The Smiler - Construction Discussion

[Cookie Monster]

John is a very busy man (although he has retired) riding rollercoasters.
no one knows and opening date at the moment my best guess is to look at alton towers website under smiler FAQ'S

[Heisenberg96]

Anyone have an idea of a rough date it'll open then, because I'm unaware of how severe this is. Will it be open by the time I visit at the end of June? Or is it even more severe?

I'm not sure anyone would be willing to speculate on opening dates at this moment in time.

My apologies - I just don't have any knowledge in this field 

[hursty]

Hi,

It's rumored to have valleyed in the pit at the far end of the site (bat wing / cobra roll)

The suggestion is not of a stall, but of a wheel assembly problem.
This is why mine & Roodles photos showed so many track shots - together with shots of the replacement train.

These photos are some of the the clearest examples I provided - more can be found in mine and Roodles photos from a few pages ago.

[aircanman]

Here's my theory:
Trims turned on full, stopped the train too quickly causing scraping and hence it couldn't make it round the rest of the track.

Just a theory

That scraping noise the car made didn't sound normal? Perhaps a wheel bearing collapsed bringing it to a complete stop?

Scraping noise? There's a video of this?

There is indeed. Just go on YouTube and watch an odd ride video without music in the background and you will hear it.

Wheel bearing or one of those smiler style wheel trim/covers came loose and started scraping. The noises on the videos were not supposed to be there I don't think. I'm on my phone at moment so can't link one sorry.

Team Edit ~ merged posts ~ Kirsty25

[Cookie Monster]

the second pic looks as if it has separated a little, anyone know why?

[MatthewR1990]

Hi,

It's rumored to have valleyed in the pit at the far end of the site (bat wing / cobra roll)

The suggestion is not of a stall, but of a wheel assembly problem.
This is why mine & Roodles photos showed so many track shots - together with shots of the replacement train.

These photos are re-posts
More can be found in mine and roodles photos from a few pages ago.

Images removed

What sort of wheel problems can cause the marking on both sides of the track like that? My mind is working overtime trying to think what this could be!

[mitchellcollier]

If you look at about 0:40 seconds and on it does go VERY slow around that loop !

[Cookie Monster]

Maybe both sides of the car had wheel problems. just a suggestion.

[aircanman]

http://youtu.be/RY3Pu3mcUsM

Scraping sounds!!

[tharrison4815]

Wheel bearing or one of those smiler style wheel trim/covers came loose and started scraping. The noises on the videos were not supposed to be there I don't think. I'm on my phone at moment so can't link one sorry.

I have to say when I was in the park on the first day of day-time testing I didn't hear anything, it just sounded like SAW. However X-Sector was closed during this time (ERT on this day) so I was only watching from the toilet block. So either the issue is further down the track or it is an issue that developed since his time.

[MichaelStott]

Where I work there is an ex-manager of Alton Towers, who is now the attraction manager of where I work that is just as enthusiastic to ride The Smiler as I am. He asked someone he knows there about the delays etc, and apparently it is due to a stall which was caused by the wheels. Apparently since the end of testing the ride was deemed safe, however was NOT running at optimum speed. This is suspected to be due to the wheels being too tight on the track, and the weight of the cars being very slightly heavier than expected. The following video at 1:57 almost shows the car stalling, this is indeed where it stalled the other day, it rolled back and had to be removed from the track.



You can also see below that another user caught wind of this. Notice how the car VERY suddenly slows down, almost unnaturally. It's not a gradual slowdown, it's almost an instant stop. This is the issue. From looking at the videos that show the screeching it certainly looks to be the cause.

Since I posted this I also noticed that someone above linked a video that at 40 seconds shows the car going very slow.

[aress]

Found this video - if you watch the second ride (from 2m 22s on), you can hear it screeching and scraping all the way round the track! It sounds horrible! 

[Cookie Monster]

The wheels on the track must be acting a bit like when you get a dodgy wheel on a shopping trolley.

[truckaddict]

What does this mean now! Will The Smiler never open to the public? Because what would happen if people were on the ride if the stalling etc happens :0

[MichaelStott]

What does this mean now! Will The Smiler never open to the public? Because what would happen if people were on the ride if the stalling etc happens :0

Nope, it just means they need time to rectify the issue. It much be a big issue, to be able to not open The Smiler on Bank-Holiday Monday.

[wardiespritz]

Where I work there is an ex-manager of Alton Towers, who is now the attraction manager of where I work that is just as enthusiastic to ride The Smiler as I am. He asked someone he knows there about the delays etc, and apparently it is due to a stall which was caused by the wheels. Apparently since the end of testing the ride was deemed safe, however was NOT running at optimum speed. This is suspected to be due to the wheels being too tight on the track, and the weight of the cars being very slightly heavier than expected. The following video at 1:57 almost shows the car stalling, this is indeed where it stalled the other day, it rolled back and had to be removed from the track.



You can also see below that another user caught wind of this. Notice how the car VERY suddenly slows down, almost unnaturally. It's not a gradual slowdown, it's almost an instant stop. This is the issue. From looking at the videos that show the screeching it certainly looks to be the cause.

Since I posted this I also noticed that someone above linked a video that at 40 seconds shows the car going very slow.

I also noticed this. But this says 13th may. It's honestly taken this long for them to realise this?
How is it blue peter and some journalists have ridden the ride?

[Hitch]

@altontowers twitter - " we suggest you only read official sources" , its about time they just told the truth about why the ride is delayed.

[XXBENNXX]

that appears to me that towers know the reason and are calling TT liars

[Adam]

Just remember the same official twitter feed mentioned earlier today how management haven't told them anything about why the ride is actually closed... Unless they were lying of course.

[Dom]

i just want to say thanks to TT and TT members for keeping me updated on info regarding the smiler.