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Infusion (roller coaster)
Encyclopedia
Infusion is an inverted
steel
roller coaster
at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool in Blackpool
, Lancashire, England. It is the first inverted coaster to be suspended entirely over water. The ride is constructed by Vekoma
and runs two trains, each with eight cars and a capacity of up to 16 passengers.
The ride has adopted the tagline 'Immerse your senses.' Similar models of the suspended coaster are situated around the world.
Infusion is a roller coaster now operating at Pleasure Beach Blackpool
. The ride opened at the park in 2007, but had been operated by the Pleasure Beach company since 1999, as Traumatizer at sister park Pleasureland Southport
. At Pleasureland, the ride was sponsored by the soft drinks firm A.G. Barr
(makers of Tizer
, hence the name), and operated without any water effects (it was actually suspended over a basic landscaped garden). When Pleasureland was closed in 2006, the ride could then be dismantled and relocated to Blackpool. At Blackpool, the ride was placed between the Big Dipper
and the Pepsi Max Big One
on the former site of the log flume
near the Tom Sawyer bridge and was the first 'new' coaster to open at the park since Morgan's Clown Coaster. The ride now boasts numerous special effects including cascading walls of water and sprinklers, and a photo point and shop in which riders can purchase on-ride photographs and tee-shirts.
The ride is specifically themed as a water coaster, with the queueline passing exploding fountains and a small clear blue pond with fish on view easily from the station. The bright blue structure and track replaced the red paint of the TraumaTizer.
The ride itself is a standard model Vekoma
Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC), however, the Pleasure Beach has added numerous water effects and given the ride a glossy feel. Amanda Thompson, current Managing Director of the park insisted that the ride would be a leap of success for the park's marketing chain, which in 2006 saw the removal of many classic rides, including the Log Flume, Whip, Turtle Chase and Space Invader; as well as the recently added Spin Doctor. The ride was unveiled under a mass-marketing campaign for the park and opened to the public on Wednesday 2 May 2007. This ride contains all the usual elements of traditional suspended looping coasters built by Vekoma: the opening heartline loop, a sidewinder, and a double in-line-twist. Riders must be 132 cm tall to ride. The ride runs off the Pleasure Beach wristband operation service and off ride tickets. Without the usual wrist-band service, riders must pay eight tickets. The amount of water used on the ride is enough to fill two Olympic swimming pools.
Newsround, the Daily Star and Daily Express
newspapers. The ride also made a comic appearance on TV's GMTV
. MD Amanda Thompson and her brother/deputy MD Nick Thompson both rode Infusion on the morning of its opening. Amanda Thompson believes the ride will attract well over the current guest number of 6 million and says thrill seekers will love the exhilaration. The ride was described on GMTV as being one of the most beautiful roller coasters in the country. The ride was officially launched by T4's Vernon Kay
who described the ride as 'breathtaking.'
The Sun Online claimed Infusion to be 'The best roller coaster operating in the UK' beating Nemesis
at Alton Towers
and even the park's own Pepsi Max Big One
. The ride has also been ridden by special guests such as Robbie Williams
.
There is a red-carpet style handprint of Vernon Kay
, acting as a monument by the ride. In a similar fashion there is a monument featuring Red Rum
, the famous racing horse,(who was stabled at Southport
, the former home of the Traumatizer) as part of the Steeplechase
ride.
The ride starts off with the train rolling from the station, after a narrow floor is lowered, onto the lift hill. At the top of the lift hill, the train slowly curls down a side-winding drop, brushing past a row of water sprinklers. The train then catapults into a heart line inversion or 'butterfly loop', where the train enters a vertical loop only to be pulled into a twist at the top of the loop and vice versa downwards. After pulling out of the loop, the train sharply pulls into a tight dip, dropping towards the lake, past the on-ride photo camera, and quickly pulling into the sidewinder (a half-loop into a half-corkscrew) From this, the train rolls into a double in-line-twist before a drop and swoop into a smaller dip and into the brake run, where the train slowly proceeds towards the station platform.
