The Smiler is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. The Infinity Coaster model from Gerstlauer set a world record for most inversions on a roller coaster when it opened in 2013,[3] featuring 14 inversions that include dive loops, sidewinders, corkscrews, and other inverting elements. The ride was constructed in the X-Sector area of the park and underwent an extensive advertising campaign, during which it was codenamed Secret Weapon 7 (SW7).
| The Smiler | |
|---|---|
 | |
.JPG) The Smiler trains dueling | |
| Alton Towers | |
| Location | Alton Towers |
| Park section | X-Sector |
| Coordinates | 52°59′14″N 1°53′43″W / 52.98722°N 1.89528°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 31 May 2013 |
| Cost | £18 million |
| Replaced | The Black Hole |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Gerstlauer |
| Designer | John Wardley (track layout)[1] |
| Model | Infinity Coaster |
| Track layout | Infinity Coaster 1170 |
| Lift/launch system | Two chain lift hills |
| Drop | 98.4 ft (30.0 m) |
| Length | 3,838.6 ft (1,170.0 m) |
| Speed | 52.8 mph (85.0 km/h) |
| Inversions | 14 |
| Duration | 2:45 |
| Capacity | 1,200 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.6[2] |
| Height restriction | 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) |
| Trains | 4 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 16 riders per train. |
 Fastrack available | |
 Single rider line available | |
| The Smiler at RCDB | |
A series of setbacks plagued The Smiler early on. A malfunction at a press preview event delayed the official opening date by two weeks, and in 2015, a major collision between two trains left five riders seriously injured. The incident resulted in an investigation by the UK government's Health and Safety Executive, and the ride eventually reopened the following season with revamped safety protocols and procedures.
History
editPlans to build The Smiler were submitted to the local authority in December 2011. Permission was granted on 15 March 2012 following a Staffordshire Moorlands Council meeting, despite some local opposition to its construction.[4] Gerstlauer, a German manufacturing company, was hired to build the roller coaster.[5] Less than a month after obtaining permission, Alton Towers launched a website announcing a new ride – codenamed Secret Weapon 7 (SW7) – for the 2013 season. Its codename followed a similar format used for other roller coasters during their teaser campaigns, such as SW4[6] for Oblivion and SW6 for Thirteen.[7]
In June 2012, a trademark filed by Merlin Entertainments, the parent company of Alton Towers, hinted that the new ride would be named The Smiler.[8][9] On 17 October 2012, a number of facts about the coaster were revealed to the public including its maximum speed, track length, ride time, passengers per train and ride cost. Despite the release, Alton Towers did not announce or confirm the name of the ride.[10]
Construction
editThe site for the new ride was determined to be an area in the park being occupied by the tent that previously contained the Black Hole, a roller coaster which closed after the 2005 season.[11][12] The park began dismantling the remaining Black Hole structure on 12 April 2012.[13][14] The first pieces of track arrived at the park in late October 2012.[15] Sections of track were later moved to the construction site on 6 December 2012.[16][17]
In January 2013, Alton Towers officially confirmed that the ride would be called The Smiler.[18] In February 2013, the park revealed some of the ride's elements.[19] The trains arrived in March 2013, as Alton Towers began posting images on both Twitter and their official Smiler website.[20][21][22] Vertical construction was completed approximately one month later, as the final piece of track was installed at the top of the first lift hill.[23][24]
Marketing
editMarketing for The Smiler started around the same time as construction when, on 11 April 2012, a minisite was launched allowing visitors to register for updates on the ride's progress.[25] A competition to be the first to ride the rollercoaster, at this time codenamed "SW7", started in July. To enter, guests were invited to scan a QR Code with their smartphone, which subsequently redirected to Alton Towers Official The Smiler Minisite where guests entered their details.[26]
In September 2012, the park began the second stage of advertisement through the overnight spray painting of a stencil logo (which resembled a smiling face) all over the park.[27] This was followed in October with new boards around the park, new "subliminal" advertising on different sections of the main Alton Towers website, and a countdown timer on the Alton Towers mini-site.[25][28] The countdown timer initially gave a scheduled opening date of 16 March 2013, but was removed however on 4 January 2013, as the ride hit delays.[29]
More overt advertising started in January 2013, when the "Smile" logo was used in various forms across the country, including billboards in London;[30] ticket barriers at Leeds railway station;[31] projected onto various buildings including Big Ben;[32] and sprayed onto flocks of sheep in areas including Leicestershire, Devon and Perthshire.[33]
