Revolution is an iconic shuttle roller coaster located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire. Opening in 1979 as a £1m thrill ride, it holds a significant place in theme park history as the first fully looping roller coaster in Europe.
Looking for a different “Revolution”?
If you were searching for the historic looping coaster previously located at Alton Towers, you might be thinking of the legendary Thunder Looper. This shuttle loop coaster delighted thrill-seekers at Alton Towers between 1990 and 1996 before moving to its current home at Hopi Hari in Brazil. You can learn more about its fascinating history in our Alton Towers Secret Weapons archive.
Revolution at Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Europe’s First Looping Coaster
Formerly known as the Irn-Bru Revolution, this ride is an Arrow Development shuttle roller coaster. It uses an Electric Motor and Spring Tension Launch mechanism to propel the train. The design consists of two raised sections of track with a vertical loop in the centre. The train is launched off the first platform, through the loop, and up onto the second platform, before repeating the entire process in reverse.
Note for enthusiasts: While you may occasionally see searches for “Revolution Alton Towers,” the historic ride that this article is based on is located exclusively at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Revolution Statistics
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- Top Speed: 90km/h (56mph)
- Original Cost: £1m
- Estimated Cost Today: £5m
- Track Length: 635ft (194m)
- Height: 56ft (17m)
- Manufacturer: Arrow Development
- Type: Steel Shuttle Launched
- Launch: Electric Motor and Spring Tension Launch
- Inversions: 2 (once forwards and once backwards)
- G-Force: 4.0 G
- Trains: 1
- Passengers per Train: 24
- Ride Duration: 1m 6s
- Year Opened: 1979
Arrow Dynamics Heritage
Revolution was a landmark model built by the now-defunct Arrow Dynamics of Utah, USA. Arrow Dynamics was responsible for many industry breakthroughs, including the Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point, which was the world’s first hypercoaster. They also constructed The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which set a new world record for height at 213ft in 1994, alongside the unique Steeplechase ride at the same park.
UK Roller Coaster Rides
If you enjoyed reading about Revolution at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, you may also be interested in these other Roller Coasters located at Theme Parks across the UK.
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