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Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon - 2018 Mack Double Launch Coaster

Agree that Nash back row is punishing, and I know not everyone agrees with this, but I also think it's less rough if you're not over the wheels. That leaves rows 2,5 & 8. But I'll still ride anywhere, including the back row but under protest as my brother for some sadistic reason insists on it !

Back on topic, we'll have waited 24 years for a new coaster at BPB, does a few weeks make much difference?
 
rob666 said:
In a word, no!
At best, with no weather problems (which seems to have delayed things this week) four months of track building from now means the steel erection will not be complete until the end of March, with the ride being ready by May at the earliest...so the chances of seeing testing on 10th Feb is pushing optimism to the max!
Just look forward to seeing all that new track in about twelve weeks.
I imagine the park will want construction completed for daily opening, which starts usually just before Easter.
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I do wonder where you get your information from sometimes, it'll probably be built by the middle of January, the many hours of testing, staff training and everything else that will need to be done will follow on from there.

I watched the construction work taking place on Friday and RCS aren't hanging around, it'll not take them 5 months from now to complete the construction of Icon, the weather was rubbish on Friday but it didn't stop them in their tracks.

For anyone who is interested in construction updates that have been filmed, there's a fairly recent one on PBE YouTube, I am not going to bother linking to it as I know photos are the preferred method of update on here. :)
 
rob666 said:
Literally round the clock Temleh?
Surely that would mean they are well behind schedule already if they have resorted to night working...massive increase in construction costs.
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Yes, night shifts. RCS are a busy company and only have so long to get it erected. Pleasure Beach will pay RCS a set figure to get Icon built, it's RCS who will take the hit of paying its workers more to work night shifts to get the job done sooner.
 
Wow, nice one Temleh.
I'm not sure about watching in the night from the prom though, think I will stick to day shifts for distant observing.
 
Night time is actually the easiest way to see Icon. The floodlights illuminate it brilliantly, whereas due to the colour of the track it can be quite difficult to see under natural light!
 
Sorry Scott, missed your post there, jumping between dodgy laptop and tablet...The info I got was from the BPB youtube video Venny referred to yesterday in his post, it was the PB tech director who said 4 months install, starting mid November means completion by mid March, which fits in nicely with the park commencing daily opening.
Of course, we would all be happy if it was sooner...but I still think Spring Bank is more likely than Easter for opening.
 
rob666 said:
Sorry Scott, missed your post there, jumping between dodgy laptop and tablet...The info I got was from the BPB youtube video Venny referred to yesterday in his post, it was the PB tech director who said 4 months install, starting mid November means completion by mid March, which fits in nicely with the park commencing daily opening.
Of course, we would all be happy if it was sooner...but I still think Spring Bank is more likely than Easter for opening.
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Four or five months to complete it, not just erect the track and supports. The track work will be complete before the park opens, I'm pretty confident of this.

I'm not sure exactly when Icon will open but I'm pretty sure it'll be constructed by the end of January, then the testing, training and everything else will take as long as it takes from there.
 
My guess is that they’ll be planning to complete the section between the first and second launch as a priority. Even if the plan is to have all track complete for February, if they do fall behind, at least this first section should be complete. This will mean they’re out of the way of very close GP interface and avoid interfering as much with general park operations around PMBO, Steeplechase and Big Dipper. The section of track from the second launch onwards is a lot more self contained (albeit still close to PBE and Big Dipper) so construction should be slightly easier and less intrusive.
 
Amazing colors! Even with that tiny shot it looks world class and will almost definitely mirror the success of Helix. My first time visiting PB is next year (unusual I know), and I'll make sure my first visit is once it's open! :)
 
Sauron97 said:
Amazing colors! Even with that tiny shot it looks world class and will almost definitely mirror the success of Helix. My first time visiting PB is next year (unusual I know), and I'll make sure my first visit is once it's open! :)
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That's my main concern with this coaster. It looks great but in my opinion not a patch on Helix, yet everyone is going to be expecting the next Helix. Therefore, even if it is good, it may disappoint. It's like when everyone was expecting Taron to be the next Maverick; clearly Taron is a great coaster but it does not live up to that hype (according to those who have ridden both).

:)
 
Rob said:
That's my main concern with this coaster. It looks great but in my opinion not a patch on Helix, yet everyone is going to be expecting the next Helix. Therefore, even if it is good, it may disappoint. It's like when everyone was expecting Taron to be the next Maverick; clearly Taron is a great coaster but it does not live up to that hype (according to those who have ridden both).

:)
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I agree, I haven't ridden Helix but I know it has the bonus of being on the hillside, giving it great views and the height "fear factor" rather than looking at a mish-mash of coasters and a litter-filled beach.

The environment around the coaster is almost as important as the coaster itself... I don't think Taron would be as good as it is if it wasn't for the Klugheim area to support it.
 
MakoMania said:
Icon and Helix are very different, Helix is faster and is more inversion focused whereas Icon is very snappy (especially in the 2nd half) with lots of direction changes and pops of airtime.
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I agree. I just worry a lot of people who ride Icon will be expecting Helix and therefore may be let down. Let's be honest, when we all first knew that Blackpool were getting a Mack multi-launch coaster we all hoped for the next Helix! If it does live up to that then I will be over the moon but am keeping my expectations in check.

:)
 
Rob said:
I agree. I just worry a lot of people who ride Icon will be expecting Helix and therefore may be let down.
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A lot of people who ride Icon will have never ridden Helix (probably 95% of them - and me included). In fact most probably won't have even heard of Helix.
 
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