The Smiler Incident 02/06/15

[PJ.]

She is really getting on my nerves now. I'm really not interested in her anymore. Glad she is getting a high-tech bionic leg (that some war veterans can only dream of having) but all the other stuff (free super expensive tattoo for TV, dreams of getting onto Strictly Come Dancing, very expensive 'dream' trip to New York probably paid for by The Mirror) I really couldn't care less about.

I am interested in what she is doing now, but have no interest in Kim Kardashian so I just ignore articles about her because I know some people are interested in her.

[S.J_O'Grady]

I'm not interested in Vicky anymore either, the way things are going she's going to be The Mirror's official new mascot soon!!

[Rita Fan]

Why does Vicky get this new bionic leg? Soldiers who've fought for the freedom of this country and lost limbs deserve this leg more than Vicky!

[jonny9403]

Why does Vicky get this new bionic leg? Soldiers who've fought for the freedom of this country and lost limbs deserve this leg more than Vicky!

Don't hear the mirror talking about that

[owenrita121]

Why does Vicky get this new bionic leg? Soldiers who've fought for the freedom of this country and lost limbs deserve this leg more than Vicky!

Because those soldiers join the army knowing the risk, she intended to go on a fun day out and ended up being in a serious accident that wasn't her fault, that's why she is getting it.
I understand she isn't making Alton Towers look better by the papers constantly reminding people what happened but get over it! If I was in an accident that extreme I'd be doing exactly the same and making as much money out of it as possible.
Get off your high horse and get over the fact that she is still in the news!

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[MakoMania]

Why does Vicky get this new bionic leg? Soldiers who've fought for the freedom of this country and lost limbs deserve this leg more than Vicky!

Because those soldiers join the army knowing the risk, she intended to go on a fun day out and ended up being in a serious accident that wasn't her fault, that's why she is getting it.
I understand she isn't making Alton Towers look better by the papers constantly reminding people what happened but get over it! If I was in an accident that extreme I'd be doing exactly the same and making as much money out of it as possible.
Get off your high horse and get over the fact that she is still in the news!

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Well its not a soldier's fault if he has his leg blown off really to be fair.

Bottom line Vicky is getting the leg because Merlin will pay for it. (And so they should)

[owenrita121]

Why does Vicky get this new bionic leg? Soldiers who've fought for the freedom of this country and lost limbs deserve this leg more than Vicky!

Because those soldiers join the army knowing the risk, she intended to go on a fun day out and ended up being in a serious accident that wasn't her fault, that's why she is getting it.
I understand she isn't making Alton Towers look better by the papers constantly reminding people what happened but get over it! If I was in an accident that extreme I'd be doing exactly the same and making as much money out of it as possible.
Get off your high horse and get over the fact that she is still in the news!

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Well its not a soldier's fault if he has his leg blown off really to be fair.

Bottom line Vicky is getting the leg because Merlin will pay for it. (And so they should)

Yes but that soldier is fighting knowing all the possibilities of what may happen to him/her. Vicky didn't, she went for a fun day our and almost lost her life, that's the difference.

[Sawboss]

She lost her leg in a high profile incident, that's the difference i'm afraid.

Hopefully this new technology is successful and one day we'll live in a world where these advanced bionics are commonplace

[xylyx]

Too right, that would be the ideal way, and they get better and better, some of the modern tech for replacement limbs is mind blowing. It's a shame it's needed but it's great that it's getting so good.

I like seeing that they're doing well, all of them, but that's as far as my interest goes, and experience shows it will all die down as time progresses.

[Alex Tyler]

This may sound harsh but the person who I feel sorry for the most is the ride op in charge when it happened.

[mattiepearce]

This may sound harsh but the person who I feel sorry for the most is the ride op in charge when it happened.

IMO that doesn't sound harsh, the ride op will feel terrible about what happened and even though most of the riders will have physical injury for the rest of their lives the ride op will likely have this on the back of their minds for the rest of their lives. The ride op most likely is and will need counselling for a long time.

[PaxmanValenta]

This may sound harsh but the person who I feel sorry for the most is the ride op in charge when it happened.

