nick_taylor
November 3rd, 2005, 11:52 PM
A trip up the newly opened 170m Spinnaker Tower (observation) in Portsmouth, UK
Portsmouth is the home of the world's 2nd largest navy (the Royal Navy), is the second most densely populated city in the UK (after London) and now home to the 170m Spinnaker Tower. It is the tallest observation tower in the UK and dominates the skyline with its sail like design denoting the history of the city as a port city for around 2,000 years.
It is a city that endured carpet bombing during WW2 and this is pretty much evident, but many of the Georgian and Victorian era terraces (which are the main reason behind Portsmouth's high density) still remain mostly intact. Portmouth is also on an incredibly flat island and the city island has a population of just under 200,000. The Greater Southampton-Portsmouth area is home to around 0.75mn people and a heavy rail network as large as Los Angeles.
The Spinnaker Tower has four floors spread across its 170m height. The ground floor has the main entrance and exit with a cafe. You then have two options of either going up an internal lift (which goes up one of the legs) or pay a bit extra to go up the panoramic lift which goes up on the outside of the one of the legs. You come out on the first floor and then can go to the above deck and then to the top 'open' (ie exposed to the elements) deck via an internal staircase on the opposite leg. You then come down on the second floor and exit out into the cafe and then into the Gunwharf Quays complex.
Portsmouth is around 1hr 30mins away from Central London (London Waterloo) on an express service. The trip to the tower is well worth it and the views on a clear day are in excess of 30miles.
http://mc.multimap.com/cs/bgb//X18/Y40/X1840Y400S200W700H400.gif
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/619/img18159hp.jpg
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/3519/img18201xj.jpg
Overview of the main 'cluster' of Portsmouth.
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/9703/img18244wl.jpg
Looking towards the north and centre of the island.
http://img497.imageshack.us/img497/3633/img18259ml.jpg
Looking down to Gunwharf Quays a mixed development on what used to be the munitions store for Royal Navy ships departing for service. The oval construction to the centre will be the 95m residential Eastside Plaza Tower.
http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/1539/img18260lw.jpg
The Hard Interchange, major bus station and terminus (Portsmouth Harbour Station) for the Portsmouth Direct Line to London Waterloo. The entire bus station and terminus station is built on piers above the water and at the end of the station platforms is a catamaran ferry to the Isle of Wight.
http://img450.imageshack.us/img450/8760/img18275pf.jpg
Looking down through what is Europe's largest glass floor.
http://img326.imageshack.us/img326/8539/img18303ra.jpg
Looking down to some of the low-rise sections of Gunwharf Quays and what is 'The Camber' - the original port of Portsmouth. One of Portsmouth's main cathedral's is located in the centre of the image.
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/5517/img18319ps.jpg
View of Old Portsmouth and out towards Southsea Common.
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/9156/img18331dq.jpg
View of Southsea Common. This was originally not meant to be a 'park' but a buffer zone so that if Portsmouth were ever invaded by sea, there would be an area for home defensive forces to mobolise efficiently and repel the invaders without house-house combat.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/1127/img18369bs.jpg
View of the home of the world's 2nd largest navy.
http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/7445/img18408am.jpg
The towers in the centre are part of the Landport Cluster, the body of water visible in the background is Langstone Harbour.
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5682/img18445gu.jpg
The reason as to why Portsmouth developed into the home of the Royal Navy: geography. This is the only water entrance into Portsmouth Harbour, old Portsmouth is to the left, Gosport is to the right. In old times, there used to be a massive chain that would be pulled up on both sides of the Harbour mouth and any enemy ships would be sliced in half. It was also helpful in keeping German U2 boats out also. The island in the background is the Isle of Wight.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/5266/img18460do.jpg
Gosport - largest town in the UK without a railway station, even though 100m across the water there is a terminus station (connected via a ferry). The majority of the buildings in this view are Royal Navy owned.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/2572/img18479of.jpg
The ship in the foreground is HMS Warrior (world's first ocean sailing iron-hulled battleship), this view gives indication to the rest of the size of the immense Historic Dockyard - a large museum-like complex. Also a good view of Portsmouth Harbour and the urban area which stretches all the way around the harbour. Just visible to the far centre is the original Roman settlement.
http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/3727/img18497si.jpg
Alternative view that shows HMS Warrior, but more importantly a certain tall-ship slightly further back: HMS Victory. Perhaps the most famous old ship about, it was the flagship of Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar that marked the beginning of total global dominance by Britain. It is also the world's oldest commissioned ship
http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/6716/img18507ui.jpg
Looking across the fields of the Armed Forces Recreational Grounds towards the central cluster.
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/1148/img18619ly.jpg
A South West Trains London Waterloo bound train leaves Portsmouth Harbour (bottom), while a Wessex Train from Cardiff Central comes in (top). I regularly take the SWT to London Waterloo at least once a month while at university.
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/3921/img18637iw.jpg
Looking across Portsea
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3135/img18654mr.jpg
A view across the center of Portsmouth. Portsmouth University' campus streches from the centre left to centre right. My old halls of residence were in the building at the far centre right.
http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/2324/img18660up.jpg
A view of the bottom observation deck (there are 3 decks) and the glass floor is visible to the centre.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/8184/img18698sb.jpg
Looking out across The Solent, the main body of water that connects Southampton (home of the Queen Mary 2 and once the Titanic) and Portsmouth to the English Channel - busiest waterway in the world. The three 'islands' visible in the picture are old Napoleonic Forts which are now homes. One is converted ever so often into a club and I've partied there.
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7913/img18790hh.jpg
View of people looking out across The Solent.
http://img273.imageshack.us/img273/3673/img19043lt.jpg
Isle of Wight Ferry coming into port (they have to do a near 360 degree turn to get in and out of harbour entrance) and a Brittany Ferry, naturally to France!
http://img273.imageshack.us/img273/4269/img19112yd.jpg
Looking down the staircase that goes down one of the legs!
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/5267/img19148it.jpg
Looking across the central cluster.
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/7606/img19215fb.jpg
A good old Armed Forces footie game!
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/1463/img19266wd.jpg
The tower casts a shadow over Portsmouth Harbour Station.
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/2223/img19284sg.jpg
View along the railway line. Portsmouth's main football stadium is to the top right.
http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/9451/img19341oj.jpg
Another Gosport marina.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/7388/img19586ao.jpg
The Gosport skyline.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/8207/img19788ub.jpg
View along the wall.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/8063/img19839mr.jpg
Step back of the glass cladding looking across Old Portsmouth
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/3743/img19863de.jpg
Lots of boats in the harbour.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/7652/img20023dd.jpg
I was up the tower for well over an hour, but it was time to go.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/8672/img20121mw.jpg
Final view of the tower, the area in front is the 'elevated' line into Portsmouth Harbour station on what is a lovely multi-vaulted brick approach
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/1415/img20165tz.jpg
A panorama looking south-easterly - south-westerly.
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/3558/pano020co.jpg
Panorama of pretty much all of Portsmouth from north-south.
http://img333.imageshack.us/img333/4295/pano048ng.jpg
Portsmouth is the home of the world's 2nd largest navy (the Royal Navy), is the second most densely populated city in the UK (after London) and now home to the 170m Spinnaker Tower. It is the tallest observation tower in the UK and dominates the skyline with its sail like design denoting the history of the city as a port city for around 2,000 years.
It is a city that endured carpet bombing during WW2 and this is pretty much evident, but many of the Georgian and Victorian era terraces (which are the main reason behind Portsmouth's high density) still remain mostly intact. Portmouth is also on an incredibly flat island and the city island has a population of just under 200,000. The Greater Southampton-Portsmouth area is home to around 0.75mn people and a heavy rail network as large as Los Angeles.
The Spinnaker Tower has four floors spread across its 170m height. The ground floor has the main entrance and exit with a cafe. You then have two options of either going up an internal lift (which goes up one of the legs) or pay a bit extra to go up the panoramic lift which goes up on the outside of the one of the legs. You come out on the first floor and then can go to the above deck and then to the top 'open' (ie exposed to the elements) deck via an internal staircase on the opposite leg. You then come down on the second floor and exit out into the cafe and then into the Gunwharf Quays complex.
Portsmouth is around 1hr 30mins away from Central London (London Waterloo) on an express service. The trip to the tower is well worth it and the views on a clear day are in excess of 30miles.
http://mc.multimap.com/cs/bgb//X18/Y40/X1840Y400S200W700H400.gif
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/619/img18159hp.jpg
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/3519/img18201xj.jpg
Overview of the main 'cluster' of Portsmouth.
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/9703/img18244wl.jpg
Looking towards the north and centre of the island.
http://img497.imageshack.us/img497/3633/img18259ml.jpg
Looking down to Gunwharf Quays a mixed development on what used to be the munitions store for Royal Navy ships departing for service. The oval construction to the centre will be the 95m residential Eastside Plaza Tower.
http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/1539/img18260lw.jpg
The Hard Interchange, major bus station and terminus (Portsmouth Harbour Station) for the Portsmouth Direct Line to London Waterloo. The entire bus station and terminus station is built on piers above the water and at the end of the station platforms is a catamaran ferry to the Isle of Wight.
http://img450.imageshack.us/img450/8760/img18275pf.jpg
Looking down through what is Europe's largest glass floor.
http://img326.imageshack.us/img326/8539/img18303ra.jpg
Looking down to some of the low-rise sections of Gunwharf Quays and what is 'The Camber' - the original port of Portsmouth. One of Portsmouth's main cathedral's is located in the centre of the image.
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/5517/img18319ps.jpg
View of Old Portsmouth and out towards Southsea Common.
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/9156/img18331dq.jpg
View of Southsea Common. This was originally not meant to be a 'park' but a buffer zone so that if Portsmouth were ever invaded by sea, there would be an area for home defensive forces to mobolise efficiently and repel the invaders without house-house combat.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/1127/img18369bs.jpg
View of the home of the world's 2nd largest navy.
http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/7445/img18408am.jpg
The towers in the centre are part of the Landport Cluster, the body of water visible in the background is Langstone Harbour.
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5682/img18445gu.jpg
The reason as to why Portsmouth developed into the home of the Royal Navy: geography. This is the only water entrance into Portsmouth Harbour, old Portsmouth is to the left, Gosport is to the right. In old times, there used to be a massive chain that would be pulled up on both sides of the Harbour mouth and any enemy ships would be sliced in half. It was also helpful in keeping German U2 boats out also. The island in the background is the Isle of Wight.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/5266/img18460do.jpg
Gosport - largest town in the UK without a railway station, even though 100m across the water there is a terminus station (connected via a ferry). The majority of the buildings in this view are Royal Navy owned.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/2572/img18479of.jpg
The ship in the foreground is HMS Warrior (world's first ocean sailing iron-hulled battleship), this view gives indication to the rest of the size of the immense Historic Dockyard - a large museum-like complex. Also a good view of Portsmouth Harbour and the urban area which stretches all the way around the harbour. Just visible to the far centre is the original Roman settlement.
http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/3727/img18497si.jpg
Alternative view that shows HMS Warrior, but more importantly a certain tall-ship slightly further back: HMS Victory. Perhaps the most famous old ship about, it was the flagship of Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar that marked the beginning of total global dominance by Britain. It is also the world's oldest commissioned ship
http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/6716/img18507ui.jpg
Looking across the fields of the Armed Forces Recreational Grounds towards the central cluster.
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/1148/img18619ly.jpg
A South West Trains London Waterloo bound train leaves Portsmouth Harbour (bottom), while a Wessex Train from Cardiff Central comes in (top). I regularly take the SWT to London Waterloo at least once a month while at university.
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/3921/img18637iw.jpg
Looking across Portsea
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3135/img18654mr.jpg
A view across the center of Portsmouth. Portsmouth University' campus streches from the centre left to centre right. My old halls of residence were in the building at the far centre right.
http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/2324/img18660up.jpg
A view of the bottom observation deck (there are 3 decks) and the glass floor is visible to the centre.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/8184/img18698sb.jpg
Looking out across The Solent, the main body of water that connects Southampton (home of the Queen Mary 2 and once the Titanic) and Portsmouth to the English Channel - busiest waterway in the world. The three 'islands' visible in the picture are old Napoleonic Forts which are now homes. One is converted ever so often into a club and I've partied there.
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7913/img18790hh.jpg
View of people looking out across The Solent.
http://img273.imageshack.us/img273/3673/img19043lt.jpg
Isle of Wight Ferry coming into port (they have to do a near 360 degree turn to get in and out of harbour entrance) and a Brittany Ferry, naturally to France!
http://img273.imageshack.us/img273/4269/img19112yd.jpg
Looking down the staircase that goes down one of the legs!
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/5267/img19148it.jpg
Looking across the central cluster.
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/7606/img19215fb.jpg
A good old Armed Forces footie game!
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/1463/img19266wd.jpg
The tower casts a shadow over Portsmouth Harbour Station.
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/2223/img19284sg.jpg
View along the railway line. Portsmouth's main football stadium is to the top right.
http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/9451/img19341oj.jpg
Another Gosport marina.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/7388/img19586ao.jpg
The Gosport skyline.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/8207/img19788ub.jpg
View along the wall.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/8063/img19839mr.jpg
Step back of the glass cladding looking across Old Portsmouth
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/3743/img19863de.jpg
Lots of boats in the harbour.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/7652/img20023dd.jpg
I was up the tower for well over an hour, but it was time to go.
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/8672/img20121mw.jpg
Final view of the tower, the area in front is the 'elevated' line into Portsmouth Harbour station on what is a lovely multi-vaulted brick approach
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/1415/img20165tz.jpg
A panorama looking south-easterly - south-westerly.
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/3558/pano020co.jpg
Panorama of pretty much all of Portsmouth from north-south.
http://img333.imageshack.us/img333/4295/pano048ng.jpg