Musical Pete

The first drop has always been the backwards one, with two forward ones after.

I appear to have ridden 138 coasters - 30 of those the better material. Actually, make that 142 with 31 wood, and after this coming weekend it should be 145 steel and 32 wood. Actually, again.. 152, still 31 wood. So 155 soon.

That was rather funny. I like anything talking about girls and juices. And *sigh* yep, you (girls) are better than us (pigs.. I mean men). I reckon the only chance I've got of finding someone is if I have a sex change operation and become lesbian.. :shock: Ok I'll force myself to appear happy, by laughing in graphical form:

The only friends I really have are coaster enthusiasts, so I get no problems. I rarely go out of the house (several weeks on end inside sometimes) and when I do go out, it's almost always to a park, which is almost always BPB (if only Kennywood, Lakeside and Knoebels were near too). Maybe about a third of the time I go completely on my own (needing to be in the right mood to go out) and the rest I either go with one or two people, or meet them there. The few people I know who don't like coasters, don't seem bothered by me liking them and talking about them. People seem to accept me quickly somehow, I seem somehow endearing and attractive. Just not in the way I'd most like to be attractive.. Now to ride Lakeside's Cyclone again.. in video form. Oh have a look here by the way. It may explain a few things for some people. It should explain a few for me, I was diagnosed five years ago.

I dislike Intamin's prefab system, infact I dislike modern design style as a whole. It would just be a way to get the thing built! I'm yet to ride a prefab woodie. I'll ride Balder in just over a week, I shall see how I feel then.

I emailed GCI three to four years ago about the possibility of a CB Cyclone rebuild (not as a potential customer!) and Mike Boodley personally replied, basically saying they wouldn't attempt it. He told me how Traver and Church designs influenced his own and how he mimicked their elements as best as possible, but it wouldn't be likely we'd see a Cyclone replica. Today however with the even sharper twists and elements made than the ones existing when I emailed (some of Thunderhead's track for instance), and the kind of reborn ferocity of new S&S and GG designs, who knows. I'd love to see it, I'd love to ride it. I'm an out & back person ultimately myself, but I wouldn't refuse a few rides! How about Intamin prefab it and Millennium Flyers run on it? - track maintenance wouldn't be as much of an issue. By the way, when opening a new window to spellcheck a word during composing this post, the random coaster featured (for my homepage is RCDB) was Crystal Beach's Comet.

I rode 5/6 six times in a row, four of those in the back without getting out. It's become one of my favourite coasters - it has pure old style character to me. It probably depends on what coasters you grew up on as an enthusiast, in other words what coasters got you into coasters, so to speak - as an avid Grand National rider, Psyclone is my type of ride experience.

Ahha, ahahahahahahahahaha...

Yeay, I'm going to Liseberg for a weekend in less than two weeks. These videos shall be watched copiously until then. I'm turning down a 235 Club BPB trip you know, where I could ride PMBO in the dark with the park closed with no lights, and get to see the new Nash trains close up, and hear a presentation about it, and ask questions to the people that run the place. I just need a break, from this country, again..! :? Come on ZIP, download faster, must be a lot of poeple wanting you..!

The four-car train hasn't existed in normal operation for several years now. It's not as important as it was back in the days of pay per ride, with no wristband option. There was only one four car train though I think, due to only three cars fitting on the transfer table at a time. As for the "coaster history" pic, that sign should read "restored 1937 Kursaal Cyclone car" but they won't change it. BPB like to fool.

YEAY - go to http://www.235club.co.uk and navigate to the news section, for a better look at the cars. The bottom right photo appears to be a little horizontally squashed (the cars are 3" deeper than standard like the old ones, but they're not *that* squashed up).

They won't be operational until next season. Ride modifications needed, along with magnetic brakes (unless things go over budget perhaps). Millennium Flyers would be awful (well, they ARE awful, to me, but let's just not go there!) on a non twisty coaster like the Nash - the airtime would actually diminish due to leverage related to wheelbase. The better option for that style would be Vekoma trains, but they'd be way too heavy - if you'd be ok with a whole retracking and overzealous structural enhancement to cope with the weight.. Nash ruined! The new cars seem virtually to be the older ones, just with different restraints (individual ratcheting bar and belt). That sameness is a good thing!

