Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s wooden coasters: what would you do with them?

[Dar]

I think:
National needs trains that don't smash the track to bits, then a re-track with some embellishments to add a modern touch, maybe have the tracks swap sides at each turnaround?

Streak is the prime suspect for a full rip and replace! It just sounds sicker every year, banging and crashing its way round towards revolution. If you remove the space invader building you open some space above the pizza restaurant which opens a little area for some fun farting around on a modern family coaster. Something like a bigger Twister @ Grona.

Big Dipper could do with a smoothening, but if RMC ever got involved this is one I could see them converting. The layout is ok as is, but imagine a wave turn right back at ICON's overbank, could maybe get away with a pseudo hi-five element between them? Or a DIC right outside the Big Blue's windows?

I'd really love to see them try something with Zipper Flyer, get some theming going on, especially in the tunnel. Haven't fit for years so it could be the roughest of the lot for all I know

Don't even start on the The Big One. It is far too iconic and far too popular objectively to consider doing anything with other than maintaining it and replacing steel where necessary for the next several decades. I think it will still be there in 2050, unlike National.

I don't think it's going to make 2025 after my ride last month, let alone 2050! It's the roughest it's ever been, you can see it jolting its way round the turnaround in a way it never used to. I can see it becoming a real millstone for the park as the upkeep costs more and more. It desperately needs a refurb, both re-tracking, profiling so there's less straight bits, and a full system replacement so that it can run all the trains on any day without risk of e-stopping

 

[Professor]

I don't think it's going to make 2025 after my ride last month, let alone 2050! It's the roughest it's ever been, you can see it jolting its way round the turnaround in a way it never used to. I can see it becoming a real millstone for the park as the upkeep costs more and more. It desperately needs a refurb, both re-tracking, profiling so there's less straight bits, and a full system replacement so that it can run all the trains on any day without risk of e-stopping

It does ok on two from what I've seen. The recent changes to the station were probably more important than adding a third train. No point being able to run a third train when even a second ends up stacking before the station due to the time it takes to unload, speedy pass & e-band and load everyone else.

 

[Dar]

It does ok on two from what I've seen. The recent changes to the station were probably more important than adding a third train. No point being able to run a third train when even a second ends up stacking before the station due to the time it takes to unload, speedy pass & e-band and load everyone else.

But if one of those two 'slow' trains goes down, they can't add the 'fast' one to make up at the moment. I think that's the biggest flaw with the system, that's noticeable to us idiots anyway!

 

[Professor]

But if one of those two 'slow' trains goes down, they can't add the 'fast' one to make up at the moment. I think that's the biggest flaw with the system, that's noticeable to us idiots anyway!

I just don't think it's priority as say a second train on Streak is. If we were still in the days of pay per ride it would be different. I agree with you and I'd like to see the entire track get renewed but it's unlikely and probably more likely problem spots to be fixed here and there like they did last winter. Maybe the turnaround will get replaced completely in the next few years, after all it's the only major high speed turn really and now that they have a relationship with a steel manufacturer who can swap track out without much trouble who knows.

Those suggesting Streak can be RMC-ed or an RMC in that area are forgetting the whole area is meant for families and from the woodies at BPB I'd say it easily runs the best. At the back it's great fun. But even front row it is a good ride.

 

[Dressinggown]

There are huge cost implications to most of the suggestions and, therefore, they are unlikely to come to fruition in the near future. BPB has only introduced 3 new coasters in the past 30 odd years - Avalanche in 1988, Big One in 1994 and ICON in 2018 (Infusion not counted as it was relocated from Southport Pleasureland). During this period 2 coasters have been removed (Wild Mouse and Tokaydo Express).

So, it is unlikely that funds to renovate or replace any of the coasters will not be available for a considerable time. The problem for BPB is that the woodies will continue to deteriorate in the meantime. The current situation is already pretty grave with the majority of coasters on the park being, to a certain extent, rough, jolty or rattly.

However, my hypothetical views are:

Minor refurbs to Nick Streak and Blue Fire.
Complete overhaul of Big Dipper including re-tracking. Remains as a 'Museum Piece'.
Grand National is more of an issue. Really rough nowadays. Unless it is walk on I give it a miss. I'm not sure whether it would be worthwhile trying to renovate as the only option would be to knock it down and rebuild a smoother replica. It would then become a 'new but outdated coaster' in terms of the layout. The problem being is what you replace it with ? Would we want another Woodie in the park, even if new ?

Added to the Woodie situation BPB have other coasters with 'issues':

Avalanche - Poor throughput & not a comfortable ride. Takes up prime area within the park for a very average experience.
Revolution - Large queues, big stairs, living in the 80's.
Infusion - Looks great. Ride, not so.
Big One - A recent partial re-track hasn't take away all the negative elements on the ride. Parts are still rough and there is little to highlight about the layout. It needs some serious attention but it's still popular. So, no change.

The big positive is Icon - A perfect fit for BPB. It has all the thrills whilst being incredibly smooth. Not too intense, decent length, interaction with other rides, with a good mixture of elements. Otherwise, I would have liked one of the NewGen Vekoma coasters like Lech Coaster at Legendia in Poland which is meant to be superb (I'm going there next month along with visits to Energylandia for Hyperion and the RMC Zadra). Brilliant !

Possible additions:

Anything to occupy the Wild Mouse, Trauma Towers, Fountains, Bowladrome site. Flat ride ?

Replacement for Grand National. Would a very good replacement woodie for GN float people's boat or would something modern and cutting edge be required. RMC seem to be promoting a T-Rex track which is larger that their current Raptor installations. That's an option but I have no idea whether any place has actually ordered one. There is also that 9 inversion Steel Curtain at Kennywood which looks interesting.

It's always good to have a wish list.

 

[opivy028]

I think fans would get over getting rid of PMBO fairly quickly if it was replaced with an unquestionably better coaster, an Intamin hyper that was an improvement on the skyline and a genuinely world class ride would draw in more business than keeping the PMBO does. I think we overestimate the value/impact of fandom and enthusiast affection for history. Give PMBO a goodbye year and let people be sentimental for it then.

 

[Smithy]

Fans would. The general public wouldn't.

 

[Matt N]

Fans would. The general public wouldn't.

I agree that the ride is an icon of Blackpool, but maybe instead of calling it a removal, maybe they could call it “The Bigger One” and then play it off as them making a park icon “even better” or something like that?

But as I said, I think the style of how it rides is why a lot of its fans like it, and there are far more Big One fans out there than those who don’t like it as much.