Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Location	Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Coordinates	53°47′25″N 3°03′20″W
Opened	1896
Owner	The Thompson Family
Slogan	"See It, Feel It, Love It"
Operating season	2016 season: 7 February to (unknown)
Area	42 acres (170,000 m2)
Attractions
Total	41
Roller coasters	10
Water rides	5
Website	www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com

Blackpool 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 the most visited tourist attraction 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 holds many records, including the largest number of roller coasters of any park in the United Kingdom with ten, of which five are wooden– the Grand National, Big Dipper, Nickelodeon Streak, Wild Mouse and Blue Flyer. 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) below sea level, with a first drop of 205 ft (62 m).

The 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 and is still in complete working order. The Grand National is one of only three Möbius Loop coasters in existence, where a singular track "loops" around itself, creating a facsimile out-and-back layout and offering a "racing" effect. Pleasure Beach was also the first park in Europe to introduce a fully inverting steel coaster, Revolution and is the last remaining park in the world to operate a Steeplechase roller coaster. Sir Hiram Maxims Captive Flying Machines is the oldest amusement park ride in Europe having opened in August 1904. Recent records include Valhalla which is the biggest and most expensive dark ride in the world at a cost of £15 million. The park also operates Europe's only Nickelodeon Land and the worlds only Wallace & Gromit ride, the Thrill-O-Matic. In 2007 the park introducedInfusion which is the world's first suspended looping coaster entirely over water. The latest record is taken by the Red Arrows Skyforce, a Gerstlauer Sky Fly thrill ride costing £2 million which was opened by the Red Arrows on 25 May 2015. It is the first ride of its kind in the United Kingdom.

History of the Pleasure Beach

Early years (1896-1929)

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 UK 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 consisted simply of a switchback bicycle railway called the Hotchkiss's Patented Railroad. Bean stayed in Great Yarmouth with his wife and their only daughter Lillian-Doris until the end of the century before moving to Blackpool full-time.

In 1903, Bean, along with businessman John Outhwaite, purchased 30 acres (120,000 m²) of land known as the "Watson Estate" which was used to expand the amusement park in Blackpool. Bean and Outhwaite based their ideas on Coney Island in the USA and a small static fairground in London's Earls Court. Their aim was to establish an amusement park that would make adults feel like children again and inspire gaiety of a primarily innocent character.

The first major attraction to open at Pleasure Beach was Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine in 1904. The next attraction, a Mill Chute water ride was opened in 1905 under the name "The River Caves of the World." It was during this time that the name "Blackpool Pleasure Beach" was founded. In 1909, Bean expanded the Pleasure Beach business by opening a second amusement park down the coast in Morecambe under the name West End Amusement Park which would later become known as Frontierland, Morecambe. This 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 Scenic Railway, a Hall of Mirrors, The Joy Wheel and The Whip. Outhwaite died in 1911, leaving most of the remaining business to Bean, however the Outhwaite family still owned shares in the park and would occasionally have input into its growth. Following WWI investment at the park ceased due to the difficulty in exporting rides from the USA and the next investment would not be until 1922 when The Virginia Reel was opened. In the 1920s Bean invested in the "Casino Building" a grand Art-Deco building which remains to this day. In 1923, land was reclaimed from Blackpool seafront and it was at this period that the Pleasure Beach moved to its 44-acre (180,000 m²) current location above Watson Road, which was built under the Pleasure Beach in 1932. The same year Bean brought in John Miller to build the Big Dipper. Much of the original park was built over sand, hence the name "Pleasure Beach"

Later Years (1931-Present)

Since 1931, the Pleasure Beach has been under direct control from the Thompson family. In 1928, Lillian-Doris Bean married Leonard Thompson, an Oxford Natural Sciences graduate and businessman. After their marriage, Leonard and Doris moved to London, where Leonard worked at a Swedish Match Company. A year later William George died suddenly from pneumonia. Upon hearing of Bean’s death, the Thompson’s returned to Blackpool to console Doris’s mother, whilst decisions about 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 Bean's will stated that upon his death his daughter would inherit all of his shares in the business. On a mutual agreement with his wife, Leonard Thompson took over the running of the Pleasure Beach and had full responsibility of all its affairs. He appointed Oscar Haworth as the Managing Director and George Palmer as Chairman of the company.

Over the next two years, Thompson worked with the Outhwaite's to expand the business further, however in 1931 the remaining Outhwaite family sold their share of the park to the Thompson's, who now had complete control and ownership of the business. During this time Joseph Emberton, a famous architech was brought in to redesign the architectural style of the Pleasure Beach rides and buildings, working on the Grand National roller coaster, Noah's Ark and the Casino Building to name a few. 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. Ratcliffed worked for many years at the park and much of his work can still be seen around the park today. 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 had previously administered 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. After his fathers death, Geoffrey and his mother steadily extended the Pleasure Beach business. His first move was hiring 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). Under Thompson's reign, the Pleasure Beach business expanded quite dramatically. He saw the opening of the Steeplechase, Avalanche, Revolution Ice Blast: The Ride and Valhalla. His most notable investment was the Big One which opened in 1994 and was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world at the time.

