Riders on Blackpool Pleasure Beach's Big Dipper rollercoaster were evacuated on July 23 after a suspected derailment, with some offered Burger King vouchers as compensation. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. when the ride, Britain's oldest rollercoaster, came to a halt and rolled backwards.
Passenger describes terrifying experience
Reanna Harrison-Berry, 20, from Kendal, Cumbria, was riding with her boyfriend Aidan Coltherd, also 20. She told reporters: 'As we went three-quarters of the way up the big hill, it just completely smashed backwards really quickly. The next thing we realised we were tilted to the left and the back carriage was completely to the right – it was quite scary.'
She added: 'We went pretty quick upwards, but then it juddered and rolled back really quickly. I was terrified, I’m not going to lie. I’ve never had that happen on a rollercoaster before. We didn’t really know what to do.'
Evacuation and compensation
Photos posted on Reddit appear to show workers sawing through the rollercoaster’s fencing to evacuate shocked passengers. After being safely deboarded, riders were asked to give statements and offered a free meal at Burger King. Harrison-Berry said: 'I couldn’t eat because I was so shaken up, but my boyfriend got a free meal and a couple of other people ate.'
She noted that staff then asked if they planned to return to the park: 'I said, “I think we’re going home now.”'
Resort statement and investigation
A spokesperson for Blackpool Pleasure Beach said: 'The Big Dipper came to a stop Thursday July 23, around 2pm, at a very low point in the ride. Following this, a manual deboarding took place with guests guided safely by trained operators. All guests were checked by first aid trained staff, with no injuries reported. An internal investigation is taking place to determine the root cause.'
The resort would not confirm that the Grade II-listed ride had come off its tracks but said it would remain closed on July 24 for investigation. The Big Dipper, opened in 1923, is one of the UK's oldest operating rollercoasters.
