^A guess would be that it'll be closed for a long time, potentially the rest of the year. There will be extensive tests and investigations to make sure it never happens again. Looks like the two trains involved will need to be fixed up and they'll probably reduce how many trains run at the same time.
Accident at Alton Towers
- Thread starter silenthillXD
- Start date
SilverArrow
Certified Ride Geek
If it is just human error it might be up and running quicker than we think. Some people's heads will be in the chopping block though and staff training will no doubt be rethought. The training is obviously not terrible otherwise this would be happening every other day. The time limit probably depends heavily on how external health and safety deal with it.
Smithy
Strata Poster
I think part of the reason the park will remain closed is because of how severe the injuries are, and how it's possible human error played a part. It'll be a huge thing to come to terms with, to investigate, establish and then implement any changes amongst their entire staff if necessary whilst also showing compassion to those injured.
SilverArrow
Certified Ride Geek
I think if it was your fault you might consider leaving anyway so that decision might not need to be made.
Scott88
Hyper Poster
Wakey1512 said:
I've never been in the console of the Smiler but I would expect that they'd have some sort of CCTV in there to monitor the ride, it may not be CCTV that covers all of the ride though. It is 7 years since I worked for Towers now but during my time there, every ride I worked on had CCTV for the ride operator and platform staff to monitor at all times, that's why I think there will be some sort of CCTV in their console to keep an eye on the ride, but that doesn't mean all of the ride will be covered by the cameras (if there is any).
My thoughts are with those involved, everything else is secondary, let's hope they have a positive recovery!
Even if it is human error and it ends up being 100% one person's fault, it's still not as easy as get rid of them and reopen and all will be fine.
The point about CCTV is interesting, but, what rides can you realistically see all of all at once?
None of the coasters at Alton bar the kiddie you'd be able to see the whole thing, it's just not practical.
I imagine there is enough CCTV for them to have known it had stalled. But, since we don't know why it restarted yet, we can't do anything but speculate .
The point about CCTV is interesting, but, what rides can you realistically see all of all at once?
None of the coasters at Alton bar the kiddie you'd be able to see the whole thing, it's just not practical.
I imagine there is enough CCTV for them to have known it had stalled. But, since we don't know why it restarted yet, we can't do anything but speculate .
SaiyanHajime
CF Legend
Given its stalled in that same spot before, there should be CCTV pointed at it that operators can see, tbh. I dunno whether there is or not, but it seems like common sense?
My theory is..... Minor breakdown
, engineers come to reset, send all 4 trains for a test, all seems well but train 4 has stalled due to light weight and wind, they load train 1 unaware and dispatch it, when train 1 hits the lift it shuts down because the block ahead isn't clear (stalled train), engineers are still around and assume the ride is crying wolf again and reset without looking properly. Maybe whatever error that shows up when a block section isn't clear had just occurred, causing the prior breakdown, and it was a freak coincidence that it then actually happened.
This is just a wild guess bases on what little knowledge I have.
What this accident shows is that h&s procedures, even if they seem dumb, are important. You can imagine the frustration of dealing with an error keep coming up that is never true and then this one time it is, not paying full attention to it.
When I worked at a park, guests occasionally claim their restraints fail. Of course they're mistaken, all the time, but you take it seriously just on case. Just. In. Case.
I was thinking today - has there ever been an accident of two trains colliding after a stall, ever? And more importantly, at a major park on a modern, major ride? This really is a rare and weird accident.
My theory is..... Minor breakdown
, engineers come to reset, send all 4 trains for a test, all seems well but train 4 has stalled due to light weight and wind, they load train 1 unaware and dispatch it, when train 1 hits the lift it shuts down because the block ahead isn't clear (stalled train), engineers are still around and assume the ride is crying wolf again and reset without looking properly. Maybe whatever error that shows up when a block section isn't clear had just occurred, causing the prior breakdown, and it was a freak coincidence that it then actually happened.
This is just a wild guess bases on what little knowledge I have.What this accident shows is that h&s procedures, even if they seem dumb, are important. You can imagine the frustration of dealing with an error keep coming up that is never true and then this one time it is, not paying full attention to it.
When I worked at a park, guests occasionally claim their restraints fail. Of course they're mistaken, all the time, but you take it seriously just on case. Just. In. Case.
I was thinking today - has there ever been an accident of two trains colliding after a stall, ever? And more importantly, at a major park on a modern, major ride? This really is a rare and weird accident.
Robbie
Hyper Poster
Smithy
Strata Poster
Smithy
Strata Poster
Think it's mostly just someone ranting about working conditions in a leisure attraction tbh (quite valid though, experienced similar in the retail sector) but the part about reported issues being ignored and the like is worrying.
As for the part about an employee being sent round to test clearances and injuring her hand by hitting a tree at 60mph. Taking it at face value, that can only be referring to Rita, surely?
As for the part about an employee being sent round to test clearances and injuring her hand by hitting a tree at 60mph. Taking it at face value, that can only be referring to Rita, surely?
SilverArrow
Certified Ride Geek
In the comments for the second article she talks about the 07/08 season (if I recall correctly) so yeah Tussaud's time and a long time ago.Robbie said: