 Poster: A snowHead
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MrsFS managed to have a quick trial trip on this recently and reports it to be very impressive - although a strange mix of ski holiday (cable car) and commute (TfL ticket barriers). The views are fantastic.
Opening soon(ish) (no commitment from anyone as to when, but I'd be amazed if they don't try to do it for the Olympics.
I'd also be amazed if someone didn't think it a good idea for a 100 or so  s to turn up in full ski gear...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ah, I saw it was running when we were up at the top of Greenwich the other day, looks quite cool. Didn't realise it wasn't open yet.
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I'd also be amazed if someone didn't think it a good idea for a 100 or so s to turn up in full ski gear...
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Fantastic idea 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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World-weary me sees some hairy journeys with non-too atractive travelling companions. In a ski or mountain environment it's usually the nice guys but here there will be all sorts. Let's hope not, because it's a great idea.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Farley Goode, Probably stink less of garlic and stale fags than the average alpine gondy though.
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I just don't understand the point of it personally! If you want views of London go on the Eye, if you want to get from North Greenwich to Royal Victoria take the tube? I guess as I work in the area I perhaps am not seeing the tourist side of it....
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| ben1 wrote: |
| I just don't understand the point of it personally! If you want views of London go on the Eye, if you want to get from North Greenwich to Royal Victoria take the tube? I guess as I work in the area I perhaps am not seeing the tourist side of it.... |
The principle rationale is to provide an interchange between the Jubilee line at North Greenwich and DLR at Excel - not the tourist element. It'll also provide additional/alternative capacity to get people to/from the O2.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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But will my Olympic travelcards allow me to use it get to the O2?
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According to todyas Torygraph - it only takes 2500 passengers an hour and cost £50 million - compared to the cost of Alpine Gondys methinks we have been seeen off again (eg The Olympique in Val which faced significant engineering hurdles cost 20 Million euros), so if lots of people want to use it to get to the O2/North Greenwich Arena/Tony's Tent (or whatever its called this week) they had better plan ahead!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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"The total cost of the project is about £60m, £45m of which went towards building it, TfL said."
And the other £15m? 
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jonm, possibly the land costs ? Plus I dare say a fortune in planning, environment issues and so on, not to mention back handers.
Seriously why did it cost so much to build ? Other than a couple of rather high pylons over the Thames there's nothing unusual about this, and they have easy access to both ends unlike most alpine locations, it's not even very long and has no complicated middle stations, I think as usual the answer with all construction projects financed bu the UK government is that it had its costs inflated by probably a factor of at least 2 more likely 3
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You know it makes sense.
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D G Orf, But it is in London, therefore they can quadruple the price and nobody says anything or gets a second quote!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Brilliant, and the first time we've allowed advertising on the Underground map. UK plc for sale to any passing Arab or other foreigner. Who's bought the Tote by the way?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| D G Orf wrote: |
jonm, possibly the land costs ? Plus I dare say a fortune in planning, environment issues and so on, not to mention back handers.
Seriously why did it cost so much to build ? Other than a couple of rather high pylons over the Thames there's nothing unusual about this, and they have easy access to both ends unlike most alpine locations, it's not even very long and has no complicated middle stations, I think as usual the answer with all construction projects financed bu the UK government is that it had its costs inflated by probably a factor of at least 2 more likely 3 |
Few things are cheap in Britain.
It is a high-cost, high-inflation, low-productivity country and culture.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Went there and back using oyster with my partner as we happened to be in Docklands on business. It is an impressive view, especially as you are right on the approach to City Airport. It seems to be much slower than one in a ski resort but then again it is practically silent in running noise, I guess us snow users who use them all the time know rattles are no big thing but your average townie will be scared stupid if he heard rattles at 200 feet above the Thames.
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here's betting that half the inflated cost was for a "designer" to produce the swanky pylons......
"why not make them white with a spiral staircase inside, instead of grey with a ladder outside? That'll be 20 mill please"
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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gilo, I think you might be right, there are only 3 Pylons so the money must have gone somewhere
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Did they ever publish how wind resistant the stupid thing is?
Maybe they can have some fake snow at the excel sometime to complete the experience.
Just another Boris gimic
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kioksor, I suspect having a tower at some 85M in height is going to make it susceptible to strong winds, The only reason for making the towers quite so high is surely for the view, but that view must have added enormously to the cost
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It broke down today. A sign of things to come?
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