Twin brothers Mark and Colin Brown from Birmingham believe they have set a British record by riding The Big One roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach 20,000 times. The 63-year-old twins first rode the 213-foot (65m) tall attraction on May 6, 2001, and have now completed more circuits than anyone else in the UK over 25 years.
Record-Breaking Achievement
The brothers, who are passionate theme park enthusiasts, claim they hold the record for the most rides on a single roller coaster in Britain. Colin Brown said: "We started in 2001 and the numbers have just built up from there. Whenever we're on holiday for a fortnight in Blackpool, we go to the park every day." The duo has visited Blackpool Pleasure Beach 1,354 times, often riding The Big One multiple times per day. "It depends on the queues, but the most we've ever been on the ride in one day is 70 times," Colin added.
Thrill That Never Fades
Despite thousands of rides, the brothers insist the experience has not lost its excitement. "It's a high and fast rollercoaster, which is what we like. We prefer the more traditional rollercoasters to the swinging ones," Colin explained. "Some people are scared of it, but we can't be - we've been on it so many times!" The twins plan to continue riding and hope to reach 30,000 rides in the future.
Park Recognition
Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort, congratulated the brothers on their unprecedented achievement. "En route to reaching this milestone, they've become so well-liked and welcomed by both staff and guests alike at the park. A true fan favourite," she said. "A big well done to them, here's to 20,000 more."
Background on The Big One
The Big One opened on May 28, 1994, and was originally the world's tallest roller coaster at 213 feet until Fujiyama (259 feet) was built in Japan in 1996. A complete circuit takes roughly three minutes. For comparison, the highest known tally for rides on a single roller coaster globally is over 25,000 rides on the Renegade coaster at Valleyfair in Minnesota, achieved by enthusiast Mike Cameron, known as 'Renegade Mike'.