Certainly not harsh, and is something that they will have to live with for the rest of their life as by all accounts the person wasn't that old.

Sadly we may never know how they're coping with it all, hopefully AT are proving the relevant care and compassion.

Do ride ops receive continuation training? I work in a big control centre and we are required to do three hours simulator time each month to stay current on the various failures we may see. I appreciate a simulator isn't applicable in this instance, but do the ride ops 'top-up' their training for various scenarios or is it "just call maintenance" if they see a fault or an error they're not expecting?

[Themeparksandy1981]

You can be trained to the max and worked on the same ride for years but when you got management around you and maintaince staff you can go into panic mode.
I think Merlin really need to take the whole blame and not just 1 person.
For starters Maintaince should have checked out the problem why it tripped like for me a coaster that's had more stalls than all the SW coasters together.

[Joey]

You can be trained to the max and worked on the same ride for years but when you got management around you and maintaince staff you can go into panic mode.
I think Merlin really need to take the whole blame and not just 1 person.
For starters Maintaince should have checked out the problem why it tripped like for me a coaster that's had more stalls than all the SW coasters together.

This. Anyone who's worked in a job that has the potential to vary day to day knows full well that no amount of training will make your reactions perfect.

This is why when people criticise the police for their less than perfect actions in states of emergency, I'm always like :/ You have no idea...

People expect too much of others. People make mistakes. We all do.

[JCP]

This may sound harsh but the person who I feel sorry for the most is the ride op in charge when it happened.

Certainly not harsh, and is something that they will have to live with for the rest of their life as by all accounts the person wasn't that old.

Sadly we may never know how they're coping with it all, hopefully AT are proving the relevant care and compassion.

Do ride ops receive continuation training? I work in a big control centre and we are required to do three hours simulator time each month to stay current on the various failures we may see. I appreciate a simulator isn't applicable in this instance, but do the ride ops 'top-up' their training for various scenarios or is it "just call maintenance" if they see a fault or an error they're not expecting?

You can be trained to the max and worked on the same ride for years but when you got management around you and maintaince staff you can go into panic mode.
I think Merlin really need to take the whole blame and not just 1 person.
For starters Maintaince should have checked out the problem why it tripped like for me a coaster that's had more stalls than all the SW coasters together.

All ride operators are comprehensively trained and are not signed off until both the operator and the trainers and assessors are happy. Operators, especially those on attractions that are more technically exhaustive, are assessed continuously throughout the season. The operator of The Smiler that day had been passed off and was competent enough to safely operate the attraction. Merlin's own press release acknowledges that minimal changes are required in terms of staff training, but does place emphases on procedures being rectified to add a further level of safety. We have to remember that the Health & Safety Executive happily signed off the The Smiler under HSG175 and would not have done so if they believed there was any danger to the public

Regardless of whether Nick Varney himself was in the ops cabin, the Park Operations team still had control of the ride and therefore the Ride Operator is responsible for the attraction - it's as simple as that. And without 'sounding harsh', as unforgivable as that. If the manual, COSWP and correct policies had been followed then then this incident would simply have ended with an empty train stalled mid course and guests in Lift Hill 1.

NB: I do not work for the resort or Merlin Entertainments, however I am familiar with attraction H&S.

[HalfwayCorrected]

Hi,
I have only just recently joined this forum however I have been following along with peoples views and thoughts about what happened on The Smiler. I've been very interested in Alton Towers for a while now and am a huge fan of The Smiler! :yes:

