Coaster Accident In the UK

Just seen this on the national news http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/683544/rollercoaster-derails-plunges-30ft-ground-crash-Scotland-theme-park

who is the manufacturer? doesn't look familiar.

It's a Pinfari, looks to be a portable ride that toured South America http://rcdb.com/2433.htm

Wow RCDB.com is quick to update... They list that coaster as SBNO since TOMORROW!

Actually it's listed as today (06-26-16), the first date is that of when it went back into operation http://rcdb.com/2433.htm

Not sure where the discrepancy is but that link shows SBNO since 6/27/2016...

http://rcdb.com/2433.htm

How do I post a picture?

It's a typo, look at the bottom of the page

I think the idea is that it was still operating on the 26th, so to avoid overlapping dates, he lists the SBNO status as starting on the 27th. Regardless, I'm impressed he had it updated within a few hours of the incident!

It was operating on the 26th. How else would the incident have happened on that date?

This is something you would think would never happen.

There is a picture on various news sites of a severed wheel assembly from one side of one car.

This makes me think of metal fatigue as a possibility. I wonder if coaster trains are subject to the same periodic tests as aircraft propellers and engine parts... i.e florescent dye penetration and eddy current testing to check for fatigue and cracks not visible to the naked eye.

Anybody have any knowledge as to whether CP does these types of checks at periodic intervals?

It also seems from the pictures as though the trains on this ride do not have the fixed metal bar above the track that you see on Iron Dragon trains that ostensibly are a failsafe mechanism to keep the train from falling off the track in the event of a wheel failure.

It will be interesting to see what the final cause is, and it is miraculous that there appear to be no fatalities.

This and the Smiler accident cause me to believe that the likelihood of a serious accident at any given park is less remote than I previously believed.

While this and the Smiler accident are both out of the ordinary and prove that things like this can happen, I still don't think the likelihood is any greater. From the sounds of things, this park had a bit of a spotty history. And the Smiler accident was truly a one in a billion human error, that likely will never happen again. Yeah, stuff can happen. But the likelihood hasn't really changed, IMO.

CP does do non-destructive testing of parts like DA20Pilot mentioned. They showed us some trains undergoing off season maintenance at the Winter Chillout. Basically, the train gets stripped to the frame. Everything is checked for fatigue or cracks and then the train is put together again using many new parts.

I believe that CP was a pioneer in magnaflux testing and other non-destructive testing in the amusement industry. They basically wrote the book back in the 60s.

Cartwright said:

While this and the Smiler accident are both out of the ordinary and prove that things like this can happen, I still don't think the likelihood is any greater. From the sounds of things, this park had a bit of a spotty history. And the Smiler accident was truly a one in a billion human error, that likely will never happen again. Yeah, stuff can happen. But the likelihood hasn't really changed, IMO.

Agreed. I never said the likelihood was higher. The statistical laws of probability are unchanged between now and before the accidents. The predicted mean time between failure (MTBF) rates likely have not changed either.

The probability of such accidents was likely the same before the accidents as after.

What has changed, as I indicated in my post, is my perception of what that probability actually is. It is less remote than I previously believed.

http://fox11online.com/news/local/green-bay/green-bay-mayor-talks-a...pin-pippin

Accidents also happen without being widely reported.

I live in Green Bay, we had a train collision on the coaster in our tiny amusement facility about a week ago. There weren't any deaths or life threatening injuries, thankfully. It's a newer built ride a few years old.

Oddly, our mayor wants a reopening ceremony, and very soon after the accident announced as much without any word on cause.

XS NightClub said:

I live in Green Bay, we had a train collision on the coaster in our tiny amusement facility about a week ago.

We've been talking about it on CoasterBuzz. That's where we try to keep the non-Cedar Point topics.

https://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Topic/three-taken-to-hospital-when-z...-bay-beach

Thanks for the heads up

Granted, I know nothing about this ride but from the pictures it appears to be a glorified carnival style ride. I like riding rides and coasters but you'll never see me on any carnival ride... Don't trust them.

While CP may have some flats that one could consider a carnival style ride, Cletus the slack jawed yokel isn't the one maintaining it.

^ this.
Not good. not good at all. Final destination daylight addition. Jeepers shaggy.