The name of the roller coaster, The Smiler, was revealed on 21 January 2013, in the Metro newspaper, and the opening date was set as May (previously it was 16 March).[34][35][36]
In February 2013 a free game app was released containing a full 3D recreation of the actual ride, and a preview of the ride's merchandise was published online.[37][38][39][40]
John Wardley, a ride consultant on the project, confirmed in a radio interview on 19 April 2013 that The Smiler would feature more inversions than any other roller coaster in the world.[41] Although construction had revealed this earlier,[42] the statement was the first official confirmation that The Smiler would break the inversion record.[3][41] In an earlier interview Wardley had said that The Smiler would have "...5 mind manipulating elements that play around with you on the ride, so it's more than just a physical rollercoaster."[41][43]
From early April and throughout May, Alton Towers published videos online giving snippets of the ride's fictional backstory.[44][45][46][47] This was followed by footage of weather presenter Laura Tobin riding The Smiler, live on ITV's Daybreak programme and an advertising campaign on boxes of Krave cereal.[48][49]
Opening
editInitially, The Smiler was expected to make its public debut in March 2013 for the park's opening day, but due to construction delays, the date was pushed back to 23 May 2013.[50] The date had to be pushed back further after technical issues were encountered during testing and a ride incident occurred during its preview event that stranded riders on the lift hill.[51][52] Following the incident on 17 May 2013, Alton Towers explained on their website that The Smiler would not open on the originally scheduled date due to "unforeseen teething problems".[52][53]
The ride's delayed opening initially caused controversy as many had booked advance tickets and had stayed at the Alton Towers Hotel in order to be among the first to ride the coaster.[54] However, Alton Towers later announced it would allow those who had made advanced bookings to change their tickets and hotel reservations free of charge.[54][55] The Smiler eventually opened on 31 May 2013.[56]
Description
editA key feature of the ride is the large, metallic spider-like structure that serves as a centrepoint for the coaster track. Called the Marmaliser, it has five legs which are responsible for manipulating riders into smiling, in accordance with the theme of the ride. It is also equipped with a wraparound screen that displays themed graphics and video. The roller coaster's track intertwines within the structure, enhancing the experience for riders.[57] Five trains can operate on the ride at once, leading to a theoretical capacity of 1200 riders per hour.[58]
.JPG)
Track elements
edit| Inversion |
|---|
| 1. Heartline roll |
| 2. Corkscrew |
| 3. Dive loop |
| 4. Dive loop |
| 5. Reverse Sidewinder |
| 6. Sidewinder |
| 7. Corkscrew |
| 8. Corkscrew |
| 9–10. Sea serpent |
| 11–12. Cobra roll |
| 13-14. Double Corkscrew |
Ride experience
editThe train dispatches from the station, playing audio of a man saying, "Join us!" The train immediately enters into a sweeping drop 180 degrees to the left. Partway through this drop, riders encounter a heartline roll, the ride's first inversion. The train then comes to a stop on block brakes, before ascending the first lift hill. Upon reaching the top, the train drops into another 180-degree right turn before banking into the second inversion, a downward corkscrew. The train drops down into the next two inversions, two consecutive dive loops before travelling over a trimmed airtime hill into the ride's largest element, a Batwing (this element consists of a sidewinder and reverse sidewinder).[60]
The train then travels through another corkscrew before reaching the second set of block brakes, after a brief pause the train ascends the second lift hill, this time at a 90° vertical angle. The train then enters another drop, 180-degrees to the left, banking into a downward corkscrew. Riders then navigate through a sea serpent roll, followed by a short drop into another trimmed airtime hill where the on-ride photo is taken. The train then dives into a cobra roll. Upon exiting the cobra roll, the train twists through two consecutive corkscrews before a short left turn into the final brake run. The words "Process complete" are visible to riders as the train returns to the station.[60]
Incidents
editThe ride has experienced a number of structural and technical issues since its launch. The most serious incident occurred on 2 June 2015, when a loaded train collided with an empty test train, causing serious injuries to a number of riders. An additional train had recently been added to the circuit when an empty train was dispatched for a test run and stalled mid-ride due to a gust of wind. The ride's block system shut down the ride accordingly, but it was overridden by the engineers on duty, as they were unaware there was now an additional train present that had stalled. This allowed the following train, loaded with passengers, to collide with the stalled train.[61]