I myself was there in X-Sector watching The Smiler when the incident took place. I had just taken some footage from The Towers for the rollercoaster tester application and heard the usual breakdown spiel. (Photos tells me that around 13:30 there was no train on Lift 1) While I was up there I did notice a train leave lit 1 but never appear at Lift 2 (this was train was the stalled one). I came down to find Train 3 stalled in the batwing and Train 4 at the crest of Lift 1. (I went into the shop to buy the heat activated phone case) After, I decided to watch what happens next and how they deal with it. (I thought reverse Train 4 back down the lift and evac and empty queue and beging removal of stalled train. I even have a video of what I thought was the "we can't fix the problem announcement so leave the queue" but ended up being the normal temporary delay(Still to this day it still confuses me why this announcement was played not the queue evac) About 10 minutes later the unfortunate event took place. Train 4 was advanced over lift 1. I stood there for 20 seconds fear running through me waiting for what was going to happen. I was standing by the big gates just to the left of the entrance so this gave me a unfortunate view. The incredible noise of crunching metal was immense and I had a first hand experience of the injuries. I don't why but i managed to get about 6 seconds video of the aftermath (It was used on the BBC). After I ran up to the ride host who was white and after a few scared words from me she said "I'm sure technical services know what they are doing" (I am 14 years old, 13 at the time, and it all became too much and began to cry etc... My mum was with but had to leave but caught up with her by Sonic. She made me go down and see it again as I was in shock. When we arrived back in X-Sector (this was about 10 minutes after the incident) we were still allowed in. No staff or security were there. The ride hosts came running down the Single Rider Queue all with shocked looks on their face. 5 minutes later the audio was switched off and security evacuated the area. We then left.

I know that people have said that "Your not a fan if you think you will never go back." For me I wanted to never go back as It was horrific witnessing it first hand. However, here we are 6 months later having been back at least 100 times and been 4 times over the Christmas period.

I myself have regrown my love for The Smiler (and I even feel more attached to it) and have sat for over 6 hours in X-Sector watching them test it over and over again. Sometimes this was all I did when I went. I am so pleased when I foundi it was re-opening. I will be there at 7:30 in the morning on 19th March getting the first front row ride after the incident.

Feel free to ask me questions about 2/06/2015! And I'm sorry if its long or I did something as this was my first post! :lol

(I do have first hand photos and video of the lead up to the incident if anybody is interested)

[xylyx]

Now that's something we have been missing out on, the folk who were there on the day, sounds truly harrowing, though I'm glad you managed to get over the initial horror. However I feel I've seen enough footage from the incident to last me a lifetime lol.

Was there any indication that anyone else acknowledged the stalled car? A lot of folks said they went shooting at the hosts that it was there.

[HalfwayCorrected]

Now that's something we have been missing out on, the folk who were there on the day, sounds truly harrowing, though I'm glad you managed to get over the initial horror. However I feel I've seen enough footage from the incident to last me a lifetime lol.

Was there any indication that anyone else acknowledged the stalled car? A lot of folks said they went shooting at the hosts that it was there.

The ride host was telling guests when they asking why the queue was shut that it was because of the stalled train. I don't know why she didn't ring through.

[ASturge21]

Hi,
I have only just recently joined this forum however I have been following along with peoples views and thoughts about what happened on The Smiler. I've been very interested in Alton Towers for a while now and am a huge fan of The Smiler! :yes:

I myself was there in X-Sector watching The Smiler when the incident took place. I had just taken some footage from The Towers for the rollercoaster tester application and heard the usual breakdown spiel. (Photos tells me that around 13:30 there was no train on Lift 1) While I was up there I did notice a train leave lit 1 but never appear at Lift 2 (this was train was the stalled one). I came down to find Train 3 stalled in the batwing and Train 4 at the crest of Lift 1. (I went into the shop to buy the heat activated phone case) After, I decided to watch what happens next and how they deal with it. (I thought reverse Train 4 back down the lift and evac and empty queue and beging removal of stalled train. I even have a video of what I thought was the "we can't fix the problem announcement so leave the queue" but ended up being the normal temporary delay(Still to this day it still confuses me why this announcement was played not the queue evac) About 10 minutes later the unfortunate event took place. Train 4 was advanced over lift 1. I stood there for 20 seconds fear running through me waiting for what was going to happen. I was standing by the big gates just to the left of the entrance so this gave me a unfortunate view. The incredible noise of crunching metal was immense and I had a first hand experience of the injuries. I don't why but i managed to get about 6 seconds video of the aftermath (It was used on the BBC). After I ran up to the ride host who was white and after a few scared words from me she said "I'm sure technical services know what they are doing" (I am 14 years old, 13 at the time, and it all became too much and began to cry etc... My mum was with but had to leave but caught up with her by Sonic. She made me go down and see it again as I was in shock. When we arrived back in X-Sector (this was about 10 minutes after the incident) we were still allowed in. No staff or security were there. The ride hosts came running down the Single Rider Queue all with shocked looks on their face. 5 minutes later the audio was switched off and security evacuated the area. We then left.

