Race against the other jockeys as you ride in the famous Grand National...
| Theme Park | Blackpool Pleasure Beach |
|---|---|
| Type | Wooden Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 1935 |
| Manufacturer | Charles Paige |
| Height | 62 ft |
| Length | 3302 ft |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max Speed | 40 mph |
| Duration | 2¼ minutes |
A train races over Becher's Brook
Grand National is one of Blackpool Pleasure Beach's most famous rollercoasters.
The ride was built by Charles Paige in 1935, and is a wooden racing coaster. Two trains run beside each other in a contest designed to mimic the Grand National horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse.
During their journey, riders will feel like they are riding on horseback over some of the race's most iconic fences including Becher's Brook, Valentine's and the Canal Turn.
Unlike most racing coasters which have two tracks, Grand National uses a möbius loop design which results in one continuous track that both trains run on. The train which starts on one side of the station will thus return on the other side.
Sadly Grand National is showing its age and has got quite rough, especially in more recent years. It is still a good ride and well worth experiencing, but it is perhaps now a lot less re-rideable than it once was!
Grand National's tower above the station
The station was originally designed by British architect Joseph Emberton
At the station entrance, riders must choose to board the left or right hand train
The station platform is rather cramped!
A train in the right hand station platform
Waiting in the station
A train full of riders ready to race
Leaving the station
Green train leaving
Since the track is a möbius loop, the trains will leave on opposite sides on their next circuit
The green train in an older style paint job
Climbing the lift hill
One train is usually a little further ahead on the lift hill than the other
And they're off!
Becher's Brook
Greenhouses in the middle of the ride
An easy win for the red train
Green pulls ahead
Looking down on the finish line
Trains featuring the old Mr Funshine logo
Arriving back in the station
The woodie is sufficiently rough to merit a warning sign
What the Papers Say
An older version of the "what the papers say" sign
