Grand National (roller coaster)

Infobox roller coaster
name=Grand National

caption=Grand National's station
location= Pleasure Beach Blackpool
section=
type= Wood
type2= Racing

type3=
status=Open
opened=1935
manufacturer=
designer= Charles Paige
model=Racing
track=Moebius Loop
lift=Chain lift
height= 62
drop=
length= 3302
speed= 40
inversions=0
duration=
angle=
capacity=
cost=
acceleration=
gforce=
restriction=
rcdb_number= 792

The Grand National is a wooden racing coaster at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool. It is one of only three surviving Moebius Loop roller coasters in the world, and the only one in Europe and Eurasia.

Throughout the years, it has gone through many changes, including a fire that ravaged the station building in May 2004, which damaged trains and track near to the station. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/3735015.stm |title=Fire damages famous Blackpool ride |accessdate=2008-04-10|publisher=BBC Lancashire] This resulted in the ride closing for the majority of the year. New trains were installed in the 2006 season.

Layout

Opened in 1935, it is named and themed after the horse race with the same name. Both trains climb the lift hill, pass under the 'They're Off' sign and the race begins. Elements of the ride are signposted and mimic features of the horse race. Both trains race each other over Becher's Brook, Valentine's, and Canal Turn before a final dash for the Winning Post. Groups of riders sometimes split up so that they may 'race' each other. It is possible to make some physical contact with the riders on the parallel train.

It stands at 62 feet high and 3300 feet long (making for a total track length of 6600 feet). It has an uneven number of turns, so one of the trains exiting from the station is slightly staggered.

References