Grand National Blackpool
- Thread starter SueT2
- Start date
Matt N
CF Legend
From what I gather, it was the latter. The ride had no restraints at all upon opening.
Truly insane to comprehend!
Geeky Pastimes
Mega Poster
I might be misremembering but didn't Roller Coaster at BPB not have any restraints in the 90s? I feel like I went on something that felt like going round a coaster track on a sofa.
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
Correct. And great fun it was too. Shame that as a species we seeming cannot be trusted with such fun things.
Nicky Borrill
Strata Poster
I don't remember there being any restraints on the BPB woodies in the very early 90s, but I was fairly young. I maybe romanticising my memories, but I have fond ones of flying around in the seats of the nash as a youngster, I swear the airtime used to be absolutely insane.
Having said that, I can't quite work out exactly when they were added if my memories are correct.
Having said that, I can't quite work out exactly when they were added if my memories are correct.
rob666
Hyper Poster
Remember it all too well.
No restraints, belts or lapbars, just a nice steel bar to hold on to on the seat in front, and a big "cow catcher" in front of the train.
All the restraints came in on all the rides through the nineties.
Remember a soldier in full uniform getting off his front seat and facing the other riders all the way round the ride while stood on the cow catcher.
Still remains the naughtiest thing I have seen in a park.
No restraints, belts or lapbars, just a nice steel bar to hold on to on the seat in front, and a big "cow catcher" in front of the train.
All the restraints came in on all the rides through the nineties.
Remember a soldier in full uniform getting off his front seat and facing the other riders all the way round the ride while stood on the cow catcher.
Still remains the naughtiest thing I have seen in a park.
Munchy Road Hippopotamus
Mega Poster
I can't agree with that statement. Why world we not have safety features, technology and life moves on. Should we still use leaded paint?
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
Of course not.
Leaded paint, asbestos etc are objectively dangerous things no matter what you do. Rollercoaster at BPB without a belt was dangerous only if you set out to break the very well signed rules on purpose.
rob666
Hyper Poster
People still fell off though.
Just no internet or social media at the time to spread the news.
I was a very lucky boy and got the remains of the winning post out of the skip after the last fire.
As coaster souvenirs go, that was a good one, free too.
I still bend the rules as much as possible regarding the National restraints, partial standing in places is the only way to protect my back.
Just no internet or social media at the time to spread the news.
I was a very lucky boy and got the remains of the winning post out of the skip after the last fire.
As coaster souvenirs go, that was a good one, free too.
I still bend the rules as much as possible regarding the National restraints, partial standing in places is the only way to protect my back.
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
I'm sure they did. But how many of them were ignoring the safety signs and doing what they shouldn't have been doing? Willing to bet it's around 100%
I'm not arguing that it's not safer with belts. Of course it is. I'm just saying the reason we need seat belts is because we as a species can't be trusted to not do stupid things like standing up on a roller coaster despite it clearly saying "don't do that you might die" Ergo we aren't allowed rides with no restraints anymore because people are idiots.
rob666
Hyper Poster
Flying machines at Blackpool are lethal though, not a seatbelt or bar in sight.
The days of young idiots standing up on that ride are long gone, but it used to happen a lot.
Strange how custom and experience kicks in though...how many rides say "hold on at all times", and every geek, freak, thoosie and happy clapper throws their hands in the air.
The days of young idiots standing up on that ride are long gone, but it used to happen a lot.
Strange how custom and experience kicks in though...how many rides say "hold on at all times", and every geek, freak, thoosie and happy clapper throws their hands in the air.