Like his father before him, Geoffrey was often regarded as the front man to the steady growth of amusement parks globally and was regularly involved in promoting tourism in the North West of England. He sat on almost all the relevant agencies, such as 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, Pleasure Beach 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 noble 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 since 1909. Many of the rides were either destroyed, sold or moved to Thompson's other parks. The same year, Thompson opened Valhalla at the Pleasure Beach, which to date is the company's biggest ever investment. Further investments followed, including 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 daughters wedding. Doris Thompson, OBE died nine days later, on 23 June, the date of her sons funeral.

After the death of her father and grandmother, Amanda Thompson, Geoffrey's eldest daughter and a senior 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 company director. Amanda had previously rose 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 awarded 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, Log Flume, 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 introduction of Infusion, which would become the park's first new roller coaster in 13 years, having previously operated at Pleasureland under the name of Traumatizer. In 2011, the Thompson family signed a contract with the Nickelodeon brand to open Nickelodeon Land, a 12-acre theme park situated within the main park. This deal included a long term £5 million loan from Blackpool Borough Council, as well as £5 million investment from the company itself. In 2013, the park worked with Aardman Animations who introduced Wallace & Gromit's Thrill-o-Matic ride, and in 2015 the park teamed up with the RAF to open the Red Arrow's Skyforce a ride based on the famous air acrobatic team. 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.

In November 2015 Nick Thompson announced that the park was developing a new ride, expected to open in 2017. He described the proposed new attraction as "one of the most exciting rides in the world" and predicted a construction period of roughly 18 months. In early December the Tom Sawyer bridge was removed to make way for the new project.

Managing directors

Managing Director	Seasons Active	Year
		1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	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	12												2004–

Current Park

Pleasure Beach is situated on a 42 acre 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, while also positioned directly above Watson Road, which is underneath the grounds and runs under the centre of the park. The main Ticket Centre is situated 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 The Horseshoe, a small showbar and Tiger Bills, a large restaurant. The second tier of the building is home to various offices and the treasurey department as well as The Paradise Room a function suite used to host private events. The third tier houses The Attic, a fully licensed bar and The White Tower, a luxury restaurant overlooking the promenade. The basement area of The Casino building is taken up by another licensed bar named The Horror Bar and an interactive horror maze.

Outside The Casino building towards the left of the main entrance is a second theatre named The Globe. The park can be accessed via a series of turnstiles, each manned by a security ambassador at the north entrance. A seperate entrance towards the south end of the park is availible for residents only, and another entrance towards the east side of the park can be accessed 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.Blackpool Pleasure Beach railway station and the Big Blue Hotel are towards the south end of the park.

The park has numerous car parking spaces, including a large coach park to acommodate the high number of groups visiting the park. The main car park is situated at the north end of the park, behind The Casino building and adjacent to Valhalla. A second car park can be found behind The Arena, and a third on Burlington Road, just outside the Blackpool Pleasure Beach railway line. Parking is also availible just behind the park on Bond Street and opposite the staff entrance.

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

Incidents

• Avalanche: In the summer season 1997, the Avalanche ride was involved in an accident when the first carriage's braking system automatically engaged, causing the following carriages to collide into one another in a rapid stop. 14 people were on the ride at the time, an 11-year-old boy suffered bruised ribs. The ride was out of commission for 5 weeks of repairs.

• Big Dipper: On 11 August 2009, two trains carrying a total of 32 guests collided, resulting in 21 guests requiring treatment at a nearby hospital for injuries ranging from whiplash and broken noses, to cuts and bruises.

• Big One: In July 1994, only a week after the ride's opening, eight people were injured when the computer system failed to completely stop a train returning to the station. The result of this brake failure was a collision with a waiting train at the ride's station. The injuries were all only minor but the incident was widely publicised by the media. On 14 June 2011 the train stopped, causing minor injuries. One person was reported to be hospitalised with whiplash injury. On 31 August 2000, 23 people were injured, when two ride vehicles collided due to a failure of the ride's braking system. Of those injured, 21 were taken to the hospital.

• Fun House: On 16 December 1991, the Fun House attraction (first opened in 1934) was completely destroyed by a fire caused by vandals. Valhalla (opened in 2000) was built in its place.

