Blackpool Pleasure Beach

For the beach at Blackpool, see Blackpool Sands, Blackpool.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Location	Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Coordinates	53°47′25″N 3°03′20″W
Opened	1896 (First Rides)
Owner	Thompson Family
Slogan	"See it, Feel it, Love it!"
Operating season	2017 season: Weekends 11 February – 26 March, Daily 1 April to 5 November
Area	42 acres (170,000 m2)
Attractions
Total	41
Roller coasters	10
Water rides	5
Website	Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Blackpool Pleasure Beach commonly referred to as Pleasure Beach Resort or simply Pleasure Beach is an amusement park situated along the Fylde coast in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. The park was founded in 1896 and has been owned and operated by the Thompson family since its inception. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the United Kingdom, and one of the top twenty most visited amusement parks in the world, with a peak estimate of 5.5 million visitors in 2007. In 2014 it was voted as the best theme park in the United Kingdom and the ninth best park in Europe by the Travelers' Choice Awards.

The park is host to many records, including the largest number of roller coasters of any park in the United Kingdom with ten, of which five are wooden: the Big Dipper, Blue Flyer, Grand National, Nickelodeon Streak and Wild Mouse. Many of the roller coasters in the park are record breaking attractions. When it opened in 1994, the Big One was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. It was also the steepest, with an incline angle of 65° and one of the longest, measuring 5,497 feet (1,675 m). Currently, the ride holds the record as the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom, standing at 213 ft (65 m), with a first drop of 205 ft (62 m).

Pleasure Beach is one of only two parks left in the world to operate a traditional wooden Wild Mouse coaster, the other being Luna Park Sydney in Australia. The ride was built entirely in house, post-World War II but is currently under maintenance. The Grand National is one of only three Möbius Loop coasters in existence, where a singular track "loops" around itself, offering a facsimile out-and-back layout and creating a "racing" effect on two parallel tracks. The park was also the first in Europe to introduce a fully inverting steel coaster, Revolution and is the last remaining park in the world to still operate a Steeplechase roller coaster. Sir Hiram Maxims Captive Flying Machine is the oldest amusement park ride in Europe having opened in August 1904. Recent records include Valhalla which at a cost of £15million was until 2016 the biggest and most expensive indoor dark ride in the world. Valhalla won "Best Water Ride" at the 2016 Golden Ticket awards. The park also operates a Nickelodeon Land and the world's only Wallace & Gromit ride, the Thrill-O-Matic. The latest record is taken by the Red Arrows Sky Force, a Gerstlauer Sky Fly thrill ride which is the first ride of its kind in the United Kingdom. In October 2016, the park officially unveiled its plans for a £16.25 million double-launched coaster under the codename "Construction MMXVIII". The coaster will be manufactered by Mack Rides in Germany and is expected to open in Spring 2018. The coaster's name was revealed to be Icon on 11 April 2017.

History of the Pleasure Beach

Early years (1896–1930)

Pleasure Beach was founded in 1896 by Alderman William George Bean after he failed in his attempt to become an advertising man on New York's Madison Avenue. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1897 and opened two separate amusement parks; one adjacent to Euston Road in Great Yarmouth and another in Blackpool, opposite the tram terminus. The Great Yarmouth amusement park failed to generate much interest and so Bean moved to Blackpool full-time towards the end of the century.

In 1903, Bean, along with local businessman John Outhwaite, purchased 30 acres of land known as the "Watson Estate" which was used to expand the amusement park in Blackpool. The original Pleasure Beach was built on the sand dunes along the promenade and consisted of a few roundabouts, a Bicycle Railway and several Gypsy stalls. Bean and Outhwaite decided to grow the business after visiting Coney Island in the United States. Using a small static fairground in London's Earls Court for inspiration, Bean added more rides and sideshows to the Pleasure Beach which began to garner the attention of holidaymakers. Beans' aim was to establish a fun park of relative size that would make adults feel like children again and inspire gaiety of a primarily innocent character.

The first notable attraction of interest to open at Pleasure Beach was Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine, a rotary swing ride designed by the British inventor of the same name in 1904. A Mill Chute water ride followed in 1905, which opened under the name The River Caves of the World, both of which are still operational today. In 1907 the park opened its first wooden roller coaster which was known as The Scenic Railway. It was during this time that the park began to trade under the name Blackpool Pleasure Beach. In 1909, Bean expanded the Pleasure Beach business by purchasing a second amusement park up the coast in Morecambe under the name West End Amusement Park, which later become known as Frontierland, Morecambe. The success of the Morecambe park led to a third amusement park opening four years later in Southport under the name Pleasureland Southport.