Two of the riders sitting in the front row required leg amputations.[62] Subsequently, Merlin Entertainments decided to close The Smiler, Saw – The Ride at Thorpe Park, and two other roller coasters at Chessington World of Adventures (all of which have since reopened) while safety protocols and procedures were evaluated.[63][64] The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) served a Prohibition Notice upon the Smiler, preventing the ride's use until remedial action had been completed.[65] On 27 July 2015, it was stated by Merlin Entertainments chief executive Nick Varney that The Smiler would "not be opening this summer".[66] The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) initiated a criminal investigation.[67]
In the incident's aftermath, Alton Towers and its owner Merlin Entertainments allegedly observed a drop in revenue and visitor numbers, which they claim influenced their decision to eliminate up to 190 jobs at the theme park.[68] Six rides were closed during the 2016 season as a result of the crash.[69] Varney released a public statement stating:
This has been a terrible incident and a devastating day for everyone here. We have a very strong record of safe operation of our rides here at Alton Towers and it is our priority. I would like to express my sincerest regret and apology to everyone who suffered injury and distress today and to their families.
The ride eventually reopened on 19 March 2016 for the start of the 2016 season with additional safety features.[71] Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd was prosecuted by the HSE at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 22 April 2016, in which the firm pleaded guilty.[72][73] On 27 September 2016, after a two-day hearing at Stafford Crown Court, Judge Michael Chambers QC fined Merlin Entertainments £5 million; the value of the fine was reduced by one third from £7.5 million as credit for the guilty plea.[74][75] In September 2018, Vicky Balch and Leah Washington, who lost their legs on the ride after the crash in June 2015, sued Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd for negligence and/or breach of statutory duty.[76]
| Date | Reopened | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2013 | 31 May 2013 | The Smiler experienced a shutdown during a preview event for celebrities and journalists which delayed the coaster's official opening. The train was stopped on the first lift hill with passengers in their seats for approximately 30 minutes until they could be evacuated.[77][78][79] |
| 4 June 2013 | 5 June 2013 | One of the trains stalled on the ride's batwing element during a test run before the park opened to the public.[80] |
| 10 June 2013 | 11 June 2013 | A train stalled once again in the same batwing element, this time loaded with weighted dummies. The cause of the incident was revealed as the ride computer activated the trim brakes on the first airtime hill.[81] |
| 21 July 2013 | 25 July 2013 | 48 people were evacuated from the ride after debris fell from a section of track. Some eyewitness reports described the debris as a 1-foot-long metal bar (0.30 m), while others described it as a bolt. The incident caused two sections of track to partially disengage creating a small gap in the track.[82][83][84][85] |
| 30 July 2013 | 4 August 2013 | The ride was closed for five days after cracks were found around the base of one of the ride's supports.[79][86][87] |
| 2 November 2013 | 7 November 2013 | Four people suffered minor injuries when they were struck by guide wheels that detached from the chain guide as the train ascended the vertical incline.[88][89] |
| 2 June 2015 | 19 March 2016 | A fully-loaded train travelling approximately 20 mph (32 km/h) collided with an empty, stationary train. Of the eleven riders who required medical treatment, five were seriously injured. Two required partial leg amputations in the weeks following the incident. According to reports, the train carrying passengers was stopped automatically on the lift hill by the safety block system that prevents two trains from occupying the same section of track. It correctly detected that the empty train sent previously had stalled. A ride engineer manually overrode the system allowing a ride operator to restart the halted train, which led to the collision.[90][91][92] |
References
edit- ^ Feature: Life has been a rollercoaster for white knuckle ride designer John Wardley. Birmingham Mail. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "Infinity-Coaster » Gerstlauer Amusement Rides". Gerstlauer. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ a b Mellor, Andrew (July 2013). "Record-breaking looper opens at Alton Towers Resort" (PDF). Amusement Today. No. 4. p. 6. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
Gerstlauer, has officially received the Guinness World Record status for the most inversions in a coaster anywhere in the world...