Hey everybody! This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Page. Official Park Website - http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com TPR's Park Index Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy! 2005 September 20, 2005 - New Trains for Grand National (below) December 6th, 2005 - Changes for the 2006 season 2006 August 11th, 2006 - Job cuts on the horizon October 25th, 2006 - Log Flume Deconstruction November 1st, 2006 - Infusion Construction 2007 January 29th, 2007 - Infusion construction photos December 3rd, 2007 - Wild Mouse Rehab Pictures 2008 February 14th, 2008 - Changes in Admission Policy for 2008 season March 9th, 2008 - Roller Coaster gets new trains without seatbelts April 18th, 2008 - The Whip is dismantled 2009 January 13th, 2009 - BPB forces fan website to close August 11th, 2009 - Big Dipper derails 2010 June 6th, 2010 - Big Dipper derails again June 27th, 2010 - Nickelodeon Land announced for 2011 2011 February 7th, 2011 - New Trains for Big One May 5th, 2011 - Nickelodeon Land Grand Opening November 18th, 2011 - Valhalla getting refurbished 2012 March 5th, 2012 - Revolution getting repainted 2014 October 23rd, 2014 - Red Arrows Sky Force announced for 2015 2015 April 20th, 2015 - Red Arrows Sky Force begins vertical construction 2016 September 28th, 2016 - 16 million pound investment announced for 2018, a Mack double launched coaster 2018 January 6th, 2018 - Surprise demolition of Wild Mouse April 19th, 2018 - ICON officially opens on Friday, May 25th, 2018! May 26th, 2018 - Icon Front Seat POV and Rider Cam! 2019 December 20th, 2019 - Valhalla closing in 2020 to reopen refreshed in 2021 Original Post: ______________________________________________________________________ I made a trip to BPB today, inspired by news of the cars' arrival this weekend. I didn't expect to get a glimpse of them though, so was pleasantly surprised during my Monorail ride.. which I repeated twice for photos. Much better, close-up detailed photos will surface on or after October 8th. But for now, I just couldn't resist - clicky.

It's all well and good to state the old "it's untouchable, the way it is makes it good" viewpoint, but you know things need to develop over time and progress has to be made. The general feeling I've built up about the Coney Island of today, via numerous articles, stories and reports etc, is that the place isn't in the best state it could be in, that it's kind of dying. Now, you could leave it be with its "perfect, untouchable" charm and watch it gradually die, or you could accept progress and witness it change into something better - better due to securing its future. Blackpool (the town overall) has over the past few decades become tired, worn out and drifting toward undesirable demise, but in recent years the place has been gradually spruced up and enlivened, in a way that admittidly removes some old charm and character, but rather changes it into a new equally unique, exciting fresh charm and character. It's becoming fashionable again, things are gradually getting better, and the Pleasure Beach (you knew I'd get there!) is no exception. Progress simply has to happen, or things become tired and can die out. I understand the feelings against such progress, I feel them myself sometimes. However, amusement parks and their surroundings (and entertainment complexes as a whole) have NEVER stayed the same over time. People get pissed off with ride closures, modifications or removal, and cosmetic changes at BPB. Now on a simple level, that's understandable - people have individual tastes and ofcourse don't like something they love (in this case a ride or area theme/style), being changed in a way they don't like. However, getting mentally stuck in the present isn't good - amusement parks (etc.) have ALWAYS changed - people today get annoyed at the Whip closing, with an uncertain future. However, the Whip itself whill have originally replaced another ride or attraction. The Grand National, which we're probably all in agreeance is one of the world's best classic coasters, itself replaced a classic Scenic Railway coaster. Rollercoaster replaced the classic side-friction Velvet Coaster, and so on - part of what makes the very charm and character of these places is the change and progress they undergo through time. Who would prefer a BPB pre the classic loved rides present today, instead having such delights as a slow exhausting Bicycle Railway, a Switchback coaster that goes one way for a short dull ride along a beach, gypsy tents cointaining genuine gypsy dwellers; the place their home, and all this amidst sand dunes and uneven railway-sleeper paths, sand blowing about, not much to do.. who would prefer that to the Pleasure Beach of today? Likewise, who would prefer the Coney Island pre-Cyclone, Thunderbolt (not quite valid today, but its inclusion is logical to my point), Deno's Wonderwheel, even Steeplechase and Luna Parks, etc.. who would prefer the place pre that, to the Coney Island of ok, maybe a bit before today due to its decline - perhaps the more modern Coney Island in the days of the three big thrillers - Thunderbolt, Tornado and ofcourse Cyclone, and their respective attraction surroundings, etc? - which would you prefer.. bearing in mind that that "modern" state was due to progression over time, keeping a vibrant place - a world of its own, alive in a wider world of changing tastes. Now, the propsed redevelopment isn't exactly about rides in an amusement park, as I mooted earlier, but the ethos is the same, from which the world of amusement isn't detatched. Sometimes change; progress is really for the better - better than something much revered and loved, irreversibly dying away. "Alarm bells would start to ring in my mind" only at the mention of proposals to change or remove Coney's existing famed rides, and I didn't read any hint of that in the article. I've not been to New York at all myself so Coney Island isn't something I've personally experienced, but I know enough about it and have seen enough of it in adequate ways to have a stance on it. Make of my stance what you will..

