I went between the 5th and 7th of July and
All rides had some down time in one way or another
I got stuck on about 3 (including Oblivion)
So...yeah 

Spent a day and a half at AT just there and for the first time in my life I didn't see a speck of downtime. All rides from my perspective were behaving excellently!

AndreJD wrote:

Spent a day and a half at AT just there and for the first time in my life I didn't see a speck of downtime. All rides from my perspective were behaving excellently!

Was thinking this today over the last couple of days the rides have all behaved!! Knowing me I've jinxed it now though, cue hectic/insane day at work tomorrow!

Air has not been having downtime as such but I have been Alton Towers twice in the last 4 to 5 weeks and both times I have been air, when it go up to the flying position, got stuck and this happen a couple of times both times I was there. On the last visit about week ago air got stuck on the chain lift three times, not for very long, but reading about people getting stuck on air for 15mins in the newspaper  did not help.  Is this a  common thing with b and m flying coasters or is it because air is getting old but talking about oblivion, it had about 5 cars on the track it was like military operation never seen it like that before ha.

Team Edit = SPG

adam.smith.58367116 wrote:

On the last visit about week ago air got stuck on the chain lift three times, not for very long, but reading about people getting stuck on air for 15mins in the newspaper  did not help.  Is this a  common thing with b and m flying coasters or is it because air is getting old but talking about oblivion, it had about 5 cars on the track it was like military operation never seen it like that before ha.

Stopping on the lift hill is nothing to do with a breakdown, it is the opposite in fact; the staff are being over-efficient and filling and sending the train earlier than required (not a problem by the way). The train cannot leave the top of the lift hill until the train before has cleared the next set of breaks. Meaning a small wait.

However, whilst you wait on the lift, they can begin unloading/loading the next train and speed up the cycle. Is very good operating!

Also, don't believe everything you read in the paper!

Chaz wrote:

Stopping on the lift hill is nothing to do with a breakdown, it is the opposite in fact; the staff are being over-efficient and filling and sending the train earlier than required

That's not 100% right, stopping on the lift hill can equally be an e-stop. Air often slows right down after beginning the lift ascent and that's the block system right enough, but if it stops for more than 60s there's a problem somewhere.

The block system on air slows the craft at the beginning of the lift hill but also as a last resort if a craft hasn't cleared the brakes it can stop the next craft for a short time at the top of the lift hill. Occasionally the lift may stop for reasons such as e-stops, lift stops or technical problems, in these cases the craft could be anywhere on the lift. 

Ouch! Rita, Spinball and The Smiler are all done at the moment with shortest coaster q at 50min.

And that's why I don't go during school holidays

Hmv wrote:

The block system on air slows the craft at the beginning of the lift hill but also as a last resort if a craft hasn't cleared the brakes it can stop the next craft for a short time at the top of the lift hill. Occasionally the lift may stop for reasons such as e-stops, lift stops or technical problems, in these cases the craft could be anywhere on the lift.

I was on Air when it stoped at the top for about 5 seconds, would that be the block system reason?

alex tyler wrote:

Hmv wrote:

The block system on air slows the craft at the beginning of the lift hill but also as a last resort if a craft hasn't cleared the brakes it can stop the next craft for a short time at the top of the lift hill. Occasionally the lift may stop for reasons such as e-stops, lift stops or technical problems, in these cases the craft could be anywhere on the lift.

I was on Air when it stoped at the top for about 5 seconds, would that be the block system reason?

Yeh sounds like it as if the lift stopped for any other reason the staff would have to go to the lift to restart it manually.

I thought so, I wonder why it didn't slow down.

i think its a bit of a joke how much downtime the smiler has had in the less than 2 months its been open... but its deffo not alton towers fault.. anyone seen how much whingin and bitchin there is off people on the FB page

id say its with Gerstlauer more than anyone...

ST-Chris wrote:

i think its a bit of a joke how much downtime the smiler has had in the less than 2 months its been open... but its deffo not alton towers fault.. anyone seen how much whingin and bitchin there is off people on the FB page

id say its with Gerstlauer more than anyone...

Yep, was literally just looking at it. Alton Towers could do with replying to a lot of these though. It just makes them look even worst ignoring everyone.

RMT and CRR both down today, anyone on site to provide an idea as to why this is?
I would guess possible power problems as both the rides are in the same area and both are down?

EDIT: CRR Opened around 2:30pm

Is it just me or is this year one of the worst ever for downtime? Went the other day and Air, Smiler, Submission, Rita & Thirteen were down!

I think I must have been lucky with my visits, because the only thing I've ever seen down in my 6 visits this year is enterprise! I agree this year has seen some major down time from the smiler but there hasn't been any mass problems with the other rides, I mean yes some have suffered some down time but I can't remember a point where they were down for over 3 days (bar the smiler, of course).

Runaway Minetrain was down all day today, and the train was stopped on the track in two halves near the tunnel.

First half of the train:


Second half (sorry about the immense blur):


Not sure what has happened here!

The Runaway Mine Train stalled yesterday afternoon according to reports from twitter. Maybe this is Towers way of getting the train back to the station?

JAMMYD777 wrote:

Don't see how RMT can stall as its a powered coaster rather than the traditional gravity type.

It still needs some momentum to get over certain bits. Normally if it can't make it it rolls backwards to a low point then powers up and tries again.
So if a component gave up half way i suppose it could stop and settle somewhere around the track.

I don't know why they would split the train if this was the case though? :/

So it would suggest the train split itself. Recent heating/cooling can put pressure on bolts (cough smiler cough) so it could be that.