The Smiler - Construction Discussion

[craigmoss19]

Another photo from Theme Park Guide



Anyone notice the Green and Yellow pattern on the inside?

just doesnt look big enough to hold the coaster it self or the entrance on and off the ride and the exit point.

It does look small on the photo but just look at how small the blue crane thing inside it looks. The picture is quite deceiving.

[RustyRider]

I never actually noticed that the dome was on raised land, I always assumed they dug down to fit the ride in there..the more you know!

[LukeJ]

I never actually noticed that the dome was on raised land, I always assumed they dug down to fit the ride in there..the more you know!

Surely it is both dug down and on raised land.

[RustyRider]

Yeah your probably right, looking at the picture I assumed it was on raised land , but more than likely that "raised land" was actually level and they just dug down, and levelled it out.

[Alex.D]

i wonder when it will be all gone?

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Well I'm no expert but its taken them a few weeks just to remove the canvas so I wouldn't imagine the frame will be down before June.

[starbugger1303]

i wonder when it will be all gone?

Give it two weeks and the whole structure will be down...

[Dormiens-Dave]

Not seen any pictures but word is they started taking down the frame today.

[starbugger1303]

If you go to 0:39 of that, there's a picture of the Black Hole site but without the frame...


Has it been taken down that quickly?

[Jonny.F]

Yup, it's going quickly! Here are the images Starbugger pointed out, from ThemeUK.

[CoasterCrazyChris]

If you go to 0:39 of that, there's a picture of the Black Hole site but without the frame...


Has it been taken down that quickly?

Well that's me told then! :P

It it just me or does anyone else think the Black Hole structure looks pretty cool without the canvas on it?

Imagine if they had built the SW7 track through that...

[Dormiens-Dave]

We would have all moaned about them using cheap theming options

[formula1fan]

Wow. They're certainly not wasting any time in taking the frame down, are they?!

[mezza]

So weird to see it gone!

[PeteB]

Wow. I think this is the first time we've ever seen that area without the BH tent, is it not?  Not aware of any old photos showing the area pre-tent.

It's a strange thing to see!

[Stelios7]

i wonder when it will be all gone?

I'm reckoning early May.

It seems so eerie and empty. Would be awesome to see it's old queueline right now.

Do we know when/if the overgrown plants will be cut?

[towers freak]

What is it with AT and wooden sheds ? Were wooden sheds the shipping containers of the tussauds era ?

[lozzyhickers]

What is it with AT and wooden sheds ? Were wooden sheds the shipping containers of the tussauds era ?

Pretty much...yeah. i remember quite a few back in the day of Tussauds. Ah...the good old days!

I'm off there next weekend, hopefully there'll be at least a little bit remaining. Twas one of the icons of my childhood, so it'll be sad to see it go, even though I was always too scared to ride it!

[PeteB]

What is it with AT and wooden sheds ? Were wooden sheds the shipping containers of the tussauds era ?

I'd take a shed over a shipping container any day... Tussauds magic 

Love to know whats inside them, or what they were used for?

[Shockadelica]

Wow. I think this is the first time we've ever seen that area without the BH tent, is it not?  Not aware of any old photos showing the area pre-tent.

It's a strange thing to see!

These are the best I could do.  Scans from The Alton Towers Guide by Sunflower Books, first published in 1985.





If I'd have known something was afoot back in 1983, I'd have taken more photos 

P.S.  Sorry for kind of going off-topic.