Standing at a height of 60 metres, the Birmingham Wheel towered over
Centenary Square. The Ferris wheel was never intended to be a permanent
feature of Birmingham, having arrived in the city from Paris where it
had previously been located.
The wheel was owned by World Tourist Attractions Ltd and was transported
from Paris to Birmingham on 22 trucks. Water was used as ballast to avoid
the need to dig foundations for the supports. The wheel featured 42
six-seater gondolas.
Passengers on the wheel had to listen to French commentary about the
River Seine and the Eiffel Tower. The company blamed this embarrassing
oversight on technical difficulties, although the commentary never
changed for the entire duration of the wheel’s stay, which lasted until
September 2006.
For more photographs of the Birmingham Wheel, click here
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