VIDEO: Name revealed for Blackpool Pleasure Beach's new £16.25m rollercoaster

Get ready to ride an Icon.
Icon includes an inversion over the SteeplechaseIcon includes an inversion over the Steeplechase
Icon includes an inversion over the Steeplechase

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has revealed the name of its new £16.25 million rollercoaster set to open to thrill-seekers next year.

The name of the ride – the UK’s first double launch rollercoaster – was revealed with a touch of Holywood glitz, with a movie-style trailer giving a taste of what it will be like to ride.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The CGI film takes viewers onboard the ride as it powers through, over and around other rides including The Big One and Steeplechase.

Icon includes an inversion over the SteeplechaseIcon includes an inversion over the Steeplechase
Icon includes an inversion over the Steeplechase

The footage also give the first hint of how the ride would be themed, with a red Japanese emblem embedded within the logo.

Managing Director Amanda Thompson hinted at an Asian influence for the attraction last month when she hinted she wanted a garden of tranquility included in the final pans.

But her focus right now is on the coaster’s raw power.

She said: “Icon is going to be one of the most talked about, iconic rollercoasters of the future. The name speaks for itself as it will be one of the most iconic rides on the planet.

The Icon brand includes a Japanese emblemThe Icon brand includes a Japanese emblem
The Icon brand includes a Japanese emblem
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This is Blackpool Pleasure Beachs biggest investment to date and will have a real impact on the town and region as a whole.”

Deputy Managing Director, Nick Thompson, who has spearheaded the engineering side of the project is exctited to finally have a name.

He said: “After more than 43,000 hours of planning and with the first phase of construction work complete, we’re thrilled to unveil the name of this incredible new attraction today and to provide rollercoaster enthusiasts with a first-look at Icon.”

Icon is being manufactured by Mack Rides in Waldkirch, Germany, the same firm which built the Avalanche rollercoaster for the park.

Icon includes an inversion over the SteeplechaseIcon includes an inversion over the Steeplechase
Icon includes an inversion over the Steeplechase
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In October work began on the foundations of the ride which will snake around and through the Pleasure Beach’s existing attractions.

It will dive through the Big One, weave around Steeplechase and includes a ‘high five’ pass with the historic Big Dipper.

The station for the ride is being built in the bed of what was the Tom Sawyer lake, a current

Steelwork for the ride is expected to begin being installed once the current season has ended. So far more than 5500 tonnes of soil has been excavated and over 8,000 metres of pre-cast concrete piles and steel tubes have been driven up to 12 metres into the ground.