Grand National
B10 · UK Legends
B10 · № 22/150
Grand National
Blackpool Pleasure Beach · GB · Charlie Paige (in-house) Möbius-loop racing wooden coaster
“At Blackpool, one timber road makes a splendid race of two trains.”
UNOFFICIAL · NOT PARK-ENDORSED
Create your free accountAlso on UK Legends
Also at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Also from GB
Fast facts
- Opened in 1935 at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
- Europe’s only twin-track racing coaster, according to the park. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
- Its racing layout is a Möbius loop, so the course is one continuous circuit. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
- Designed by Charles Paige; the original Art Deco-inspired station was designed by Joseph Emberton. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
- Maximum height is 18.9 metres, or 62 feet. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
- Maximum speed is 72 km/h, or 45 mph. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
- Listed capacity is 720 riders per hour. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
The story of Grand National
The Grand National arrived in 1935 as the Pleasure Beach’s principal new ride during a bold period of expansion. For the visitor on Blackpool’s Promenade, it brought the racecourse idea into timber, rails, and seaside commotion. historicengland.org.uk
Charles Paige designed the ride, and Historic England records Harry G. Traver’s association with the scheme. Its Möbius arrangement gave Blackpool a clever spectacle: two trains seeming to race on separate tracks, while the engineering quietly made one long course do the work of two. historicengland.org.uk· blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
Joseph Emberton’s streamlined station gave the ride a modern face for the resort age. The station was rebuilt in 1990 to the original designs, and Historic England notes later repairs after fire damage in 2004. historicengland.org.uk
On 19 April 2017, the Grand National was listed at Grade II. The designation recognised its rarity, its retained character, and its place in the seaside heritage of Blackpool Pleasure Beach. historicengland.org.uk
Sources
- blackpoolpleasurebeach.com Preferred source
- historicengland.org.uk Acceptable source