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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

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It would seem that the rumours of track replacement on the Big One are true, as Scott from Pleasure Beach Experience has today filmed a closed season update where sections of the Big One's track can be seen getting removed:

From what I know, it's only small sections of the ride being done, but I think that this could be very good for the ride! If it were a little less rough, I think I'd like the Big One a lot more!

I must admit, I'll be intrigued to see who's manufacturing the new track, as Arrow no longer exist and I don't think Vekoma builds this style of track anymore. Maybe a smaller firm are manufacturing the pieces?
 
A company called Addisons did replacement track about a decade ago.

The original track was manufactured by a British company as well.
 
Dar said:
If they're following the same plans, they're going to create the same track and bumps. I don't think the park have forked out to have it re-profiled and new drawings made
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Going to guess it will be somewhat smoother than existing sections though from my experience of coasters that have been retracked, for example python was much smoother post retrack and that was not reprofiled however did get new trains
 
It's nice to see them working on it, as much stick as it gets it is still my favourite ride on park. I love Icon, but it just doesn't have the WOW factor for me. The Big One is truly unique to the UK and although rough, I never have a bad ride. I love it, so i'm glad to see it getting some TLC :)
 
Have to assume they'll be doing this over the next few winters then to keep it running. Plenty of similarly aged Arrows have been removed now so a gradual full retrack will hopefully see it operate for another 20+ years.

Had sort of hoped they'd take the Phantoms Revenge option of looking at ways they could improve the ride experience in someway.
 
Luke Foley said:
Just hoping it doesn't end up going the same way as Vortex, it'll be a sad day that the Big One will reach it's end of life!
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Provided there's no major structural issues I can't see why the park couldn't indefinitely continue to replace track. A sort of Rollercoaster version of Triggers Broom.

Only reason they'd consider its removal otherwise would be if it became an unpopular ride in the park. And unless they suddenly install something like Mako or Fury 325 I can't see that being the case for a long time.
 
John_P said:
Provided there's no major structural issues I can't see why the park couldn't indefinitely continue to replace track. A sort of Rollercoaster version of Triggers Broom.

Only reason they'd consider its removal otherwise would be if it became an unpopular ride in the park. And unless they suddenly install something like Mako or Fury 325 I can't see that being the case for a long time.
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Completely agree, it's not even just about the park it's a staple of the Blackpool skyline and has been since it was built, and to be fair it still intimidates me even now, even though it's not the most intense ride in the world. I still love riding it and come off smiling every time!
 
pj said:
So how come new track hasn’t improved roughness?
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Dar said:
If they're following the same plans, they're going to create the same track and bumps. I don't think the park have forked out to have it re-profiled and new drawings made
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I think that's part of it, but at the end of the day those rides just aren't smooth rides, they are essentially scaled up mine trains and issues you have at 20mph at 30ft are amplified fivefold.

Magnum is smoother, but it's still fairly aggressive with some vibration and dodgy profiling. Desperado too.
 
Rick said:
I think that's part of it, but at the end of the day those rides just aren't smooth rides, they are essentially scaled up mine trains and issues you have at 20mph at 30ft are amplified fivefold.

Magnum is smoother, but it's still fairly aggressive with some vibration and dodgy profiling. Desperado too.
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Always wanted to ride those 2 coasters, real bucket list rides!
 
I have ridden Desperado, but I can't remember anything about it. My abiding memory of the trip out to Buffalo Bills was that the management had recently added laser guns to the Log Flume. It did not seem to be benefiting attendance.
 
Luke Foley said:
That's the one near Vegas isn't it?
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Yeah, Primm is on the California/Nevada state line, about 45 mins from Vegas, or an hour if you're at the North end of the strip.

Plastic Person said:
I have ridden Desperado, but I can't remember anything about it. My abiding memory of the trip out to Buffalo Bills was that the management had recently added laser guns to the Log Flume. It did not seem to be benefiting attendance.
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Quite... they've removed the guns now and very unsympathetically removed the targets, but not the cables to them. The whole place is a bit of a faded glory now. The S&S Tower has been ripped out and is just a concrete pad, the monorail between Buffalo Bill's and Whiskey Pete's is half ripped out and replaced by a shuttle bus (but the bridge is still standing).

I think Desperado ran for about 20 days this year.
 
At Blackpool zoo today. My significant other got a voucher for the lemur feeding thing for her birthday so we redeemed that. I'm not sure there are more 100 people here - unless it's a festive or themed event, Brits seem to be increasingly CBA as we approach Christmas and I think I am part of that crowd!

Hard to believe we used to ride Valhalla in December, with the Avalanche surrounded by real snow.
 
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