Someone get the fire exstinguisher, I sense flames.. or should that be someone send for the troll catcher..? It'd be better to get no replies rather than pointless derogative ones.

Wow, I really hadn't thought of that. Here's a tip: Don't patronise people.

Well, I look ok, I don't have three heads (or two, just the usual one) and I'm a nice person. I have a few female friends who really like me as a friend, I'm supposedly sweet and funny, etc. I don't know what I have to do to make a girl like me more than that, but whatever it is I'm obviously not doing it. I'm not great with eye contact and body language you see, it's the way my brain is (look up Asperger syndrome) so maybe I just completely miss what is vital to recognise, type thing.. bah I don't know. I go on and on about it all the time and still never get anywhere (and the pain never goes away ). Doh, sorry for hyjacking the thread even more.. not that it's even a serious thread, but you know it just isn't mine..

Hey why don't I hijack this thread.. ..Are there any girls out there anywhere, who want me at all? - It would be nice for just one somewhere to actually want me! Six years of singleness will turn into seven I fear. Grrr you lucky people who are not alone. I suppose I best just laugh..

As promised, a bit of behind the scenes stuff happened on Saturday at Pleasureland, Southport. Photos here (near the top but a bit further down ).

I can't offer any advice, but I did find browsing this site interesting yesterday - http://www.jfk.herts.sch.uk/class/science/science/rollerc/phys.htm I can't get my head around calculations. I was probably good at algebra a few years ago at school, but then I had a breakdown and left before my GCSEs and a lot of stuff has wiped from memory. Things like that now fry my brain :? . I like the simple height to length ratio. That's basically all I'd use to design by (with old style woodies, I'd get away with it.. in my own park, if I could have one!), though the lift would mess that up a bit as it contributes to length, but not "runaway" length. Good luck to anyone serious enough to strive toward and commit to following a coaster engineering career. No way I could do it, unless a park wanted an old style coaster designed the old style way, and could get around regulations and insurance etc. to suit..!

It was great fun to ride, a bit bumpy but naturally that added to the charm. It's a shame to see it sitting derelict with signs removed, including it's historic marker sign. The force round the turns was lovely, the whipping action itself. Last I heard or read, I think the building is going to house the Alpine Dodgems that appeared near to Avalanche last year. That could be wrong though (and PB management tend to change ideas a lot) so who really knows what's to happen. I'd like to think that the ride itself will go to Pleasureland along with Turtle Chase, which is in the same state. Both fun oldies with typically quirky forces!

Cyclone, Pleasureland on Saturday just gone (3rd).

Sorry about that, I'd unkowingly added a second h to the http. Fixed it now.

If anyone is interested, I've uploaded full onride videos of both BPB's Mouse and KSM. Click my sig link and choose which you want, top right of page. It's a shame I couldn't film KSM before the magnetic check brake was added before the S-bend (didn't have a video camera back then) as the last part used to be.. well, "mental"! - the final dip track oscillated so much it's surprising it didn't snap. People often grossly exagerate these things, but this really was like the track was actually rubber!

I wonder what it was like back when it used to have the three-row PTC "flexicars" then..! (they'd infact likely ride softer than the newer heavy articulated ones, regardless of the extra row) For some reason I don't seem bothered by the check brakes at SFMM, or the retrofitted Revolution OTSRs, or the poor maintenance, especially that of Colossus. I just had a great time there! - I suppose I had a great time at the CF parks too really. Tell you what, let's all stop being typical arsey enthusiasts and just be thankful for what we have availible. There could be much less!