Rank the UK’s current and former record holders

[Matt N]

Hi guys. Despite the UK currently holding only one record-breaking coaster at present, we Brits have had 7 coasters in total that have been world record holders for a certain ride statistic at some point in their lives. If you’re confused as to what they are (I was initially; I thought we only had 4!), they are:

• The Smiler at Alton Towers: Current record holder for most inversions since 2013, with 14 inversions.
• Colossus at Thorpe Park: Formerly record holder for most inversions from 2002 to 2013, with 10 inversions.
• Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Formerly record holder for height from 1994 to 1996, at 213ft tall. Although the park says it’s 235ft tall, so I’m unsure which to go with, in all honesty.
• The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley: Formerly record holder for length from 1991 to 1999, at 7,441ft long.
• Mumbo Jumbo at Flamingo Land: Formerly record holder for steepest drop from 2009 to 2011, at 112°.
• Speed: No Limits at Oakwood: Technically speaking, this was formerly the joint record holder for steepest drop from 2006 to 2008, at 97°.
• Oblivion at Alton Towers: Although it was never expressly said at the time, Oblivion was technically the former record holder for steepest drop from 1998 to 2003, at 87.5°. If you think about it, the accolade of being “the world’s first vertical drop roller coaster” also made it the world’s steepest roller coaster at the time.

So my question to you today is; how would you personally rank Britain’s current & former record holders?


As for my ranking; I unfortunately haven’t ridden Mumbo Jumbo or The Ultimate, so I can only rank 5 of the 7 coasters. In terms of my ranking, I’d go with:

1. Oblivion - Alton Towers: By far my favourite of these, I have to say. I just love the sustained airtime over the drop, and the raw speed through the tunnel! It may be short, but it doesn’t mess around, and it’s one heck of a rush that delivers every time for me! 9/10, #7 overall
2. The Smiler - Alton Towers: It’s quite a sharp drop in enjoyment level from Oblivion to Smiler for me, but there’s still a lot I admire about Smiler, personally! They crammed a phenomenal amount into a tiny space, the layout is very creative and one I like a lot, and the pacing is seemingly relentless from start to finish; if you like relentlessly intense coasters, there’s nothing I’ve done quite like it! However, I still find it a bit too jolty in places to rank highly, and I also find it a tad too intense/nauseating for my liking; I prefer my rides a bit more fun & rerideable, personally, so it’s not really one of my favourites. 6/10, #33 overall
3. Speed: No Limits - Oakwood: Speed certainly lives up to its name; it feels like a fast ride indeed, and is also quite intense! Not to mention, that sustained airtime hill is absolutely phenomenal, and has easily got to be one of my favourite UK airtime moments! However, the reason it’s so low is because it was somewhat rough last time I rode it; while nowhere near the level of something like Saw, there was notable head banging in places. It’s a shame, as if the ride were smooth, I could really see it being very enjoyable! 5/10, #45 overall
4. Big One - Blackpool Pleasure Beach: The Big One does have a lot going for it, in my view; it has a spectacular sense of speed in many places, the first drop is spectacular towards the front of the train, and it’s a very good-looking ride! However, it’s a fairly rough coaster, unfortunately; in spite of the fact that it wasn’t as bad last time I rode as it was the first time, it was still quite rough. The ride also has some notable dead spots, and lacks airtime, although in fairness, I don’t really think it was built for airtime in the first place. 4/10, #50 overall
5. Colossus - Thorpe Park: I’ll digress that I’ve never been a fan of Colossus at all from the day I first rode it in 2014. It’s a shame; on paper, the layout is pretty good, albeit perhaps less inspired than Smiler’s, and the landscaping and general aesthetic of it is lovely! However, the ride has been very rough on both rides I’ve ever had on it; even though my 2019 ride was not quite as bad as I’d remembered from 2014, when I instantly declared the ride my least favourite coaster, it was still pretty rough. I also don’t like the trains much; they’re quite cramped, and even though I’m not exactly tall, I could barely fit my legs behind the seat in front on my last ride. It’s a shame, as I think Colossus has a lot of potential! 3/10, #58 overall

So strangely, I’m not actually that fond of the UK’s current & former record breakers, on the whole. Oblivion is the only one to make my top 10% (top 7), top 10, top 25% (top 19) or my UK top 10, and even if you extend it to my top 50% (top 37), only Oblivion and Smiler get in, and it’s quite narrowly in Smiler’s case, with Smiler just making it at #33.