• Grand National: On 20 May 2004 the Grand National’s station was destroyed by a fire that also damaged Alice’s Wonderland and Trauma Towers. The ride was repaired and re-opened five months later on 28 October 2004. In 2014, 58-year-old Robert Sycamore broke his neck whilst riding the Grand National. Sycamore, who suffered from spondylitis, an inflammation of the vertebrae in the back ignored safety warnings and rode the wooden roller coaster with his thirteen year old nephew. Upon returning to the station, Sycamore was found slumped in the carriage and was rushed to hospital, however as a result of the accident was left paralyzed.

• Space Invader 2: On 21 July 2000, Christopher Sharrat, an 11-year-old boy died after falling out of a ride vehicle on the Space Invader roller coaster. Reports say that he may have panicked on the dark ride and unfastened his seatbelt. As a result of the accident, the ride was closed and carriages were re-fitted with over the head restraints. The ride opened after a short hiatus as Space Invader 2.

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	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.
4	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.
5	Infusion	Vekoma	Inverted	2007	Infusion is a steel inverted roller coaster. It is the first of its kind to be build entirely over water, and was relocated to Pleasure Beach from Pleasureland Southport.
6	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.
7	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.
8	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.
9	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.
10	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.

Thrill rides

#	Name	Opened	Description
11	Ice Blast	1997	An S&S Power Launch/Freefall ride which stands at 210 ft (64 m) above sea level, although is actually 180 ft (55 m) tall.
12	Red Arrows Sky Force	2015	A Gerstlauer Sky Fly ride which stands at 72 ft (22 m). The ride features individual planes on a long arm which spin as the rider rocks side to side.

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 & 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
Velvet Coaster	1909	1932		A wooden coaster replaced by Roller Coaster/Nickelodeon Streak.
Witching Waves	1913	1923
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
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
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.
Drench Falls Log Flume	1967	2006		A log flume replaced by Infusion.
Monorail	1966	2012		Opened as an aerial transport system with three stations, but closed as a non-stop scenic ride.
Monster!	1968	1995		An octopus ride replaced by Ice Blast.
Astro Swirl	1969	2003		A gravitron ride
Astroglide	1960s	1990s		A giant slide
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.
Astro Liner	1970s	1980s		A simulator ride
Ben Hur	1970s	1980s		Similar to the Whip, however with a pedal to help start motion.
Observation 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	1980	2008		Indoor haunted walkthrough attraction. SBNO.
Paratrooper	1981	1980s		spinning funfair ride
Bobslay	1982	1982		A bobsleigh ride
Ranger	1983	1986		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.

Park Entertainment

Hot Ice

A seasonal show performed at the park's Ice Arena (previously the Ice Drome). The show has been running since 1936 and is produced by Amanda Thompson and choreographed by Oula Jaaskelainen.

Other shows

The Horseshoe Bar and The Globe Theatre are home to various magic and variety shows throughout the year, including Ken Webster Comedy Hypnotist. 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. Famous magician Richard De Vere performed magic shows at the park for 21 consecutive seasons, until his death in 2014.

Ocean Boulevard

Ocean Boulevard is situated along the south promenade area of Blackpool. The quarter-mile strip is home to the Pleasure Beach and is intersected with Watson Road. A number of catering outlets, restaurants (including Pizza Hut), shops and the Big Blue Hotel are situated along the Boulevard.

Other Attractions

• Haunted Crypt: A haunted house-type walkthrough attraction.
• Pasaje Del Terror: Interactive horror maze, situated towards the north end of Ocean Boulevard, adjacent to the entrance to Pleasure Beach. Opened in 1996.
• Starr Pub: A pub situated towards the south end of Ocean Boulevard, underneath the Big One's first drop. Closed in 2012 and briefly re-opened as the Apple and Parrot in 2014.
• Coasters American Diner: A Mexian themed diner situated towards the south end of Ocean Boulevard. Closed in 2009 and relocated inside the park.
• 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.

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.

Television series

In 1997 the Pleasure Beach featured in a six-part BBC documentary, which followed the day-to-day running of the park. It was mainly focused on the rides and the park managers, Jim Rowland and Keith Allen. The film crews also spoke to Geoffrey Thompson and Amanda Thompson, the director and producer of Stageworks Worldwide Productions (which directs, produces and choreographs the shows within the park.)

In popular culture

• The Pepsi Max Big One is featured in the film The Parole Officer (29001) and in one episode of A Touch of Frost.
• The music video for Simply Red's song "Fairground", The Killers' "Here With Me" and the 5 Seconds of Summer's Try Hard music video were shot here.
• The Infusion rollercoaster featured in the 2009 Specsavers advertising campaign.
• In 2002 Living TV's 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.
• 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.

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 United Kingdom.
• 
  Rides at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool
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  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.
• Two trains of the Grand National
  Two trains of the Grand National
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  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