Meanwhile, the Pleasure Beach was developed with frequent large scale investments including The Velvet Coaster, the House of Nonsense, The Joy Wheel and The Whip. Outhwaite died in 1911, leaving most of the remaining business to Bean, however the Outhwaite family still obtained shares in the park and would occasionally have input into its growth. Following World War I investment at the park ceased due to the difficulty in exporting rides from the United States and the next investments would not be until 1922 when The Virginia Reel and Noah's Ark opened. Despite the lack of investment, profits at the Pleasure Beach soared and the company was noted as being one of the most prolific employers in the north-west of England.

Further into the 1920s Bean invested in the Casino Building, a triple-tiered Art-Deco building designed by local architect and then Blackpool Mayor Alderman R.B. Mather, JP. The exterior of the building featured a white ferro-concrete façade with white electric lighting and the interior housed a billiard hall, cinema, restaurant and shop. Today the Casino Building is used as the main ticket centre for guests.

In 1923, land was reclaimed from Blackpool seafront and it was during this period that the Pleasure Beach moved to its 42-acre (170,000 m²) current location along the promenade. The same year Bean brought in John Miller to design and build the Big Dipper, an out-and-back wooden coaster and shortly afterwards a boating pool was built for boat rides. This was Bean's final investment before he died of pneumonia in 1929, having spent 33 years shaping and developing what would become one of the most significant amusement parks in the world. Following his death his only daughter Lillian-Doris and son-in-law Leonard inherited the Pleasure Beach business.

Lillian-Doris Bean married Leonard Thompson, an Oxford Natural Sciences graduate and businessman in 1928. The Thompsons' lived in London where Leonard worked at a Swedish Match Company, however upon hearing of Bean's death the couple returned to Blackpool, where decisions regarding the future running of the Pleasure Beach were in discussion. Leonard up until that point had not had any active involvement with the Pleasure Beach whatsoever, however on a mutual agreement with his wife it was agreed that Thompson would take over the running of the Pleasure Beach and have full responsibility of all its affairs. His first move was to appoint Oscar Haworth as the General Manager and George Palmer as Chairman of the company. Over the next two years, Thompson worked with the Outhwaite's to expand the business further, starting with construction of The Ghost Train which opened in 1930.

Later Years (1931–present)

In 1931 the remaining Outhwaite family sold their share of the park to the Thompsons, who now had complete control and ownership of the business. The following year Watson Road was built underneath the park, which resulted in the closure of The Velvet Coaster. Thompson's next major investment was the construction of the Fun House in 1934 and The Grand National, a Möbius Loop wooden coaster built by celebrated coaster designer Charles Paige in 1935. Paige had designed numerous other rides at the Pleasure Beach, including the Rollercoaster, another wooden coaster that was constructed on the site of The Velvet Coaster in 1933.

The success of Paiges' wooden coasters resulted in a complete reprofiling of the Big Dipper in 1936, which was extended towards the south-westerly side of the park. During this time Thompson hired Joseph Emberton, an award-winning architect who was brought in to redesign the architectural style of the Pleasure Beach rides and buildings, working on The Casino Building, Noah's Ark and the Ice Drome, a 2,000 seat ice rink. Emberton continued to design for the Pleasure Beach up to his death in 1956, after which Jack Ratcliffe, who had been involved in the Festival of Britain, was brought in to continue the work. Ratcliffe worked for many years at the park and much of his work can still be seen today.

Investments steadily decreased during World War II however the park remained open throughout the year to offer solace to the British public. The park returned to prominence between 1958-1961 when The Wild Mouse, Derby Racer and Alice Ride opened and over the next few years the scale of investments increased, with the world's longest Log Flume opening in 1967 and The Goldmine opening four years later. The Walt Disney Company visited the park earlier in the decade and Pleasure Beach was one of a few parks which became the basis for the first Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Walt Disney formed a friendship with Thompson and the two would regularly inspire one another when developing their respective parks. After many successful years as the managing director of the Pleasure Beach, Leonard Thompson died in 1976, having run the business for 47 years. Following Thompson's death, Doris Thompson was appointed chairman of the business. Their only son, Geoffrey Thompson inherited his fathers role and became the new managing director.

William "Geoffrey" Thompson was born in Manchester in 1936. He spent most of his early working life administering the New Era Laundries in London before returning to the family business as head of catering at the Casino Building. He married his wife, Barbara Thompson (née Foxcroft) in 1962 and shortly afterwards they had three children: Amanda, Nicholas and Fiona. Geoffrey invested millions of pounds developing the business, carrying forward his fathers legacy, which was for the Pleasure Beach to always be at the forefront of global amusement parks. He hired Keith Ingham to make extensive alterations to the Casino Building which was re-launched as the Wonderful World Building (since then the building has reverted to its original name). Thompson's reign saw the opening of the Steeplechase, Avalanche, Revolution and Ice Blast: The Ride. His most notable investments include the Big One which opened in 1994 and was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world at the time, and Valhalla which opened in 2000 and remains the companys' largest investment to date.