Despite the park claiming that the ride is the largest of its type in the UK, it is actually the smallest of the three Vekoma designed Suspended Looping Coasters in the country, the other two being Jubilee Odyssey
at Fantasy Island UK
in Ingoldmells
, Skegness
and Kumali
at Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo
.
Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
steel
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Lancashire, England. It is the first inverted coaster to be suspended entirely over water. The ride is constructed by Vekoma
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
and runs two trains, each with eight cars and a capacity of up to 16 passengers.
The ride has adopted the tagline 'Immerse your senses.' Similar models of the suspended coaster are situated around the world.
History
Pleasure Beach Blackpool
Pleasure Beach Blackpool is a family owned amusement park and resort situated along the Fylde coast in Blackpool, England. It is the most visited amusement park in the United Kingdom, and one of the top twenty most-visited amusement parks in the world with an estimate of 5.5 million visitors in...
. The ride opened at the park in 2007, but had been operated by the Pleasure Beach company since 1999, as Traumatizer at sister park Pleasureland Southport
Pleasureland Southport
New Pleasureland, previously named Pleasureland, is an amusement park located in Southport, Merseyside, England. The original park operated from 1912 to 2006 and was closed by the parent Blackpool Pleasure Beach company due to what they stated was a lack of returns after investment...
. At Pleasureland, the ride was sponsored by the soft drinks firm A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr plc or commonly known as Barr's is a British soft drinks manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is particularly notable for the manufacture of the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. A.G. Barr is the largest manufacturer of soft drinks in the United Kingdom...
(makers of Tizer
Tizer
Tizer is a red-coloured soft drink sold in the United Kingdom. The name originally comes from the phrase 'Tizer the Appetizer'. It was launched in 1924 by Fred Pickup of Manchester when it was known as 'Pickup's Appetizer'. After the death of Pickup it was owned by the Armour Trust before being...
, hence the name), and operated without any water effects (it was actually suspended over a basic landscaped garden). When Pleasureland was closed in 2006, the ride could then be dismantled and relocated to Blackpool. At Blackpool, the ride was placed between the Big Dipper
Big Dipper (Blackpool)
Big Dipper is a wooden out and back roller coaster at Pleasure Beach Blackpool, Blackpool, England. The ride was first built in 1923 by John Miller but was extended in 1936 by Charlie Paige and Joe Emberton; adding arches over the south entrance of the park and additional drops...
and the Pepsi Max Big One
Pepsi Max Big One
The Big One is a steel roller coaster located at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the United Kingdom. The ride was originally manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, a now defunct steel coaster manufacturer, and was sponsored by the soft drinks firm Pepsi, under their brand of Pepsi Max until 2011...
on the former site of the log flume
Log flume (attraction)
Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
near the Tom Sawyer bridge and was the first 'new' coaster to open at the park since Morgan's Clown Coaster. The ride now boasts numerous special effects including cascading walls of water and sprinklers, and a photo point and shop in which riders can purchase on-ride photographs and tee-shirts.
The ride is specifically themed as a water coaster, with the queueline passing exploding fountains and a small clear blue pond with fish on view easily from the station. The bright blue structure and track replaced the red paint of the TraumaTizer.
The ride
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC), however, the Pleasure Beach has added numerous water effects and given the ride a glossy feel. Amanda Thompson, current Managing Director of the park insisted that the ride would be a leap of success for the park's marketing chain, which in 2006 saw the removal of many classic rides, including the Log Flume, Whip, Turtle Chase and Space Invader; as well as the recently added Spin Doctor. The ride was unveiled under a mass-marketing campaign for the park and opened to the public on Wednesday 2 May 2007. This ride contains all the usual elements of traditional suspended looping coasters built by Vekoma: the opening heartline loop, a sidewinder, and a double in-line-twist. Riders must be 132 cm tall to ride. The ride runs off the Pleasure Beach wristband operation service and off ride tickets. Without the usual wrist-band service, riders must pay eight tickets. The amount of water used on the ride is enough to fill two Olympic swimming pools.
