Big Dipper crash at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

[jackass]

More than 30 people have been injured in a crash involving two rollercoaster cars at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Two cars on the famous Big Dipper crashed and came to rest 20ft (6m) off the ground at about 1945 BST.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said about 32 "walking wounded" were taken to hospital by ambulance.

A specialist rope team was brought in to help get people off the ride, with stretchers and spinal boards used for the injured.

A number of passengers on the ride suffered whiplash, broken bones and back injuries.

The Big Dipper, a wooden rollercoaster, opened in 1923.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/8196412.stm

Lucky I wasn't on there, I went to Blackpool yesterday, and this was the night before. Big Dipper was closed obviously, and there were a few investigators walking on the tracks etc.

[Pazza]

Just to let people know, that the pleasure beach didn't call the fire brigade or ambulance, they tried to handle it by themselves. A passerby heard the crash and screams , and rung the fire service who alerted the ambulance. When the fire service got to the pleasure beach, security wouldn't let them in because they didn't want it getting out.

Inside source FTW

[Pyroka]

Sounds like Blackpool Pleasure Beach to me, they have it bad enough as it is, they dont need the bad press lol. That ride is literally falling apart though, no wonderrr.

[Fehm]

even more bad press for the bad press capital of the uk (Y)

[Immenseman]

weird. i heard someone saying there is bound to be an accident on that sometime soon.

[Pyroka]

If they say someone tampered with it, I would be worried Jake LOL.

[Alkaz]

Tbh it getting stuck on the track could have been anything, dead bird, anything and like most riders there are more than one car on the track at any one time so ye, some people got hurt but no big deal really.
I remember going to thorpe park and people being stuck on collossus for almost 7 hours, semi-upside down and that didnt get in the news or anything. :(

[Inseriousity.]

weird. i heard someone saying there is bound to be an accident on that sometime soon.

Yeah I nearly fell out my seat on that ride! Pathetic little bar to cling onto, I'm surprised no-one's flew out. At least there's no deaths.

[Absently]

Yeah, that ride is really dangerous anyway. It like goes all over the place and the backseat always lifts up a bit and it always hurts my back whenever I go on it :(

[Jahova]

"Here at blackpool pleasure beach we maintain our rides fully atleast one time every century"

[Fehm]

"Here at blackpool pleasure beach we maintain our rides fully atleast one time every century"

Was that your own little joke or was that on a site? :p

[Jordy]

Is this the Grand National ride, I'm a bit confused :P

[jackass]

Is this the Grand National ride, I'm a bit confused :P

No... this is the Big Dipper, hence 'Big Dipper'. :P

[Disaronno]

Tbh it getting stuck on the track could have been anything, dead bird, anything and like most riders there are more than one car on the track at any one time so ye, some people got hurt but no big deal really.
I remember going to thorpe park and people being stuck on collossus for almost 7 hours, semi-upside down and that didnt get in the news or anything. :(

Collossus cant get stuck upside down or even semi, because it's tracks near the bits that go upside down are free falling and cannot become stuck.

A dead bird would just get chopped up under the weight of the entire thing.....

No rollercoasters can be stuck upside down (to my knowledge) because they are travelling so fast because of the first drop that they are free falling.

[jackass]

Collossus cant get stuck upside down or even semi, because it's tracks near the bits that go upside down are free falling and cannot become stuck.

A dead bird would just get chopped up under the weight of the entire thing.....

No rollercoasters can be stuck upside down (to my knowledge) because they are travelling so fast because of the first drop that they are free falling.

Agreed with every statement there. :P

On G-Force you can get stuck upside down though due to the fact that the chain lift is on the 'loop'.

[Black_Apalachi]

Lol I never go on rides. Some people I knew back at primary school once got stuck upside down on Excalibur at Camelot (the big sword which just goes up in the air in a full circle, not a roller-coaster obv) lmao :P.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I was going to go to Blackpool for the day with mates other day aswell, lucky we didnt. I don't trust any of them fully in this country anyway, especially not the Southport Pleasure Beach which is run by gypsies now. :(

[Black_Apalachi]

I was going to go to Blackpool for the day with mates other day aswell, lucky we didnt. I don't trust any of them fully in this country anyway, especially not the Southport Pleasure Beach which is run by gypsies now. :(

Is it lol? I went there once and it was dead. :/

[Pazza]

The reason it stopped was because one of the wheels became loose, so to avoid further problems the carriage was stopped immediately. Although the carriage hadn't passed the sensor, the ride operator went off of time instead of the sensory readings, and set the next carriage unbeknownst that the other carriage had stopped.

[Pyroka]

might be cuz it closed downnnn? southport that is.

[MONEYMAGIC]

Southport Pleasureland:

"The original park operated from 1912 to 2006 and was closed due to lack of returns after investment. The park was reopened in 2007 and will continue to operate for the forseable future."

"New Pleasureland Owner, Norman Wallis predicts a bumper year at Pleasureland due to more families holidaying in the UK rather than aboard. Over the next few years he intends to evolve Pleasureland into an amusement park that will rival those seen across the continent and the US."

Just some quotes from a site.

Saw the Big Dipper on the news, it was similar to the Cyclone at Southport, except not as big a drops :P

[Dean]

my friend wants me to go to Blackpool end of August but I'm scared now... :S

[Pazza]

my friend wants me to go to Blackpool end of August but I'm scared now... :S

Lol don't be, it's 1 ride.

[Geraint]

Agreed with every statement there. :P

On G-Force you can get stuck upside down though due to the fact that the chain lift is on the 'loop'.

I was gonna mention G-Force. When I went there, they were testing it and it kept getting stuck at the top of the loop for a while then coming down. Looked dodgy.

I guess that these rides can't be dangerous as they'll be forced under constant checks. Parks don't want to be sued or anything. Some dodgy rides around. You get thrown around everywhere on Megaphobia as you only have a bar in front of you. Pirate ships are the worst, how someone hasn't fallen out of one them I don't know. Last time I went on one, I was holding on to the outside, it was that bad. :P

[Hushie]

Ooh I went there a few days before that, I love that ride.

Hope it doesnt shut down like rollercoaster :(