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Nemesis Roar

AmandaPanda

Mega Poster
Looks like the local's aren't happy again, this was also mentioned in the "Alton Towers 2009" topic.

Taken from TowersTimes, Alton Towers Official Fansite

Nemesis, probably Alton Towers' most famous rollercoaster, is well known to have a "roar" as it goes around the track. This is one of the unique features of the ride and partly why it has such a well regarded reputation.

However, it appears that something has happened on the trains, presumably maintainence, which has suddenly caused the roar to become twice as loud. Such is the volume of the roar, that it can be heard from other areas of the park - including Mutiny Bay, which is nearer the parks main entrance. In the queue for the ride, there is noticeably more noise as the train passes. Whilst clearly of concern for local residents, it adds even more ambience to the 1994 ride.

The BBC has reported that some "villagers said the sound could be heard from their homes" and that the District Council has received 20 complaints. Whilst hardcore rollercoaster enthusiasts may relish the noise, clearly such roars between the hours of 10:00 and 5:00 (or later) every day would start to aggravate even the most understanding of local residents after a while.

The park are monitoring the problem and are trying to rectify it as soon as possible. In the mean time, if you want to hear a rollercoaster roar like never before, head over to the theme park to ride on Nemesis as soon as you can!

In this video taken of Nemesis this year you can definatly hear the louder jet sounding roar it is coming out with:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo4FJJXTV6Q[/youtube]

Compare it to this 2007 video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu1HQNpbKMw[/youtube]
 

Peter

Hyper Poster
Nemesis sounds ****ing fantastic at the moment. It is extremely loud.

We could hear Nemesis when standing right underneath Spinball Whizzer, and Spinball isn't exactly the quietest ride out there! You have to shout to each other if you're standing anywhere near Nemesis to hold a conversation.

I can see where the locals are coming from this time, but I really hope they don't change anything - it's amazing.
 

Ollie

CF Legend
The Nemesis roar is great. I haven't heard it this year but it was pretty loud before so any louder and the locals are obviously going to complain.
 

Snoo

The Legend
AmandaPanda said:
It will probably fade after time anyway when the new wheels wear abit.

It's moreso the track then the wheels. New wheels can have an effect but it will always be there unless the track is changed (filled with sand) to dampen the noise.


But I do love the roar. Mantis at CP is the same way and is really the one redeeming quality in the whole thing.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
^ Well if they use harder wheels then it will be louder. So the new wheels may have a different compound then the older ones.
 

Snoo

The Legend
^Very true.

Of course, filling the track with sand could solve the problem, harder wheels or not.
 

Hixee

Flojector
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
That

sounds

amazing.


I need to go to Alton to hear that before it wears off!
 

Nick

Mega Poster
Yeah I noticed how loud it's become when i visited a couple of weeks ago. At first i thought i'd just forgotten how loud it was as this was my first trip to Alton for a couple of years. But then i could hear it at various points around the park which I definitely couldn't before. However, i think it has become a bit too loud, it sounds like a washing machine when the bearings have gone. The new loud and higher pitched roar drowns out the usual deep rumbling roar and make it sound a little bit ropey and poorly maintained.

Having said all this it was riding great :)
 

jack.bell

Mega Poster
I agree/\
The sound even though to some of us sounds amazing is understandably irratating for the locals. If it was to be dampened though with sand surely if it is just new wheels then the noise will reduce so dramaticaly that the roar will disapear to a certain extent.
 

Coaster-Fiend

Mega Poster
Seriously tho, to fill it with sand would mean at least partial deconstruction, then reconstruction ... I really can't see that happening.

Isn't DD the only B&M that is filled with sand?
I think there's one more but I can't remember what it is...

Basically Nemesis is not gonna get filled with sand.
What will happen is after a few months the new wheels will be broken in and cease to produce the same level of noise.

In the mean time the locals can suck it.
 

Peter

Hyper Poster
I'm not a ride mechanic or anything, but I was under the impression that changing wheels on a coaster was a pretty common occurance, perhapse weekly? (I really have no idea, but i'm pretty certain they get replaced quite a few times throughout a season.) Hence why there are always piles and piles of coaster wheels lying around when you look inside a maintenance shed.

If it is a complete new set of wheels on Nemesis this year, then I would guess that they're of a new design or made from a different type of Polyurethane, which would cause a significant change in the sound. If this is the case, I can't see the noise naturally reverting back to the old volume levels as the wheels get worn in.
 

Ben

CF Legend
Kraken is too. I want to say Talon and Hydra are, but, there's a strong possibility that's bull-crap.


It's reasonably common.
 

Coaster-Fiend

Mega Poster
Peter said:
Hence why there are always piles and piles of coaster wheels lying around when you look inside a maintenance shed.

Erm.... Since I don't work at a theme park...I don't think I have ever noticed any maintenance sheds near coasters...
Am I retarded and missing out?

As for the frequency of replacing wheels on coasters, I am under the assumption it does not happen that often. Certainly not every few weeks? ...
Tho I am not an authority on this matter.
 

Coaster-Fiend

Mega Poster
Nick said:
Isn't DD the only B&M that is filled with sand?
I think there's one more but I can't remember what it is...

Isn't Air filled with sand?

Don't know.

I just remember reading that DD is one of the few.
AIR may very well be one.
I'm sure it's not common practice.
 
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