Geoffrey was actively involved in promoting tourism in the North West of England. He sat on almost all the relevant agencies, including the English Tourist Board and the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire status along with his mother for their contribution to tourism. In 1986, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Limited became one of the first companies in the United Kingdom to register with the Government Profit Related Pay Unit. Under this scheme the company agreed that, where profits exceeded £1 million, 10 per cent would be distributed among the permanent staff according to their length of service.

Despite his reputation as a leading businessman in the industry, Thompson often found himself in dispute with Blackpool Council over their decision to allow private traders to operate on land opposite the Pleasure Beach. He also clashed with Morecambe Town Council, who would regularly oppose and disrupt his plans to develop the Morecambe amusement park. As a result of his frustration and due to declining attendance Thompson closed Frontierland in 2000 indefinitely, which had operated for 91 years. Many of the rides were either destroyed, sold or moved to Thompson's other parks. Further investments followed at the Pleasure Beach, including Spin Doctor in 2002, the Big Blue Hotel in 2003 and Bling, a Zierer Star Shape thrill ride the following year. Geoffrey Thompson died of a heart attack at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on 12 June 2004 while attending a party to celebrate his daughter's wedding. Doris Thompson, MBE OBE died nine days later, on 23 June, the date of her son's funeral.

Amanda Thompson, Geoffrey's eldest daughter and a director of the park for over 15 years took over the whole Pleasure Beach business. Nicholas Thompson became the Deputy managing director and Fiona Giljé (née Thompson), a fundamental architect became a senior company director. Amanda had previously risen to prominence as the founder and president of Stageworks Worldwide Productions, which produced numerous high-profile shows at both the Pleasure Beach and across the world. Like her father and grandmother, Amanda was appointed an OBE for her contribution to tourism. During Amanda's reign, the park has seen vast redevlopment, including the introduction of mass branding, as well as the removal of numerous rides including The Whip, Space Invader 2, Turtle Chase, Spin Doctor, Trauma Towers, Noah's Ark, Black Hole, Bling and Super Bowl. In 2005, the family decided to close Pleasureland Southport which despite extensive investment and development had not turned a profit for several years. This move coincided with the closure of Pleasure Beach's Log Flume, Drench Falls and resulted in the introduction of Infusion, the park's first new roller coaster in 13 years. Infusion was relocated from Pleasureland, where it had operated under the name of Traumatizer since 1999, and was built on the site of the Log Flume.

In 2011, the Thompson family signed a contract with Viacom, owners of the American-based Nickelodeon brand to open Nickelodeon Land, a 12-acre theme park situated within the main park. Nickelodeon Land was a £10million redevelopment of the parks' previous children's area Beaver Creek which closed in 2010. Notable changes include a complete retheme of the Rollercoaster which reopened under the new alias Nickelodeon Streak and the use of the formerly defunct Space Invader 2 building which is now occupied by a large pizza restaurant. Many of the other rides were either replaced or repainted and renamed to represent the Nickelodeon brand. In 2013, the park worked alongside Aardman Animations, owners of the Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep brands, who introduced Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-O-Matic, a dark ride which replaced The Goldmine, and in 2015 the park teamed up with the RAF to open the Red Arrow's Skyforce a thrill ride based on the famous air acrobatic team. In early December 2015 the Tom Sawyer bridge was removed and replaced with a new walkway.

Managing directors

Managing Director	Seasons Active	Year
		1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	2010s
John Outhwaite	16	1896–1911
William G. Bean	34	1896–1929
Leonard Thompson	48				1929–1976
Doris Thompson	76				1929–2004
Geoffrey Thompson	29									1976–2004
Amanda Thompson	14												2004–
Nick Thompson	14												2004–

Current Park

Pleasure Beach is situated on a 42-acre (170,000 m²) site along the South Promenade (Ocean Boulevard) area of Blackpool, approximately 2.2 miles from Blackpool North Railway Station. It is bordered by the Promenade, Balmoral Road, Bond Street, Burlington Road West and Clifton Drive, and is situated above Watson Road, which is underneath the grounds and runs under the centre of the park. The main Ticket Centre can be found on the ground floor of the Casino Building which is situated to the north of the park. The rest of the ground floor space is taken up by a showbar named The Horseshoe and a large Costa Coffee Café. The second tier of the building, known as the penthouse floor is home to a function suite named The Paradise Room and The White Tower Restaurant, a luxury restaurant overlooking the promenade. Above The Paradise Room is a second Moroccan-themed function room named The Attic. The basement area of the building is taken up by another licensed bar named The Horror Bar and an interactive horror maze named Pasaje del Terror.

