# Why is there a giant Ferris Wheel in London? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514 "2009-07-19T06:56:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/21 "2009-07-19T21:28:24Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > For those who haven’t seen it, the “Eye” is nothing like a Ferris wheel. You’re not confined to a seat, but are in a room-sized transparent “pod” with about a dozen or so other people . . . plenty of room to walk around, and a bench in the middle if you need it. It goes around very slowly, taking about 30 minutes for one revolution, at which point you get off. Wow, I hope you don’t get on then suddenly realize you need to pee. Or worse!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/22 "2009-07-19T21:53:03Z")
As others have mentioned, it’s not really like a ferris wheel - it’s a lot bigger and you’re not in a fixed seat. As others have implied, but perhaps not explicitly stated… You board and disembark while it is in motion - it never stops - as the pods come in at the bottom, the doors open and the passengers step out, then the new ones get in, all the while as the pod travels alongside a curved platform - quite cleverly engineered so that there is no real gap to step over. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/23 "2009-07-19T21:59:43Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Coney Island still has the best Ferris wheel. It’s a hundred years old and one of these days it will kill a few dozen tourists. I’m sure the Coney Island Wonder Wheel is great and well worth visiting, but the Riesenrad in Vienna’s Prater Park is both older (1897 v 1920) and higher (200 feet v 150). Just to get a sense of scale, incidentally, the London Eye is much, much bigger than both, rising 135 metres or 440 feet. The Eye really is an incredible structure. The different sections were assembled ‘flat’ (so to speak) on the river Thames, and then the whole thing was very slowly hoisted into its vertical position. They made a great time-lapse film of this process which you can maybe still find online. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/24 "2009-07-19T23:48:52Z")
Isn’t there a smaller version in Manchester, England, as well? Or was that temporary, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/25 "2009-07-20T00:07:04Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > I’m sure the Coney Island Wonder Wheel is great and well worth visiting, but the Riesenrad in Vienna’s Prater Park is both older (1897 v 1920) and higher (200 feet v 150). And the Riesenrad is featured in the movie _The Third Man._ ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/26 "2009-07-20T00:21:04Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And the Riesenrad is featured in the movie _The Third Man._ And the more recent (and vastly inferior) James Bond film, _The Living Daylights_ ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/27 "2009-07-20T02:23:48Z")
How does it compare in scale to the one from the 1893 Chicago Fair? When I read ‘The Devil in the White City’ that ferris wheel really intrigued me. Here is some info on the 1893 Chicago Fair Ferris Wheel: [http://www.hydeparkhistory.org/newsletter.html](http://www.hydeparkhistory.org/newsletter.html) ah–I see on the wiki page it was only 260’ tall-but still pretty damn big > **[Ferris wheel (disambiguation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferris_Wheel)** > > A Ferris wheel is a type of amusement ride. > Ferris wheel may also refer to: ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/28 "2009-07-20T02:42:18Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > And, more appropriately, The Doctor. Who? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/29 "2009-07-20T02:56:23Z")
When I was in France, I was told there was a big ferris wheel in most European capitals. (By European, I’m not sure if they meant the EU or the entire continent or what.) There’s one in Paris at the end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. They call it the Great Wheel, at least when speaking English. So I wonder if there’s one in Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/30 "2009-07-20T03:32:49Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Why is there a giant Ferris Wheel in London? Wait, your location \*doesn’t \*have a giant ferris wheel? That’s just weird. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/31 "2009-07-20T05:23:59Z")
[OP here] I have been to London, and the thing that I find most jarring is that this obviously recent addition to the city is in such contrast to the historical aspects. In other words, my reaction is “What were they thinking?” ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/32 "2009-07-20T05:26:26Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > And Melbourne has the [Southern Star Money Pit-I-Mean-Observation-Wheel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Southern_Star_(observation_wheel)). Ouch! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/33 "2009-07-20T06:08:04Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And the Riesenrad is featured in the movie _The Third Man._ > [@anson2995](#): > > And the more recent (and vastly inferior) James Bond film, _The Living Daylights_ And I’ve been on the Riesenrad, so for sheer coolness points it wins, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/34 "2009-07-20T06:48:15Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > > [@Aspidistra](#): > > > > And Melbourne has the [Southern Star Money Pit-I-Mean-Observation-Wheel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Southern_Star_(observation_wheel)). > > As soon as I found out they were building it at Docklands I knew it would fail. But so soon, and for such a basic reason as being built so cheaply and shoddily, I did not anticipate. I passed it many times during its construction phase when I was taking taxis to and from the airport in Melbourne. Just before Christmas last year I thought “next time I’m in Melbourne I must have a go”. But the next time was in March, by which time it had already conked out. I hope somebody’s embarrassed by the fiasco. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/35 "2009-07-20T07:58:02Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > And I’ve been on the Riesenrad, so for sheer coolness points it wins, hands down. I’ve been on it too. This doesn’t increases its coolness at all, unfortunately, but it’s still a great wheel. And it’s in Vienna, which is a fantastic place to visit. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/36 "2009-07-20T08:08:40Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Wow, I hope you don’t get on then suddenly realize you need to pee. Or worse!:eek: The Singapore one broke down, stranding people inside for 8 hours or more. One lady did have to go into a “corner” (there are no corners) and pee into her baby’s diapers. No other stories emerged after the event, but I have often wondered if she was the only one that had problems. ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/37 "2009-07-20T08:38:24Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Why is there a giant Ferris Wheel in London? That’s right, just step into this perfectly safe pod… all will become clear _very_ soon. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/38 "2009-07-20T08:42:23Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Isn’t there a smaller version in Manchester, England, as well? Or was that temporary, perhaps? No, it’s still there, outside Selfridge’s. They did take it down for a while, though, but now it appears to be back for good. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/39 "2009-07-20T08:59:09Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > [OP here] I have been to London, and the thing that I find most jarring is that this obviously recent addition to the city is in such contrast to the historical aspects. > > In other words, my reaction is “What were they thinking?” London is a vibrant modern city as well as an historic one. It is not a museum exhibit frozen in time. All landmarks start off brand new and reflect the age in which they were built. This is how it should be IMHO. If you find it jarring (and I think you are in the minority), that’s cool. You can just turn around and you will see a giant Victorian clock tower which is maybe more to your taste. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514/40 "2009-07-20T09:38:41Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > All landmarks start off brand new and reflect the age in which they were built. This is how it should be IMHO. I find a lot of modern architecture to be [jarringly ugly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Australian_Centre_for_the_Moving_Image.jpg), but I must say I really like the [Gherkin Building](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-giant-ferris-wheel-in-london/503514.md?page=3)