- Yorkshire Wheel
The Yorkshire Wheel is a
Ferris wheel inYork , England, which opened to the public on 12 April 2006, following setbacks due to bad weather. It is located at theNational Railway Museum where it was built by "World Tourist Attractions" who also ran theWheel of Birmingham .After its first six months of opening, it was reported that the wheel had had 200,000 visitors taking in the views of the city. [ [http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/search/display.var.866346.0.wheel_of_fortune.php Wheel Of Fortune (from York Press) ] ]
It is the first observation wheel of its kind in
North Yorkshire and was inspired by theLondon Eye , which opened a few years earlier. It is 54 metres high, which is about the height ofYork Minster , York's skyline height limit, but somewhat smaller than the 135 metres of the London Eye.Visitors on the Wheel are allowed several rotations, unlike the London Eye, but the wheel must stop to load and unload passengers, again unlike the London Eye. The Wheel has 42 pods, including a VIP pod with glass floor, screen, radio, and leather interior. Like the rest of the Railway Museum, it is licensed as a venue for weddings, and weddings have taken place. 'Speed dating' on St Valentine's Day in 2007 also took place.The wheel was originally planned to be in the
Museum Gardens , on the other side of the River Ouse, however the current site was preferred by the City of York Council due to residents' protests. Current planning permission is for three years.Norwich Union , which has its headquarters in York, were the sponsors of the Wheel, but that ended in late July 2007, after which the White Rose of Yorkshire was added to the Wheel's centre.On the Wheel's first anniversary, it was reported to have had 32,500 revolutions. [ [http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/search/display.var.1326515.0.the_yorkshire_wheel_celebrates_its_first_birthday.php The Yorkshire Wheel celebrates its first birthday (From York Press) ] ]
In March 2008, tourist chiefs for the city called for the wheel to become a permanent fixture beyond its three years. [ [http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.2156416.0.york_call_to_keep_city_centre_landmark.php York Call To Keep City Centre Landmark (from York Press) ] ]
On August 27, 2008 it was announced in the local York newspaper that the wheel could be on the move to another site in the city, [ [http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/3624234.Yorkshire_Wheel_may_be_moved_to_new_location/ Yorkshire Wheel may be moved to new location] ] though a day later it was reported to have been opposed by conservation groups. [ [http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/3627414.Riverside_location_opposed_by_conservation_groups/ Riverside location opposed by conservation groups] ]
Image gallery
References
External links
* [http://www.nrm.org.uk/events/wheel.asp Official website]
* [http://www.york-wheel.metaltype.co.uk Fan website]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/yorkeye Images of the York Wheel.]
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