GD ideas

[Gazza]

I thought the reason GD ran only one side was because the other side has problems. So GD has the worlds longest freefall cycle time, yet they only run one 8 passenger car for most of the day, thats bad. If people hate the way GD runs, they should write a letter saying how they feel, i dont think long queues are something we should just have to put up with, they should do what is possible to keep it to a minimum. The first thing to do as Richard said should be to simply open up the other side and run it, so these 1hr lines are dropped back to a more respecable 30 mins.

[dr_teeth]

The motors aren't designed to cope with that sort of workload, that is why there have been so many break downs recently, and that is why almost every holidays I can remember, one side being closed down because it can't handle it. It will require a lot more work then people on here think.

We are talking 2 pumps and 2 motors.... shes not lifting the harbour bridge man, we are lifting the weight of the cable, gondola and 8 people at most so it wouldnt need to be anything amazing. (not to mention its probably counter weighted anyway so you probably arent lifting much weight at all). all it would need to be would be higher capacity, which means its able to run faster while lifiting equal weight. in the last business where i delt with hydraulic motors and pumps we fitted a winch motor to a tilt tray truck. this was able to drag up a loaded shipping container onto the back when the tray was tilted....all parts came on one pallet and was able to be lifted by our dodgy forklift. not to mention it was a cab-over truck and we managed to fit all the pumps etc no problems under the cab. now i dare say the loaded gondola on the GD would weigh a heck of a lot less then a loaded shipping container so we arent talking about something thats all that massive when it comes to the motors and pumps etc. doubt very much if theyd even need to bring a crane in as they could probably get all that gear up there on the catch car anyway. (emember it does have a maintence platform on the top if the catch car which i dare say would be able to raise and lower ANY existing parts that might require maintence from the top)

[joz]

Allright, now if the motors can't cope with the current workload, then they should be replaced. While they're at it, they could put in a program with a quicker cycle. I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't do this. The cost would probably eventually be made up on on-ride photo.

[Gazza]

Where is GDs onride photo? is it at the bottom like SP at WL or at the top like apocalypse at Drayton Manor Park.

[ads086]

The photo is on the Western side of the tower, and is taken by a photographer in a stand near the Model T cars. Thats why you can only get your photo taken between certain times during the day (it was this way the last time I was there, however it may have changed). Its also why you have to wait until after 3pm to collect/view your photo, because they are still on the camera with the photographer

[dr_teeth]

ahhh thats interesting that its taken by a photographer. i would have thought that itd be all automated with a camera on a pole somewhere

[Slick]

Well that's what I'm not sure about. There is now a photography post for both sides for during the holidays (one side is basically a concrete block with a crate under it and a beach umbrella) but the main side now how some kind of telescope looking device that looks awfully like the on-ride photo machines that they have down at Cyclone.

[dr_teeth]

better smile then

[joz]

Yeah, but its only on side. Luckily, its the side that was open all day when I was last there

[Slick]

Yeah, as for GD, the west side is the one always open during off-peak out of the two because of the facilities for the photos. And that telescope looking thing I was telling you about is (from what I saw) the new camera in the post so the person technically doesn't have to do anything. As for east though, its had its fair share of problems within the past few months. One of the cable catchers that fold out up the tower has been semi broken for a while now, and you can actually hear it rub up agains the gondola as you go up the first quarter of the tower. Its not like it has broken off "yet", it just doesn't fold away properly, which can cause problems in the near future.