Board

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Big Dipper

Big Dipper

Speedy Pass
Closed

Thrill RidesHours unavailable

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Specs

Manufacturer
William H. Strickler
Type
Wooden coaster
Rare
Oldest operating woodie in the UK
Restraint
Lap bar
Opened
1923
Height
18.3 m
Length
1006 m
Duration
2m 30s

Weather close

Through the day

Unlikely

Gusts about 15 mph at 18 m. No published wind limit, so this is an estimate.

Unlikely Low Possible Likely

Train

3 cars · 2 across · 24 seats

Back

21
43
65
87
109
1211
1413
1615
1817
2019
2221
2423

Captain’s Review

Highlights

  • Historical significance
  • Generous airtime

Concerns

  • Rough ride
  • Uncomfortable seats
  • Low capacity

The Big Dipper is celebrated for its historic charm and the generous airtime it provides, which many riders find nostalgic and fun. However, a large portion of reviewers describe the ride as extremely rough, bumpy, and uncomfortable, especially for those seated toward the back or in wheel‑type seats. Capacity is also a common complaint, with the single‑train operation leading to long waits. Recent refurbishments have improved smoothness for some, but the overall experience remains a mix of classic appeal and physical discomfort.

From Captain Coaster

Average wait

Each hour · last 6 months

Today Typical
  1. 11:00 am

    —

    Typ. Walk on

Today’s downtime

Today

No stops recorded for this ride today. History is kept for six months.

Broke down 0 times today.

Reliability

88%

Unreliable

2 stops in six months · 29h 47m down

Past downtime

2 stops · 29h 47m

October 20261 stop · 5 min

Thu 8 Oct

  1. 11:18 am – 11:23 am · 5 min

September 20261 stop · 29h 42m

Tue 1 Sept

  1. 12:17 pm – 5:59 pm · 29h 42m