What's new

Rank the Blackpool Pleasure Beach coasters

I got to go to Blackpool for the first time in over 10 years, I liked the park and thought that the Wallace and Gromit ride as well as Valhalla were stand outs. But here’s how I rank the coasters.

1 Big One: Completely surprised me, it does meander around in places but in the back row you get whipped over that first drop and there are some good forces around the layout. It also has a great view of the beach as well as the park throughout the ride. (shame it’s the UKs only non-launch hyper)

2 Icon: Its good but nothing special, the launches really disappoint and while I like the layout, I think a lot more could have been done with the ride.

3 Avalanche: Really unique, fun and I love the theming, it gives some great forces at the end to.

4 Big Dipper: Nice pops of airtime and a long layout.

5 Grand National: Love the duelling, fun layout to.

6 Nickelodeon Streak: Good but felt a bit short and if they had to remove a classic woodie for something new it would be this one.

7 Steeplechase: Great to duel two outer trains and I like how free you feel but it is a bit rough and a bit dull.

8 Blue Flyer: For a kiddie coaster it is great and something different from the steel counterparts that are everywhere, it’s a squeeze to fit two adults in a row though:D

9 Revolution: Found this to painful and boring to enjoy.

10 Infusion:
To painful, replace with a fountain.
 
Last edited:
1. Icon - by a light year
2. Grand National
3. Probably the Big One?
4. Revolution
5. I’m guessing probs Avalanche, but haven’t ridden it in a decade
6. Infusion
7. Big Dipper - the most painful experience I’ve ever had on a ride though
8. Nickelodeon Streak
9. Blue Flyer

Not been on Steeplechase.
 
Sorry to bump this thread, but after a recent reshuffle of my rankings, I have a new order for BPB’s coasters, and I’d be intrigued to know whether people’s rankings have changed now that Icon has settled in a little more, and the novelty of it has worn off somewhat.

Most of the descriptions from my last ranking still apply, so my current ranking of BPB’s coasters is as follows. I’ve also included their overall ranking out of the 74 coasters I’ve been on, and a relative rating out of 10 for overall enjoyment compared to the rest of my count, for a little context:
  1. Icon (#2, 10/10)
  2. Avalanche (#21, 7/10)
  3. Nickelodeon Streak (#33, 6/10)
  4. Revolution (#34, 6/10)
  5. Big One (#47, 4/10)
  6. Big Dipper (#50, 4/10)
  7. Blue Flyer (#53, 4/10)
  8. Grand National (#64, 2/10)
  9. Steeplechase Right (#66, 2/10)
  10. Infusion (#74, 1/10)
As you can see, I’ll admit that Blackpool’s coaster selection is not one I personally rank particularly highly, on the whole. Out of the 9 thrill coasters (I’ll exclude Blue Flyer for purposes of fairness), only Icon reaches my top 10% (top 7) or top 25% (top 18), only Icon and Avalanche make my UK top 10 (interestingly, at exact opposite ends of it; Icon is my UK #1 and Avalanche is my UK #10), and even if you extend it to the top 50% (top 37), only the top 4 (Icon, Avalanche, Streak and Rev) make it in.

I think the type of rides Blackpool has mostly appeal to people with a very particular kind of coaster taste, and it’s a somewhat polarising selection, but I think most of their selection, with the exception of a select few rides, doesn’t really do it for me in the way that the selections at some other UK parks do. The quantity and density of rides alone makes the park very appealing for me, though, as well as the rich history and general atmosphere of it!

If there’s anything you want to query me on in my list, don’t be afraid to ask!
 
Last edited:
My list's moreorless the same as in 2018, though I became even less impressed with Icon last year when I managed a few rides.
Hoping The Big One can jump Streak and Nash once this retracking's sorted and I'll no longer want to seek out a chiropractor after riding, which is more than can be said for the two bigger wooden coasters!

Intrigued that Avalanche suddenly seems to be getting so much love - if you're impressed with that, wait until you ride one of the German bobsled coasters!
 
My list's moreorless the same as in 2018, though I became even less impressed with Icon last year when I managed a few rides.
Hoping The Big One can jump Streak and Nash once this retracking's sorted and I'll no longer want to seek out a chiropractor after riding, which is more than can be said for the two bigger wooden coasters!

Intrigued that Avalanche suddenly seems to be getting so much love - if you're impressed with that, wait until you ride one of the German bobsled coasters!
I'd bloody love to get out to Germany to ride them! With Covid this year and Florida next it's unlikely to happen until 2023 regrettably.

Having said that I my Son and I loved Bob at Efteling and were extremely happy to get a couple of walk on rides before it met it's sad demise.
 
1. Grand National (always surprised people hate this)
2. Icon (despite this being my 2nd favourite, I still think it's meh)
3. Avalanche
4. Revolution
5. Big Dipper
6. The Big One
7. Steeplechase (any)
8. Blue Flyer
9. Infusion

Sadly Spite Streak cannot be ranked yet.
 
  1. Icon. It's one of those rides that pastes a big grin over my face. Not the best launch on earth and lacks the punch of Intamin's offerings, but it does what it set out to do and does it well. I'd go as far as saying it's perfect for Blackpool and exactly what the park needed.
  2. Big Dipper. It's old, really old, but just works. Again, pure joy.
  3. Big One. This ride gets a lot of stick, and yes it could do with some hill reprofiling, but it's still a fantastic ride in my books. Almost got spited by it!
  4. Revolution. **** me that thing hurls. Somehow better than it's sister at Elitch Gardens, probably the setting.
  5. Grand National. How can anyone not enjoy this ride?
  6. Avalanche. I think Bobsleds are a dying breed, and that's a shame. They're such unique little coasters.
  7. Streak. Classic, simple/
  8. Steeplechase. Unique, but not all that thrilling. I imagine I'd rank it higher if I'd ridden as a kid.
  9. Infusion. Not the worst SLC out there, one of the smoother ones actually. I may have rated it higher if I'd not ridden the same layout elsewhere before.
  10. Blue Flyer. I'm too old for this ride's target market. I'll still ride it, it's still fun, but definitely the park's most 'entry level' coaster.
 
Top