The Big Dipper, located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach park, is one of the oldest operating roller coasters in the world.
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On Thursday afternoon, this wooden roller coaster was forced to close and is still not operating today, as some of the ride’s carriages derailed. A video shared on social media also shows the track split in the middle.
Several social media videos captured the ride stopping at a low point on the track. The track ahead, which rises before a descent, appears broken in several places, although, reportedly, no one was injured, according to “The Sun”.
One passenger, 20-year-old Reanna Harrison-Berry, who was riding with her boyfriend, said that as they ascended the hill, they heard a “cracking” sound. A moment later, the carriage rolled back, and some witnesses claimed it derailed.
Reanna added: “After we had gone three-quarters of the way up the big hill, it just slammed back very quickly. We then realised we were tilted to the left and the back carriage was completely to the right – it was quite scary.”
Another passenger said: “We were going up quite fast, but then everything shook and the ride rolled back very quickly. I won’t lie, I was terrified. This has never happened to me on a roller coaster before. We didn’t really know what to do.”
Disembarked passengers gave statements and were offered free Burger King meals. Reanna said: “I couldn’t eat because I was so shaken, but my boyfriend got free food, and a few other people ate.”
The Big Dipper features five drops and numerous turns and loops. It was built in 1923, making it over 100 years old, and the ride was extended in 1934. The track extends for over a kilometer, and the carriages reach speeds of up to 56 km/h.
The ride was closed on July 20, 21, and 22 for routine maintenance and reopened afterwards.
A spokesperson for Pleasure Beach Resort stated: “On Thursday, July 23, at approximately 2 PM, The Big Dipper came to a stop at a very low point on the track. This was followed by a manual evacuation of passengers, safely carried out by trained operators. All passengers were checked by first aid specialists, and no injuries were reported. An internal investigation is underway to determine the root cause.”
When “Sun Travel” inquired whether the ride would be closed in the near future, representatives declined to comment.
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