Slammer is "Off"?

[AltonTowersFan]

I was just at TP's website, and found out that slammer is out of opperation. Any guesses why this might have happened?

 

[Ian]

Probably something to do with it being built by S&S?

 

[CoasterCrazy]

It might just be 'broken down for a long time', when I went to TP last, it was out of operation too.
Anyway, if the attraction is closed for more than a day then it will be on the website, so probably not a massive problem

Hopefully it should re-open in a few days time.... :--D

 

[Nic]

Slammer is generally really unreliable. It always has been. On average, from my experience, out of 3 visits it'll be down for the whole of one, half of the 2nd and running for the 3rd. This is pure speculation, but I would guess that it has the most down time of all the rides at the park.

Was it last winter where it had an extended maintenance period? I can't remember if it was the end of last season, the start of this one, or both... but they spent ages taking it all apart. Much longer than for the other rides. They also had a crane/cherry picker thing over there for ages at the time.

I guess it's just having an off week. Again.

 

[Pingu on drugs]

I went there yesterday and it wasn't open. It is incredibly unreliable, and it is often shut down. Stealth is also unreliable, it was closed for nearly a week, but opened yesterday at 4. 40 just before the park closed.

 

[Lofty]

Both times I've been to Thorpe it's been down. Oh well, here's hoping for next year...

 

[Dave]

Probably just taking advantage of a less busy period and giving it some TLC. Standard matinence stuff....

 

[STC]

When I was at Thorpe a few weeks ago, Slammer was clearly knackered. It failed to reach the top on the first attempt, needing a reset. And then on the way down after the ride, it seriously banged into the bottom, causing it to bounce a lot and made a loud noise.

Also the ride is gash anyway. Hopefully leaving the park soon.

 

[gavin]

Probably just taking advantage of a less busy period and giving it some TLC. Standard matinence stuff....

Don't be silly; it's common knowledge that Thorpe do all of their standard maintenance in the opening week of the season.

No idea about Slammer, but given that parks really haven't rushed to buy those Sky Swats (there's what? 2? 3?), then I'd be willing to bet that they're a really unreliable ride type. They look really impressive/intimidating, but parks have avoided them like the plague while lapping up S&S's sky swings, which came about at around the same time. There must be a reason for that.

 

[Colossus]

I used to quite like Slammer about 3 years ago, I love the powerful look of the ride, watching it, it looks wet yourself scary. But as years have gone by I find that I can no longer stand this ride, the reason for this is mainly its downtime issues. I have stood in the Colossus queue on more then one occasion only to see Slammer stuck at the raised point, fully loaded with people, I remember one time in the 2009 season it was stuck with passengers for about 2 hours. This made me fear the ride for a completely different reason, not because I might soil myself, but because of the genuine fear that I might get stuck up there for half a day because the ride is so unreliable.
This ride also has awful queue times and a painfully slow load time.

S&S Sky Swats have been a failure really, Slammer was last of these rides to be installed in 2005, I would be surprised if we ever see another one of these installed anywhere.

 

[Ian]

No idea about Slammer, but given that parks really haven't rushed to buy those Sky Swats (there's what? 2? 3?), then I'd be willing to bet that they're a really unreliable ride type. They look really impressive/intimidating, but parks have avoided them like the plague while lapping up S&S's sky swings, which came about at around the same time. There must be a reason for that.

At the EAS, I quizzed the VP of S&S about the lack of Sky Swats.

He said that they haven't discontinued them (even though I couldn't find the product on their website ...?) but there has been no demand for them. He didn't tell me why, but I got the impression the reliability was a factor. He did swiftly move the chat towards the swings, which he was really proud of.

 

[Anonymous]

The problem I see with the Sky Swatters are their use of Air-pressure to drive the whole thing. If they were to use "normal" gear (electronic/hydraulic systems) then it might be a lot more reliable...

 

[Kebab]

Every time I've been to Thorpe Park it's been running perfectly, but I just think that's just my luck, because I think Slammer is God-awful! I don't see the fun of being tipped upside-down, it does nothing for me.

But yeah, as said above it's S&S, it's probably just a minor problem and they need some extra parts ordered.

 

[gavin]

^^That's what S&S do though: air-pressured rides.

Their hugely successful shot towers use air pressure, and have been really reliable. The Screaming Swings have been popping up everywhere over the last few years, and they're air-pressure driven.

I suppose you could look at Ring Racer as a pretty major glitch in the argument, but for flat rides, S&S should have the air pressure thing sorted I would have thought.

 

[Anonymous]

^ Yeah I know, but it would have been so much simpler to use hydraulics to lift the thing instead of air pressure. It would have done wonders with the capacity as well, since it would have been a lot faster going up and down.

I think that the mantra they design to that they should use air pressure on as many points as possible is a bit stupid and overcomplicates a lot of things, since it would be a lot simpler to use other techniques, just look at the El-Locos, if they had used an electrical system for the restraint then they wouldn't had to design that strange contraption they use to pressurize the car each time they reload it. Seems like just another thing that can go wrong, same thing with the sky swatter, it's a brilliant ride, but it could have been better and sold a lot more if they had done a simplified system that didn't rely on loads of tiny air hoses/connections that can start to leak at any time...

 

[AltonTowersFan]

^True, S&S are nuts with air pressure.
One question, is it just El-Locos which use air pressure, or is it also other restraints.

 

[Anonymous]

^ You mean, using air pressure for the restraints??
All attractions of with that seat/restraint type found on El-Locos use air to operate them, Screaming Swings, Screaming Squirrels and Sky Swatters...

 

[SAW_gameover]

Just a rumour I guess - but word has it, that Slammer will not be returning at all...

Again, just a rumour, it WAS from a reliable source, but should still be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[Ben]

omg, it'd ruin my life if Slammer got spited, it's one of my favourite rides there <//3

And how it's the only one of its type now as well

 

[Hixee]

^Is Catapult at SFNE closed now? I heard something about that park getting a new ride or something like that, but I don't remember if it said Catapult was closing as a result.