Brake Failure - CoasterBuzz

There's been 5 brake failures that I know of in the UK in the last couple of years, this latest at Lightwater, the Big One-which has crashed twice, once where the train stalled on the trim brakes, and the one where the train hit a loading train in the station, the avalanche at BPB- when the first car derailed as a result of a fault on the brakes, and 2 trains on the Rollercoaster at BPB collided when the brakes failed........all of these resulted in casualties.....I think its time someone at HSE should investigate.

*** This post was edited by colin mcwilliam on 6/23/2001. *** *** This post was edited by colin mcwilliam on 6/23/2001. ***

Question: Why is it that in the UK there seem to be a lot of brake failure/collision incidents while in the USA we have similar coasters built by the same manufacturers and we don't have nearly so many brake failures...or if we do have brake failures they do not as frequently end up with collisions?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

This is an interesting question. Is it because they don't fully understand the technology, or are some of the components different than the ones used here? Are the braking systems different to meet criteria set forth in local codes? There are a lot of questions that I don't have the answers to,but it would be enlightening to find out.

This is why we don't use the Metric System

-------------
Why Must they use Mulch? It smells like pooh!

Dutchman said:
"Is it because they don't fully understand the technology......."

What do you mean by that!!?? Of course we understand the technology!!We get B&M prototypes, we had the first Vekoma double corkscrew, and Boomerang, and the first Intamin stand-up freefall tower ride.....the technology is exactly the same, maybe our safety laws just a little slacker!! The main difference you get between UK and US parks is that UK parks dont have the capital, to invest in huge B&Ms every year....we tend to get all the parks simultaneously getting some form of distinct new ride every 4 years, and 3 spin n spews all the other years. Check out next year here,Odyssey,Atlantis,SW5......

I think this mean the in the UK certain parks are to CHEAP(yeah it must be true) to maintain a safe ride. Not all the parks. But you you know what parks with crap maintaince.