I know that people have said that "Your not a fan if you think you will never go back." For me I wanted to never go back as It was horrific witnessing it first hand. However, here we are 6 months later having been back at least 100 times and been 4 times over the Christmas period.

I myself have regrown my love for The Smiler (and I even feel more attached to it) and have sat for over 6 hours in X-Sector watching them test it over and over again. Sometimes this was all I did when I went. I am so pleased when I foundi it was re-opening. I will be there at 7:30 in the morning on 19th March getting the first front row ride after the incident.

Feel free to ask me questions about 2/06/2015! And I'm sorry if its long or I did something as this was my first post! [emoji38]

(I do have first hand photos and video of the lead up to the incident if anybody is interested)

Did you see any sign of movement from any staff in acknowledgement of the stalled train.

Sent from my GT-S7275R using Tapatalk

[HalfwayCorrected]

Hi,
I have only just recently joined this forum however I have been following along with peoples views and thoughts about what happened on The Smiler. I've been very interested in Alton Towers for a while now and am a huge fan of The Smiler! :yes:

I myself was there in X-Sector watching The Smiler when the incident took place. I had just taken some footage from The Towers for the rollercoaster tester application and heard the usual breakdown spiel. (Photos tells me that around 13:30 there was no train on Lift 1) While I was up there I did notice a train leave lit 1 but never appear at Lift 2 (this was train was the stalled one). I came down to find Train 3 stalled in the batwing and Train 4 at the crest of Lift 1. (I went into the shop to buy the heat activated phone case) After, I decided to watch what happens next and how they deal with it. (I thought reverse Train 4 back down the lift and evac and empty queue and beging removal of stalled train. I even have a video of what I thought was the "we can't fix the problem announcement so leave the queue" but ended up being the normal temporary delay(Still to this day it still confuses me why this announcement was played not the queue evac) About 10 minutes later the unfortunate event took place. Train 4 was advanced over lift 1. I stood there for 20 seconds fear running through me waiting for what was going to happen. I was standing by the big gates just to the left of the entrance so this gave me a unfortunate view. The incredible noise of crunching metal was immense and I had a first hand experience of the injuries. I don't why but i managed to get about 6 seconds video of the aftermath (It was used on the BBC). After I ran up to the ride host who was white and after a few scared words from me she said "I'm sure technical services know what they are doing" (I am 14 years old, 13 at the time, and it all became too much and began to cry etc... My mum was with but had to leave but caught up with her by Sonic. She made me go down and see it again as I was in shock. When we arrived back in X-Sector (this was about 10 minutes after the incident) we were still allowed in. No staff or security were there. The ride hosts came running down the Single Rider Queue all with shocked looks on their face. 5 minutes later the audio was switched off and security evacuated the area. We then left.

I know that people have said that "Your not a fan if you think you will never go back." For me I wanted to never go back as It was horrific witnessing it first hand. However, here we are 6 months later having been back at least 100 times and been 4 times over the Christmas period.

I myself have regrown my love for The Smiler (and I even feel more attached to it) and have sat for over 6 hours in X-Sector watching them test it over and over again. Sometimes this was all I did when I went. I am so pleased when I foundi it was re-opening. I will be there at 7:30 in the morning on 19th March getting the first front row ride after the incident.

Feel free to ask me questions about 2/06/2015! And I'm sorry if its long or I did something as this was my first post! [emoji38]

(I do have first hand photos and video of the lead up to the incident if anybody is interested)

Did you see any sign of movement from any staff in acknowledgement of the stalled train.

Sent from my GT-S7275R using Tapatalk

No there was no movement from any ride staff only retail staff and of course the ride host.