Wheel of Manchester

Ferris Wheel

Wheel of Manchester

Wheel of Manchester in 2014

General information
Status| Demolished
Type| Ferris wheel
Location| Manchester city centre, UK:

* Exchange Square, Manchester (2004-2012)
* Piccadilly Gardens (2012-2013)

Completed| 2004 (first installation)
Opened| 2004
Closed| April 2015
Demolished| June 2015 (most recent installation)
Height| 52.7 metres (173 ft) (current)

The Wheel of Manchester[1] was a transportable Ferris wheel installation at Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, England. The wheel was originally a smaller installation based in Exchange Square, first assembled in 2004. The wheel's size was increased to 60 metres (197 ft) in 2007, and plans existed to increase this further. However, these plans were never submitted. The wheel was dismantled in 2012 to make way for 2012 Olympics celebrations and Metrolink construction work. In 2013, a new 52.7-metre (173 ft) wheel was installed in Piccadilly Gardens. It was dismantled in June 2015.

## History[edit]

### 2004–2007[edit]

The first wheel was first installed in 2004 which was a success and consequently a larger 60-metre (197 ft) wheel was erected in May 2007.[2]

### 2007–2012[edit]

The wheel returned in May 2007 and was sponsored by the Manchester Evening News.[1] A larger wheel was initially planned for 2008,[2] but it was never installed. In 2010, Manchester City Council proposed a 120 m (394 ft) wheel, to be operated by World Tourist Attractions, as a replacement for the existing transportable installation, with Piccadilly Gardens the possible site and completion expected by Christmas 2011.[3] The installation was later taken over by Great City Attractions when World Tourist Attractions merged with Great Wheel Corporation.[4] In 2011 it became known as The Capital Wheel of Manchester, through a sponsorship deal with Capital FM.[5] Although plans for a larger wheel were not publicly rejected, they never materialised.

The 60-metre (197 ft) wheel was removed in April 2012.[6] Great City Attractions recommended to move the wheel to another area of the city such as Piccadilly Gardens, but this was rejected with the Council airing concerns about the wheel limiting space in Piccadilly.[7] Manchester City Council stated that they thought the wheel had "probably run its course in terms of an attraction" since its opening in 2004.[4] The Council also added that space in Exchange Square was required for a number of reasons, including public viewing space for the 2012 Olympics and space for adjacent redevelopment projects, such as Exchange Square Metrolink station, the Metrolink second city crossing on Corporation Street, and the renovation of The Triangle.[8] Following its last day of operation on 15 April 2012,[9] it was dismantled and moved to Edinburgh.[10]

The removal of the Ferris wheel was welcomed by some who believed the wheel had run its course as an attraction.[11] Tony Wilson, one of Manchester's most famous cultural patrons, hated the Ferris wheel stating: "It ruins a perfectly good square and it's a poor imitation of something London's done a lot better. We shouldn't be doing it."[12]

### 2013–2015[edit]

The Wheel of Manchester being dismantled in June 2015

In 2013, a new 52.7-metre (173 ft) wheel returned to Manchester to replace the original for New Years celebrations.[13] However, this wheel was located at Piccadilly Gardens.[14] A disagreement between Manchester City Council and the owners Wheels Entertainments arose after the licence to run the attraction ran out in April 2015.[15]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "World Tourist Attractions – The Wheel of Manchester". Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
2. ^ a b "Big wheel returns to city centre". BBC News. 25 May 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
3. ^ "Manchester 'monster' wheel plans confirmed". BBC News. 2 October 2010.
4. ^ a b Linton, Deborah; Bell, Alex (9 April 2012). "Manchester Big Wheel set to spin for final time on Sunday". Manchester Evening News. M.E.N. Media. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
5. ^ "The Capital Wheel of Manchester – Capital Breakfast". Capital FM. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
6. ^ Schofield, Jonathan (8 February 2012). "Exciting Video Action: Metrolink's Sexy VT". Manchester Confidential. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
7. ^ "Manchester Big wheel turns for the final time". Manchester Evening News. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
8. ^ "'Covent Garden of North' plan for Manchester's Triangle". BBC News. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
9. ^ "Manchester Big wheel turns for the final time – Manchester Evening News". Menmedia.co.uk. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
10. ^ "Ferris wheel on the way – Edinburgh Evening News". The Scotsman. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
11. ^ Schofield, Jonathan (3 May 2012). "The Beauty of Absence: Exchange Square Comes Clean". Manchester Confidential. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
12. ^ "Tony Wilson – Manchester legend". BBC. 29 June 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
13. ^ Jennifer Williams (5 November 2013). "Manchester's Big Wheel set to return – this time in Piccadilly Gardens". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
14. ^ "New Years Firework Spectacular at Piccadilly Gardens Manchester". Manchester Gazette. 29 December 2013.
15. ^ Jennifer Williams (9 June 2015). "Work to dismantle Piccadilly Gardens big wheel to begin tonight, say council bosses". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 9 June 2015.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wheel of Manchester.

