PBB in general, and Grand National Operation

[ashtonrick]

Was at PBB today and I have never seen the Grand National so poorly operated in my life! It's been bad since the magnetic brakes were installed (still the best ride at the park tho IMO, and prob one of my fave coasters anywhere) but even after the first train had returned to the station and everyone had got off, the second train was not dispatched for about another 3 minutes! It was operated like this all day meaning what looked like a relatively minor queue took a silly amount of time. Has it been like this all season, and does anyone know the logic behind that kind of operation?

That said, the park was the most hammered I've seen it for years, and was looking better than ever. Nick Land seems to have worked a treat, and in 20 odd years I've never seen a bigger queue for Rollercoaster (sorry, Nick Streak). PMBO (despite being a bit rough in places) was giving quite a bit of airtime too on all 3 rides we had, which is a first for me and I must have been on the thing well over 150 times.

Here's hoping that if Nick Land proves the success it looks to be, PBB will be able to invest in something big and special (oo-er) in the next few years! Oh, and Big Pizza Kitchen is well better than Space Invader ever was lol! :shock:

 

[T0M]

I've been in February and August this season, my first visits since 1999. The place still ha sthat retro seaside feel and all rides are running superb, although there's room for improvement on the operation of National as you say. Dipper and Valhalla could also be improved with effects and general running respectively.

I hope it's a good year for the park so they can invest in a new thrill ride soon, if not next year.

 

[furie]

The Nash has been running like that since it was rebuilt after the fire. I don't know why it's so bad, something to do with the way the brakes line up and stop the train. Yeah, it's dreadful, but it seems it doesn't have too much in the way of queues, probably because there's more than a 50% chance the ride will rip out your spine and beat you violently around the head with it.

 

[mouse]

At the PBB live the second time we did the Nash it was running really well, better than the first.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Do they usually only run Nash on half capacity? They were when I last went and it was busy.

I too went earlier this year and was unimpressed. That place is so inconsistant, which in my eyes must be a poor management issue.

Big One was closed due to "high winds" on my last visit, but I don't care what anyone says it was not very windy, it was not running slow when they tested it and I've seen it operating very slowly in worse winds. One day I went, part of the town centre was closed off because winds tore a sign of a building, but Big One was still operating.

The "staggered opening" **** pisses me off too. Never, ever, ever seen it on previous visits, always there from opening... But this year they had Big One covered in tarpaulin till about 1. They then tested it before just closing the gate on the station.

What? Why...? Why not just open things when you open?

Big One is still one of my fav coasters and I've loved that park on all previous visits, but Jesus.

I complained and was sent an advert for Hot Ice.

**** you Amander.

 

[Colossus]

I went for 2 days in June and Nash was running fine, though they closed it at about 12ish for an hour or so each day which i miffed about as there was a sign on the gate stating it would re-open at 1?
Almost nothing apart from InFusion and the Big Dipper where open at 10 o`clock when the park advertised itself as open. most rides opened at 11 and PMBO opened about 12ish.

 

[Scott88]

Big One was closed due to "high winds" on my last visit, but I don't care what anyone says it was not very windy, it was not running slow when they tested it and I've seen it operating very slowly in worse winds. One day I went, part of the town centre was closed off because winds tore a sign of a building, but Big One was still operating.

I feel like I repeat myself writing this to the same people every few months, but here we go again!

The Big One will run or be shut in the wind, depending on the direction of the wind and the speed, for example if it is a Westerly wind, the absolute maximum wind speed is 35mph, this is because the train hits the wind head on, on the turnaround, taking away all of it's momentum and increasing the chance of a rollback, something PB do not want, as it results in the promenade being closed for a day, a crane hire and also a lot of confused passengers. It might not be blowing a gale at ground level, but the turn around is 110ft up and takes more of a hit from the wind than what you'll feel at ground level. Regarding other directions, a wind coming from the South or South West wind, has a slightly higher tolerance, so it has to be a 40mph wind speed to result in PMBO being closed. Wind coming from the North and East, are not a big problem and the wind has to be at 55-60mph to cause any real rollback concerns and it's very rare it gets that windy from those directions.

It has nothing to do with being lazy or being indecisive, it quite simply depends on the direction of the wind.

