Pepsi Max Big One
Encyclopedia
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 cost £12,000,000 ($19,669,316 USD) to build and is the second biggest ever investment for Pleasure Beach, beaten only by Valhalla
, the most expensive dark ride in the world. At its highest point above ground level, the ride reaches 213 feet (64.9 m) with the first drop measuring 205 feet (62.5 m); the ride is marketed as being 235 feet (71.6 m) high which is the height from mean sea-level. It is also one of the longest out-and-back
roller coasters, measuring 5497 feet (1,675.5 m), which is over a mile in length. The first drop has an incline angle of 65 degrees and the usual maximum speed for the ride is 74 mi/h. The ride lasts approximately three minutes and during this time riders normally experience positive g forces of up to 3.5G and negative g forces of up to 0.5G. The ride station is situated in the centre of the south end of the park, opposite the Irn-Bru Revolution and adjacent to Bling. There are three trains for the ride, however only a maximum of two trains are ever used, because of the loading times involved. There are five carriages to a train and six passengers to a carriage, enabling each train to carry thirty passengers in total. Riders sit on rows of two. The colour scheme for each train is the same- a blue base with two coloured bands around the side and front (red and white) showing the union jack. Each train is numbered at the back of the fifth carriage, and each carriage is numbered according to the back of each section. During testing, sand bags are used to weigh the train down. This is a safety mechanism and is common practice on roller coasters of a certain height. Before the ride was granted a certificate to operate, Pleasure Beach Blackpool
had to appeal to Blackpool Airport
which is one mile from the park. As the ride is so high, warning beacons had to be installed on the peaks of the first two hills, including the main drop, before the ride was given the all clear to operate.
in 1996, though it remained the fastest roller coaster in Europe
until 2001, when Colossos opened at Heide Park
in Germany, and the tallest until 2002, when Silver Star
opened at Europa-Park
in Germany
. The ride still remains the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom (from mean sea level), but is no longer the fastest (the UK record going to Stealth
at Thorpe Park
). It is also the second longest in the UK, losing only to Lightwater Valley
's Ultimate.
Again in August 2001, 14 people were injured on the rollercoaster with two hospitalised after two carriages on the coaster collided, the incident was extensively reported in the British media at the time and resulted in the ride being closed for a short period. The incident occurred when a failure of the braking system caused a moving train to collide with a stationary one, trapping four riders in the carriages who were later freed by fire-fighters. A 13-year-old boy suffered a serious fracture to his right leg, and a 15-year-old boy was treated for spinal and rib injuries.
When the ride was first opened, the park sold advance boarding tickets for the ride, resulting in the formation of the 235 CLUB (now known as Club Pleasure Beach). The ride is primarily marketed as the tallest ride in the U.K.
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...
located at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The ride was originally manufactured by Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
, a now defunct steel coaster manufacturer, and was sponsored by the soft drinks firm Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, under their brand of Pepsi Max
Pepsi Max
Pepsi Max is a low-calorie, sugar-free cola, marketed by PepsiCo as an alternative to Pepsi and Diet Pepsi.It differs from Pepsi in that it contains aspartame, potassium benzoate, acesulfame potassium, calcium disodium EDTA and panax ginseng extract while it does not contain high fructose corn...
until 2011. The ride cost £12,000,000 ($19,669,316 USD) to build and is the second biggest ever investment for Pleasure Beach, beaten only by Valhalla
Valhalla (Pleasure Beach Blackpool)
Valhalla is one of the flagship rides at the theme park Pleasure Beach Blackpool in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It was opened on 14 June 2000 at a cost of £15 million and from then until this day has remained the longest indoor dark ride in the world...
, the most expensive dark ride in the world. At its highest point above ground level, the ride reaches 213 feet (64.9 m) with the first drop measuring 205 feet (62.5 m); the ride is marketed as being 235 feet (71.6 m) high which is the height from mean sea-level. It is also one of the longest out-and-back
Out and Back roller coaster
Out and back refers to the layout of a roller coaster. An out and back coaster is one that climbs a lift hill, races out to the far end of the track, performs a 180 degree turn and then races its way back to the station....
