Watch as 200ft cylinder craned into position on Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort's re-imagined Launch Pad ride

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort's re-imagined Launch Pad ride has reached a significant milestone, bringing it closer to its grand reopening.

A 200ft cylinder, the heart of the revamped ride, was successfully craned into position on Monday after traveling more than 1,000 miles across Europe to reach the resort.

This marked a crucial step in the project, with the cylinder playing a key role in transforming the ride experience.

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A 200ft cylinder was successfully craned into position on Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort's re-imagined Launch Pad rideplaceholder image
A 200ft cylinder was successfully craned into position on Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort's re-imagined Launch Pad ride | Pleasure Beach Resort

The cylinder is made of five individual sections which each weigh 1.9 tons - the same weight as an Indian rhinoceros.

Once connected, the entire cylinder’s weight is equal to a large African elephant, a military tank, a cruise ship’s anchor or Big Ben’s bell.

It has a pressure of 105 PSI, which means that each square inch inside the cylinder is experiencing a force of 105 pounds.

Karl Murphy, director of engineering, said: “The higher the pressure, the greater the build-up of kinetic energy.

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“By increasing the PSI we’ve increased the force, and therefore the acceleration of speed is greater, meaning riders will feel a huge difference and shoot to the sky with more power than ever before.

“This new cylinder is what’s going to create those stomach dropping moments and feelings of weightlessness that guests are going to love.”

The cylinder is made of five individual sections which each weigh 1.9 tonsplaceholder image
The cylinder is made of five individual sections which each weigh 1.9 tons | Pleasure Beach Resort

The milestone moment is the latest stage in the extensive project, which has been taking place during Pleasure Beach’s closed season, lasting from December until February.

The ride has already been given a striking aesthetic makeover, with a bold new colour scheme of blue and red, refreshed branding and a space exploration theme.

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The majority of the work has been carried out by the resort’s talented in-house team of engineers, painters and project managers.

An engineer from S&S, the ride's manufacturer, also travelled from the United States to oversee the cylinder’s installation.

Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, said: “This year we are re-opening the park even earlier than usual in time for February half term, so our talented teams have had an even smaller window of time to execute something incredible. As usual they have risen to the occasion, and incredible it certainly is.

“We’ve previously spoken about this era being a period of evolution for us, with a focus on renewing our ride offering.

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“While Launch Pad is only the first chapter of a much longer story, it’s exceptionally exciting to see this first milestone happening before our eyes.”

Launch Pad is expected to debut early in the 2025 seasonplaceholder image
Launch Pad is expected to debut early in the 2025 season | Pleasure Beach Resort

While an official opening date is still to be confirmed, Launch Pad is expected to debut early in the 2025 season.

For those looking to enjoy the park sooner, the Nickelodeon Land area is open now for February half term until February 23, with tickets available online for £25.

The park will reopen fully on March 1.

Guest can secure the best value tickets at www.pleasurebeachresort.com, where prices start at £34.00 for adults and £29.00 for children under 12.

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