Grand National, Blackpool

[Allan Boyd]

I was on the Grand National at Blackpool yesterday (fantastic roller
coaster!) but I am convinced that there were no lap bars when I went on this
ride when I was younger. Can anyone confirm this? And why didn't I fly out?
I'm sure I would have yesterday if I didn't have the lap bar.
The same applies to the Big Dipper. (except I might not have fallen out as
it is much more gentle)

Regards,
Allan

[Marcus Sheen [UK]]

> I was on the Grand National at Blackpool yesterday
> (fantastic roller coaster!) but I am convinced that
> there were no lap bars when I went on this
> ride when I was younger. Can anyone confirm this?

You're right. It has had lap bars for years, but did originally run without.

> And why didn't I fly out?

Goodness knows. I have problems comprehending a four car train on the 'Nash
without lapbars, so your guess is as good as mine!

Regards,
Marcus

爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻,虜 COASTER KINGDOM 虜,齯滌`偕爻,虜,齯
http://www.ukrollercoasters.co.uk

HELP SAVE DREAMLAND MARGATE
http://www.joylandbooks.com/scenicrailway/

[Greg V.G.]

Allan,

Are you sure you are not thinking about "Roller Caoster" which has no
lap bars as of 1996?

Greg VG

"Allan Boyd" <alla...@btconnect.com> wrote in message news:<bmuh93$ce5$1...@titan.btinternet.com>...

[Allan Boyd]

No, I am sure the Grand National didn't have lap bars when I was younger.
About 30 -35 years ago. (That hurt, working that out! Alright, I am 43.)
Yes, you are right. The Roller Coaster still doesn't have lap bars.

Regards,

Allan

"Greg V.G." <minn...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:92e9f486.03101...@posting.google.com...

[Duvedsbo]

"Allan Boyd" <alla...@btconnect.com> wrote in message news:<bmuh93$ce5$1...@titan.btinternet.com>...

Yes! You are absolute right! I and my best friend rode Grand National
in 1978 and that was just thrilling ride . Only handle bar to hold on
! The girls in the front flew very high up on the double dip.

[Paul Young]

"Allan Boyd" <alla...@btconnect.com> wrote

And why didn't I fly out?
> I'm sure I would have yesterday if I didn't have the lap bar.

People tended to hold on more seriously when they weren't more restrained. I
grew up riding the San Antonio Rocket with fixed bars for holding on to but
no lapbars. But in that period there was very little airtime on the
ride(compared to the restored to the original profiling with no brakes
Phoenix,) so holding on tightly was less of an issue.
Paul

[BODSnVIMTO]

Aaaaaah, what happy, happy, happy memories you have just envoked for me.
I've told this story many times around here, so old-timers (as it were) can
now click on to the next subject.
I spent my formative years in Blackpool, attending a school about half a mile
from the "Plesh". We used to get 50p a day for dinner money (lunch money in US
speak - what you call dinner we call tea, the meal not the drink). Me & my
mates would skip across to the local chippy & get chips & gravy with scraps,
which cost 23p. By the end of the week we had plenty of money to ride our three
favourites: Grand National, Big Dipper & Wild Mouse.
Yes you are right in that no restraint was used. Indeed of the Big Dipper the
seats were actually left unattatched so that they would fly out at the same
rate as yourself - although seemingly moreso - thus giving a rather scary
moment of extra airtime. And believe me, the airtime on both was MASSIVE -
indeed it still is given the right day, although I am still amazed at how much
both coasters can differ dip to dip, day to day.
What we used to do was to put our hands up but our feet FIRMLY underneath to
stop us from being launched out entirely.
The only coaster at BPB which was genuinely lethal during those days was the
Mouse. And the reason for that was because it seemed at least one utterly
drunken Scotsman, every other month, would decide to stand up & decapitate
himself.

Cheers
Steve O'Brien

[Baz'noid]

"BODSnVIMTO" <bodsn...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031020220015...@mb-m18.aol.com...

> The only coaster at BPB which was genuinely lethal during those days was
the
> Mouse. And the reason for that was because it seemed at least one utterly
> drunken Scotsman, every other month, would decide to stand up & decapitate
> himself.

Was it the same Scotsman every time then?

[Wolf]

> > The only coaster at BPB which was genuinely lethal during those days
was the
> > Mouse. And the reason for that was because it seemed at least one
utterly
> > drunken Scotsman, every other month, would decide to stand up &
decapitate
> > himself.
>
> Was it the same Scotsman every time then?

Persistent, he was.

--
|\-/|
<0 0>
=(o)=
-Wolf

[BODSnVIMTO]

>Was it the same Scotsman every time then?

Probably. I mean they all look, sound & smell the same don't they? With their
huge ginger beards & uncombed, unwashed hair, their unintelligible assault on
the English language, & those daft skirts they like to pretend are masculine
:-)

Cheers
Steve O'Brien

[Paul Asente]

In article <20031021202027...@mb-m21.aol.com>,
bodsn...@aol.com (BODSnVIMTO) wrote:

Please stop now, you're making me hard...

-- paul asente
To reply, make the host be the same as my last name

[Flare]

BODSnVIMTO wrote:

> Probably. I mean they all look, sound & smell the same don't they? With their
> huge ginger beards & uncombed, unwashed hair, their unintelligible assault on
> the English language, & those daft skirts they like to pretend are masculine
> :-)

Hey you're just jealous cause you repressed wankers don't have the
"Balls" to wear skirts, as you call them hence danging about the
glorious masculinity! Not to mention, your elite, back in the day,
bandwagoned on the entire plaid fad, buddy.

:-)P

Whisky country forever, baby!

Dave
- A proud Fraser.