Alton Towers - SW7 - "The Smiler"

^They are, but they are also 4 rows long so it will look cool when it coils through the elements.

[gouldy]

I have to agree; I think their only saving grace is that there are 4 cars per train, else I think they'd look horrendous. They still don't look great, in my opinion.

In all honesty, they look very much like something I could easily fab up in the workshop - very boxy shape with no nice angles/lines, seemingly quite small diameter tube section construction. And, to top it off, that optical illusion effect on the back of the seats... I'm pretty sure that effect only works when it's on a computer screen... I might be wrong, but I think it's something to do with the way pixels work.


There actually is one pretty cool thing about them, that's quite hard to see from that picture; I think the gear/wheel assembly is all bright yellow - which will look snazzy while traversing the track, IMO.


But yes, overall, I think they look a little bit sh1t.

so glad im not the only one that thinks this about the trains.

[gouldy]

An overview of the site from today, I took this at about 11am, so more work will have been done since this, no doubt.

I'm really excited to see the droops completed and the lifts put in

[gouldy]

Looks like they're pouring footers at the top end of the site, for the drops and the vertical lift.



photo credit to Sasloopy from TowersTimes


They've also begun adding the 5 "marmaliser" elements. "The Flasher" has been added, or partly added, to the spider's leg on the left of the image. This will probably be where the on ride photo is taken...



photo credit to James Howarth

[gouldy]

Some images from the most recent aeiral update from TowersTimes.co.uk:







One thing's for certain; this airhill is going to be badass. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be:

[Coasterkidmwm]

Are you guys sure that spider thing doesn't move? I don't see why it would have piston-ish looking things on it if it didn't.

[gouldy]

It's just theming. It definitely doesn't move; the joints on the legs are welded fabrications. Some of the stuff on the legs may move, though.

photo update from 11th april 2013


the Marseillaiser is not far off completion, just a few name bords and pipe connecting to go



barrels attached with newly added smiler logos



air hill number 2 is complete with its trims getting setup



the Marseillaiser's "knees" are getting put in place



the end of the 1st break run is now all installed ready for the vertical lift hill



the station is now completely covered and is starting to get its fascia



the new game building is starting to take shape behind the interlocking cobras



themeing appearing on the side of the station building



all the main elements finnished now, just got the 2 lift hills, the ends of the 2 main drops and the final turn into the breaks



and here are the last of the few pieces remaining in the car parks. alton are just waiting on the delivery of the final bits for the 2 lift hills.

[gouldy]

This really is starting to look insane. So much going on! The Marmeliser is HUGE, as well.

Thanks for the photos, Gaz.


Edit:

Originally posted by gazag



the Marseillaiser is not far off completion, just a few name bords and pipe connecting to go

Not quite true, there's still an entire leg to fix onto this side of the Marmeliser.

[Turbo]

every single time i open this topic, my jaw drops

[Dirk_Ermen]

Looking good over there. Should be fun! [:)]

Originally posted by gouldy

This really is starting to look insane. So much going on! The Marmeliser is HUGE, as well.

Thanks for the photos, Gaz.


Edit:

Originally posted by gazag



the Marseillaiser is not far off completion, just a few name bords and pipe connecting to go

Not quite true, there's still an entire leg to fix onto this side of the Marmeliser.

the i hope it is this side. there isnt another fixing point onto the main structure for another leg and there is no sign on the other leg on site or in the carpark. i really hope merlin have it waiting in the studio or some other part of site at alton towers. neather the less the structre is massive and the whole ride is very intimidateing to stand by. so much work to do yet though

[Coasterkidmwm]

Any word yet on the mysterious 15th loop?

i would not think there is a 15th loop. track construction is 95% complete with only a few small sections left

Isn't there something about an indoor section of this ride? I think there will be 15 inversion.

the indoor section is built and finished and contains 1 inversion. the only sections left to finnish as the 2 main drops, the lift hills and the final turn.

[gouldy]

I really does seem at this point that there will actually only be 14 inversion. The only way for that not to be the case now is if one of the lifts is absolutely bizarre and has an inversion on the lift... which you obviously have to doubt

The "evidences" for 15 inversions that surfaced a couple of weeks ago seem to have been an elaborate ruse. It definitely does say "15 rotations" in the game, though. It must be referring to something, even if not an inversion.

I thought you guys were going to have a washing machine that spun you around.

[gouldy]

So did we. But no. We're still under the impression that there is a "secret element", although we're fairly certain it's not that washing machine thingymajigger. But we're quite sure that whatever it is, is just before the first lift, indoors.

[Coasterkidmwm]

It'll have a flippy lift and do a flip before it drawpz. Blue = axis of rotational awesomez

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[gouldy]

Some of the young ones over at TowersTimes have been suggesting things that are more far out than that

You should see some of the stuff some people come up with when Alton Towers announce a new coaster.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Still voting for flippy lift.

the flippy lift actually sounds kind of cool though.Instead of being like a tilt coaster though, it could flip the oppisite direction instead pulling the riders upside down before the drop