The Smiler Incident 02/06/15

[Stan.H]

Broad Yorkshire Law
@Broad_Yorkshire

Been injured in a roller coaster crash?! We're experts in Personal Injury! #Smiler #AltonTowers

Legal firm that tweet for business apologises
The legal firm that posted a widely-criticised tweet as the rescue effort went on has issued a statement of apology.

In a statement, Broad Yorkshire Law's managing director Lois Bayliss said the firm "would never try to profit in such a way from such a terrible accident".

The statement added: "A junior member of staff was responsible for the twitter feed and the young man's intention was not to tout for business.

"His previous tweets illustrate his desire to be humorous, but innocuous and in this case he has made a severe error of judgment.

"He tells me that he was making a joke about people being stranded on a rollercoaster and did not realise there had been a collision and that people were actually hurt at the time that he tweeted.

"He is devastated that he has caused offence to the victims and families of the crash and the public as a whole.He is also devastated that people have actually been injured. He has of course been reprimanded for the tweet."

Ms Bayliss said she was "devastated" that the tweet caused offence to others.

She said: "As the director of Broad Yorkshire Law, I extend my sincere apologies for any offence caused to anyone and our thoughts go out to the victims of the accident and their families."

Just shocking how some people act to such a bad thing...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/al ... ve-5812795

[Ryan.B]

At this moment I can't get over it, knowing that I have seen the boy and the girl, and slightly knowing the boys family and the girl would've been at my school the year before. The guilt on the staff must be incredible, even if it wasn't human error I feel so bad for everyone involved.

[Stan.H]

Is it me or is the main screen on the marmaliser always on?? Hopefully AT have had the courtesy to turn off the music as well for the time being as in my view I'd find it very offensive (Ha Ha Ha! x1trillion times).

[Ryan.B]

The screen for the marmaliser is always on, apart from a couple of occasions. I do hope they turn it off until this is all resolved though, it would be horrible to walk in and hear the music at the moment.

[Stan.H]

Here is another link to the Guardians report on this accident.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ident.html

[Aidan Lowe]

Not sure of its relevance to the stalling but here is an article just published about the earlier "technical" issues?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 95643.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stan.H]

THEME PARK CLOSURE - UPDATE
Following the dreadful incident on The Smiler at Alton Towers theme park yesterday and the decision to close the theme park today, a further decision has been taken for the theme park to remain closed tomorrow Thursday 4th June.
All guests with pre-booked tickets, or those who arrive at the theme park, will have the choice of either having their tickets revalidated for an alternative date or a full refund.
Any guests who have pre-booked tickets also have the option to use their tickets tomorrow at one of the following attractions: Warwick Castle, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures or LEGOLAND Windsor. You will need to present your Alton Towers tickets at the attractions admission kiosks to gain entry.
We will be posting all updates on the theme park closure on both our website and social media channels.

Source - AT Official website

http://www.altontowers.com

[Benb]

Here is another link to the Guardians report on this accident.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ident.html

This report is the kind of media scaremongering that does nothing but panic the masses. The ride would not have been opened at all if there were any suspected issues pertaining to such a tragic accident as this.... as we have seen in the past Merlin (and Tussauds before) have been exceptionally diligent at closing rides when safety is of concern, often to the great disappointment of their guests... ](*,)

I think lesser of the guardian for releasing this nonsense. I thought they were supposed to be a quality paper, but increasingly it seems they are as sensationalist as all the others. A great shame.

[Legoluce]

Hi everyone,

I posted a couple of times last year, but I was at the park yesterday and just wanted to mention my experience of the day.

I got to the park at 10am on the dot and went straight to The Smiler, I joined the single rider queue and as I was walking through they were already making announcements that there were technical difficulties. It was raining and windy so I think they were having issues.

I waited briefly and then they loaded us onto the cars, I was on the second row from the back and off we went. We got out of the station and came to a sudden halt before even leaving the underground area for the first lift hill (please forgive me if I don't have all the correct terms, I don't know the names of all the sections!). We sat there for a couple minutes, then all the lights went out and they started announcing that they were experiencing technical difficulties (I can't remember if they said it was due to the weather) and the ride had ceased operation. I didn't think anything of it at the time as I've been on Smiler several times over the last 2 years and know it can get stuck, I've just never been on it when it's happened!

Now here is where I wonder if my experience was unusual. After a few more minutes they made a specific announcement directed at us (they called for the attention of the people stopped before the first lift hill), saying that they were going to put a test car in motion which was going to come up behind us, and not to worry as this was a standard procedure (the might have said test procedure or reset, but I can't be sure). All of us were a bit confused, people started discussing if it going to bump us forward to get us moving, would it hit us, would it stop?... etc. We didn't know what the announcement meant.

