Islander
TS Member
Oh, yep, that's absolutely the take-away message from that article...
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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion
- Thread starter John
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IDB
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Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Did the Beach and beach today, probably the last weekend for the summer.
First hour was great...then the numbers and queues just became too much.
Al the rides were on full capacity, but the queues were spread everywhere, Icon down under the Avalanche, Big One out of the pens, Dipper down onto the new bridge.
Well organised and managed, but not fun in the end.
Had a nice paddle under the central pier after, fire damage looked substantial, but not structural...quite a few boards burned right through.
First hour was great...then the numbers and queues just became too much.
Al the rides were on full capacity, but the queues were spread everywhere, Icon down under the Avalanche, Big One out of the pens, Dipper down onto the new bridge.
Well organised and managed, but not fun in the end.
Had a nice paddle under the central pier after, fire damage looked substantial, but not structural...quite a few boards burned right through.
DistortAMG
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- POTC Disneyland Paris
Two of my friends who went to Pleasure Beach yesterday said the big one was running unusually rough. They commented that alot of people were complaining and maintenance were checking over the trains when they were in the station.
They both claim to have back pains today as a result of the ride. These are two seasoned coaster riders, thoughts on this?
They both claim to have back pains today as a result of the ride. These are two seasoned coaster riders, thoughts on this?
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
I don’t know, I mean the back row can be a bit hair raising when the train whips that back car down the first drop, but even that I wouldn’t say is painful as such.
I guess it’s a little concerning that it’s seasoned coaster riders spotting it. The other weekend I was at bottom of Steeplechase stairs (nearest lane) so about to be called forward, the lady who had just got off had a lengthy chat with the ride op, then the ride op himself got on the horse and went round on it. So I don’t know if she complained about the ride or something, but a few horses went empty after the ride op finished his test ride, then the whole thing stopped for 10 mins.
Really annoying when you’re about to go on and can’t exactly just leave the queue. When I rode it eventually, it was fine. Perhaps she wasn’t expecting those sudden jolts and jerks round the bends!
RicketyCricket
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
It's been very very rough for a few years now - I'd heard it's actually better this season but who knows. It seems to vary on a weekly basis.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Plus it's recently been partially re-tracked as well, which makes it even more concerning.
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Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
Was it windy / potentially running the fast train with the hard wheels? Think how different Smiler is now compared to when it opened.
The variation in the ride experience is largely down to the train that you're riding but more importantly the quality of the wheel set that you're nearest to. It absolutely eats wheels, they try their best to keep on top of it - but inevitably cost plays a part and there are some none perfect (but safe) wheels running from time to time.
It's essentially a 200ft mine train, but the technology doesn't scale well because the quirky transitions you feel on a mine train can be painful at three or four times the speed, with the vibration magnified four fold.
45m of 1600m+ was re-tracked ...
The variation in the ride experience is largely down to the train that you're riding but more importantly the quality of the wheel set that you're nearest to. It absolutely eats wheels, they try their best to keep on top of it - but inevitably cost plays a part and there are some none perfect (but safe) wheels running from time to time.
It's essentially a 200ft mine train, but the technology doesn't scale well because the quirky transitions you feel on a mine train can be painful at three or four times the speed, with the vibration magnified four fold.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Is it only me who thinks that the Big One is actually a pretty forceful coaster in places? I actually greyed out on the first drop one time I rode it!
It’s far from my favourite coaster, and it’s my personal least favourite of the 1994 trio (controversial, I know!), but I must admit it did grow on me when I rerode it last year. To me, it didn’t seem as rough as it did the first time I rode it, and it also seemed a bit faster too. I’m a little disheartened to hear that it’s apparently “unusually rough”, because I actually thought it was running really well last time I rode it in comparison to my first ride in 2018, which was very rough. Hopefully it’s running a little better again next time I ride it.
It’s far from my favourite coaster, and it’s my personal least favourite of the 1994 trio (controversial, I know!), but I must admit it did grow on me when I rerode it last year. To me, it didn’t seem as rough as it did the first time I rode it, and it also seemed a bit faster too. I’m a little disheartened to hear that it’s apparently “unusually rough”, because I actually thought it was running really well last time I rode it in comparison to my first ride in 2018, which was very rough. Hopefully it’s running a little better again next time I ride it.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Is it true that the Big One, like some of the woodies, is smoother if ridden over a non-wheel seat?