But how do you rank Britain’s current and former record breakers? Which is your favourite?

 

[John_P]

I'm pretty sure Saw The Ride was the steepest coaster in the world for a month or so from when it opened until Mumbo Jumbo opened.

Also the Pleasure Beach also marketed the Big One as the fastest and steepest coaster in the world (pretty sure speed wouldn't have happened as Steel Phantom was already open by then).

 

[Matt N]

I'm pretty sure Saw The Ride was the steepest coaster in the world for a month or so from when it opened until Mumbo Jumbo opened.

Ah yes; it would seem it was! My knowledge of Great British record breakers is not as extensive as I’d like, it would seem…

Sorry about that!

As such, let me post an amended list; the addition of Saw is italicised:

1. Oblivion - Alton Towers: By far my favourite of these, I have to say. I just love the sustained airtime over the drop, and the raw speed through the tunnel! It may be short, but it doesn’t mess around, and it’s one heck of a rush that delivers every time for me! 9/10, #7 overall
2. The Smiler - Alton Towers: It’s quite a sharp drop in enjoyment level from Oblivion to Smiler for me, but there’s still a lot I admire about Smiler, personally! They crammed a phenomenal amount into a tiny space, the layout is very creative and one I like a lot, and the pacing is seemingly relentless from start to finish; if you like relentlessly intense coasters, there’s nothing I’ve done quite like it! However, I still find it a bit too jolty in places to rank highly, and I also find it a tad too intense/nauseating for my liking; I prefer my rides a bit more fun & rerideable, personally, so it’s not really one of my favourites. 6/10, #33 overall
3. Speed: No Limits - Oakwood: Speed certainly lives up to its name; it feels like a fast ride indeed, and is also quite intense! Not to mention, that sustained airtime hill is absolutely phenomenal, and has easily got to be one of my favourite UK airtime moments! However, the reason it’s so low is because it was somewhat rough last time I rode it; while nowhere near the level of something like Saw, there was notable head banging in places. It’s a shame, as if the ride were smooth, I could really see it being very enjoyable! 5/10, #45 overall
4. Big One - Blackpool Pleasure Beach: The Big One does have a lot going for it, in my view; it has a spectacular sense of speed in many places, the first drop is spectacular towards the front of the train, and it’s a very good-looking ride! However, it’s a fairly rough coaster, unfortunately; in spite of the fact that it wasn’t as bad last time I rode as it was the first time, it was still quite rough. The ride also has some notable dead spots, and lacks airtime, although in fairness, I don’t really think it was built for airtime in the first place. 4/10, #50 overall
5. Colossus - Thorpe Park: I’ll digress that I’ve never been a fan of Colossus at all from the day I first rode it in 2014. It’s a shame; on paper, the layout is pretty good, albeit perhaps less inspired than Smiler’s, and the landscaping and general aesthetic of it is lovely! However, the ride has been very rough on both rides I’ve ever had on it; even though my 2019 ride was not quite as bad as I’d remembered from 2014, when I instantly declared the ride my least favourite coaster, it was still pretty rough. I also don’t like the trains much; they’re quite cramped, and even though I’m not exactly tall, I could barely fit my legs behind the seat in front on my last ride. It’s a shame, as I think Colossus has a lot of potential! 3/10, #58 overall
6. Saw: The Ride - Thorpe Park: I really want to like Saw, as it has some really great elements, some nice pops of airtime and good pace, but it’s just so rough; I always come off with a pounding headache. 3/10, #59 overall

 

[Danny]

That's actually quite a depressing lineup of coasters in the grand scheme of things when put together.

 

[Skyscraper]

• Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Formerly record holder for height from 1994 to 1996, at 213ft tall. Although the park says it’s 235ft tall, so I’m unsure which to go with, in all honesty.

I think 235 is from sea level, and 213 is it's actual height from the ground.