Located at the aptly named Pleasure Beach, Captive Flying Machines is a historic amusement ride where visitors whirl around in rocket ships going higher and faster into the air. Captive Flying Machines is one of the UK’s oldest amusement rides, and it still operates to the thrill of kids and adults of all ages.
Invented by Sir Hiram Maxim in 1904, Captive Flying Machines is a spaceship merry-go-round where each passenger automobile is suspended from the centrally rotating arm that spins as centrifugal force increases the speed and the delight of the riders.
Captive Flying Machines - one of the highlights of 10 Things to Do in Blackpool Off the Beaten Track (Read all about Blackpool here)
photo by John phillips235 (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
Captive Flying Machines highlights
The history is an appealing aspect of Captive Flying Machines. There’s a reason it has continued to captivate visitors for over a century, as knowing that your great-grandparents could sit and feel the same rush of excitement is very special.
The ride is a part of the Pleasure Beach amusement park, which has a huge amount of rides, games and foods to enjoy. One of the perks of riding Captive Flying Machines is that before you reach peak velocity and feel like you are whipping around almost horizontally, you can get a bird's-eye view of what else might interest you in the park.
photo by Jeremy Thompson (CC BY 2.0) modified
Good to know when visiting Captive Flying Machines
When you enter Pleasure Beach, it’s hard to miss the Captive Flying Machines, even with towering roller coasters flanking the edges of the park. It is located in the D3 grid when looking at the park map, which is toward the north end of the park by the Ice Blast freefall ride.
Anyone who suffers from motion sickness might want to avoid the Flying Machines, as it whirls you around and around at a high rate of speed. There is an admission charge to enter Pleasure Beach, but there’s no additional charge for individual rides. Pleasure Beach also has its own designated parking lot.
Captive Flying Machines
Location: 525 Ocean Blvd, Blackpool FY4 1EZ, UK
Open: Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday–Friday from 11 am to 5 pm
Phone: +44 (0)87 1222 1234
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Where to stay in Blackpool
Hampton by Hilton Blackpool
Village Hotel Blackpool
The Grand Hotel Blackpool
Holiday Inn Blackpool, an IHG Hotel
Park House Hotel
The Imperial Hotel
OYO The Arncliff Hotel
The Doric Hotel
Boulevard Hotel
