Pepsi Max Big One, Blackpool

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I always remember Pepsi Max Big One, or 'The Pepsi Max' as we used to call it at school when I was a kid. I just remember it being apparently the 'biggest in the world' etc. I know now that it 'WAS' the biggest, steepest and fastest in Europe but has since been beaten in all aspects by Silver Star (Somewhere in Germany) and Stealth (Thorpe Park), which annoyed me slightly because in the station of Big One, there is still a repeated announcement ...
...entertaining and well laid out. Pepsi Max Big One will stand the test of time because of it's height and the fact it held those records for so long. That is all.

I'm still annoyed that the announcement in the station still claims it as a record holder though because that's false and has been for over 7 years!  ... more

Firstly some background. I am a 21 year old male who adores Rollercoasters. That being, I know loads about them such as manufacturers, the names of all the inversions and just general knowledge to do with names, locations, record breakers etc. I'm not a nerd in that sense and I do have a wonderful life, it's just always been my thing on the side. I have a fascination with Rollercoasters, the amazing engineering that goes into them and the feeling of flying and adventure you get from being on them. So it's a shame that I haven't yet been to America to experience their coasters but I still know a hell of a lot about them and one day hope to go and experience them all (because there's so many I can't wait to try)... Maybe when my Uni loans are paid off :).

Anyway, I've always loved them. It started as a child (when I was too small/too scared to go on them), when I loved how they looked, all the twisted metal and all that. I think it's a harmony of metal and engineering, piled into one masterpiece. I still remember my first looping Rollercoaster (and the headache I got as it was a 1970's thing with an unforgiving over-the-shoulder harness, seemingly made of concrete) and as I queue for them, I feel relaxed and excited, rather than scared. I love that feeling of being secured in place, that sort of controlled fear.

I always remember Pepsi Max Big One, or 'The Pepsi Max' as we used to call it at school when I was a kid. I just remember it being apparently the 'biggest in the world' etc. I know now that it 'WAS' the biggest, steepest and fastest in Europe but has since been beaten in all aspects by Silver Star (Somewhere in Germany) and Stealth (Thorpe Park), which annoyed me slightly because in the station of Big One, there is still a repeated announcement which claims that Big One still holds these records, even though they were all beaten by Silver Star over 7 years ago!... Anyway...

I'd seen it on TV numerous times and been blown away by it's sheer height. It has become a British icon, simply because it's been something for us to all be proud of in the theme park world. Pretty much every theme park in Britain (including the top players - Thorpe Park and Alton Towers), all have height restrictions, which limit them to twisty, intricate coasters with loads of loops but because the boundaries could be pushed in Blackpool, something unique to any Rollercoaster in Britain could be achieved... pure, menacing HEIGHT.

People used to talk about it at school and claim to have been on it etc. which was most likely a lie either way :). I'd seen it paraded on the Blackpool Pleasure Beach TV show they had, showing the day to day runnings of the park and seeing newly weds going on the coaster, with the bride still wearing her dress etc. Because I live in East London, it's a bit of a trek to go up to Blackpool just for that. So, even into my Rollercoaster loving years, I'd still never got round to going on it.

That all changed recently. With a recession hit, jobless University summer, I couldn't go abroad on holiday and had to settle with a British short break with my girlfriend (who also loves Rollercoasters, but doesn't know anything about them :P). So I suggested Blackpool, so I could see the famous seaside resort and go up the tower etc... and of course, the main reason, to end my longing to survive a ride on The Big One.

Having driven nearly 6 hours to get up to Blackpool, we waited until the morning to go to Pleasure Beach. The queue wasn't too bad. Having been 'strapped' in, I was firstly shocked at the small size of the cars and the airy feeling you have in them and also the small size of the restraints. I was surprisingly relaxed as we were getting strapped in, considering as I walked into the park, nearly sprained my neck trying to look up at the top of the track, as it is so darn high!.

The first thing I noticed as it started going up the lift hill was just how long it was taking. It seemed to take forever and something happened that had never happened on a Rollercoaster before.. my fear of heights was actually being tested! I started seeing the whole of Blackpool and began breathing really fast and thinking 'oh crap, oh crap, I've got to get back down from here'... There are height markers as you go up and I remember reaching the 200ft marker and then the track suddenly felt very narrow and unsafe and I felt very vulnerable, in such an open car! A scary but thumbs up point for The Big One.

I eagerly awaited seeing the first car head over the edge at 213ft and when it did, I clung on for dear life. What a rush! From up there, Blackpool looks tiny and probably the best feature of The Big One is that the drop is very steep and curves so it feels like you are going to fall out completely, as you turn very harshly before the train picks up speed. It's a huge drop but from then on.. disappointment...

The thing I was surprised most at, was the fact that I didn't get that falling feeling, that gut wrenching feeling you get from most Rollercoasters. The initial fear of being up so high didn't warrant how the drop was and the upward hill after the main drop slows you down far too much, meaning the rest of the ride feels bloated and awkward.

The advantage I guess is that the track is very long, it goes round half the park and there's a few moments where it feels like your head is going to be removed by pylons and tunnels. Which explains why I am ducking for dear life in the on-ride photo because the camera is at the entrance to a tunnel which looks a lot lower than it is!

The rest of the ride after the main drop hill consists of a lot of helix turns. One of them towards the end, the train had lost so much speed that it felt like I was going to fall out! There didn't feel like much g-force holding me in and that was a bit uncomfortable.

Apart from that, the ride is very very rough. I'm not sure if that's just because it's now 15 years old. It was very very uncomfortable and there are parts which would be lovely, cruising along at speed but it was just far too rough and some of the banks on curves were too harsh too soon so it was uncomfortable and it felt like I was being thrown around unnecessarily.

Overall, it was a nice ride. The initial height and drop scared the living daylights out of me because no ride has tested my slight fear of heights before but an overall slow ride after, with no lasting thrills and too rough, means that my expectations weren't met.

It is a legend and it put's Britain on the map in the theme park world. I much prefer the old Woodens like Grand National, which have stood the test of time because they are entertaining and well laid out. Pepsi Max Big One will stand the test of time because of it's height and the fact it held those records for so long. That is all.

I'm still annoyed that the announcement in the station still claims it as a record holder though because that's false and has been for over 7 years! 

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