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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

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I get the London Zoo comparison, my god that penguin pool is so pointless now, I did wonder why it stood there empty...

BUT, the question should be more what does this actually mean for the rides themselves... Say with National? If it needs another refurb (and by god it does), do they have to use the same stuff as currently? Or can it be upgraded to a system that is actually fit for purpose?

It's good news really, as the rides in question are pretty iconic, and it would be a shame to just lose them in the future... It gives incentive for them to be monitored properly rather than on the cheap too...
 
@Rick, you pretty much nailed what I was getting at spot on! Thanks for saving me a responce.

For the record I actually like some of the rides in question. I also completely agree that Blackpool's charm stems from their existence. However in a world of limited space nothing should ever remain untouchable. There will come a day when these rides are no longer fit for purpose and when that day comes I'd hate to see Blackpool suffer because they have no way to replace them. What good are rides if the park that operates them closes around them?
 
The ones I looked at were all Grade 2 listings, which is the lowest category.

An example of a grade 1 (the highest) is Blackpool Tower, which has seen a lot of changes since Merlin started managing it, e.g. the glass floor, LED lighting, 4D theatre etc.
What they wouldn"t get away with is adding another 50ft on top, glossing over the ballroom walls, removing the circus plasterwork etc. i.e. things that change the integrity of the whole.

The listing process for grade 2 will be more relaxed. The point is to keep the overall integrity, not to prevent it changing at all.
 
Hopefully Blackpool appeal this and, as part of the appeal, reveal their future RMC plans for ig ippe and the National!
 
TheBolt said:
The ones I looked at were all Grade 2 listings, which is the lowest category.

An example of a grade 1 (the highest) is Blackpool Tower, which has seen a lot of changes since Merlin started managing it, e.g. the glass floor, LED lighting, 4D theatre etc.
What they wouldn"t get away with is adding another 50ft on top, glossing over the ballroom walls, removing the circus plasterwork etc. i.e. things that change the integrity of the whole.

The listing process for grade 2 will be more relaxed. The point is to keep the overall integrity, not to prevent it changing at all.
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II* is actually the lowest.
 
I am disappointed that wild mouse hasn't been put on the list. It's the worlds oldest surviving wooden wild mouse and for that reason alone it should have been included.

It's also going to be easier to maintain and keep running due its small size.

If Nash gets a major structural problem at some point in the future then it could prove too costly to keep running and PB could end up with a massive pile of wood that they can't remove.

I am no expert on rules of listed structures but it would make no sense to keep something there if it was no longer able to deliver it's primary purpose, and they could now be in that position with The Ark if it is unable to re-open.
 
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Not sure why Big Dipper has been given grade II, it was modified from it's original design and it's a bag of s**t that needs removing or RMCing :D

Original Layout (Which looked better)
Big%20Dipper%2090.jpg

26th-march-1934-men-at-work-on-the-big-dipper-at-a-blackpool-park-picture-id3094064
 
Spike said:
Not sure why Big Dipper has been given grade II, it was modified from it's original design and it's a bag of s**t that needs removing or RMCing.
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I don't know why people keep bringing this up as if it changes anything. Yes, the layout of Big Dipper was modified ... in 1936! That would still make it one of the world's oldest coasters, even ignoring the fact that everything to and from the second bunny hill, including the lift hill and station building dates back to 1923.

The Towers is grade 2 listed. It's seen its fair share of modifications over the years and now looks nothing like the building that originally stood on the site. By some people's logic, that means we should be able to knock it down and build something more up to date.

The same goes for all stately homes, public buildings, palaces, churches etc. It's rare that at some point in history, someone hasn't decided to add a wing or re-front a building. It doesn't make it any less historically significant or any less worth protecting.

Those photos just confirm to me why it's so important that these rides are protected. It's amazing to see Big Dipper as the only common landmark in a setting that looks otherwise unrecognisable. I find it incredible that I can go to Blackpool today and ride the same coaster but with completely different surroundings. The Pleasure Beach and the town of Blackpool have grown up around Big Dipper for almost a century. It would be incredibly short-sighted to demolish it or completely butcher it just because "RMC ejectorAir iz orsome!111".
 
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CGM said:
I don't know why people keep bringing this up as if it changs anything. Yes, the layout of Big Dipper was modified ... in 1936! That would still make it one of the world's oldest coasters, even ignoring the fact that everything to and from the second bunny hill, including the lift hill and station building date back to 1923.

The same goes for all stately homes, public buildings, palaces, churches etc. It's rare that at some point in history, someone hasn't decided to add a wing or re-front the building. It doesn't make them any less historically significant or any less worth protecting.

Those photos just confirm to me why it's so important that these rides are protected. It's amazing to see Big Dipper as the only common landmark in a setting that looks otherwise unrecognisable. I find it incredible that I can go to Blackpool today and ride the same coaster but with completely different surroundings. The Pleasure Beach and the town of Blackpool have grown up around Big Dipper for almost a century. It would be incredibly short-sighted to demolish it or completely butcher it just because "RMC ejectorAir iz orsome!111".
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These aren't minor changes, this was a full redesign of over half the ride, this was the reason I didn't think it deserves grade II, not why it should be torn down. I think it should be torn down because I despise the thing with a passion, but that's just my opinion and I appreciate that it's an extreme opinion and I'm definitely in a minority. ;)
 
Spike said:
These aren't minor changes, this was a full redesign of over half the ride, this was the reason I didn't think it deserves grade II, not why it should be torn down.
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I know, but I'm saying this doesn't make sense as a reason not to give it a Grade 2 listing. The changes to the layout were fairly major, but as far as coasters go, the modifications are still really old. If they had knocked Dipper down in 1936 and built a completely new coaster in its place, that coaster would likely be listed today along with the others.
 
CGM said:
I know, but I'm saying this doesn't make sense as a reason not to give it a Grade 2 listing. The changes to the layout were fairly major, but as far as coasters go, the modifications are still really old. If they had knocked Dipper down in 1936 and built a completely new coaster in its place, that coaster would likely be listed today along with the others.
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Enough time may have passed now, but I distinctly remember a member of CF campaigning to get Dipper listed but it couldn't because of the reason it had been modified extensively, like I said, enough has probably passed now to allow it. Maybe it's around the 80 year period as the 3 woodies were around the same time 1933, 1935, 1936, I'm not sure how the criteria works though to be honest.

I also thought the Flying Machines were already grade II listed and was the only ride which was o_O (until now obviously)
 
One can hope, that ride gave me concussion, it's the only ride to ever manage that.

I've been to BPB twice, last time 2 years ago, and I never knew a road ran through the park, ingenious!
 
Under, not through!
Favourite place for boy racers to test their exhaust noise.
The road was overpassed in the late sixties, sadly I can remember it happening.
 
Technically isn't the park built over the road rather than the road passing under the park? Well it's not like Dartford Tunnel under anyway lol.

I had no idea it was there, i just thought the walkway over it was just some structure buikt for the sake of it (assumed offices were under it like the Dome at Thorpe), I really must look more in the future hehe.
 
rob666 said:
Under, not through!
Favourite place for boy racers to test their exhaust noise.
The road was overpassed in the late sixties, sadly I can remember it happening.
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Timing is slightly advanced on the Minor, it pops and bangs on the overrun. Sounds an ideal place
 
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