Onto the subject of the Grand National, ask any Pleasure Beach fan and they'll say the same as most of you, it really does need sorting out and getting back to how it used to be, it is a very good ride but it is a slow moving queue at the moment which was never the case before the trains were changed for the 2006 season.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Big One was closed due to "high winds" on my last visit, but I don't care what anyone says it was not very windy, it was not running slow when they tested it and I've seen it operating very slowly in worse winds. One day I went, part of the town centre was closed off because winds tore a sign of a building, but Big One was still operating.

I feel like I repeat myself writing this to the same people every few months, but here we go again!

The Big One will run or be shut in the wind, depending on the direction of the wind and the speed, for example if it is a Westerly wind, the absolute maximum wind speed is 35mph, this is because the train hits the wind head on, on the turnaround, taking away all of it's momentum and increasing the chance of a rollback, something PB do not want, as it results in the promenade being closed for a day, a crane hire and also a lot of confused passengers. It might not be blowing a gale at ground level, but the turn around is 110ft up and takes more of a hit from the wind than what you'll feel at ground level. Regarding other directions, a wind coming from the South or South West wind, has a slightly higher tolerance, so it has to be a 40mph wind speed to result in PMBO being closed. Wind coming from the North and East, are not a big problem and the wind has to be at 55-60mph to cause any real rollback concerns and it's very rare it gets that windy from those directions.

That's great and I fully understand, but why have I been on it when it crawls over the hill that follows Big Dipper at a scarily slow speed in freezing windy conditions, but witnessed it testing and traveling at normal speed on the day it was closed "due to high winds"? I was sat in BK watching it test. It was running FINE... then they just close the gate on the station and a sign comes out about winds. It makes no sense. If they tested it, obviously the winds weren't at a high level - or else they wouldn't have even tested it... And for it to complete the circuit several times at speed further proves it was fine.

But this is just a small part of the issue, why open "try" and opening it so late in the day anyway? What the hell is staggered opening about? It's such a scam.

The staff there really couldn't give less of a ****, too. Which is kinda part of Blackpool's crappy charm, but when I asked what was wrong with Big One I was met with childish shrugs and and agressive "how am I supposed to know" attitudes.

It's not just the wind thing that makes them inconsistent, it's just generally how much it varies there daily. I recon the management on any given day just don't all follow the same "rules", and so you get massive fluctuations in how the part operates daily. It happens everywhere, at all parks, shops, everywhere that pays low wage... but it's particularly **** at Blackpool.

 

[AlienSpeedFiend]

Just spent the weekend before last in Blackpool... Friday 4th to Sunday 6th.

It's been a few years since I've been up there & on arrival on Friday, lovely day, clear blue sky, very mild evening etc, took a long walk along the front thinking Wow, how much money have the local council spent on this place since I last came, the seafront is looking great.

Got down to BPB or PBB whatever it's called these days & I was shocked.

1. I had no idea you had to pay a fiver just to go in

2. The place was dead, no noise, no joy, no atmosphere

Needless to say we didn't bother going in which obviously we would have done if entry was still free & we'd probably have had a couple of rides.

Anyway, not sure why I'm posting this & I'm sure you've all discussed this a bazillion times before so forgive me for going over old ground but ' what the hell happened? '

I can't believe, I've just spent 3 days in Blackpool, a 4/5 hour drive from Surrey & I didn't go into the park once.

I did consider buying wristbands before we left but decided not to as wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like so thought I might buy them on arrival on Friday to use on Saturday or Sunday.

I've never seen that end of the seafront so dead, there just wasn't any buzz at all.

The seafront itself was busy enough, last weekend of the illuminations. I've never seen the pleasure beach so lifeless, I could have cried.

I can't see myself ever going back either

So, is it the last we'll ever see of a big investment in a great new addition to the park. Can't imagine many will make a special trip for Wallace & Gromit - fabulous as they are.

Surely they could squeeze a Maverick size coaster in somewhere, they don't have to spend fookin' fortune to encourage us Southern punters to come & spend our dollars?

 

[gavin]

^You went in November?

Surely you've answered half of your own questions?