Hype
Since opening, the ride has received an overwhelming amount of hype, even gaining its own website (www.rideinfusion.com) and reports from BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Newsround, the Daily Star and Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
newspapers. The ride also made a comic appearance on TV's GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
. MD Amanda Thompson and her brother/deputy MD Nick Thompson both rode Infusion on the morning of its opening. Amanda Thompson believes the ride will attract well over the current guest number of 6 million and says thrill seekers will love the exhilaration. The ride was described on GMTV as being one of the most beautiful roller coasters in the country. The ride was officially launched by T4's Vernon Kay
Vernon Kay
Vernon Charles Kay is a British television presenter, radio DJ, american footballer and former model. He began television presenting on the BBC children's programme FBi, a spin-off of Fully Booked. Since he has presented various programmes, most notably T4, Beat the Star and All Star Family...
who described the ride as 'breathtaking.'
The Sun Online claimed Infusion to be 'The best roller coaster operating in the UK' beating Nemesis
Nemesis (roller coaster)
Nemesis is Europe's first inverted roller coaster located at Alton Towers, England. The ride's concept was created by John Wardley. It is manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard and opened in 1994...
at Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
and even the park's own Pepsi Max Big One
Pepsi Max Big One
The Big One is a steel roller coaster located at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the United Kingdom. The ride was originally manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, a now defunct steel coaster manufacturer, and was sponsored by the soft drinks firm Pepsi, under their brand of Pepsi Max until 2011...
. The ride has also been ridden by special guests such as Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
.
There is a red-carpet style handprint of Vernon Kay
Vernon Kay
Vernon Charles Kay is a British television presenter, radio DJ, american footballer and former model. He began television presenting on the BBC children's programme FBi, a spin-off of Fully Booked. Since he has presented various programmes, most notably T4, Beat the Star and All Star Family...
, acting as a monument by the ride. In a similar fashion there is a monument featuring Red Rum
Red Rum
Red Rum was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years...
, the famous racing horse,(who was stabled at Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, the former home of the Traumatizer) as part of the Steeplechase
Steeplechase (Blackpool)
The Steeplechase is a three tracked racing roller coaster at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in Blackpool, England. It was opened in 1977. It was a custom design and made by Arrow Dynamics. The ride was officially opened by Grand National winner Red Rum whose hoof print was also taken and is on display...
ride.
Ride experience
Despite the park claiming that the ride is the largest of its type in the UK, it is actually the smallest of the three Vekoma designed Suspended Looping Coasters in the country, the other two being Jubilee Odyssey
Jubilee Odyssey
Jubilee Odyssey is a roller coaster at Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells, England. Built by Vekoma of the Netherlands in 2002, it was named to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It is Vekoma's tallest example of their Suspended Looping Coaster design in the world...
at Fantasy Island UK
Fantasy Island UK
Fantasy Island is a family amusement park in Ingoldmells, near Skegness on the East Coast of England. It sits in the middle of one of the biggest spreads of holiday parks in the United Kingdom. Whilst entry to the park is free, guests either pay per ride or purchase an unlimited ride wristband...
in Ingoldmells
Ingoldmells
Ingoldmells is a coastal village, civil parish and resort in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, on the A52.-Geography:In terms of villages it is relatively large, and receives a lot of tourism yearly due its close position to Skegness. Most housing is found in the west of the...
, Skegness
Skegness
Skegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Located on the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, east of the city of Lincoln it has a total resident population of 18,910....
and Kumali
Kumali
Kumali, installed 2006, is a Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster , located in Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire, England. The ride is a custom layout with some new elements for Vekoma SLCs, including the cobra roll, which Flamingo Land wished to be out over a lake. It is named after one of the ...
at Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo
Flamingo Land is a theme park and resort located in North Yorkshire, England. It attracts about 1.8 million visitors per year. Flamingo Land is also the 12th most visited theme park in Europe.Some of the major attractions at Flamingo Land include:...
.
External links
- Ride Infusion - Infusion's Official Website
- Pleasure Beach, Blackpool website
- Press release
- BBC News "Pleasure Beach's New Thrill Ride