...Someday I must climb to the very top;

Look down on all of the little mountains at once.

- Du Fu, from Gazing at Mount Tai

Come the ticking of the clock from 11:59pm on New Year's Eve 1999 to midnight 2000, and to celebrate the arrival of the new Millennium in London, several 'millennium projects' were opened. The most famous was the unfortunate Millennium Dome in Greenwich, which proved not to be nearly as popular as it was meant to be, and the Millennium Bridge - the 'Blade of Light', opened in May 2000, providing the River Thames with its first new footbridge for quite some time, and providing those who walked on it a inebriated walk, without the hassle or the expense of getting drunk¹.

However, there was one other Millennium Project, which despite it having its critics, not only provided the world with its biggest observational wheel, but provided its visitors with a spectacular view of the whole of London, from Alexandra Palace to Crystal Palace, from Earl's Court to Greenwich.

One of the rare few London Millennium Projects which has, unlike the others, been successful, the London Eye or Millennium Wheel, as it was known back in 2000, almost nearly didn't get built.

The Times and the Kitchen Table

It's 1993, and despite recovering from the excesses of the 1980s, many were already looking to do as Prince so aptly put it - 'party like it's 1999'. Many projects were helped along by the Millennium Commission, set up for exactly that purpose. Since this was going to be a once in a lifetime date, some sought to decorate their towns and cities with new buildings which would not only mark the occasion, but also hopefully bring in people from outside the area to marvel at.

London was no different, and since it was the capital city, it was the general assumption that it should have capital projects to match. So the Sunday Times newspaper and the Architecture Foundation threw open an 'open ideas' competition for a new structure to grace the London skyline at the dawn of the year 2000. Many ideas were submitted, including one set of drawings borne from a brainstorming session on a kitchen table.

David Marks and Julia Barfield, two architects (who are incidentally, husband and wife), had an idea for a publicly accessible viewpoint over the capital, which would, on a clear day, provide a view of London stretching out for a 25 mile radius. What they came up with was what would be a design similar to a super-lightweight steel Ferris wheel - only much, much bigger. Instead of the 'gondolas', suspended from the wheel and kept upright by virtue of gravity, there would be 'pods', which would be fixed to the outer rim of the wheel and rotate mechanically, giving the passenger an unbroken view of the whole city without making them run around the pod like a hamster to stay upright. To take account of a possible next-to-Thames siting, and also dwindling non-renewable energy resources, the wheel would be wave powered, and in a slightly optimistic thought considering the British weather, solar powered.

However, despite some people being more than enthusiastic about the date rolling over from 1999 to 2000, some others were having a bout of pre-millennial cynicism. Did London really need a new structure amongst its sprawling urban wasteland and defunct dockyards, did anyone really care enough about the Millennium to want to go to yet another sightseeing attraction in the capital, and more importantly - were the ideas just too 'modern' for the judges to cope with?

Whatever the reasons, the Sunday Times threw out all suggestions and closed the competition.

Standard Petitioning and Plane Sailing

However, not all was lost for the Eye just yet. David and Julia may have been set back by the now closed competition, but they continued doggedly forward - setting up the company Marks Barfield to back their idea, using their own cash to fund it. Additionally, although it may have seemed that no-one was interested from the previous competition, it became apparent that at least, the idea was growing on Londoners, who would have to put up with it for at least a few years, should it all go horribly wrong. The Evening Standard² picked up on the scent, and started publicising and campaigning for its installation and partners to help the project.

Then, just as most people were thinking that it would fall down on lack of funds, it seemed that the media publicity was in the end, fruitful. British Airways stepped in, formed a partnership with Marks Barfield, and managed to provide the loans needed to kick-start the project.

A European Union

With a scale model of the city plus a scale of the wheel, the project now called The Millennium Wheel and the official name, the British Airways London Eye, the plan was to site it on the South Bank's Jubilee Gardens, a stone's throw from the parliamentarian corridors of power in Westminster, was given temporary planning permission by Lambeth Council. In effect, the Eye could only remain there for a maximum of 5 years, before being dismantled. So the wheel had to be built so that it could be assembled quickly, and disassembled just as fast, should permanent planning permission not be granted.

The next problem was getting it to the site itself. Despite London being a forward looking modern metropolis, its network of tiny streets and awkward roads is more Industrial Age than Information Superhighway. As a result, the only other way of getting all the parts to the right place was by river. Even then, the planned diameter of the wheel was 135 metres - which was far wider than the river itself. This meant that there was no other option but to attempt to build it over the river in the horizontal position, and then once the circle was complete, raise it to the vertical.

And a final problem - the year 2000 was coming ever closer, so it had to be done quickly.

