Alton Towers | Wicker Man | GCI Wood

[Lofty]

It could also be for site access to be fair.

 

[JSMarsden]

From what I saw on Sunday Monday -> Flume still standing with some foliage cut away, surprised to see flume still standing IMO.

For Chris- Queues on Sunday were decent. Longest queue was 30mins for sonic (it broke down) everything about 25min. Glaactica sometimes peaked at 45, but would be unlucky to get in that. Monday was a walk on for everything, including smiler which had some empty trains going around when they needed to offload

 

[zazobo]

It's strange though as it's more selective clearing rather than a whole area properly. It's all looking very sparse now!

 

[djreplay26]

[facebookpost]https://www.facebook.com/TowersStreet/posts/1080121415391635[/facebookpost]

 

[EthC]

A few notes from the plans as well.

-Reference sound measurement data has been provided by the ride manufacturer, which was taken from similar rollercoaster constructions located in the USA. These are the Kentucky Rumbler at Beech Bend Park in Kentucky, the Wildcat located at Hershey’s Park, Pennsylvania and the Ozark Wildcat, located at Celebration City. Other related reference data has also been used

-The roller coaster structure will be formed from timber elements, predominately made up of Southern Yellow Pine. The rails will be formed from a combination of timber and steel. The build-up will comprise six timber strips fixed on top of one another, with a solid steel rail guider fixed on the top of the strips. The coaster will have steel wheels that will be guided by the steel and timber construction.

- The coaster will have a ‘silent’ magnetic lift system that will guide the coaster to the first and highest drop. This will ensure that lift mechanism noise as the carriage travels to its highest elevation point will not be a concern.

- Low noise magnetic brake systems will also be utilised to minimise the effects of noise from the coaster.

- It is understood that construction programme will commence in September 2016 with completion anticipated for December 2017.

Source: https://towersstreet.com/talk/threads/2 ... 82/page-83 (User Tedthehuman)

 

[Ian]

The long tunnel looks great. Maybe this won't be as tame as I first thought.

 

[Dave]

SW18 for 2018, the 8's all match up, be called Infinite before you know it!

I do like the attention to detail on how quiet it will be.

 

[Ian]

I wonder if the tunnel is hiding an inversion, like what they did with Smiler. I just can't see Merlin commissioning a "regular" coaster.

 

[JoshC.]

I wonder if the tunnel is hiding an inversion, like what they did with Smiler. I just can't see Merlin commissioning a "regular" coaster.

If this has a launch though, which doesn't seem too out of the question at the moment, then surely 'Europe's first launched wooden roller coaster' (or even 'World's first TRUE wooden launched roller coaster'), would satisfy Merlin's fetish for firsts enough? And would be easier to sell than an inversion hidden in a tunnel?

 

[EthC]

This was noticed on towers street. It is clutching at straws but is this the inversion that would turn this regular woodie to the gimmicky one that merlin could market the **** out of?

 

[Ben]

Yeah, those plans smell like fish - there's something suspicious going on here.

So maybe it'll be... good?

Magnetic lift screams launch to me, as does the fact the start with the tunnel is all high off the ground - with a lift that'd be going way too slow.

It'll be awesome to see GCI step up to the modern woodie!

I love how they did sound tests on Ozark Wildcat like, omg, it'll be silent, like, huh?

 

[Sandman]

Magnetic lift screams launch to me, as does the fact the start with the tunnel is all high off the ground - with a lift that'd be going way too slow.

It'll be awesome to see GCI step up to the modern woodie!

Agreed. I do think this is a really good opportunity for GCI to showcase a new faction of woodies that differ from their more conventional line-up. Fingers crossed.

 

[Pink Cadillac]

From this image

The layout of the sound tunnel looks a bit odd as it stays quite high up...

and the top of the 'lift hill' has a broad radius...

which could further suggest the coaster is launched. Might just be the angle though.

 

[Ben]

Yeah, so if it's that high and not launched, why would it be in a tunnel, because it would CRAWL.

The whole lift is shallow tbf.

It's weird I'm confused.

 

[spicy]

Yea I would say that this has definitely got a launched lift hill looking at that.

Or this is going to take forever to generate any sort of speed.

 

[Lofty]

I've never been this 'over it' for a coaster project before, but I just can't get excited about this whatsoever. Mainly due to the fact it screams GCI and has such a small footprint of predominantly long sweeping curves - yes, it may have some small gimmicks such as a launched lifthill or an inversion, but every single product that GCI have come out with in recent years has been VERY same-y as their old stuff, you rarely see their track work altering that much and showing variation unless it's a coaster that has large terrain elevation differences, to which this won't.

So yeah. If it is GCI, I won't be excited about it.

 

[Nic]

So yeah. If it is GCI, I won't be excited about it.

What do you mean, IF?

-Reference sound measurement data has been provided by the ride manufacturer, which was taken from similar rollercoaster constructions located in the USA. These are the Kentucky Rumbler at Beech Bend Park in Kentucky, the Wildcat located at Hershey’s Park, Pennsylvania and the Ozark Wildcat, located at Celebration City.

Sorry, Lofty

 

[Martyn B]

How accurate do these plans HAVE to be? That lift looks far too shallow, as does the crest, plus this has a weird looking support frame for a GCI...

 

[Hixee]

How accurate do these plans HAVE to be? That lift looks far too shallow, as does the crest, plus this has a weird looking support frame for a GCI...

I'm a little bit sceptical about them too. Not only do they seem a little out of character for GCI (although I'm sort of keen on the idea of them doing something a little different), but it wouldn't be the first time we've had representative plans that turn out to be a little misleading...

 

[Nic]

Am I the only one amused by how all the reports just gloss over the fact of the accident?

2015 saw slight reduction in annual visitor numbers as it was a low investment year with no new thrill rides.

Yeah, sure. That's definitely the reason.

It also seems that I'm the only one excited at the prospect of a GCI. OK, so they've not done anything ground breaking of late, but does it matter? They produce good solid fun coasters. It's a shame that Merlin will blatantly make them do something ridiculous in the name of a marketing gimmick.