- ^ Sim, Nick (16 March 2012). "Alton Towers receives planning permission for SW7 roller coaster". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ "Noise Report" (PDF). Staffordshire Moorlands Council. Retrieved 5 January 2012.[dead link]
- ^ "Rumour - Alton Towers Is Planning SW9 And It Will Be An Indoor Coaster!". Theme Park Tourist. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
- ^ "New rollercoaster ride approved". BBC News. BBC. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ "SW7 Name Speculation Begins". Towers Street. Archived from the original on 8 January 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ "Case details for Community Trade Mark E10993517". Intellectual Property Office. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ "Alton Towers Resort to launch world's first rollercoaster in 2013" (Press release). Alton Towers. 17 October 2012. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Black Hole (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ "Planning Permission Granted for Secret Weapon 7". Towers Times. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ "New SW7 Promotional Material released". Towers Times. 11 April 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
- ^ "Farewell to the Black Hole Tent". Towers Times. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Track and components arrive". Towers Times. 3 November 2012.
- ^ "SW7 Construction Updates". Towers Street. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ "SW7 Vertical Construction Begins". Towers Street. 7 December 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ Gilani, Nadia (21 January 2012). "Ewe've been framed! Creepy sheep Twitter mystery solved". Metro. Associated Newspapers. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "February 20th 2013 : The Smiler: Confirmed Track Changes". Towers Times. 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Trains Delivered". Towers Times. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ Alton Towers (28 March 2013). "Alton Towers Twitter - The Smiler Trains". Twitter. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Ride Cars Arrive". Alton Towers. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Track Construction Completed". Towers Times. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Track Construction Reaches Completion". Towers Street. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ a b "SW7 - Coming Soon to Alton Towers Resort". Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
- ^ "Want to ride SW7 first?". Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- ^ "SW7 Construction Update - 19th September 2012". Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- ^ "SW7: World Beating Rollercoaster for 2013". Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ^ "SW7 Opening Delayed?". Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ^ "Is Turnham Green in West London being #getcorrected". Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- ^ "More advertising at Leeds Station". Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ "Alton Towers promotional video - YouTube". YouTube. 20 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ The Smiler - New for 2013 at Alton Towers Resort, 20 January 2013, retrieved 18 September 2023
- ^ "Alton Towers Alton Towers Resort baffles the nation in a baaarmy hoax". Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- ^ "Smile! Details revealed for Alton Towers' latest coaster". Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- ^ "'The Smiler' - 2013 roller coaster officially named!". Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- ^ @altontowers (4 February 2013). "@Jacob_Ross14 it's completely free! #TheSmilerGame" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 February 2013 – via Twitter.
- ^ "The Smiler - Game". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Game Released!". Retrieved 28 February 2013.
- ^ "Exclusive look at The Smiler merchandise". Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ a b c "The Smiler: John Wardley on Bolton FM". Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
- ^ "Smiler confirmed to have 14 inversions". RideRater. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ "John Wardley talks The Smiler on Bolton FM".
- ^ "Miles Cedars Interview". Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Miles Cedars Tape #1". Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler is the world's first fourteen looping coaster". Retrieved 9 May 2013.
