The Wheel of Dublin?

At the weekend we made it down to Dublin on the train. More about that shortly but in the meantime I just wanted to post the news of a quick celebrity spotting. It seems I'm just slow to realise these things but it turns out, the famous Belfast Wheel (located by Belfast City Hall from November 2007 to April 2011), is moonlighting in Dublin as the Wheel of Dublin!

The operators of the wheel, WTA (World Tourist Attractions) opened the attraction at North Wall Quay back in July 2010 a few months after it was removed from Belfast. Maybe I should read more in the local press as Ken Sweeney in the Belfast Telegraph told us this at the time. Ken says that the developers hope to get 2 years out of the wheel. Maybe then there is a chance that with the plans for the Titanic Quarter of Belfast, the attraction might be able to be convinced to wheel it's way back into town... if not the same one, maybe it's twin or something similar?

I remember there was word on the grape vine back at the time that such a move might be part of the plans. I certainly hope they are true. After travelling over the flyover today by the Odyssey, it seems the first stages of construction of the Titanic Signature Building are well under way. I can't find a timeline at the moment for stage 2 of the Titanic Quater project but hopefully it'll be a big boost to Belfast once completed... perhaps enough to convince anyone involved, to bring this or other attractions into town?

As I mentioned in my belated farewell to the Belfast Wheel back in May last year, the Wheel has a special place in our memories as it was at the top of it where Norngirl and I got engaged back in 2008. It was nice to see it again. Maybe next time we're down in Dublin we might take a spin on it for old times sake. To us though, it'll always be the Belfast Wheel even if it now looks over a different City.

The Belfast Wheel - A belated farewell

The Belfast wheel closed back on Sunday 11th April and that was the day Norn Girl and I had our sentimental last ride. The wheel has originally meant to be a short term attraction but as it went down better than expected (I believe likely in part due to Belfast having a public starved of any traditional landmark tourist attraction), it proved to be a real 'money spinner' and so it was allowed to stay for a couple more years - in the end it was open for (if my research and math is correct) 2 years, 6 months and 3 days, or somewhere 'around about' that figure.

The ride itself I thought was very much worth it as it gave a great view of Belfast and the surrounding area. It was especially worth it in November 2008 because that was when I proposed to Norn Girl at the top of the Wheel and she said yes! That was a wheely good night!

We also went on the wheel several times inbetween, usually when family wanted to go on, it seemed like we went on every 6 months or so, maybe it was some form of 'rotational system'. Sadly it had to close because it got a few groups 'in a spin' which is understandable, hopefully it could still reappear maybe in a new location in the future.

Alan in Belfast gives a great video of the Belfast Wheel in his post about the wheel closing if you'd like to experience a full spin still. Do hang around a few minutes though and let me take you through a few of the favourites of the photos I managed to take over the time the wheel graced the grounds of Belfast City Hall...

Here is the wheel being constructed in November 2007 - almost there but looking more like a Trivial pursuit counter than a tourist attraction:

Things soon got going and in 2008 it was looking like its well known self:

After our engagement (and no doubt many others and other celebrations- and why not!) 2009 'rolled around' and the wheel started to become part of the skyline, which in part led to its deconstruction.

Here is the Belfast Wheel on Sunday 11th April, its last day of operation:

The last rides came to an end and the wheel spent a few days still standing:

As quickly as it had started spinning it came down... here is the Wheel being dismantled and packed away: