A TikTok video posted by a user named Erin appears to show the 103-year-old Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach partially coming off its track during a ride, with a rear carriage tilted and what looks like separated track ahead. Erin described the track "splitting," which she says caused the train to slow and roll backward before another car struck it. Entertainment Weekly has contacted park officials and local authorities but has not independently verified details. The Big Dipper, designed by John A. Miller and opened in 1923, has a history that includes a 2009 collision that injured nearly two-dozen people.
Video Appears To Show 103-Year-Old Big Dipper Roller Coaster Partially Come Off Track During Ride
Big Dipper roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure BeachCredit: Google Maps; Pleasure Beach Resort/Youtube
A video posted to TikTok appears to show the Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach — one of the world’s oldest wooden roller coasters — coming partially off its track during a ride.
The clip, uploaded by a user identified as Erin, shows the 103-year-old coaster's train stopped mid-course with the last car noticeably tilted to the right and its wheels seemingly off the rails. The footage pans ahead of the stalled train to show what looks like separated track sections and damaged crossties.
In the TikTok comment thread Erin described the track as having "split," writing that the separation sent the last carriage sideways and "broke all the rails up the way." She added that because the last car dragged on the damaged track the entire train slowed, then rolled backward until a following car struck it.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach's Big Dipper and Big One roller coastersCredit: Google Maps
“As we were going down the track split slightly sending the last cart sideways as you can see in the video,” Erin wrote in a reply to another user.
Entertainment Weekly has contacted local authorities, the TikTok user and Blackpool Pleasure Beach for comment but could not independently verify further details at the time of publication. The park’s official website still lists the Big Dipper among its operating roller coasters.
Historical Context And Past Incidents
Designed by influential coaster engineer John A. Miller and opened in 1923, the Big Dipper is an enduring example of early wooden roller-coaster design. Its layout was altered in 1936, and the ride has been closed in the past following safety incidents.
In 2009 Lancashire police investigated a collision on the coaster in which two vehicles struck one another, injuring nearly two-dozen people. At the time, police said a carriage became stuck partway through the ride and was then struck from behind by a following carriage; a park spokesperson described such incidents as "extraordinarily rare."
Until officials provide further information, the video remains an unverified, alarming snapshot captured by a rider. Authorities and park operators will need to confirm whether the footage shows a mechanical failure, rider movement, or a different cause.
Help us improve.
