Search results

Me? Running to the Beach when rained off work on termtime afternoons... Beer, dodgems, woodie, gossip with the staff, seafood salad or chips. Repeat. Then a paddle in the sea. Heaven.

Yes, correction, operations wise things went downhill fast after the loss of pay per ride and ticket books. But parts of the place have always been a dump. Management has always been parochial right wing weird, the food has always been poor (use the concessions), and the offering has always been...

I have been a Beach visitor for over fifty years, season pass holder since they started. The Beach has always been a hole. It has always had substandard operations, dodgy opening times and poor management, at least since the seventies. Corners and areas of the park have always been neglected The...

But hey, chicken!

More chance of winning the lottery though...

On a sunny, warm, windless day in good company, on a non wheel seat, with no queue whatsoever, the Big One at Blackpool can be a good fun coaster with zero pain. We came off smiling.

Yes, and so is the Ghost Train.

Of the group of four oldies I geek around with, not a single one counts creds. One would put most on here to shame with his count, but never has, never will. Furthermore, I'm not even passionate about the hobby any more. I just drink the beer, ride the coasters, eat the pies, and grumble about...

I still weep for The Reel. End of my childhood. Watched it pulled down. It was built like a massive wedge of cheese, but made of railway sleepers, as one huge sloping platform. Absolute favourite coaster of my youth, such a laugh, and one on its own. Been in my dreams for four decades since.

The Blue Flyer at Blackpool, because the tunnel smells of garlic bread.

That opening time is typical for the seasons before the closure. If all the effects are working, it must cost a fortune to run.

They run a little faster, the main issue I think (esp. Big Dipper at Blackpool) is getting the trains to stop quickly coming into the station...steel wheels on wet steel rails don't stop very well. So BPB often take the Dipper down to one train in heavy rain.

Had a snoop a couple of weeks ago now that it has gone back to free entry. The new area is on the old zoo site, to the north east of the current park. The owner is trying hard, but it is little more than a travelling fair, lots of flats, sheds, fences, food stalls and decking. No sign at all of...

Come on now, let's not bring all this reality into our fun hobby. Slap a bloody great coaster in there, on stilts, over the surrounding buildings and around Colossus.

Blackpool, now the flume in a shed is nearly back open, and it chucks it down with rain every day?

Yup, random headlines for routine stoppages since 1994. Usually, the ride is stopped for sudden wind gusts or "rule abuse"...usually mobile phones. Then they can't get it to start again after pressing the magic button. So they get walked off. On low news days it makes the press, on most days it...

Been giving this one deep thought. Best value option overall...scrap Thorpe, kip in the little cave shelter under King Ina's Rocks at Alton, then use a £13 screwfix set of boltcutters to get into the Towers in the morning. Probably the cheapest trip there is. Sorted.

Come on now...bit of imagination required... A small explosive charge with a damper and recoil device...clamping heads to headrests compulsory of course.

Nice photo reminder...Grand National and Rollercoaster at Blackpool in times past I think. Blue Flyer (kiddie woodie) still has them.

Straight lap bar that you can fit yourself. Only released at the press of a noisy solenoid switch that buzzes loudly...done by the operator after the train stops. Memories from many years ago, can't remember where, but it was in the north west of England.