the que, any ideas what sort of que time to expect at 10am when everyone else can head there?

[Aidan Lowe]

Nice pic from @JedAyeGeordie (click photo for slighter larger image)

[Kirsty25]

Can you get on The Smiler before 10am? (Season Passes etc..) Will be there with my Sun Free tickets tomorrow and obviously will be heading straight to the que, any ideas what sort of que time to expect at 10am when everyone else can head there?

no the smiler is not on early ride time this season. As far as I know though people can begin forming a queue from park opening at 9am.

[RCandrew]

Pretty sure there are very few, if any, school holidays this week! Majority were last week, or at best the week before. None that I can see on holiday this week!

I'm heading down to AT this afternoon to go on The Smiler again with family, so hoping the queue dies down a bit by the time we arrive! Oh, and that it doesn't break in that time too!

Although slightly off topic. I had a quick google and a few schools don't go back until next Monday, one near my house is still off.

Fair enough! I only checked E Mids as that is the area that had been mentioned, and my Mum works Staffs/E Mids so I knew they weren't likely to be off. Some schools do take different holidays though so there's bound to be some.

In better news - 100 minutes on ridetimes.co.uk now!

I'm from Scotland and the exams up here have just finished this week, I go back after study leave tomorrow and for the next 3 weeks until its summer holidays up here there will be a lot of trips to Alton Towers so it will be really busy!