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{{Infobox roller coaster
|name=Big Loop
|image=Big Loop 7.jpg
|caption=
|location=Heide Park
|section=Pirate Bay
|type=Steel

|status=Operating
|opened={{start date|1983}}
|manufacturer=Vekoma
|designer=
|model=MK-1200

|lift=Chain [[lift hill]]

|height_m=30
|drop_m=
|length_m=706
|speed_km/h=70
|inversions=4
|duration=1:48

|carspertrain=6

|rowspercar=2

|ridersperrow=2
|angle=
|capacity=1200
|cost=
|gforce=
|restriction_cm=120
|rcdb_number=986
|website={{Official Website|https://www.heide-park.de/attraktionen/detail/big-loop.html}}
|coordinates={{coord|53.02526|N|9.88028|E|region:DE-NI_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
}}
'''Big Loop''' is a [[corkscrew roller coaster]] at [[Heide Park]] in [[Soltau]], [[Lower Saxony]], [[Germany]]. Introduced in 1983, it was the park's first roller coaster.

On the 706 m long track, the ride passes through 4 inversions: two [[Vertical loop|loopings]] and two [[Roller_coaster_elements#Corkscrew|corkscrews]].

New trains were added in 2010; in 2011, the brakes were renewed.
== Experience ==
=== Ride ===
After leaving the station, the ride drops 2 m, followed by a 180-degree right curve into the [[chain lift hill]], pulling the trains up to 30 m. After the first drop, the train continues straight for a short period before going through two sequential [[looping]]s into another 180-degree curve. From there, the train continues through two corkscrews into a straight section followed by a left-turn helix. The ride finishes in a [[Brake run#Block brakes|brake section]] before entering the station.

=== Layout ===
The straight sections separate the ride from other corkscrews by Vekoma ([[Python (Efteling)]] in [[Efteling]] or [[Magic Mountain]] in [[Gardaland]]).
The track layout is almost a direct copy of [[Canada's Wonderland]] [[Dragon Fire (roller coaster)|Dragon Fire]]. The straight sections were added to allow block brakes after the corkscrew section, which would allow up to three trains running on the track. However, due to complications in properly running the trains, the brakes have been removed. Originally, two trains with 7 cars, manufactured by [[Arrow Dynamics|Arrow]], were used. In 2010, Heidepark replaced the trains with Vekoma trains from [[Alton Towers]]' demolished ride [[Corkscrew (Alton Towers)|Corkscrew]]. The trains are running with six cars for 24 persons total. Since the track is not separated by block sections, the trains can only run individually. This allows a total capacity of 1200 people per hour.

== References ==

{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{RCDB|986|Big Loop}}
*{{commons category inline|Big Loop}}

{{Heide Park}}
{{Intamin}}

[[Category:Heide Park]]

[[Category:Roller coasters in Germany]]
[[Category:Roller coasters operated by Merlin Entertainments]]
[[Category:Roller coasters introduced in 1983]]
{{Source Wikipedia}}