The Big One (roller coaster)

The Big One, formerly known as the Pepsi Max Big One, is a steel roller coaster located at Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. Designed by Ron Toomer and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, the ride opened to the public on 28 May 1994 as the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world, featuring a height of 213 ft and a drop angle of 65 degrees. It held the title as the tallest until 1996 when Fujiyama opened in Japan. Construction of the ride cost £12 million. The ride was sponsored by Pepsi until 2011, at which time Pepsi Max was removed from the name.

History
The Big One's construction began in 1992 by Arrow Dynamics with Ron Toomer as its lead designer, and by the time it was completed, the total cost had reached £12 million. The tubular track and supports were airlifted from Bolton to Blackpool and stored at nearby Blackpool Airport. During the start of the construction of the ride, the south of Blackpool promenade was closed and pieces of the structure were stored on the road adjacent to the Pleasure Beach. The first pieces to be fitted were the large foundations that would follow on from the main supports. Once all the supports were fitted, the tubular track was fitted followed by additional supports on the turnaround and the mid-course brake section.

The roller coaster opened as the Pepsi Max Big One on 28 May 1994. At the time, it was both the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world. Its height record was surpassed in 1996 by Fujiyama at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan. The Big One also features one of the longest tracks in the world with its out-and-back roller coaster layout, which measures over a mile in length at 5497 ft. Each train reaches a maximum speed of 74 mph, which at the time of opening ranked second in the world behind Steel Phantom at Kennywood.

The ride maintained its sponsorship from Pepsi Max until 2011 when the branding was removed from the ride. The Pepsi Max ride tunnel shaped like a drink can still remains as part of the ride.

The Big One has been partially re-tracked by Taziker over four recent closed seasons. In 2019-20, four sections of track were replaced in the section which passes through the Big One lift hill. The following year, a further 75m of track was replaced towards the end of the ride. In 2021-22, another 103m of track was replaced, from partway over Star Hill through the Big Dipper and into the mid-course brake. Following this, a further 103m of track was replaced on dip 4 over winter 2022-23.

Statistics
The ride reaches a height of 213 ft and has a first drop measuring 205 ft, confirmed by Ron Toomer of Arrow Dynamics. The first drop has an incline angle of 65 degrees, and the coaster reaches a maximum speed of 74 mph. During the three-minute ride, riders experience positive g-forces of up to 3.5g and negative g-forces of up to 0.5g. Pleasure Beach Resort advertises the ride as 235 ft in height, but that is above sea level and not the actual height of the ride from ground level.

Each train has five cars with six passengers per car, for a total of 30 passengers per train. The ride is rated for a maximum capacity of 1,700 riders per hour. 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 logo. Each train is numbered at the back of the fifth car, and each car is numbered according to the back of each section. Before the ride was granted a certificate to operate, Pleasure Beach Resort had to appeal to Blackpool Airport located one mile from the park. Due to the ride's height, warning beacons had to be installed on the peaks of the first two hills, including the main drop.

Ride experience
Once riders are seated and secured, a siren sounds and the train exits the station down a small dip, turning 180 degrees straight into a tunnel decorated as a Pepsi Max pop can. After the brief tunnel, the train climbs the lift hill, which has height markers every 50 ft showing riders the rising elevation, crossing over Icon's track. After reaching a height of 213 ft, the train drops 205 ft after first entering a quarter right turn before rapidly descending a 65-degree drop. As the drop levels out, riders experience up to 3.5G and rise up a large hill with minimal airtime. The track bends slightly right into a large 180-degree, heavily banked left turn followed by three slightly-banked airtime hills. After the third hill, the track crosses under Big Dipper and enters the mid-course brake run, before descending into a downward helix. The finale features an angled decline through Nickelodeon Streak into a tunnel – where the on-ride photo is taken – and a short ascent into the final brake run before returning to the station.

Incidents
In July 1994, during the ride's inaugural season, 26 people were injured when the computerized braking system failed to completely stop a train returning to the station. The train collided with another train parked inside the loading station. A second train collision, also caused by failure to brake, occurred in August 2000 and injured 16 people.