Theme Park News

If you’ve ever walked along the Blackpool seafront and heard a thunderous wooden rumble followed by a chorus of screams, chances are you were hearing the mighty Grand National at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

This iconic wooden coaster is not just another ride — it’s a living piece of British theme park history. In 2025, Grand National celebrated an incredible 90 years of operation, making it one of the oldest operating rollercoasters in the UK.

And the best part? The old beast is still racing, still rattling, and still delivering one of the most chaotic fun rides in the country. 🎢

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🏁 A Rollercoaster Built to Race

Grand National opened in 1935 during a major expansion of Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Designed by legendary coaster engineer Charles Paige, the ride quickly became one of the park’s headline attractions.

What makes it special is its racing layout.

Two trains leave the station side-by-side and race each other around a twisting wooden track, with riders constantly trying to see which train will reach the finish first.

But there’s a clever bit of engineering wizardry hidden here.

Grand National uses a Möbius loop design, meaning the two tracks look separate but actually form one continuous circuit. Riders return on the opposite side to where they started — a rare design feature and part of what makes the ride so famous.

Even today, it remains the only surviving twin-track racing coaster in Britain.

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📊 Grand National Ride Statistics

For a ride approaching a century old, the numbers are still impressive.

• Ride Type: Wooden Racing Rollercoaster
• Opened: 1935
• Height: 62 ft (19 m)
• Track Length: 3,302 ft
• Top Speed: 40 mph
• Maximum Drop Angle: 39°
• Ride Duration: Approximately 2 minutes 20 seconds
• Manufacturer: Charles Paige

The ride might not have modern inversions or magnetic launches, but what it offers instead is pure old-school coaster chaos — loud, fast, and gloriously rough around the edges.

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🛠️ Keeping a 90-Year-Old Coaster Alive

Running a wooden rollercoaster this old is no easy job.

In 2025, the park carried out significant refurbishment work before reopening the ride for its anniversary season. Engineers replaced sections of track, upgraded mechanical components, and gave parts of the structure a fresh repaint.

That constant maintenance is essential for wooden coasters — the structure expands, contracts, and wears over time. Without regular work, rides like this simply wouldn’t survive.

The effort is worth it though, because Grand National isn’t just a ride anymore.

It’s a heritage attraction.

The rollercoaster received Grade II listed status in 2017, recognising its importance in British amusement history.

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🎢 Why Riders Still Love It

Modern rollercoasters aim for perfect smoothness and high-tech thrills.

Grand National is the opposite — and that’s exactly why people adore it.

The ride roars across the wooden structure, shakes you side-to-side through its bends, and builds a competitive buzz as riders glance across at the other train.

You’re not just riding a coaster.

You’re trying to beat the other train to the finish line.

And when you win, the bragging rights feel oddly glorious.

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🎟️ Ticket Prices for Blackpool Pleasure Beach

If you fancy experiencing this historic coaster for yourself, here’s what you can expect to pay:

• Adult Gate Price: £42
• Online Ticket Prices: From around £30–£37 depending on the day
• Unlimited Ride eTickets: From approximately £30 when booked in advance
• Car Parking: Around £10 depending on location

Booking online usually saves a fair bit compared to turning up at the gate.

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🎉 90 Years of Wooden Coaster Madness

Reaching 90 years of operation is a massive achievement for any rollercoaster.

Grand National has survived fires, rebuilds, changing coaster trends, and decades of seaside weather — yet it still stands tall on the Blackpool skyline.

And when those two trains dispatch together and start climbing the lift hill, you realise something pretty special:

This isn’t just nostalgia.

It’s a proper classic still doing what it was built to do — racing people towards the finish line with a huge grin on their faces.

Here’s to another decade of rattling, roaring, seaside coaster chaos. 🎢