Outside The Casino building towards the left of the main entrance is a second theatre named The Globe. The main park can be accessed via a number of turnstiles, each manned by a security ambassador at the north entrance. A separate entrance towards the south end of the park is available for hotel residents only, and a third entrance is situated towards the east side of the park via The Arena. The park is heavily secured by giant metal gates, however these gates are occasionally opened to permit large groups of guests into the park during the peak season. The park has 5 car parks and a coach park. Blackpool Pleasure Beach railway station and the Big Blue Hotel are towards the south end of the park.

The park is split up into 3 sections: North Park, Nickelodeon Land and South Park. The main park is divided by separate themed areas. These are North Entrance Plaza, Heidi Strasse, Bean Street FY4, The Watson Overpass, The Tom Sawyer Bridge and South Entrance Plaza. Many of the rides in the park are built over or under other attractions and buildings making the Pleasure Beach the most densely populated amusement park in terms of ride space in the world.

Pleasure Beach is the only private company in the United Kingdom not imposed by planning restrictions, however attractions over 60 meters in height must meet strict regulations set out by the Civil Aviation Authority. These regulations include the placing of red and white lights at the top of structures and warning signals and beacons to alert airline traffic. As of October 2014 Blackpool Airport has ceased operation, however all rides at the Pleasure Beach over the 200 ft height marker still retain their beacons.

Awards & Accolades

• 2007: Best brand for leisure and tourism – North West Top 100 Brands
• 2007: Pleasure Beach training team: Best Practice in Tourism Training – LETTS awards
• 2007: Fifth best amusement park in the world – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2007: Best seaside park award – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2007: Best radio commercial – IAAPA Brass Ring Awards
• 2007: Pleasure beach website – distinguished excellence – IAAPA Brass Ring Awards
• 2007: Valhalla: second best water ride in the world – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2007: Best North-West brand for leisure and tourism – Hill Dickinson
• 2007: Revitalised Brand of the Year – Leisure Report Awards
• 2008: North-West Brand for Leisure and Tourism – Hill Dickinson
• 2008: Ripleys Believe It Or Not!: Franchise of the Year and Guest Service Award – Ripleys Executive Board
• 2009: Forbidden: Best Overall Production – IAAPA Big E Awards
• 2009: Hot Ice: Best Overall Production – IAAPA Big E Awards
• 2011: Top Ten Best Theme Parks – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2011: Big Blue Hotel - Loo of the Year Award
• 2013: Best Attraction for Groups- Lancashire Tourism Awards
• 2014: Best Large Tourist Attraction – North West In Bloom
• 2014: Arena- Favourite Rink- LAMBCO
• 2014: Second Best Seaside Park- Golden Ticket Awards
• 2014: Valhalla: second best water ride in the world – Golden Ticket Awards
• 2014: Best Theme Park in the United Kingdom; 9th Best Theme Park in Europe - Travelers' Choice Awards
• 2014: Big Blue Hotel- Third best hotel in the United Kingdom- Travelers' Choice Awards
• 2016: Valhalla: Best Water Ride in the world - Golden Ticket Awards.
• 2016: 6th best amusement park in the world - Golden Ticket Awards
• 2016: 2nd best seaside park in the world - Golden Ticket Awards

Rides

Roller coasters

#	Name	Manufacturer	Type	Opened	Description
1	Avalanche	Mack Rides	Bobsled	1988	Avalanche is a steel bobsled roller coaster. It was the first Bobsled style roller coaster to be built in the UK.
2	Big Dipper	John Miller, Charles Paige, Joe Emberton	Wooden	1923/1936	Big Dipper is a traditional wooden roller coaster which was built in 1923 by John Miller, and extended in 1936 by Charles Paige and Joe Emberton.
3	Big One	Arrow Dynamics	Steel Hypercoaster	1994	The Big One is a hyper coaster with a highest point of 71.6 m (235 ft) above sea level or 65 m (213 ft) above the ground. It reaches speeds of up to 119 km/h (74 mph). It was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1994, and was designed by Ron Toomer. (Originally known as Pepsi Max Big One for sponsorship reasons).
4	Icon	Mack Rides	Launched roller coaster	2018	Icon will open in Spring 2018 and will be the UK's first double launch coaster. The coaster will be 88 ft tall and reach speeds of up to 55 mph (89 km/h) along 3750 ft of steel track.
5	Grand National	Charles Paige	Wooden Racing roller coaster	1935	Grand National is a wooden dual-track racing roller coaster. It is themed around the Grand National horse-racing event and is one of only three Möbius Loop roller coasters still in existence.
6	Infusion	Vekoma	Inverted	2007	Infusion is a steel inverted roller coaster. It is the first of its kind to be built entirely over water, and was relocated to Pleasure Beach from Pleasureland Southport where it was known as Traumatizer.
7	Revolution	Arrow Development	Shuttle	1979	Revolution is a steel shuttle roller coaster that launches from an elevated station, through and loop before stopping and doing the same backwards, it reaches up to speeds of 40 mph and a g force level of 4.0. It was named "Irn Bru Revolution" until 2011 when it reverted to its original name.
8	Nickelodeon Streak	Charles Paige	Wooden	1933	A classic wooden coaster found in Nickelodeon Land. From 1933 to 2010 it was known simply as Rollercoaster however in 2011 was renamed Nickelodeon Streak. It was built using the lift hill from the Velvet Coaster, which was built in 1909.
9	Steeplechase	Arrow Development	Three-tracked racing coaster	1977	An Arrow Development three-tracked racing steel roller coaster and the last of its kind in existence.
10	Wild Mouse	Frank Wright	Wooden Wild Mouse	1958	One of only three operating wooden wild mouse roller coasters in the world. It is known to be one of the most intense Wild Mouse roller coasters in existence.
11	Blue Flyer	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters	Wooden	1934	A children's wooden coaster composed of bunny hills and a tunnel. Originally known as Zipper Dipper then renamed to Blue Flyer and re-painted in 2011. It has also been sponosored by Warbutons and was known as the Milk Roll A Coaster.

