Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

[eye624]

Hopefully it stays that way. I may not go on it much, but the Mouse is great!
They don't make these kind of thrills anymore, which is a shame really.

As for the Pleasureland/Morecambe mouse, luckily it is still around in storage. It would be great to ride if it ever reopens again. I hear it is meant to be even more intense than the pleasure beach one, though I have not ridden it so I would not really know for sure.

 

[Rowe]

Not so much a post about Blackpool today as it is about Blackpool in the past, I've come across two Hammer Horror films that feature the Pleasure Beach and the Blackpool Tower.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GBv0-A7Eig[/youtube]

The first is The Glass Tomb, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is clearly featured in the opening credits.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zye-tkVotp8[/youtube]

The second is Dick Barton Strikes Back, only available until tomorrow morning, which involves the Blackpool Tower particularly 58 minutes onwards. I haven't watched it entirely though as of yet but there seem to be bits and pieces also filmed around Pleasure Beach (or a generic fairground).

 

[Adam James]

If i'm reading between the lines here correctly, it's time to get your last rides in for the Wild Mouse folks... :'(

...and it looks like I won't bother with a BPB season pass this year if it's the case.

 

[Rowe]

I really don't know what else to say about this other than, "Well... This is disappointing."

 

[Danny]

Changes as in removing Grand Prix and the Monorail for a decent coaster I can live with, but removing the Mouse? That's out of the question.

 

[Spike]

She doesn't say anything definite and it could be there for a while yet.

I agree the Grand Prix should go. The space either side of the Tom Sawyer bridge and the Grand Prix footprint could house a really good new coaster, even utilising the space behind Infusion.

At this rate they'll be no rides left ???

 

[Alastair]

As much as I dislike the Mouse, I'd much rather see them rip out the Big Dipper which takes up a lot more space and is a lot less unique than the Wild Mouse with its tiny footprint. Ah well, as Amanda says - nothing can last forever.

 

[CGM]

As much as I dislike the Mouse, I'd much rather see them rip out the Big Dipper which takes up a lot more space and is a lot less unique than the Wild Mouse with its tiny footprint. Ah well, as Amanda says - nothing can last forever.

What is it with people here and the Big Dipper? Leave it alone! There's nothing wrong with it! Neither coaster should be leaving the park.

I really think there should be some sort of preservation group that could protect a number of rides at Blackpool. It has four of the world's oldest rollercoasters and rides that can't be found anywhere else. Unfortunately, very few people seem to take the preservation of rollercoasters and rides seriously which I find ridiculous seeing how rare these 1920s and 30s coasters have become.

 

[Alastair]

As much as I dislike the Mouse, I'd much rather see them rip out the Big Dipper which takes up a lot more space and is a lot less unique than the Wild Mouse with its tiny footprint. Ah well, as Amanda says - nothing can last forever.

What is it with people here and the Big Dipper? Leave it alone! There's nothing wrong with it! Neither coaster should be leaving the park.

I really think there should be some sort of preservation group that could protect a number of rides at Blackpool. It has four of the world's oldest rollercoasters and rides that can't be found anywhere else. Unfortunately, very few people seem to take the preservation of rollercoasters and rides seriously which I find ridiculous seeing how rare these 1920s and 30s coasters have become.

A ride is no longer worth keeping when it's as poor as the Big Dipper is now. It's arguably the most rough and uncomfortable ride in the entire park, offers very little thrill and must cost a fortune every year to maintain with issues such as rotting/structurally unsafe wood - which will all have to be replaced regularly. Justifications such as "there's nothing wrong with it" aren't really good enough - regardless of its age it's just a rubbish coaster in its current state.

 

[WillPS]

As much as I dislike the Mouse, I'd much rather see them rip out the Big Dipper which takes up a lot more space and is a lot less unique than the Wild Mouse with its tiny footprint. Ah well, as Amanda says - nothing can last forever.

What is it with people here and the Big Dipper? Leave it alone! There's nothing wrong with it! Neither coaster should be leaving the park.

I really think there should be some sort of preservation group that could protect a number of rides at Blackpool. It has four of the world's oldest rollercoasters and rides that can't be found anywhere else. Unfortunately, very few people seem to take the preservation of rollercoasters and rides seriously which I find ridiculous seeing how rare these 1920s and 30s coasters have become.

A ride is no longer worth keeping when it's as poor as the Big Dipper is now. It's arguably the most rough and uncomfortable ride in the entire park, offers very little thrill and must cost a fortune every year to maintain with issues such as rotting/structurally unsafe wood - which will all have to be replaced regularly. Justifications such as "there's nothing wrong with it" aren't really good enough - regardless of its age it's just a rubbish coaster in its current state.

Rotting wood is no more of a problem than it will have been for the last 40 or more years. It's replaced on a rolling cycle, as with all woodies - very little/none of the wood will be original.

 

[Martin]

It's always been rough and uncomfortable, that's the point.

It'll be a very bad day when it leaves. Very bad.

 

[Andrew]

It's always been rough and uncomfortable, that's the point.

It'll be a very bad day when it leaves. Very bad.

