andzdrew wrote:

Well if they are pinch brakes at the bottom then that just about sums it up for me, reverse drop, slowed with the fins, held on the pinch, rechained and pulled back up.

Why else would they be expecting the train to roll back and need to hold it when still on the vertical? Weak chain/insufficient antirollback doesn't cut it for me, this is designed with rolling back being a key feature from the start.

I have to say I agree with this! Especially after reading Javs post on the kicker wheel. Thats whats good about being on here, I originally thought that it would fall back all the way and then launch up but its good to have other users with their input to contribute and add

it does seem now that this is going to get to the top of the vlift, fall back but more of a controlled fall and then to halt on the holding brakes ready for the chain to then make its way up the lift once more

If the chain snap does happen and is random, I would love to see the time when the chain 'snaps' more than once on one ride!

No doubt they will have a code to stop that happening though or it could cause serious issues for the following trains!

Having said that, if it is random and doesn't happen every time... won't that sort of balls-up the duelling element (if any) and the strict timing demands for the circuit?

youarecorrectsir wrote:

If the chain snap does happen and is random, I would love to see the time when the chain 'snaps' more than once on one ride!

No doubt they will have a code to stop that happening though or it could cause serious issues for the following trains!

Having said that, if it is random and doesn't happen every time... won't that sort of balls-up the duelling element (if any) and the strict timing demands for the circuit?

Personally, i couldn't see them doing it randomly. First of all, if it doesn't happen whilst you're on it, it would put a downer on the rest of the ride for me, as something like that would be a big part of the coaster, in my opinion. Secondly, how would the timing go with another 3 trains flying around the track? Surely it would be far too dangerous to do it randomly. Personally, I think it would happen on every ride, a slow climb to the top before a controlled drop to the bottom, before climbing again and completing the rest of the coaster. It is nearly 3 minutes long, I think something like this makes sense and would certainly fit in with the timescale.

So excited for this to be finished now and to find out for sure what we are dealing with! 

youarecorrectsir wrote:

If the chain snap does happen and is random, I would love to see the time when the chain 'snaps' more than once on one ride!

No doubt they will have a code to stop that happening though or it could cause serious issues for the following trains!

Having said that, if it is random and doesn't happen every time... won't that sort of balls-up the duelling element (if any) and the strict timing demands for the circuit?

I dont think it would be random, I think it would be every time. Imagine getting on it for the sole reason to experience the backwards fall and after 3 hours queueing it doesn't happen and you have to queue up again...

If it happens each time it would take up a little bit of time whilst the other train is in the brake run before the lift hill (maybe for a quick pre show, like the marmalising coridoor/chamber in the sacturay with all the colours smells and water spray) so it'll help sync with that if anything

True, true. Someone mentioned earlier about the anticipation factor of will it/wont it? But in fairness I agree with you two. It doesnt really need the anticipation! I guess we still know the drop on th13teen is coming but it doesnt make it any less exciting when it does!

youarecorrectsir wrote:

True, true. Someone mentioned earlier about the anticipation factor of will it/wont it? But in fairness I agree with you two. It doesnt really need the anticipation! I guess we still know the drop on th13teen is coming but it doesnt make it any less exciting when it does!

Totally agree, would be great if this idea was implemented! Would add so much to an already amazing looking ride!

I'm guessing this isn't a chain snap scenario, it doesn't fit the theme of the ride at all.

youarecorrectsir wrote:

True, true. Someone mentioned earlier about the anticipation factor of will it/wont it? But in fairness I agree with you two. It doesnt really need the anticipation! I guess we still know the drop on th13teen is coming but it doesnt make it any less exciting when it does!

It would definately create anticipation of oh gosh is it going to happen or isnt it but it would mess up timings of other trains and such.

I hope they implement this into the ride with the story like as you get to the v lift it and it states 50% marmalisation complete go to next phase, theres a glitch and you fall back. It would fit with this being an experiement and a we, as advocates, are testing the new ride so something on that is likely to go wrong if that makes sense.