Despite the UK's lukewarm attitude to joining the European Union at the time of writing, in order to add to the London cityscape, a cornucopia of engineers from the Continent built bespoke parts for the Eye, led by the UK design team. The wheel itself was developed and constructed in the Netherlands. The parts in cast-iron were made in the Skoda factory³ in the Czech Republic. The pods (or capsules) were manufactured by cable-car specialists in the French Alps. The double-curved laminated glass for the pods was made in Venice.

Forged in Fire, Carried by Water

Then came the difficult job of transporting the whole lot to the London site.

The River Thames is a tidal river, so its height varies greatly depending on those pesky tides. To some extent it can be controlled by the Thames Barrier, but smaller variations don't affect boats and other river going traffic, as these are quite small. Getting large bits of wheel under a bridge, however, means that the timing had to be co-ordinated with the Thames rather than against it.

Also, the bridges that link the North to the South Bank weren't built with the intention of getting large bits of wheel though either, so some careful barge navigation was required to squeeze the parts through without causing structural damage to either the parts, or more importantly, the bridges. The tightest squeeze was under Southwark Bridge, where there was clearance of only 40 centimetres.

Then, once the main wheel parts were all safely up to Jubilee Gardens, or to be more accurate, lifted onto temporary platforms in the river it overlooks, there was the never tried before task of building it over a river - for an aerial photo of what that looked like, click here. Once done, in September 1999, the fully built wheel was ready to be raised from the horizontal to the vertical, onto its A-frame on the South Bank. So temporary cables were attached to the wheel, and the 16 hour job was on.

Or at least, 16 hours was the time it would have taken should everything have gone to plan. As with all the Millennium Projects, it suffered a major setback. One of the cables had worked itself loose, and the raise had to be halted, leaving the wheel at a seemingly precarious angle (35 degrees) over the river (for pictures, click here). The media were unsurprisingly scathing, lazily dubbing it the 'Wheel of Misfortune'.

Undeterred, and probably breathing a sigh of relief that the other cables didn't go and the whole lot didn't come tumbling down, the design team planned for another attempt at raising it to the vertical four weeks later. On the day of the lift, commuters, curious Londoners, confused tourists and the media critics packed the north bank opposite the wheel and Westminster Bridge to watch the lift. Finally, to the delight of many and the relief of the team it was raised gradually, but purposefully over the course of a weekend. For an insight as to just how enormous the lifing operation actually was, click here for a few pictures of the lift, or click here to see 10 days of work fly past in a time lasped video of the operation - you'll need RealPlayer to view the video, if you don't have it, then click here for more information.

The capsules were the last to arrive, and proved to be the easiest parts to transport, having been deliberately made to a width of 4 metres so that they could be driven through France as unescorted if rather oeuf-like 'convoi exceptionnel'.

Now a month over schedule, work had to begin quickly to have the Eye finished by December 31st.

Pre-Millennial Tension

The plan was afoot - come the 31st of December, the Millennium Wheel would be gently turning, with a grand opening, where the Prime Minister, the great and the good, and members of the local community would have a 'flight' on the Eye. The 32 capsules were fitted, and all seemed good to go.

That was until one of the capsules didn't pass a safety check, and so, its grand opening was put back a month, for further safety repairs. It was, however, safe enough to turn without carrying passengers, and so, on New Millennium's Eve, with Prime Minister Tony Blair pushing a button, a laser was beamed from the British Telecom (BT) Tower and a Concorde fly-past⁴, the London Eye was brought into the year 2000.

Opening the Eye

It wasn't until the 1st February 2000, that the Eye was finally opened to the media and public. Promising a grand view over London, it became apparent that the British weather would live up to its foggy reputation. Despite that, The public gave it a huge thumbs up, and most initial media reviews of the view were very positive, but it still had its critics:

The team behind the London Eye cannot be blamed for the glum British weather, the capital's general ugliness or even the general downer the press is accused of having on great millennium projects.

It can be blamed for building an eye you cannot see out of particularly well⁵.

- BBC News Online

Those who caught a first glimpse of what the Eye can see were held in awe.

- The Daily Telegraph

In a silent cry of delight you wish: Again! Again!⁶

- The Guardian

[Passengers] were almost uniformly disappointed with the experience.

- The Times

The wheel is entirely open and democratic, lighter and airier than any other structure in the land.

- The Observer

As 2000 rolled ever on, it became apparent that the critics were wrong. It quickly became the success story of the London Millennium Projects, unlike the ill-fated Millennium Dome, whom it seemed, even James Bond couldn't save⁷.

People actually genuinely liked it, and its popularity with tourists combined with being the centre of attention had unusual and expected side effects.