A couple minutes later the empty car appeared from behind us, I'm assuming from out of the station but it just slowed to a halt behind us, I have no idea what the purpose was. Not long after that everything booted up again and off we went. We did stop for another few minutes before the second lift hill, and then got stopped again at the end of the ride on the outside section before the station. We saw the empty car going around after us, and I felt like I was on there for a good 15 minutes.

I have no idea if this is anything unusual, but the mention of another test car and it possibly being overlooked just hit a nerve with me after I realised they had launched another car behind us. Probably nothing, but I was interested to hear other opinions as I don't know enough to comment!

My thoughts are with the riders who were on there, it's awful. I had just left Sonic when the Air Ambulance appeared out of no where. It's weird because my first reaction to my friends was "It can't be a ride, someone must have collapsed or something". Never in a million years did it even enter my head that it could be a ride issue. When we saw X Sector blocked off on our way to Hex we thought someone might have collapsed in there. There was no information given in the park so I found out on Twitter as the staff weren't allowed to tell anyone what happened. It was quick a shock, we went on Hex after that not knowing how serious the incident had been until we came off and my phone had gone nuts with people checking on me.

We had been planning to go for a walk around the Towers too as we'd done all the rides we wanted, but they got closed. I'm assuming there's a potential viewing area where you could see X Sector, but I don't know as I've never been. It was a very surreal and sad day, and I hope both the victims and Alton Towers recover from this. The park felt very quiet in the aftermath, until we were leaving after 5 and saw all the crowds by Towers Street watching the Air Ambulances.

Sorry for such a long post!

[Stan.H]

!!!!!!!!! WOW! You are so lucky, I'm glad your OK. Also a great post.
You must be really traumatised!!

Also did you get any refund if they closed the park early, I can understand if they didn't, but this is me just being my nosey usual self!!

[themealgang]

One thing I will say is that I fully admire the way Nick Varney in particular has dealt with the media on this matter. Every interview I've seen he's dealt with the questions carefully and calmly in what must be an extremely tough time for Merlin.

[Stan.H]

One thing I will say is that I fully admire the way Nick Varney in particular has dealt with the media on this matter. Every interview I've seen he's dealt with the questions carefully and calmly in what must be an extremely tough time for Merlin.

I'd agree with you so much, Nick has coped so well and answered the questions that the reporters have shot at him well. I think that the reports should take a step back, and calm down and not make up rubbish about. Merlin are having a very bad time due to what happened.

[Stan.H]

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-06-03/ride ... t-crashed/

Not sure wheather this has any relation with the accident...

[Jack]

The ride makes all sorts of clanks every now and then I would personally recommend that we wait for any official statement from Alton Towers, Merlin or anywhere else that could potentially release official information as a lot of the news does seem to be scaremongering or misinformative at the moment in regards to the incident

[TheBeast]

I think a lot of people who were there on that day will come out with 'new information' on it. Not trying to be offensive to people in general, but if im honest I dont expect much good from those in the queue. Stuff will get warped as people replay it in their minds, and a minority will make stuff up. As Jackandylan said, we are best waiting....even if this game of Cluedo is relatively interesting

[Ryan.B]

I imagine they will make sure a train is left the V lift before dispatching another one now as a possibility.

What scares me is the fact they sent a train with passengers on round, thinking the train had reached the v lift or something. I'm confused to why they didn't wait for a test train to come back to the break run or station, unless it was accidentally dispatched somehow, I am stumbled to why, if it was dispatched from the station on purpose, they didn't wait for it to reach the breaks before the station, nobody is sure on anything yet. Don't they normally wait for the test train to reach the break run first?

[Dan]

In order to achieve maximum throughput I believe they dispatch a train as soon as the one in front has cleared the first lift. This then gives the first train enough time to complete the first half of the circuit and hit the MCBR before the train behind leaves the first lift.

I believe this is the case during normal operation though, they may slow it down during testing.

Still doesn't answer the question why the second train left the first lift before the empty train had hit the MCBR.

[S.J_O'Grady]

Personally, as well as my obvious concern for those who were involved in the accident, I'm also slightly worried that The Smiler may end up closed permanently as it's now kind of bad publicity. This would be such a shame for me as it has to be one of the greatest coasters in the world. What are the chances that this could happen?

[Aidan Lowe]

End of the season, probable. Forever? Nah. Not going to happen.

[Ryan.B]

I reckon when it is testing, extra precautions of dispatch will be taken now.