On schedule

Most weeks see me heading down to London to inspect various jobs. It might be looking at a grab on the River Thames at a Wharf or a structure thats required on a site. It can be anything and everything. On Thursday I arrived for an appointment a bit early and I decided to have a look at the Olympic site to check on the progress.

I had visited this site in the early stages to look at some jobs but it amazes me how fast they are building the Olympic site. It seems well on shedule. I took these pictures of the stadium and had a walk along the Old River Lea

The cranes have erected lots of the steelwork and the main stadium frame is in place. I can remeber a time when steelwork erected in shapes like this would be unthinkable. Everything is curvy nowadays. All designed on a computer to fit perfectly on site. And it does to within a millimetre. Brilliant
A crane awaiting its operator to climb up to the cab and start work.

The stadium can clearly be seen. Its a pity the sun wasnt a bit stronger and I had a better camera as the light was fantastic and my camera set on scenery doesnt really do it justice.

6.00am and the site is just starting to wake up and come to life

I think Robert Mcalpine's are the main contractor on site. My dad worked for them contracting on the tower cranes thirty odd years ago. I had a few years erecting cranes and did actually operate the odd one. But its a very lonely life sat up there on your own talking to yourself.

H Foreman & Sons, the famous Salmon smokers that have featured regulary on TV. One of the companies that have been relocated to make way for the olympic village.

Other parts of the site are being started with even more cranes building more of the village. Not sure what this part is but its going to be big



Now this part is interesting as its the entrance of the Old River Lea to the construction site. This is where they have shipped some of the materials into the job. They have built a new lock and literally re invented the River. Cleaning it up and providing a better enviroment.

The frame of the stadium is massive.

This pictures gives a better indication of the size of the main stadium frame. There were loads of workers entering the site and clocking on and giving me strange looks as I took the pictures

I have tried to use the sunlight to make the objects dark as I think it gives them a better contrast. Here the cranes and road sign mark the start of a new day over East London.

Another job I remember visiting years ago was the Millenium Dome now known as the O2. I remember attending site before the structure was even built.

Canary Wharf in the background. This was another site I visited regulary.
It astounds me at the pace that the skyline over London has changed over the last few years. Even in a recession year down there it seems another world. A concrete jungle world that never stops. Only two hours away but it really is a different Great Britain. Money seems no object and the city demands more and more. The costs of the Olympics are a very controversial topic but no matter what, they are being built and the billions are being spent to provide them.