I wonder whats going on at the site today? not really seen images but Alton Towers Guide are there today but are over at forbidden valley at the moment. Likely to see updates this afternoon. Im guessing theyll have one of the drops complete/turn around to brake all done

EDIT: scrap that, theyre at the smiler now

To be honest I don't think it will happen. I can't put my finger in the reason why or why I don't like the sound of it. Anyway in a way I guess it would be cool to see the contrast between Oblivion and The Smiler but how about having backwards cars added to Oblivion! That would be cool in my opinion. having the fins as brakes would mean we are not getting a free fall so can we accept it to be quite slow therefore not thrilling?

EDIT: (i found the reason aha ;-) ) I think the vertical drop is special to Oblivion I would hate it if another ride at Alton took that away from it! And to be honest I don't think it will work and will be point less. It will be cool if they ever updated Bilvvy to add a seesaw track thing ( don't know it's real name aha ) the track tilts forward its self so we get a complete 90* drop and it would add more suspense as when you slowly more up the hole becomes clearer!

arE Y0u R3AdY t0 Sm1Le? wrote:

To be honest I don't think it will happen. I can't put my finger in the reason why or why I don't like the sound of it. Anyway in a way I guess it would be cool to see the contrast between Oblivion and The Smiler but how about having backwards cars added to Oblivion! That would be cool in my opinion.

EDIT: (i found the reason aha ;-) ) I think the vertical drop is special to Oblivion I would hate it if another ride at Alton took that away from it!

the only thing similar is the vertical part (well technically oblivion isnt the full 90degrees...but still aha). Oblivion is more for the anticipation the climb, the turn around, the hanging over and then the huge drop into the unknown. This on the otherhand is a climb up a lift hill and a fall back which is more controlled. 

EDIT: another picture from Alton Towers Guide facebook page showing work on the fencing around the coaster

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

Still no sign of the Hypnotiser then! I wonder why it hasn't surfaced yet? Low priority job do you think?

JayJay90 wrote:

EDIT: another picture from Alton Towers Guide facebook page showing work on the fencing around the coaster

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

Also shows us some more station piping is going on

JonoD wrote:

Still no sign of the Hypnotiser then! I wonder why it hasn't surfaced yet? Low priority job do you think?

It's there! It's been in since day 1 but when we saw it, we were all instatntly hypnotised and told it wasn't there. Once JW claps his hand three times, you'll wake up and see it again.

JonoD wrote:

Still no sign of the Hypnotiser then! I wonder why it hasn't surfaced yet? Low priority job do you think?

I think someone has mentioned that this is because that leg will block access into the site or something. Not a huge worry as we have seen these can be put up within a day or two

New image from ATG showing the final turn into brake run being complete


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

I'm just going to throw this out there.  No belief on my part really, but..

Chain snap and roll back on the first hill instead?

Not likely. Until we've seen track for the first hill (Where is it? Rumour said that the car parks were completely empty of track) We can't even begin to speculate might be involved.

Evostance wrote:

I'm just going to throw this out there.  No belief on my part really, but..

Chain snap and roll back on the first hill instead?

Wouldn't be a worlds first as its already been done im afraid on Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars I think??

A vertical chain snap however hasn't

Evostance wrote:

I'm just going to throw this out there.  No belief on my part really, but..

Chain snap and roll back on the first hill instead?

That wouldn't be worlds first :/ unless Merlin didn't realise its been done somewhere else...... (Hong Kong I think I'm right in saying)

I would love the idea of a random chain snap event.... Well not entirely random but possibly synced with the loading time of the next train that way it actually could aid the duelling aspect

EDIT: That final turn looks absolutely intense.... I hope we have enough speed to pull a fair few Gs through it

EDIT: EDIT: are those supports for the 2nd inverted drop on the right I see

Do you think any changes will be made to the concrete block with the Oblivion logo on it? Maybe add The smilers logo too! Either way they need a good clean aha. But I do hope they stope with the extreme smiler branding across the park it cool see the creepy logo appearing in some places but the whole park will become dedicated to it eventually. It's still too much now but what about in a few year when it's not new! Anyway am I wrong to think that due to the crane exit route first lift hill will be one of the final things to go in? And hopefully we will get surprised that that too aha

EDIT: ( moved edit as a new post i think i modified my post to late aha

ATG facebook page showing a close up of the mechanisms on the back on the vertical lift hill

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater