The Smiler

The Smiler is a metallic curler coaster positioned at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. Manufactured with the aid of Gerstlauer, it functions 14 inversions and holds the arena file for maximum inversions on a roller coaster. The Smiler has suffered a series of setbacks and journey incidents, consisting of a malfunction at a press preview occasion which not on time the official beginning date by months, and in 2015, a primary collision that left five riders severely injured. An investigation by means of the Health and Safety Executive turned into initiated, and the journey turned into closed for the the rest of that season. The experience sooner or later reopened on 19 March 2016 with remodeled safety requirements.

Plans to build The Smiler were submitted to the nearby authority in December 2011. Permission became granted on 15 March 2012 following a Staffordshire Moorlands Council assembly, despite a few nearby opposition to its construction. Gerstlauer, a German production agency, turned into employed to construct the curler coaster. Less than a month after obtaining permission, Alton Towers launched a website announcing a new experience – codenamed Secret Weapon SW7 – for the 2013 season. Its codename accompanied a comparable format used for different roller coasters during their teaser campaigns, which includes SW4 for Oblivion and SW6 for 13.