One of Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s most iconic rollercoasters is due to be refurbished soon, but not before fans get the chance to own a piece of the old model.
The Big One first opened to the public on 28th May 1994 as the tallest and steepest rollercoaster in the world, and it proudly held that record until July 1996, when the Fujiyama rollercoaster opened at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan and took the top spot.
Standing at a whopping 235ft above sea level, the Big One is still currently the tallest rollercoaster in the United Kingdom though.
With its sheer height, numerous twists and turns, sharp elevations, changes in speed, and rapid drops, the Big One has undoubtedly earned itself a reputation over the years as a ride that only the most daring of folk are brave enough take on, and has even built up quite the big fan base because of it.
Which is why Blackpool Pleasure Beach is giving those fans the chance to buy a piece of the rollercoaster from as little as £150.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fans can buy a piece of the iconic rollercoaster from as little as £150 / Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
There’s currently nine sections of the track available to order online, with the most expensive part – named the ‘Big One Track Off-Cut’ – having already sold for a whopping £450 in just 90 minutes.
It’s now been a week since the parts went up for sale, and several items have sold-out – including the ‘Big One Track Platform’ for £350, ‘Big One Track Long Platform’ for £230, and the ‘Big One Track Platform Side Handrail’ for £400.
ADVERTISEMENT
Enquiries came in from fans from all over the world, including the Netherlands and the US, according to the Pleasure Beach.
Fans who have already got their hands on a piece said they “couldn’t be happier” with it.
Following a re-tracking of sections of The Big One, we now have some exclusive pieces of the iconic structure available for sale on our retail website! 🎢
For those who miss out on getting to own a piece of the old rollercoaster model though, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is also introducing a new ‘Walk the Big One XL’ experience this summer that will see people “taken to places the public have never been before” as they take an escorted climb up the 235ft lift hill
As part of the 90-minute experience, fans will be kitted-out in protective clothing and gear, before being taken to two new exciting locations on the ride course to enjoy spectacular views of the ride, theme park, and sea.
The simple hack that can save healthcare workers and teachers money on their holidays
Danny Jones
With cost-of-living pressure ever-present in the background of most everyday lives, finding some spare pennies for a getaway feels more difficult than ever, and if there’s anyone who deserves discounts on a holiday, it’s healthcare workers.
That’s why, when we became aware of the simple hack that can save those working in healthcare services money on holidays, we thought we’d help spread the word.
We’re sure lots of you working within the sector already know plenty about this booking strategy, but for anyone who doesn’t, how do you fancy saving up to half a grand on your next jolly?
In fact, even those working in education can cut their costs, too.
With searches for ‘holiday voucher code’ up by 73% on Google, and even the likes of TikTok seeing ‘money saving tips’ up by 45%, travel agency TUI have decided to team up with the Health Service Discounts platform for 2026.
Providing those who work for the NHS with a ‘Holidays for Heroes’ (HfH) access code on various popular peak-season trips, this exclusive discount can be added on top of all other seasonal TUI deals, including the company’s ‘First Choice’ package holidays.
With the HfH code alone guaranteeing workers an extra £100 off their bookings, play your cards right, and you could get up to £500 in total discounts overall.
How to access the healthcare ‘Holidays for Heroes’ deal
Separate from standard Blue Light card savings, here’s how it works, and don’t worry, it’s all very simple:
As mentioned, education workers can also benefit from similar money off, with an extra £50 per person through the TUI x Discounts for Teachers partnership, as well.
Ella Foden-Lynch, Partnerships Manager for TUI, said in a statement: “Getting away is absolutely vital for wellbeing, especially for those working in high-stress healthcare and education roles.
“With the cost-of-living crisis still putting a strain on household budgets, we know how hard it is to stretch your pay to cover a much-needed family break. By unlocking these exclusive TUI deals, we hope to give our key workers the realistic recovery time they deserve without the financial worry.”
So, for those of you healthcare heroes and teachers looking for a well-deserved break, we urge you to find an affordable holiday that suits you very soon. With cheaper airport pints also inbound later this year, here’s hoping you save even more spends for when you’re away.
The new James Bond game is full of Easter eggs – including a nod to Manchester United
Danny Jones
Even if you’re not a big gamer, you may have seen that a rather popular new James Bond game recently dropped: 007 First Light – and if you’ve played it yourself, you will have no doubt come across many Easter eggs and references throughout, including one to Manchester United.
As we happen to be currently playing it for ourselves, we’ll admit that hearing any mention of our hometown or even just quintessentially UK nods that any Brit would enjoy was likely to result in putting a grin on our faces.
That being said, apart from whenever the next FIFA—sorry, EA Sports FC drops, we weren’t expecting to hear Man United brought up in one of the biggest video games of the year.
In fact, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that nobody has this on their 2026 bingo card.
Credit: @CaptPierce93 via r/Manchester (screenshots shared to Reddit)
It may just be a slightly tongue-in-cheek throwaway line in a cutscene, but it’s still been enjoyed by many around the world.
As player ‘CaptPierce93’ writes in his caption of his Reddit post sharing the snippet: “The game has a good splash of product placements that don’t get overwhelming; an earlier portion of the game even has radio chatter of a Manchester City and Liverpool match as well.”
He’s right as well: we’ve come across lots of different little interesting nuggets and cameos during our limited playtime, and it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to seeing what else we can spot.
While any Mancunian or true, dyed-in-the-wool United fan will no doubt squirm a little at the use of ‘Man U‘ (we’re thinking like when people ‘Manny’), it’s still pretty cool nonetheless.
You can see the specific scene in full down below.
Such a surreal few seconds.
There’s something very satisfying about hearing ‘Greenway’ – played by recognisable British actor Lennie James (Snatch, The Walking Dead, Blade Runner 2049) – utter the words “Stretford End”.
And before you ask, no, he isn’t a Red: the South Londoner is a Spurs fan and is also said to have a soft spot for Valencia, as it happens.
We’re pretty sure there aren’t any other Manc references to keep your eye out for, but we’ll let you know if we stumble upon more as we continue playing the game.
There’s something about videogame Easter eggs, in-jokes and refs like these that we never tire of; you just never know what little tidbits are going to inspire someone…
Emily Sergeant -
18th January 2022 