Eye Protests

People have been chaining themselves to various monuments as a sign of protest about various issues throughout history - the Suffragettes were one such group, chaining themselves to the gates of Downing Street and Buckingham Palace to champion the votes for women issue in the period between WWI and WWII. In 2000, there were 3 incidences in which protestors chose the Eye as a place to protest from - more details can be seen here.

It's in Your Eye

British Airways has had its regular members of the 'Mile High Club' in its usual fleet of aeroplanes, so it seemed only a matter of time before this new addition was to be host to its members. Two teenagers, both said to be probably 17, booked a private capsule and decided not to enjoy the spectacular view of London, but could be said to have been engaged in a far more tricky navigation exercise in their own southern regions. With CCTV in all pods, and a 'flight' taking just under 30 minutes, the amorous couple made a hasty exit after their ride on the Eye.

And throughout all this, the Eye's popularity grew and grew. In 2 years it ranked not only as one of London's top attractions, but also one of Britain's top attractions. People even tied the knot up in the Eye. It's harshest critics, which included Ken Livingstone, who was to become London's Mayor, had replaced the criticism with praise - which isn't bad for something which quite literally and metaphorically, nearly didn't get off the ground.

Despite this, it still only had temporary planning permission - in 2005, if there was no change to its planning status, it would be dismantled.

View to a Licence... a Permanent Licence

Those who dubbed the Eye the 'Wheel of Misfortune' now lazily dubbed it with the painful pun - 'Eyeful Tower', in view of the famous Parisian landmark, the Eiffel Tower, which was also only meant to be temporary, and only given a year to stand. The hope was that Lambeth Council and the Mayor would look at the London Eye and see it in a similar light, that this structure should be given the benefit of being a permanent landmark on the London cityscape. In July 2002, Lambeth Council granted the Eye a permanent licence. At the time of writing, the final decision rests with the Mayor and the Environment Secretary, to rubber-stamp its permanence.

I, Eye

Leaving its troubled past behind it, its future more or less guaranteed, and permanent status almost certainly finalised, the London Eye is a graceful, unobtrusive structure, sitting neatly on the South Bank, next to Westminster Bridge, casting a delicate shadow over the Houses of Parliament. After being built in the short timespan of 16 months, an almost non-project has provided London with its 4th tallest structure and a brand new landmark, which has been, to the surprise and delight of many, accepted by the public.

A Personal Viewpoint

For those who want to know what it's like up there, here is one researcher's experience of a 'flight' on the Eye:

Like many, I thought That British Airways was taking its partnership too far, by naming a ride on the wheel as a 'flight', and even having 'boarding gates' for your 'departure'. You 'embark', 'check-in' and 'disembark' as you would a flight on its more usual fleet of planes, and security was just as tight - bags are searched and you get brushed with the metal detector before you get on. However, in the light of people using the Eye as a means of protest, and in the post-September 11th climate, all of London's popular attractions have been understandably jumpy about security.

Boarding a capsule is much like jumping onto a moving bus - however, if you have mobility issues or require wheelchair access, as it moves so slowly, the wheel can be stopped to give you as much time as you need for boarding.

Once on, your slow ascent begins. And this was where I realised that BA weren't just being eccentric when they called it a 'flight' rather than a 'ride'. As you are gently carried up to heights that only a helicopter or light aircraft could reach - although with much larger windows and less noise, in a way, you do feel as if you are flying, gently and silently navigating a circular thermal over the river.

The Hungerford Bridges and Waterloo Bridge then start to shrink beneath your feet and the Houses of Parliament starts to seem inconsequential. People become scuttling ants. Canary Wharf's 1 Canada Square pokes its needle-head out from the Docklands to the South, the viridian topped Queens Tower pops out from the West. What strikes me most is that London doesn't rise, but by virtue of an absence of true high-rise buildings, it sprawls, Victorian fashion. British weather was kind to us that day - the clouds broke rank to let loose a shaft of afternoon sun, sprinkling gold crests over the river, and silhouetting the corridors of governmental power.

Where most people would denounce London's urban sprawl as ugly, personally, the London as a whole makes much more sense than just taking in pretty parts. After all, Montmartre, Paris is not all Amelie-style whimsy, and Brooklyn is not all New York cool. So London is not all Mary Poppins charm - it is just as Dickensian in its structure, and Izzardian in its moments of oddness. Buckingham Palace, for instance, looks very strange indeed, as if someone had taken a large country house plus gardens and plonked it down for a bit. At the time of writing, to the south-east, you can see Lord Foster's new addition to the skyline, affectionately known as the 'Erotic Gherkin', which should provide great pleasure to the 400 foot woman should she ever be in town...