We all love rough and uncomfortable!
That's why we love the Mouse.

I really don't want it to go because I love seeing the reactions of people on it who think it'll be tame.
I will be sad if or when this leaves...

Please don't go Mouse!

 

[CGM]

A ride is no longer worth keeping when it's as poor as the Big Dipper is now. It's arguably the most rough and uncomfortable ride in the entire park, offers very little thrill and must cost a fortune every year to maintain with issues such as rotting/structurally unsafe wood - which will all have to be replaced regularly. Justifications such as "there's nothing wrong with it" aren't really good enough - regardless of its age it's just a rubbish coaster in its current state.

Well that's your opinion. I happen to enjoy the ride a lot and I don't think I'm alone in that. I don't think that ride quality should always be the qualifier as to whether a ride is worth preserving or not either. It's been there since Blackpool's heyday and is a huge part of Blackpool's history. It really worries me how few people on here seem to appreciate that fact.

The wood problem you mention isn't unique to the Big Dipper and it's much easier to fix than corrosion in steel.

 

[Tim]

There are lots of different flavour of rough

I could live with the Big Dipper going (not that I want it to) but the Mouse is a classic!

---

As for ride preservation I think it's important but only in cases were a ride really needs to be kept. The Mouse I think fits into this category, mainly as I can never see a ride like it being built again. Big Dipper... not so much.

 

[BigAl]

Surely it should be made illegal to even breathe on a John A. Miller roller coaster, never mind contemplate removing it? The Big Dipper is one of the coasters that made the name become renowned and I love the history of the ride. Besides all that, with so few wooden coasters in the UK and no sign of any new ones arriving soon, I think we'd later regret saying goodbye to such a charming ride as the Big Dipper.

I think it's the smoothest wooden coaster of all the woodies at the Pleasure Beach and it's good fun too. For children or other guests who aren't up to the insane Grand National, I think the Big Dipper is a nice alternative for people who want to experience a big, historic wooden roller coaster.

I say the same for the Wild Mouse too. It's even more unique than the Big Dipper and its footprint is so small that they could probably only just about squeeze a tacky fairground flat in. With so much space still available to use, taking the Mouse just seems mean and a little reckless to me. But as I said before, the Pleasure Beach owners didn't care when they destroyed the older mouse that lived at Southport, nor did they care about the other woodie that was there too.

People love visiting the Pleasure Beach for the classic rides by the sea. Take away them and you're left with a glorified fun fair. Let's face it, they aren't building a B&M/Intamin monster or another Big One any time soon so I think their big classics should stay. I think we should count ourselves lucky that our country is home to a park containing such jems as the woodies at the Pleasure Beach and we should celebrate that fact, not feel contempt towards them and pine for a modern GCI or something like that. The chances of that happening are probably very slim, but even so, why can't a modern wooden coaster be side by side with its ancestor? I think that would really be quite a sight!

It'd be interesting to hear if the Pleasure Beach have anything big planned over the next few years. It's been far too long since they've built a big coaster.


Also, I found this old POV of the Big Dipper that I thought I'd share with you all:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOQx5CEZcHY[/youtube]

 

[Alastair]

I think you're wrong Al, in order of rough to smooth (in terms of the woodies) at BPB is as follows: Wild Mouse, Big Dipper, Grand National, Nick Streak, Blue Flyer. In my opinion the only reason why you would keep it would be because of its history.

 

[Martin]

But I like it rough. <3

 

[Alastair]

But I like it rough. <3

I wouldn't mind it particularly if it was rough but was actually a thrilling ride. Unfortunately I've never considered the Big Dipper to fit that bill, whereas the Wild Mouse does.

 

[TheMan]

Hang on, hang on.

This is not even a debate. Look at this picture...

That is just iconic. Some things, are just meant to be in some places. Blackpool, without that image?

Are you kidding me?

It isn't just BPB's Big Dipper, it is Blackpool's, AND the UK's.

Some things just have to preserved. I agree with the Wild Mouse too. They, along with the Nash - should be 1,2,3 priority, (in my mind, in NO particular order!) as they ARE Blackpool. Without those, it is just another generic park.

Trying to imagine Blackpool, never mind the PB, without those?

SACRILEGE!

The thrill is the HISTORY you are riding, and the life, and soul that it has - my favourite ride is Stealth because of it's insane speed - but the Big Dipper, in the sea air, in that lighting? The Thrill is in the moment, it is romantic, it is charming, it is character and 1000s upon 1000s of wonderful memories. It is PURE coaster enthusiasm and indulgence!

It's not going to be thrilling in the modern sense, or comfortable, etc - but that was once the pinnacle of this Countries seasides and coasters. In my opinion, that picture is THE definitive coaster postcard. It simply must be preserved.

Some things, are more than simply the sum of their mechanical parts my friends.

 

[Spike]

I would happily see the Big Dipper go and be replaced with something new. The Pleasure Beach is a small park and in order to keep it fresh and new things have to be removed and you start with the weakest - which is the Big Dipper in my view.

They can't even keep the ride on it's tracks ???