I admit, even though I did find the Big One marginally smoother on my last rides, as well as a bit faster, I did still find it to be too rough to fully enjoy, personally. Strangely, though, I’d definitely say there are coasters at BPB I found rougher/enjoyed less; Big Dipper was unfortunately quite a bit rougher on my last ride on it, and I also found Steeplechase very uncomfortable the first time I rode it. I don’t know if I’m in a minority here, but Grand National and Infusion are my two least favourite coasters, as I found both excruciatingly painful unlike any other coaster I’ve been on last time I rode.
Sorry if I sound bitter, as I do absolutely love Blackpool as a park due to the atmosphere and general feel of it, as well as the wide variety of rides on offer, but I think a significant proportion of the coasters don’t really appeal to me as I am a self-confessed pansy when it comes to roughness on coasters; my tolerance isn’t very high at all, I must admit! I’d always take a gentle ride over a rough one, personally, as controversial of an opinion as that may be.
I must ask, however; are all vintage woodies as rough as the likes of National and Dipper at Blackpool are?
I admit, even though I did find the Big One marginally smoother on my last rides, as well as a bit faster, I did still find it to be too rough to fully enjoy, personally. Strangely, though, I’d definitely say there are coasters at BPB I found rougher/enjoyed less; Big Dipper was unfortunately quite a bit rougher on my last ride on it, and I also found Steeplechase very uncomfortable the first time I rode it. I don’t know if I’m in a minority here, but Grand National and Infusion are my two least favourite coasters, as I found both excruciatingly painful unlike any other coaster I’ve been on last time I rode.
Sorry if I sound bitter, as I do absolutely love Blackpool as a park due to the atmosphere and general feel of it, as well as the wide variety of rides on offer, but I think a significant proportion of the coasters don’t really appeal to me as I am a self-confessed pansy when it comes to roughness on coasters; my tolerance isn’t very high at all, I must admit! I’d always take a gentle ride over a rough one, personally, as controversial of an opinion as that may be.
I must ask, however; are all vintage woodies as rough as the likes of National and Dipper at Blackpool are?
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shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
Do you know what time they stayed open till on Sunday? Hopefully it was 7pm if the queues were as bad as you say.
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Double post, whip me bite me.
Burger incident on the prom yesterday.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (for it was him I'm sure) tried to share my big juicy burger, while I was walking on the prom near the Tower.
My grip was good, I decided not to share, people around me were greatly amused by the language, mine, not the birds.
And I saw a tram on the prom, quite a rare treat still.
Burger incident on the prom yesterday.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (for it was him I'm sure) tried to share my big juicy burger, while I was walking on the prom near the Tower.
My grip was good, I decided not to share, people around me were greatly amused by the language, mine, not the birds.
And I saw a tram on the prom, quite a rare treat still.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
I've done ERT on Big One once. It was fun but I also felt destroyed after I think 7 rides in a row on it. I would much rather have an hour on Mako.
@Matt N AKA 'self-confessed coaster pansy', given this admission, I'm surprised you like any BPB coasters apart from Icon. At the end of the day I guess we all either like something or don't (I hate all evil spinning rides), and some of us are no doubt hardened to 'rough' coasters due to decades of riding them. It doesn't mean that we don't occasionally have a terrible ride though, but for the most part I love the woodies & The Big One (when it is actually running, mostly when I'm not there). BPB would suck without the woodies and if every coaster was as smooth as Icon I think that would be rather boring. . . even though I already said that I love Mako, I'm not sure I'd want a BPB full of silky smooth coasters
venny
TS Member
They’d pushed opening until 6pm, which was good to see, even if it’s not the original 7pm.
shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
Depends on the ride I suppose, the other 2 vintage woodies in the UK (Yarmouth and Margate) are both scenic railways so were never particular thrilling in the first place. Right up your street Matt.
Nash and Dipper were built to be as thrilling as they could be at the time. Add in 85 years of wear, modern restrictive restraints, heavier modern trains and 21st century pansies then it's inevitable going to be a rough ride.
Although to be fair I am in the pansy camp when it comes to Nash these days. Knock it down and build a shiny new woodie in its place.
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