Date: 2008-08-01.
Tags: climb, cranes, london, ninjas
With not another care in the world I grasped the wooden rungs of the ladder and let my mind go blank. I looked calmly down through the rungs at the potential 30+ level fall to my death. Tonight the cusp of life and death was thinner than usual. The ladder bridged the gap from the building we'd just ascended, to the construction crane being used to build it. The workers had not built any walkways between the two so armed with a simple wooden ladder we'd found just lying around it seemed pertinent to build our own. The ladder sat atop the wooden hoarding ironically built to prevent workers falling off the building edge, butted up against a piece of metal reinforcing beam and leaned across almost horizontally onto a small metal platform surrounding the crane. Some of the locals present weren't all to keen on the DIY attitude but I can be a stubborn bastard at times. These small intense moments are important to me. I crossed carefully and then Loops followed pausing long enough for a quick handheld snap. Dmax and Site One removed the ladder and ventured towards the other tower on the site.
This crane is surely the flimsiest crane I've ever climbed. The metal sections were thin, the mesh floors flexy and various pieces seemingly attached by little more than split pins. A Lego crane would be better. Out near the counterweight we found electrical boxed held shut with ratchet straps and duct tape. Hardly a reassuring sign. Our structural concerns were quickly forgotten with the spectacular views over the best skyline in London. When this building is complete millions will be paid for this view. Tonight, we got it all for free.
This is definitely one London landmark worth visiting, shouts to Loops, Dmax, Site One and Deadcalm for a great night in the capital.
Put down your cocktail Canary Wharfians, look up and wave. Chances are someone up there is looking down at you, even if you can't see them. The skies are thick with construction cranes looming over the Wharf. Busy all day and idle all night this is our playground. While you sleep in your comfy little beds, surrounded by all your precious possessions, dreaming of all the miscellaneous shit you could buy and plotting revenge against the people in the neighbouring department, we're standing high above the city stocking up the life bank. These coffers are certainly full. I may curl up inside my sleeping bag on the floor of a warehouse every night but I want for little beyond another day of adventure and opportunity.
With not another care in the world I grasped the wooden rungs of the ladder and let my mind go blank. I looked calmly down through the rungs at the potential 30+ level fall to my death. Tonight the cusp of life and death was thinner than usual. The ladder bridged the gap from the building we'd just ascended, to the construction crane being used to build it. The workers had not built any walkways between the two so armed with a simple wooden ladder we'd found just lying around it seemed pertinent to build our own. The ladder sat atop the wooden hoarding ironically built to prevent workers falling off the building edge, butted up against a piece of metal reinforcing beam and leaned across almost horizontally onto a small metal platform surrounding the crane. Some of the locals present weren't all to keen on the DIY attitude but I can be a stubborn bastard at times. These small intense moments are important to me. I crossed carefully and then Loops followed pausing long enough for a quick handheld snap. Dmax and Site One removed the ladder and ventured towards the other tower on the site.
This crane is surely the flimsiest crane I've ever climbed. The metal sections were thin, the mesh floors flexy and various pieces seemingly attached by little more than split pins. A Lego crane would be better. Out near the counterweight we found electrical boxed held shut with ratchet straps and duct tape. Hardly a reassuring sign. Our structural concerns were quickly forgotten with the spectacular views over the best skyline in London. When this building is complete millions will be paid for this view. Tonight, we got it all for free.
This is definitely one London landmark worth visiting, shouts to Loops, Dmax, Site One and Deadcalm for a great night in the capital.
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3 Comment(s)
Mr. Sankt omits to mention our method of egress from the crane - inching across one of the 12" wide girders affixing it to the building, two hundred feet in the air.
Tallest crane in the country to my knowledge. Pretty spesh, what...
Your knowledge is wrong loops. :)
ah man...those crane shots are sick! I really am going to need to get back up there to climb one....was a great evening...nutters for the dodgey ladder job though :D Was there not a walk way in the middle of the jib? Or was it the usual jib walks on the outside of the crane?