ICON rollercoaster

Difference the project has made

Thrill-seeking rollercoaster riders will experience the same levels of G-force as a Formula 1 driver. 

The opening of the ride significantly increased tourism in the city of Blackpool, contributing to its economic health.

How the work was done

Because the site at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was already packed with rides, ICON was designed to pass above, below and between existing rides like The Big One, Big Dipper, Infusion, and Steeplechase.

These ‘interactions’ became a key feature not only of the ride experience, but also of the design and construction.

It also meant that modifications to other rides, including The Steeplechase, Big Dipper and Avalanche, had to be done.

Central to the experience of the ride are the two electromagnetic launches which deliver rapid acceleration from 0-53mph over a 50m length of track.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach wanted these to pass side-by-side in an underground, smoke-obscured passage, which meant creating a cutting around 40m long, 10m wide and 6m deep.

The complex supporting structure design was developed using a 3D BIM model. It brought together the separate track, ground structures and ride safety envelope (the clearance area around the ride vehicle), and the structure of the nearby rides with which ICON interacts.

Multiple piling techniques were used for the foundation of the 1,143m-long track because of difficult access and a legacy of ground obstacles and conditions.

Also, the dynamic forces involved in the ride mean that there are loads on parts of the rollercoaster that are much greater than those expected on a conventional structure. As such, the design of all the pile caps had to be individually calculated.