Thrill rides

#	Name	Manufacturer	Type	Opened	Description
11	Tango Ice Blast	S&S Power	Launch/Freefall Shot Tower	1997	Stands at 210 ft (64 m) above sea level, although is actually 180 ft (55 m) tall. Opened as Sony PlayStation - The Ride.
12	Red Arrows Sky Force	Gerstlauer	Sky Fly	2015	Stands at 72 ft (22 m). The ride features individual planes on a long arm which spin as the rider rocks side to side. Replaced Bling.

Water rides

#	Name	Opened	Description
13	Dora's World Voyage	2011	A mini boat tub ride located in Nickelodeon Land, opened June 2011. Replaced Magic Mountain.
14	The Rugrats Lost River	1992	A semi-themed one-hill log chute originally in the park's previous Beaver Creek area, which is now Nickelodeon Land (resulting in the ride being renamed and rethemed).
15	River Caves	1905	Classic river caves dark ride, visiting displays of "around the world".
16	SpongeBob's Splash Bash	2011	Located in Nickelodeon Land.
17	Valhalla	2000	Viking-themed dark flume ride, laden with special effects.

Family rides

#	Name	Opened	Description
18	Alice's Wonderland	1961	Children's dark ride featuring scenes from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. The cars are big Cheshire cats. Built by Arrow Development.
30	Alpine Rallye	1990s	A children's automobile track ride similar to the Convoy. After the park's Beaver Creek closed the ride was renamed from Thor's Turnpike and relocated.
19	Chinese Puzzle Maze	1997	A traditional maze with interactive features, scenery, and water traps.
29	Tetley Tea Cup Ride	1990s	Spinning tea cups ride relocated after the closure of Beaver Creek. Relocated to underneath the Revolution.
20	Derby Racer	1959	One of only three in the world, the ride is essentially a large carousel of 56 horses in four rows, the outside row being the fastest.
21	Dodgems	2010	Standard dodgems attraction.
22	Eddie Stobart Convoy	2002	All trucks are painted in Eddie Stobart Ltd. colours including names.
23	Flying Machines	1904	The oldest attraction in the park. Original flying experience attraction.
24	Gallopers	1919	Ornate traditional English carousel.
25	Ghost Train	1930	A dark ride. This ghost train was the first in the world and is where the ride name "Ghost Train" originates. It was built by Mr Joseph Emberton.
26	Grand Prix	1960s	Electrical powered car ride (in the past, cars had petrol engines). Self-drive cars travel down a spiral track and under The Avalanche Rollercoaster.
27	Impossible	2002	(Previously 1001 Troubles and The Haunted Swing) A mirror maze, followed by displays of optical illusions, and a haunted swing ride.
28	Pleasure Beach Express	1934	A miniature railway featuring Scenery of Wild life in a jungle to Dangerous Dinosaur from the Jurrasic Era also includes interactive effects.
31	Thompsons Vintage Carousel	1990s	A Mini carousel ride. After Beaver Creek closed the ride was relocated to under the Avalanche lift hill, and renamed from Veteran Carousel.
32	Wallace & Gromit: The Thrill-O-Matic	2013	Replaced the Gold Mine. Dark ride featuring scenes from the animated Wallace and Gromit series.

