Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Icon - 2018 Mack Double Launch Coaster

[John]

A few of our collective thoughts from today:

* A few supports or parts of supports are still to be installed
* There are a few near misses around the ride, some of which look very near indeed, in particular around the inclined loop.
* The banking on the final curve into the brakes looks very slight, and the brake run very short - indication perhaps that the ride might run out steam towards the end?
* There are two doors on the side of the station nearest to Avalanche - main and speedy pass entrances? I'm still not sure where the exit will be though, somehow people have to be herded towards the shop which I think is at the other end of the launch track?

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

A few of our collective thoughts from today:
* A few supports or parts of supports are still to be installed

* There are two doors on the side of the station nearest to Avalanche - main and speedy pass entrances? I'm still not sure where the exit will be though, somehow people have to be herded towards the shop which I think is at the other end of the launch track?

There are two 'legs' and one full support to be placed all near the station as they are still using this area for access for the continuation of the platforms that will lead to/from the station. And I believe one of the doors will be for the normal queue (furthest away from the Coasters bridge) and the one nearest will be the ride's exit back up the bank and to the exit shop.

Maybe Speedy pass will be incorporated with the normal queue running along side it but running into the same door somehow.

 

[Bert2theSpark]

After seeinng Icon today in person, I must say that the ride supports look like artwork.

Also there's no shortage of Icon posters scattered around Blackpool.

 

[venny]

* The banking on the final curve into the brakes looks very slight, and the brake run very short - indication perhaps that the ride might run out steam towards the end

A really good point that and one that makes sense. It’s difficult to explain what other reasons there may be for this other than some mad forces in the laterals and brakes.

I’m still struggling to fully work out how the paths are going to run down to the exit shop. It must go parallel to the Grand Prix track but two paths running side by side there is going to be a little cramped. Will be interesting to see whether these end up feeling squeezed in or naturally positioned.

I’m also guessing there is going to be some area to overlook the ride from around the exit shop - the views from that vantage point are probably the most unrestricted. Perhaps there will be something atop the tunnel now that it’s pretty clear the exit shop isn’t going there.

 

[Benzin]

Brake run length is not indicative of losing speed/pace towards the end; Twister at Grona Lund is proof of this (especially when you still hear the wheels spinning madly when you stop)...

 

[MakoMania]

Credit to PB Experience.

Scaffolding starting to come down within the station.

That launch is going to have to accelerate fairly quickly, it's not very long at all!

 

[Dipper_Dave]

Great pic, yeah the launch is shorter than I expected !

 

[ChristmasPud]

It's impossible to tell how long the launch is from a telephoto picture, the foreground and background will be extremely compressed so it's just an optical trick that it looks that short.

 

[MakoMania]

It's impossible to tell how long the launch is from a telephoto picture, the foreground and background will be extremely compressed so it's just an optical trick that it looks that short.

I've seen the launch in real life, it's not very long

 

[Matt N]

Bear in mind that the launch only accelerates to 53mph.

 

[Camera-Man]

My god this is getting far too exciting now... Can't wait to get on it. I'm probably gonna wait a week or two after it opens before I go down for my first go. Gonna go down mid week and avoid the weekend madness!

I'm gonna guess Easter weekend this will open, anyone else got any predictions when?

Easter weekend just make logical sense when you think about it. Kids are off school, many people will be off work and it will be a good weekend to open it it will be busy, just makes sense to me anyway

Sent from my Ektra using Tapatalk

 

[Matt N]

I reckon sometime in April or May, myself. How long do Macks normally take to test, out of interest? Do they take two months, like B&Ms do, or can they take under a month like RMCs and Gerstlauers?

 

[rob666]

Either bank holiday weekend in May.
How many times do you need to be told.
If I am wrong, shakey and dippy can kick me up the arse all the way up the Mouse queueline.
Oh.

 

[John_P]

Easter weekend is barely a month away, can't see any chance of it being ready by then.

Late April at the earliest I reckon.

 

[MakoMania]

That or hopefully late March if the winter weather plays nice.

Any cheeky opening updates or speculation @Temleh?

 

[Temleh]

Well, the winter weather didn’t play nice. If you know where to look, the opening date can be found in a big blue place.

 

[MakoMania]

Well, the winter weather didn’t play nice. If you know where to look, the opening date can be found in a big blue place.

Oh Temleh, you tease. Let's play a game. I just spent 15 minutes of my life trawling through the website of the Big Blue Hotel. Am I hot or cold?

 

[Matt N]

BPB haven't revealed the opening date, so how come the Big Blue Hotel website would have it?

 

[Ian]

It’s probably be fair to assume room tariffs increase, or room availability is dramatically limited around key events and dates, such as a major ride opening.

Interestingly the both Saturday 14th April and Sunday 15th April are unavailable for bookings. Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th May are also all unavailable. No other date are blocked out this side of August.

Just a thought...

 

[Temleh]

Interestingly the both Saturday 14th April and Sunday 15th April are unavailable for bookings. Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th May are also all unavailable. No other date are blocked out this side of August.

You're onto something!