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| 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 | |
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).
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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Record-AmusementTodaywas invoked but never defined (see the help page).