The Big Dipper

The Big Dipper

A rollercoaster of 1923 designed by William H Strickler and John A Miller, altered by Charles Paige in 1935, Joseph Emberton in 1936 and Felix Samuely in 1953, with later modifications. The structure comprises timber with steel reinforcements and concrete station structures.

The ride is oriented broadly north to south, with a horseshoe-shaped open tower at the north end and the station immediately south of this. From the station a short curve to the west loops under the main tracks and returns to the bottom of the lift hill, which rises from south to north to a height of 65 feet. At the south end the track turns to the northeast, with a wide return curve to rejoin and run alongside the outward track, returning to the station after an overall run of 3,300 feet. The ride is sited to the west side of the southern half of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, surrounded by and intertwined with other rollercoasters and rides.

The main track sits atop two parallel vertical grids of timber, whose varying height causes the track to rise and fall. The two grids are connected and braced by horizontal timbers at the same intervals, and diagonal timbers running from each corner to its opposite on the other side. Additional bracing is found on the face of each grid, running diagonally but not always between corners. Raking shores also support the grids at high level. The rails comprise layered timber boards, the top layers being wider than the others to retain the under-friction wheels. Along the top of the boards is fixed a shallow metal strip on which the running wheels rest. Similar strips run along the inner face for the side friction wheels, and along the soffit of the top boards in areas where negative-G is achieved and the under-friction wheels are employed.

A tower at the north end comprises latticework legs inclining inward from the bottom, with a concrete dome approximately 20 feet above the ground, lined underneath with sheet metal. The tops of these legs support the track as it loops round from the top of the lift hill in a tight left-hand curve, heading south. Beneath the track here is a concave dome comprised of flat sheets of timber. The first outward leg comprises two steep dips with a crest between. Beyond this the track rises again and then turns 40 degrees to the left through a third dip, passing under the Big One steel rollercoaster. It then arches over the former south entrance to the park before rising (the Big One passing through its structure at this point), diving and rising again through a 115 degree left-hand turn to pass under the Big One again. After a short mid-level straight it falls gently through a left-hand turn of just over 180 degrees, passing under the Steeplechase steel rollercoaster. Another dip, passing under the Steeplechase again, leads to a rising, banked 120 degree right-hand turn. This brings the track back to the outward stretch, with which it now runs parallel, diving below the service road at the south entrance, rising through the structure of the Big One, turning 40 degrees to the right, and gently dipping and rising twice more, before passing over the loop at the foot of the lift hill, and descending between the outward leg and the lift hill, into the station. To the east of the lift hill a wooden cabin houses the motors for the lift chain.

The station comprises a concrete barrel vault with slender arcades to each side that reach high into the vault, the arches of the western arcade allowing access for passengers. The platforms are of timber, with timber and metal queue railings on the west side. A modern steel access ramp runs beneath the tower. The lifting mechanism is housed in a wooden cabin to the east of the lift hill and comprises a looped chain which runs up the centre of the lift hill, propelled by an electric motor driving geared sprockets.