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Ferris wheels

World's tallest Ferris wheels (over 80 m)

| Americas|

the original Ferris Wheel
High Roller
The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando

|

Asia|

China
Bailang River Bridge Ferris Wheel
Bay Glory
Changsha Ferris Wheel
Harbin Ferris Wheel
Shanghai Ferris Wheel
Star of Lake Tai
Star of Nanchang
Suzhou Ferris Wheel
Tianjin Eye
Zhengzhou Ferris Wheel

Dubai
Ain Dubai

Japan
Aurora Wheel
Cosmo Clock 21
Daikanransha
Diamond and Flower Ferris Wheel
Igosu 108
Redhorse Osaka Wheel
Sky Dream Fukuoka
Space Eye
Technocosmos / Technostar
Tempozan Ferris Wheel

Singapore
Singapore Flyer

Taiwan
Sky Wheel

Europe|

France
Grande Roue de Paris

Italy
Eurowheel

United Kingdom
Great Wheel
London Eye

Oceania|

Australia
Melbourne Star

Other conventional Ferris wheels

For a more extensive list, see List of Ferris wheels

Americas|

Canada
Niagara SkyWheel

Capital Wheel
Colossus
Myrtle Beach SkyWheel
Seattle Great Wheel
SkyStar Wheel
Texas Star
Uniroyal Giant Tire

Asia|

Hong Kong
Hong Kong Observation Wheel

Indonesia
J-Sky

Japan
Amuran
Big O

Turkmenistan
Alem

Europe &
Eurasia|

Austria
Wiener Riesenrad

Azerbaijan
Baku Ferris Wheel

Russia
Sun of Moscow

Other types of wheel

| Transportable
Ferris wheels|

designs
Bussink Design R80XL

wheels
Roue de Paris
Steiger Ferris Wheel

see also
List of transportable Ferris wheels

|

Transportable
Ferris wheel
installations|

Australia
Wheel of Brisbane

India
Delhi Eye

Malaysia
Eye on Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Malacca)

United Kingdom and Ireland
Belfast Wheel
Brighton Wheel
Royal Windsor Wheel
Wheel of Birmingham
Wheel of Dublin
Wheel of Liverpool
Wheel of Manchester
Wheel of Sheffield
Yorkshire Wheel

Eccentric wheels|

Pixar Pal-A-Round
Wonder Wheel

Double wheels|

Giant Wheel (Hersheypark)

Triple wheels|

Sky Whirl

Major Ferris wheel proposals

| Construction in progress:|

United Arab Emirates
Ain Dubai

|

Unfinished projects:|

China
Turn of Fortune

New York Wheel

Abandoned projects:|

Skyvue

Quiescent proposals:|

China
Beijing Great Wheel

Germany
Great Berlin Wheel

India
Kolkata Eye

Great Orlando Wheel

For other quiescent (incomplete, delayed, stalled, cancelled, failed, or abandoned) proposals, see: Ferris wheel#Quiescent proposals

Related topics

| Designers,
manufacturers,
and operators|

Allan Herschell Company
Chance Morgan
Chance Wheels / Chance American Wheels
Eli Bridge Company
Great City Attractions (previously World Tourist Attractions)
Great Wheel Corporation (merged with World Tourist Attractions in 2009)
Intamin
Maurer German Wheels
Mondial
Ronald Bussink (Nauta Bussink / Bussink Landmarks / Bussink Design)
Sanoyas Rides Corporation
Vekoma (Dutch Wheels)
Waagner-Biro
Wheels Entertainments

|

People|

George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.

Popular culture|

List of London Eye appearances in popular culture
The Great Wheel (novel)
The London Eye Mystery (novel)

Categories
Ferris wheels
Former Ferris wheels
Proposed Ferris wheels
Transportable Ferris wheels
Unbuilt Ferris wheels

Amusement rides
Ferris wheels @ Wikimedia Commons

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