Grand National, Art Deco wooden roller coaster in Blackpool, England
Grand National is an Art Deco wooden roller coaster in Blackpool, England, built with two side-by-side tracks. The trains run simultaneously through drops, curves and airtime hills, overtaking one another throughout the ride.
Charles Paige and Henry Traver designed the ride in 1935, reusing elements from their earlier California Cyclone project in Long Beach. The installation opened at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and was later granted listed building status.
The ride's name recalls the famous horse race at Aintree, and individual sections carry the names of real obstacles such as Becher's Brook and Canal Turn. Visitors see the parallel wooden tracks where two trains start at the same time and race against each other, giving the experience a sporting character.
Each rider must secure an individual lap bar and seatbelt before the trains depart simultaneously from the station. The track runs through open wooden structures, and visitors should expect quick transitions between drops and flat sections.
The ride is one of only two operating wooden Möbius Loop roller coasters in the world and holds Grade II listed building status. This design allows both trains to run on a single continuous track that crosses over itself once.
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