please empty your brain below
Thanks DG. Great report.

Bernie | 04.03.15 - 7:18 a.m. | #

I am right to think each capsule had a guide person when it first opened?

Nick | 04.03.15 - 7:48 a.m. | #

Free entry with a Merlin card, which is flipping expensive in one go, but a reasonable deal if you visit a bunch of the attractions over the year (aquariums, Tussauds, dungeon, theme parks, etc).

Andrew | 04.03.15 - 8:02 a.m. | #

I rode on it when it was still operated by British Airways. I was part of a film crew shooting a piece to camera in one of the pods and my chief memory is how officious and afflicted with jobsworth-itis the security people were, even though we had a BA minder with us. Unfortunately I was so involved in the technical side of what we were doing that during the trip up and down in the wheel I saw relatively little of the views!

nickf | 04.03.15 - 8:11 a.m. | #

I've used it twice, both times in poor weather.
First time the rain was so heavy, all you got was a blurry view and deafened by the noise of rain on the capsule.

The second trip was on a day with low cloud / fog. Just milky whiteness for the top third of the ride.

David | Homepage | 04.03.15 - 8:21 a.m. | #

I'm sure I remember the price being about £12 when I last rode it in the early 2000s, which seemed a bit steep even then. If I recall correctly, as well as almost doubling the price, they've shortened the ride by ten minutes as well. Why does everything have to be about squeezing as much money out of you as possible, rather than letting a good attraction work for itself?

Robert Johnson | Homepage | 04.03.15 - 8:52 a.m. | #

@Robert Johnson - it's because so many things are run or sponsored by business. And the main aim of businesses seems to be to make money, no matter what the business they're running. That's one reason why private sponsorship of various NHS clinics/hospitals/whatever is a Bad Idea and won't really work.

Try telling HMG that!

Bronchitikat | Homepage | 04.03.15 - 10:20 a.m. | #

I've been on it at least 4-5 times now starting in 2001 and mostly as something to do with the kids when they were younger. The last few times has been with a tourist though, and like your fellow passengers I left mine to sit and chat while I scrutinised the view, as they clearly couldn't care less even with someone there to point things out to them!!

Always upsets me that you can no longer see the Gherkin at any point of the elevation now. The only non boxy building in the City, and it's completely obliterated from view.

Cornish Cockney | 04.03.15 - 11:04 a.m. | #

I'm surprised anyone even bothers these days what with so many robotic flying objects with phone sized cameras freely available. Then there's all that photography done by the ubiquitous go-ogle. Standing in a glass sided lift for a few minutes isn't much of a thrill in itself.

B | 04.03.15 - 11:14 a.m. | #

Nice report geezer.

A pity the trip is so spoilt by compulsory photo opps. Why is there nothing quite so depressing as people trying to force you into jollity?

Ned Ludd | 04.03.15 - 12:21 p.m. | #

I know what you mean about pre-booking and being able to do no more than hope for the best about the weather on the day.
My first visit to the Skygarden was wet and grey. Hopefully my next trip (Friday) will be better but if not I guess I'll have to keep going back until I get a good day

RogerW | 04.03.15 - 12:34 p.m. | #

I rode it about 3 times when it first opened. Lot cheaper back then. I had watched over the weeks as it was erected on the Thames and then slowly lifted into place so my interest was higher back then. Glad they decided to keep it as it was planned to be an attraction for the Millennium and there was talk back then of taking it down and locating it elsewhere. Of course London also kept The Dome, another Millennium attraction, and like the Eye now doing good business and popular with the public.
Wish they would put the Skylon back in Jubilee Gardens, it would look nice alongside the wheel.

John | 04.03.15 - 1:42 p.m. | #

Its part of the 2FOR1 offer if you have a train ticket - which makes it a bargain still.

Ian | 04.03.15 - 2:32 p.m. | #

I did it last summer with one of the hidden option tickets on the website, which was one day and one night trip on the same day. That WAS interesting, and made the cost of each trip about £12.

I don't mind the photo opportunities, I just do my best Yorkshireman voice and they know they'll get no cash out of me.

I can't wait for the Dangleway to do photo ops at each end...

dg writes: The Dangleway does have a photo op at the southern end, but you sit inside a cabin and take it yourself.

Arctic Troll | 04.03.15 - 2:47 p.m. | #

The whole thing is a money-spinner...literally. For the money they charge should be *allowed* to come back later in the day or night anyway. I'll save my "best" Cockney voice for when I visit...probably hear that less than a Yorkshireman voice, so it'll throw them completely off guard.

Working Class Hero | 04.03.15 - 3:33 p.m. | #

Another good time to go is on Fireworks Night. I did this by mistake a year or two after it opened, and we got to the top just as all the big municipal displays were getting started.

Ken | 04.03.15 - 3:35 p.m. | #

I went round back in around 2003. Very clear day so great views all round. I particularly enjoyed seeing Buckingham Palace and its grounds as it tricky to see the whole thing from ground level.
As for South London I did spot the Crystal Palace tv masts. I once stayed I a hotel almost next to them but not on purpose.

Rick | 04.03.15 - 8:57 p.m. | #

Ah - 2FOR1 is a good tip.

Andrew | 04.03.15 - 9:00 p.m. | #

Only been on it once and that was part of a work based trek round Central London. Not being good with heights I spend the circuit being terrified, trying not to look down or even look anywhere and resenting being "forced" on to the damn thing through work peer pressure. I'm sure it's fantastic for those who love such things but I won't be going anywhere near it.

PC | 04.03.15 - 11:53 p.m. | #

I'm sometimes rubbish with heights, but for some reason (even at 135m) the Eye doesn't fluster me at all.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 04.03.15 - 11:56 p.m. | #

Going again with tourists in the spring - seems to have changed since I last rode it - the photos are totally unnecessary nearly everyone has a phone and who wants to carry photos round with you if you're on a day out. Great reporting DG

daveb | 05.03.15 - 12:21 a.m. | #

@ PC

Think that anywhere that "work peer pressure" "forces" someone to do something it time to seriously consider if that is the sort of place one wishes to work at. Of course don't know if they knew about how you felt.

Working Class Hero | 05.03.15 - 12:23 a.m. | #

I bagged it for free once in the BA years (around 2004, I think), courtesy of a BA Travel Centre Promo...

Got priority boarding and a surprise envelope. Inside was a half price return to the US for two as long as we booked before a certain and travelled before a certain other date... Unfortunately it clashed with summer holidays already booked...

But never mind, a free trip on the eye is a free trip!

Southern Heights | 05.03.15 - 7:00 a.m. | #

Pedantic comment: "a certain bottle of red fizzy drink" shouldn't that be "a certain bottle of black fizzy drink with a red label"?

MK | 05.03.15 - 7:33 a.m. | #

Hmmm. Looks like I might as well book another trip to the Skygarden, now. I'd booked for today thinking the outside terrace overlooking the Thames should now be open, and that the weather might have picked up a bit. The current clouds had better roll away quick

RogerW | 06.03.15 - 8:31 a.m. | #

I took a spin on it on my last night before leaving London, at dusk. Was the perfect way to cap off 18 months in the city.

Rowan | 21.03.15 - 11:28 a.m. | #











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