Nickelodeon Land rides

Main article: Nickelodeon Land

#	Name	Opened	Description
1	Blue Flyer	1934	A children's wooden coaster composed of bunny hills and a tunnel. Originally known as Zipper Dipper then renamed to Blue Flyer and re-painted in 2011.
2	Avatar Airbender	2011	A Disk'O Coaster, Opened May 2011.
3	Dora's World Voyage	2011	A mini boat tub ride, opened June 2011.
4	The Rugrats' Lost River	2011	A semi-themed one-hill log chute originally in the park's previous Beaver Creek, now located in Nickelodeon Land.
5	The Backyardians' Pirate Treasure	2011	Opened May 2011. Retheme of the previous 'Bradley Beaver's Pirate Ship Ride'
6	Nickelodeon Streak	1933	A classic wooden coaster found in Nickelodeon Land. From 1933 to 2010 it was known simply as Rollercoaster however in 2011 was renamed Nickelodeon Streak.
7	Bikini Bottom Bus Tour	2011	Opened May 2011.
8	Diego's Rainforest Rescue	2011	Opened May 2011.
9	Fairy World Taxi Spin	2011	Opened May 2011.
10	Krusty Krab Order Up	2011	Opened May 2011. Retheme of the previous 'The Shoot' ride.
11	SpongeBob's Splash Bash	2011	Opened May 2011.
12	Wonder Pets! Big Circus Bounce	2011	Opened May 2011

Past Rides

Past rides and attractions

Name	Opened	Closed	Description
Switchback Railway	1891	1922	Out And Back wooden coaster. Replaced by the Big Dipper.
Hotchkiss' Bicycle Railway	1896	1900s	Remnants of this attraction are held in the Pleasure Beach archive
Scenic Railway	1907	1933	A wooden coaster replaced by Grand National.
Water Chute (1907 – 1939)	1907	1939	A wooden water ride, closed in 1939, & reopened in 1979, then closed again in 2004, and never reopened again after that.
Joy Wheel	1909	1915	A roundabout style ride.
Velvet Coaster	1909	1932	A wooden coaster replaced by Roller Coaster/Nickelodeon Streak.
Witching Waves	1913	1923	A large oval course with a movable metal floor ridden with steerable scooter style cars made for 2 people.
The Whip	1914	2008	A Teacup/Waltzer Ride, Removed In 2008
Noah's Ark	1922	2008	Indoor walkthrough attraction.
Virginia Reel	1922	1982	A spinning wooden coaster replaced by Ranger Morph.
Junior Whip	1927	2008	A smaller version of The Whip
Magic Mountain	1932	2010	Junior dark ride replaced by Dora's World Voyage.
Funhouse	1934	1991	An indoor walkthrough, it was destroyed by a fire & replaced by Valhalla.
Turtle Chase	1935	2004	A tumble bug ride. Closed In 2004, Area Stands Empty
Ferris Wheel	1936	1984	A traditional Ferris Wheel ride but with 2 wheels.
Sidewinder	1939	1961	A Dive Bomber ride replaced by Astro Liner.
Cableway	1960	2000	A classic Von Roll VR101 2 passenger gondola lift. Hourly capacity 300pph.
Monorail	1966	2012	Opened as an aerial transport system with three stations, but closed as a non-stop scenic ride.
Drench Falls Log Flume	1967	2006	A log flume replaced by Infusion.
Monster!	1968	1995	An octopus ride replaced by Ice Blast.
Astro Swirl	1969	2003	A gravitron ride
Calypso	1960s	1960s	A spinning ride
Speedboat	1960s	1978	A slow boat ride
Gold Mine	1971	2011	A dark ride that has been replaced by Wallace & Gromit: Thrill-O-Matic.
Cyclone	1974	1987	A pinfari coaster replaced by The Avalanche.
Tom Sawyer Raft Ride	1974	1993	A boat ride
Swamp Buggies	1979	2011	An extra-charge bumper boat ride. Replaced by plant pots.
Water Chute/Vikingar (1979 – 2004)	1979	2004	Previously Closed In 1939, Reopened In 1979, Renamed Vikingar In 2000, Followed By The Opening Of Valhalla, Permanently Closed In 2004
Alpine Golf	1970s	2009	Swiss-themed miniature golf, previously located under Avalanche. Replaced by Alpine Rallye.
Astroglide	1970s	1992	A giant slide
Astro Liner	1970s	1980s	A simulator ride
Ben Hur	1970s	1980s	Similar to the Whip, however with a pedal to help start motion.
Space Tower	1970s	1992	A slow spinning bird eye view tower relocated to Frontierland, Morecambe as POLO Tower & replaced by Pepsi Max Big One.
Safari Bugs	1970s	2002	Animal vehicle roundabout has been relocated to Pleasureland Southport and then relocated to Lightwater Valley in 2007.
Tidal Wave	1980	1997	Pirate ship was relocated to Pleasureland Southport,then relocated to M&D's.
Tokaydo Express	1980	1997	A figure eight coaster, it was relocated to Brean Leisure Park, but not there anymore.
Trauma Towers (originally The Haunted Hotel)	1980	2008	Indoor haunted walkthrough attraction. Closed.
Paratrooper	1981	1980s	spinning funfair ride
Bobslay	1982	1982	A bobsleigh ride
Ranger	1983	1987	A black pearl ride replaced by Rainbow.
Space Invader	1984	2008	Indoor roller coaster, it was relocated to Brean Leisure Park in 2011.
Rainbow	1987	1990s	A thrill ride
Black Hole	1980s	2006	A waltzer in a dark replaced by 4D Cinema.
Phantom Chase	1980s	1980s	A spinning thrill ride
The Twist	1980s	1996	A spinning ride
The Greatest Show on Earth	1990	1997	A suspended dark ride replaced by Burger King.
Clown Coaster	1995	2008	A junior coaster, relocated to Wicksteed Park
Spin Doctor	2002	2006	A dive booster ride, One Of Them Possibly Relocated To Pleasure Island And Renamed Hydro Max
Big Apple	2003	2004	A caterpillar roller coaster. Replaced by The Beast.
Bling	2004	2011	A Zierer Star Shape ride Replaced by Red Arrows Sky Force.
4D Cinema	2007	2008	Extra-charge theatre attraction. Replaced by puppet/magic show.
The Beast	Unknown	Unknown	A simulator ride of the wooden rollercoaster at Kings Island.

