Rollercoaster Season - The Steeplechase
And finally we've made it to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a veritable working museum of classic rollercoasters packed in nice and tight to spare your feet. To be honest, I'm not sure which of the following facts surprises me more: that I once dated a guy more or less purely (well, let's be honest, less purely) because he lived in Blackpool, or that during an 8-month relationship I only got around to having one proper coaster binge. The place deserves a three week blog season all to itself, really, but I'm going to be frugal and just mention one older ride and one more modern one.
Back when I was very young, I used to think that the Steeplechase had to be the most terrifying ride at the Pleasure Beach. I mean, look at it - you're up there on high like that with nothing but a set of stirrups and a flimsy seat belt to hold you on. That can't be safe, can it? Upon actually riding the thing years later, I came to the conclusion that falling off would be 1) not necessarily safer, but 2) infinitely more comfortable than holding on for the duration. Bless its little coasterly heart, it's a historical treasure but it's still made by Arrow and it upholds the bone-jarring, arse-bruising, shoulder-dislocating tradition that I've learned to love avoid joke about with something that might one day become affection.
Rollercoasters such as this one are meant to be looked at and cooed over like an adorable grandparent. Well, I say rollercoasters such as this one... quite simply put, they don't exist any more. While single-rail coasters such as this one persisted on into the 1960s and beyond they had their heyday back in the early 1900s, with models having up to six parallel tracks. The most notable of these was the Steeplechase at Coney Island's Steeplechase Park. Sadly, to dredge up much in the way of further information would require some pretty detailed research on my part; it's certainly something I'll be getting round to soon but nothing I can produce today.
The Blackpool Steeplechase was installed in 1977. Rumour suggests that the loading platform might be from one of the original early models, but most of the ride was re-constructed in line with modern building and safety requirements. As it stands, however, it's still the very last of its kind and thus something to be preserved and admired - in my case, from somewhere well away from the queue line.