How popular is Blackpool generally in November? Yeah, you'll get the odd hen/stag party or a few people out for the weekend, but to complain about a highly seasonal place being dead in November is a bit unfair. Well, more than unfair; it's a bit daft really.

 

[Lofty]

Just spent the weekend before last in Blackpool... Friday 4th to Sunday 6th.

It's been a few years since I've been up there & on arrival on Friday, lovely day, clear blue sky, very mild evening etc, took a long walk along the front thinking Wow, how much money have the local council spent on this place since I last came, the seafront is looking great.

Got down to BPB or PBB whatever it's called these days & I was shocked.

1. I had no idea you had to pay a fiver just to go in

2. The place was dead, no noise, no joy, no atmosphere

Needless to say we didn't bother going in which obviously we would have done if entry was still free & we'd probably have had a couple of rides.

Anyway, not sure why I'm posting this & I'm sure you've all discussed this a bazillion times before so forgive me for going over old ground but ' what the hell happened? '

I can't believe, I've just spent 3 days in Blackpool, a 4/5 hour drive from Surrey & I didn't go into the park once.

I did consider buying wristbands before we left but decided not to as wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like so thought I might buy them on arrival on Friday to use on Saturday or Sunday.

I've never seen that end of the seafront so dead, there just wasn't any buzz at all.

The seafront itself was busy enough, last weekend of the illuminations. I've never seen the pleasure beach so lifeless, I could have cried.

I can't see myself ever going back either

So, is it the last we'll ever see of a big investment in a great new addition to the park. Can't imagine many will make a special trip for Wallace & Gromit - fabulous as they are.

Surely they could squeeze a Maverick size coaster in somewhere, they don't have to spend fookin' fortune to encourage us Southern punters to come & spend our dollars?

Yeah, agree with Gavin. You went in November. It's your own fault. There's a reason a LOT of attractions close on November 5th (around that date). It's the end of the season a few weeks previous to this...

 

[jayjay]

Surely they could squeeze a Maverick size coaster in somewhere, they don't have to spend fookin' fortune to encourage us Southern punters to come & spend our dollars?

When you see how much stuff is packed into Blackpool, it's a miracle they can build anything new. You have rides all over the place weaving in and out of each other, most of everything that isn't a ride is a path or a shop. There's that one part where they fit a fried chicken restaurant, the cavern section of the River Caves and a short section of the Gold Mine inside one room. No idea how they managed the Big One.

 

[Lofty]

Surely they could squeeze a Maverick size coaster in somewhere, they don't have to spend fookin' fortune to encourage us Southern punters to come & spend our dollars?

When you see how much stuff is packed into Blackpool, it's a miracle they can build anything new. You have rides all over the place weaving in and out of each other, most of everything that isn't a ride is a path or a shop. There's that one part where they fit a fried chicken restaurant, the cavern section of the River Caves and a short section of the Gold Mine inside one room. No idea how they managed the Big One.

In all fairness, they've still got a HUGE section, well, maybe not huge, but a rather big space just under the Big One's First Drop. They could easily fit an El Loco or something like that in there...

 

[T0M]

Call yourself a coaster fan? Jesus!

 

[Thekingin64]

There is quite a bit of space around that area and with the imminent closure of bling, there'll be even more. If ther's a new coaster it's gonna go there, me thinks.

What I like about BPB is you're right in the middle of a town but you only realise that when on Ice Blast or the Big One. Otherwise, you're in the park and nowhere else.

 

[Lofty]

^ Um, you do realise that Blackpool Town Centre is a Mile away from Pleasure Beach?

 

[Colossus]

^ He must just mean urban area, even so, Its noticeable that the surrounding area is built up on almost every ride, not just Ice Blast and PMBO.

 

[Thekingin64]

^ Yea but you don't look out side the park much as you do on Ice blast or PMBO

 

[ThemeParkObsessive]

I have made a video of 'Valhalla' Reconstruction, and here it i, please let me know what you think, and please subscribe to me! www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4WAM6b4cg0

 

[Tomatron]

Grand National's operations have been ruined by the magnetic brakes. They were necessary, but there's other systems out there which are more efficient. Wouldn't surprise me if the park (who were almost broke at the time) just had to put in a system to make it work again, which wasn't the ideal solution but was the best they could do at the time.