Incidents

Main article: Incidents at European amusement parks

There have been several incidents at the park over the years. These incidents include a minor collision between two trains on 'The Big One' roller-coaster and a similar collision on the 'Avalanche' bobsled coaster where passengers suffered only minor bruising, whiplash, cuts and one broken nose.

On 21 July 2000, 11-year-old Christopher Sharrat died after falling from a ride vehicle on the 'Space Invader' roller-coaster. He was reported to have possibly panicked on the dark ride and unfastened his seatbelt. Following an investigation police were confident that the death was accidental. The ride closed in 2008 and has since relocated to Brean Leisure Park, operating from 2011 as Astro Storm.

On 31 August 2000, 23 people were injured, when 2 ride carriages collided on The Big One due to a failure with the rides braking system. 21 were taken to hospital.

On 11 August 2009, 2 trains on The Big Dipper carrying a total of 32 guests collided, resulting in 21 people requiring treatment for injuries ranging from whiplash and broken noses to cut and bruises.

On 14 June 2011, a ride carriage on The Big One stopped abruptly, causing a few minor injuries to the occupants. One person was reportedly taken to hospital suffering with whiplash.

On 24 October 2014, 58-year-old Robert Sycamore accompanied his 13-year-old nephew on The Grand National coaster. When the ride returned to the station Mr Sycamore was found in the bottom of the carriage with neck and back injuries. Its understood he had an underlying back complaint of Spondylitis.

Entertainment

Hot Ice

A seasonal show performed at The Arena (previously the Ice Drome). The show has been running since 1936 and is produced by Amanda Thompson and choreographed by Oula Jaaskelainen. The 2017 production "Dreams" runs from 6 July to 9 September.

Craig Christian Evolution Of Magic

A seasonal show performed by Magician and Illusionists Craig Christian and Elizabeth West at The Horseshoe from 11 July to 3 September 2017.

Ken Webster: Mentalist Hypnotist

A seasonal adult comedy hypnotisism show performed by veteran hypnotist Ken Webster. Webster's show at the Pleasure Beach is the longest running comedy hypnotism show in the world having played at the resort for over 25 years. Runs every Saturday from 15 April to 4 November 2017.

Russ Brown's Carnival of Magic

A magic and variety show performed by award-winning children's magician Russel Brown. Runs from 31 March to 16 April. Then again from 9 September to 5 November 2017.

Spectacular Dancing Water Show

A £500 thousand musical water feature designed by Aquatique Show International. Featuring 30 individual jets and a water cannon capable of shooting water up to 30 meters into the air, the jets are synchronized to dance to different styles of music and shows run every 30 minutes.

Other attractions

• Adventure Golf: A 12-hole Crazy Golf course situated on the Pleasure Beach owned Flagstaff gardens. Opened in 2008.
• Ripley's Believe It Or Not!: A museum of oddities built across two floors and based on Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Situated along Ocean Boulevard.
• Haunted Crypt: A haunted house-type walkthrough attraction next to Ripley's.
• Pasaje Del Terror: Interactive horror maze, situated towards the north end of Ocean Boulevard, adjacent to the entrance to Pleasure Beach. Opened in June 1998.
• The Arena: A large ice rink situated towards the east of the park. Home to Hot Ice and open year-round.
• Education Academy: Situated next to Ripley's. A learning and training centre that housed many of the Pleasure Beach's archives and past artifacts. Closed in 2014 and currently used as storage.
• Sandcastle Water Park: Although not part of Blackpool Pleasure Beach it is situated opposite.