- ^ "Smile. Always - Part 4 of 4". YouTube. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler - On Ride Footage". YouTube. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler: The world's first fourteen looping coaster". Retrieved 4 May 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler leaves many frowning..." The Sentinel. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ^ Fletcher, Damien (18 May 2013). "Alton Towers' The Smiler breaks down on preview night leaving thrill-seekers dangling". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b Hogg, Chris (22 May 2013). "Alton Towers delays opening of The Smiler after technical issues". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Due to unforeseen teething problems, The Smiler will not be open on 23rd May (Twitter)". Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ a b Moody, Jenny (24 May 2013). "No date set for The Smiler opening at Alton Towers". Burton Mail. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "New 'Smiler' ride at Alton Towers has teething problems". ITV News. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "It's time to Join Us - The Smiler is NOW OPEN #TheSmiler". Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Alton Towers Resort reveals new rollercoaster, The Smiler is said to combine mental and physical fear factors to 'marmalise' riders!". Retrieved 13 March 2013.
- ^ Jamie Grierson and Josh Halliday (3 June 2015). "Alton Towers rollercoaster crash". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "The Smiler (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ a b "The Smiler front seat on-ride HD POV Alton Towers". CoasterForce. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2019 – via YouTube.
- ^ Rodger, James (2 June 2020). "The harrowing story behind Alton Towers Smiler crash five years on from rollercoaster horror". Birmingham Mail. Birmingham, England. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Four seriously hurt in Alton Towers Smiler crash - Ride Rater. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ "Smiler - Alton Towers". rcdb.com. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ "Alton Towers And Other Parks Close Major Rides". BBC News. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ "Alton Towers: HSE investigation serves prohibition notice on the Smiler". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 5 June 2015.
- ^ Hiscott, Graham (27 July 2015). "Alton Towers crash: The Smiler remained closed all summer as families shun the park". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ Halliday, Josh (27 September 2016). "Alton Towers owner fined £5m over Smiler rollercaster crash". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
- ^ "Alton Towers to axe 190 jobs due to Smiler incident". Express and Star.
- ^ "Six rides were closed during the 2016 season at Alton Towers, linked to the smiler crash". Daily Mirror.
- ^ "Merlin CEO Nick Varney fronts response to Alton Towers crash". PRWeek. 4 June 2015.
- ^ "Alton Towers' Smiler ride reopens nine months after horror crash". BBC News. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ^ "Smiler crash: Alton Towers owner to be prosecuted". BBC News. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ "Alton Towers admits Smiler ride safety breaches". BBC News. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ "Smiler crash: Alton Towers operator Merlin fined £5m". BBC News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- ^ "Alton Towers operators fined £5m in sentencing - SHP Online | Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, Training and CPD". SHP Online | Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, Training and CPD. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ "Alton Towers Smiler ride crash victims sue park's owners". BBC News. 19 September 2018.
- ^ Sim, Nick (22 May 2013). "The Smiler roller coaster at Alton Towers to miss May 23, 2013 opening date". Theme Park Tourist. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- ^ Bysouth, Adam (2 June 2013). "Review: The Smiler roller coaster at Alton Towers". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Alton Towers' Smiler ride closed again as new cracks found". Express and Star. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Stalls". Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler Stalls for the third time". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ "Alton Towers Closes Smiler". Sky New. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Smiler forced to close again as flying part just misses Alton Towers ride queue". Express and Star. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "The Smiler - Handling the Heat + Track Issues". TowersTimes. 21 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016.
- ^ Moody, Jenny (31 July 2013). "The Smiler is reopened after debris on track". Burton Mail. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
- ^ MOODY, JENNY (31 July 2013). "The Smiler Closed Again". Burton Mail. Archived from the original on 3 August 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
- ^ Twitter / altontowers: @morgeennminajThe Smiler
- ^ "Rollercoaster shut after riders hurt". BBC News. 2 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Alton Towers Smiler reopens after four hit by wheels". BBC News. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ^ "Alton Towers closed after Smiler rollercoaster crash". BBC News. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Alton Towers crash: Leah Washington has leg amputated". BBC News. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Alton Towers Smiler crash: Vicky Balch has leg amputated". BBC News. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
External links
edit