roller coasters, measuring 5497 feet (1,675.5 m), which is over a mile in length. The first drop has an incline angle of 65 degrees and the usual maximum speed for the ride is 74 mi/h. The ride lasts approximately three minutes and during this time riders normally experience positive g forces of up to 3.5G and negative g forces of up to 0.5G. The ride station is situated in the centre of the south end of the park, opposite the Irn-Bru Revolution and adjacent to Bling. There are three trains for the ride, however only a maximum of two trains are ever used, because of the loading times involved. There are five carriages to a train and six passengers to a carriage, enabling each train to carry thirty passengers in total. Riders sit on rows of two. The colour scheme for each train is the same- a blue base with two coloured bands around the side and front (red and white) showing the union jack. Each train is numbered at the back of the fifth carriage, and each carriage is numbered according to the back of each section. During testing, sand bags are used to weigh the train down. This is a safety mechanism and is common practice on roller coasters of a certain height. Before the ride was granted a certificate to operate, Pleasure Beach Blackpool
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...
had to appeal to Blackpool Airport
Blackpool Airport
Blackpool International Airport is an international airport on the Fylde coast of Lancashire, England, in the Borough of Fylde, just outside the Borough of Blackpool. It was formerly known as Squires Gate Airport....
which is one mile from the park. As the ride is so high, warning beacons had to be installed on the peaks of the first two hills, including the main drop, before the ride was given the all clear to operate.
Records
When it opened on May 28, 1994, the (Pepsi Max) Big One roller coaster was the tallest, fastest and steepest roller coaster of any park in the world. The ride lost its height records to FujiyamaFujiyama (roller coaster)
Fujiyama is a steel roller coaster at Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan. When Fujiyama opened in 1996 it was the world's tallest roller coaster at , and had the largest drop in the world at . Fujiyama was also the world's fastest roller coaster for a year of its operation, succeeded by...
in 1996, though it remained the fastest roller coaster in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
until 2001, when Colossos opened at Heide Park
Heide Park
The Heide Park Resort is a theme park in Soltau, Lower Saxony. With an overall area of over 850,000 m², it is one of the biggest German amusement parks and the biggest in Northern Germany....
in Germany, and the tallest until 2002, when Silver Star
Silver Star (roller coaster)
Silver Star is a roller coaster located at Europa-Park, a theme park in Rust, Germany. It is currently the tallest roller coaster in Europe with a height of 239 ft , placing it in the hyper coaster category...
opened at Europa-Park
Europa-Park
Europa-Park is the largest theme park in Germany and third most popular theme park resort in Europe. Having over 4.2 million visitors in 2009, it is the second most popular seasonal theme park in the world and is only behind the Tivoli Gardens and Disneyland Paris. Europa-Park is located in Rust,...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The ride still remains the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom (from mean sea level), but is no longer the fastest (the UK record going to Stealth
Stealth (roller coaster)
Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m...
at Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
). It is also the second longest in the UK, losing only to Lightwater Valley
Lightwater Valley
Lightwater Valley is a theme park in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. The park is perhaps best known for being the home of Europe’s longest rollercoaster - The Ultimate....
's Ultimate.
Injuries and Accidents
The first accident happened only a week after the opening of the ride, in July 1994. Twenty-six people were injured when the computer system failed to completely stop a train returning to the station. The result of this brake failure was a collision with a waiting train at the rides station. The injuries were all only minor but the incident was widely publicised by the media.Again in August 2001, 14 people were injured on the rollercoaster with two hospitalised after two carriages on the coaster collided, the incident was extensively reported in the British media at the time and resulted in the ride being closed for a short period. The incident occurred when a failure of the braking system caused a moving train to collide with a stationary one, trapping four riders in the carriages who were later freed by fire-fighters. A 13-year-old boy suffered a serious fracture to his right leg, and a 15-year-old boy was treated for spinal and rib injuries.
Marketing
Although the ride itself is marketed as being 235 feet (71.6 m) tall by the park, this is the height from sea-level (bearing in mind the ride is located opposite the Irish Sea). The height of the lift from ground-level is about 213 feet (64.9 m) with a drop of about 205 feet (62.5 m). Notably, if using heights from sea level, there are many roller coasters in the UK and around the world that are "higher" than 235 feet.When the ride was first opened, the park sold advance boarding tickets for the ride, resulting in the formation of the 235 CLUB (now known as Club Pleasure Beach). The ride is primarily marketed as the tallest ride in the U.K.