The Big Blue Hotel

A family hotel with a four star AA rating, situated adjacent to Blackpool Pleasure Beach railway station towards the south end of Ocean Boulevard. Opened in Spring 2003.

Ghosts

Pleasure Beach is alleged to be haunted by several ghosts and over the years there have been a number of high-profile paranormal investigations held within its grounds. The most well known and reported ghost story involves the Ghost Train ride, which is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a former ride operator named "Cloggy". Other stories involve poltergeist activity in both the gift shop under Sir Hiram Maxims Captive Flying Machine and The Star pub on Ocean Boulevard. The Arena is also said to be the home of a ghostly presence which inhabits the backstage dressing rooms and tractor bay. The park has featured on many paranormal related TV shows, including Most Haunted and Great British Ghosts and features in many books written on the subject.

In popular culture

• In 1997 the Pleasure Beach was the subject of a 6-part fly-on-the-wall BBC documentary which focussed on the daily operation of the park. Each episode featured interviews with park management and dealt with the numerous triumphs and hurdles of running the park.
• The Big One is featured in the film The Parole Officer (2001) and in one episode of A Touch of Frost.
• The music video for Simply Red's song "Fairground", as was the video for The Killers' "Here With Me" and 5 Seconds of Summer's "Try Hard" music video were shot here.
• The Infusion rollercoaster featured in the 2009 Specsavers advertising campaign.
• In 2002 Most Haunted conducted an investigation at the Pleasure Beach.
• The Laughing man was briefly portrayed as a psychotic French clown in Jamie H Scrutton's: "His Haunted Laughter" short film in 2010. The artist performed in the role of the character.
• The park was included in the drama Waterloo Road. Finn Sharkey (Jack McMullen), Lauren Andrews (Darcy Isa), Sambuca Kelly (Holly Kenny) and Tom Clarkson (Jason Done) visit the park.
• Popular ITV soap opera Coronation Street has filmed at the park many times over the years.
• In 1988 the children's television programme Blue Peter visited the park. Presenters Mark Curry and Yvette Fielding rode the then newly launched Avalanche coaster and interviewed Doris and Geoffrey Thompson.
• Professional Wrestler Darren Kenneth Matthews, most commonly known as William Regal began his wrestling career at the park at aged 15.
• Parts of the Harry Hill Movie was filmed at Pleasure Beach.
• An advertising campaign for Irn Bru featuring a group of goths riding the Revolution roller coaster (then sponsored by the brand) was filmed at the park.
• British boy band JLS rode on the Big Dipper in early 2012, singing their hit "Everybody in Love" as they did so. Their ride was filmed and posted on line via their official Facebook page.
• Kevin Bacon rode the Big One with a young child to advertise EE 4G The advertisement was then aired on national television in May 2014.
• The Ghost Train features in Tim Burton's 2016 film Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
• The One Show filmed at the park in 2016 and gave a demonstration on ride dynamics including how the compact shape of a vertical loop on the Revolution has to be a certain diameter to make the ride safe and measurements of the G force pressure accumilated on the Ice Blast ride.
• In November 2016 BBC's Strictly Come Dancing featured a segment where contestant Judge Rinder visited the Pleasure Beach and rode the Ice Blast ride.

Gallery

• 
  The Hotchkiss Bicycle Railroad.
• 
  When opened on 28 May 1994 The Pepsi Max Big One was the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the World.
• 
  Rides at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool
• 
  A view over the park, taken from the lift hill of the Pepsi Max
• 
  The Valhalla ride, which is themed around a mythical place from Norse mythology
• 
  Statues inside the Chinese Puzzle Maze. The rollercoaster track passing over it is from the Pepsi Max
• 
  A large Pleasure Beach sign just outside the park, at night.
• 
  Part of the Big Dipper with Infusion behind it and the Pepsi Max Big One dwarfing both of them in the background.
• 
  The Irn Bru Revolution.
• 
  The Avalanche bobsled roller coaster.
• 
  Pleasure Beach Blackpool from South Pier.
• 
  The older rides have historical plaques like this one on Wild Mouse.
• 
  Trauma Towers
• 
  The entrance and Casino at night.
• 
  The Pepsi Max Big One at night.

See also

• Pleasureland Southport
• Frontierland, Morecambe
• Minirail, a monorail at Expo 67 that shares track and rolling stock with Blackpool, both acquired from the 1964 Swiss National Exhibition.
• Wallace & Gromit
• Nickelodeon
• Alton Towers

Further reading

• Walton, John K. (2007). Riding on Rainbows: Blackpool Pleasure Beach and its Place in British Popular Culture. St. Albans: Skelter Publishing. ISBN 0-9544573-6-6.

External links

• Official website