Then the view from the top is truly spectacular - you look down on everything - and no amount of hoarding can hide the Eye from the constant building work - as one fellow passenger remarked in his astonishment, London is constantly being built, demolished, altered and modified - it's dynamic and constantly moving, unlike the glue of traffic.

Then comes the gentle descent. Only the popping of ears gives away how high you actually have been. Admittedly, it's no adrenaline rush, but if you're seeking thrills and spills, then the London IMAX cinema is not too far away. If you want more extravagant modern art, then the Tate Modern is a short walk away. If you don't like heights, then it's probably best to avoid the Eye. For simple pleasures, then it's worth the entrance fee alone.

Ticket Prices

The complex ticket price list, as of April 2003 is as follows:

For a group of 1-9 people:

• Adult: £11
• Child (under-16s): £5.50
• Under 5s: Free
• Senior Citizens: £10

For a group ticket (10-75 people):

• Adult: £9.90
• Child (under-16s): £4.50
• Under 5s: Free
• Senior Citizens: £9

These tickets require you to be checked-in at the boarding gate at least 30 minutes before your flight. For those who don't want to wait, at an additional cost you can have a 'Fast Track' ticket, in which you can be checked-in an onto the London Eye in 15 minutes, and includes a souvenir guidebook.

• Fast Track: £30
• Under-5s: Free

Private Eye

You could hire a whole capsule to yourself and friends, and here are the following options:

• Private Capsule (11-25 people): £399
• Private Capsule - Small Group (3-10 people): £299
• Cupid's Capsule (couples only, maximum of 2 people): £350. Includes personal waiter and champagne.

All the private hire options include Fast Track check-in. Catering is available at an additional cost. There are other 'all-inclusive' private hire options, which include champagne and trips to various other attractions, eating out at some rather upmarket restaurants, art galleries and yacht trips. More details can be found on the London Eye's official website (scroll on down for the link).

Flight and...

Or, should you so wish, you could have a ticket which enables you to take a flight and then go on a Thames River Cruise, or instead, entry to Madame Tussard's.

London Eye Flight plus River Cruise:

• Adult: £20
• Child (under-16s): £10.50
• Under 5s: Free
• Senior Citizens: £19

London Eye Flight plus entry to Madame Tussard's (includes Fast Track check-in):

• Adult: £25
• Child (under-16s): £16.50
• Under 5s: Free
• Senior Citizens: £22

It is advisable to book in advance, either by phone or online, as due to the popularity of the Eye, it can get rather busy at peak times. Best times to go are off-peak times - really early in the morning, late at night, and during the working week rather than on the weekend.

It is closed throughout the month of January for regular engineering checks.

How to Get there

Nearest Tubes:

• Embankment - then a short walk south across the Hungerford Footbridge
• Westminster - then a short walk across Westminster Bridge
• Waterloo - 5 mins walk

A Nice Thing To Do Post-Eye

After your flight, if you have the time, take the Thames Walk - this is clearly signposted, and enables you to take in most of the attractions of the South Bank - The National Theatre, The Golden Hinde, the gastronomics' heaven that is Borough Market, the egg shaped City Hall up to Tower Bridge. It is a long walk, but it is worth it if you have 4 hours to kill. Even if you don't have 4 hours to kill, it is worth taking a trip from the Eye to City Hall (closest Tube Stations are London Bridge and Tower Hill), as in the basement, there is a scale model of the whole of Greater London, which shows every building, including the Eye, which is surprisingly small compared to its viewing distance.

Further Links

• Marks Barfield Architects
• London City Hall
• The British Airways London Eye - the lovely Official site, which not only includes ticket prices and booking details, but also further information about the Eye's construction, as well as a fun bit where you can virtually build the London Eye.
• See the London Eye through a live webcam here
• A street map of the area where the London Eye is situated can be found here.
• The London Eye isn't the only thing of interest on the South Bank - there are a whole multitude of free events, exhibitions and other things besides which happen there. Click here for more details.
• If you are thinking of upping the London Eye by trying to go up any one of the three structures in London which are taller than the Eye, then you'll be sorely disappointed. Neither 1 Canada Square, the BT Tower or Tower 42⁸ (formerly the Natwest Tower) have floors above ground level that are open to the general public for viewing purposes only. Tower 42 does have restaurant-bars on the 24th and 42nd floor called twentyfour and vertigo⁴² respectively. Both require advance booking, and it is also advisable to have an incredibly disposible income, as both eateries are very expensive.

BBCi Links

• BBC London Online
• A virtual tour of the London Eye - view 360-degree sights from the comfort of your keyboard.
• BBC Weather - to ensure you get the best view, make sure you check the weather for a clear day.