101 St George's Place, Liverpool
Possibly my last image from our day out in Liverpool, a sneaky one while Eddie went and got the coffees. Taken from the comfort of my chair, sat in the sunshine.
A little about the tower...
Radio City Tower (also known as St. John's Beacon) is a radio and observation tower, built in 1969 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by James A. Roberts Associates in Birmingham. It is 138 m (452 ft) tall, and is the second tallest free-standing building in Liverpool. However, if you add the height of the antenna, it's 148m (486 ft) making it the highest structure in Liverpool. In architectural height terms... spires count but antennas and aerials don't!
St. John's Beacon (1969 - 1999)
Near the top of the tower was a revolving restaurant, the facade and floor of the restaurant revolving as one unit, while the roof of the restaurant was used as an observation platform for visitors. There are 558 stairs up to the top, and two lift shafts which reach the top in 30 seconds.
The tower is structurally independent of the adjacent shopping centre, with a simple foundation onto sandstone. The foundation is 60 feet in diameter, 17 feet deep and begins 40 feet below Houghton Street. It has a tapering shaft that was built using slip-formed concrete. The crows nest structure at the top was then added after the shaft was formed. The original restaurant closed in 1979 for health and safety issues. It was re-opened, with a reduced capacity and additional fire prevention measures, during the early 1980's. The restaurant was eventually re-fitted as a "Buck Rogers" space-themed restaurant in 1983, but closed again due to lack of business. After this the observation deck and the restaurant remained closed. In the following years, the tower lay empty and derelict. Often dubbed an eyesore or a "White Elephant", an attempt to increase its attractiveness was made when blue "UFO style" neon strip lights were added to the perimeter of the tower in 1994 (later removed upon refurbishment).
Radio City Tower (2000 - present)
The tower was refurbished in 1999 at a cost of £5 million. It reopened as Radio City 96.7 (and Magic 1548) in August 2000. The outdoor observation deck which had been located on the roof of the restaurant was transformed into a second floor; this now holds offices and conference rooms for the radio station. The studios are on the lower floor that used to be the restaurant. The original revolving structure and machinery were left intact during the refurbishment. Brackets were added to lock the moving structure in place.
The refurbishment added an advertising framework at the top of the tower designed for both a fabric banner and illuminated light boxes. However, advertisements have only appeared infrequently, with Smirnoff and the Ford Motor Company being among the companies to have displayed advertisements there. In 2008 the framework was used for a banner during the European Capital of Culture celebrations. The roof is home to the local Digital Audio Broadcasting multiplex for Liverpool, but Radio City, Magic, and City Talk do not directly broadcast from the roof.
Tags: Liverpool Radio City 96.7 Magic 1548 tower free-standing antenna observation platform concrete Canon EOS 5D MkIII
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Mann Island, Liverpool
A change of position for a different shot, which I had thought about some months earlier on a tripod free day out in Liverpool. I spent ages trying to get some symmetry into this shot... moving the tripod back and forth, adjusting the legs, ball head, camera angle but it just didn't look right in the viewfinder.
Then Eddie came over... what you trying to do?
"Get this shot framed up, but I'm having trouble aligning it, it doesn't look right in camera" I replied.
"It won't do, the building's not symmetrical in the first place" came the instant response.
"Doh!!!"
A moment's thought and a realignment on the apex vertical and Bob's yer uncle... better than the glass wall reflection I think. Still plenty of room for improvement.
Tags: Liverpool waterfront Mann Island building glass wall reflection clouds long exposure LE Canon EOS 5D MkIII
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Mann Island, Liverpool
We (fellow Flickrite Eddie Coulson and myself) had no clear plans of what to shoot or where to go (I think the term is "winging it") so I decided to pack the kitchen sink for all eventualities. Mrs R had declined to come on this Flickr inspired road-trip even thou we went on the train! This meant I was forced to carry my own tripod (note to self: must check out our vows... I'm sure I included it in there somewhere - love, honour, obey and carry tripod when asked!)
The weather and clouds in particularly looked promising and I thought of trying a few long exposures in the reflection of the glass walled Mann Island building, after all I'd carted the damn tripod all over Liverpool and I sure as hell was going to use it at some point. Eddie was busy snapping jumping tourists taking selfies of themselves so this was my opportunity.
While setting up, the cloud movement looked good in the reflection, but the execution hasn't delivered in the same way as my mind's eye saw it. But you've got to try new things!
Tags: Liverpool waterfront Mann Island building glass wall reflection clouds long exposure LE Canon EOS 5D MkIII
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Pier Head, Liverpool
I'd posted an image of this sculpture last April on a previous visit to Liverpool but always felt there was more to be got from this iconic work. So when the opportunity arose to revisit Liverpool with fellow Flickrite Eddie Coulson last week I'd already got preconceived ideas of how I wanted to capture this Fab Four sculpture. Unfortunately, neither of us knew it was also "Liverpool Loves 2016" Festival on the waterfront. To say it was busy would be an understatement and even the helpful festival organisers couldn't grant us a moment to setup and capture our shots due to the amount of people and tourists milling around the sculpture taking their own shots.... it's a free country after all!
I've sat on this image for over a week deliberating on whether to upload it or not, but as I promised Eddie I would here it is. I've tried all sorts of things to improve it but my limited processing skills have failed me. For the composition I was really after there are only two ways to achieve it :- a) use a camera with a rear articulated screen so you can actually see what you are looking at or b) my only real option... flat on the floor with chin on the pavement but this is inciting death by trampling masses or at the very least, to be run over by countless prams!
So in the end I've decided to upload it as taken but I welcome any comments both good and bad on how I can improve on this as I will no doubtlessly be trying for a third attempt, providing Mrs R carries the tripod!
Tags: Liverpool Pier Head waterfront The Beatles Fab Four Paul John George Ringo The Cavern Club statues sculptures sculptor Andy Edwards
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Stanley Street, Liverpool
Took a trip to Liverpool yesterday with fellow Flickrite Eddie Coulson for a wander and a few snaps!
A glorious day out but wasn't expecting the weather to be as hot as it turned out! Had no particular plan in mind so next few postings have a randomness about them (no change there then!). Came across this statue in Stanley Street on the way to Pier Head. It is based on the subject of The Beatles' song Eleanor Rigby, by Lennon–McCartney but the biggest surprise is the sculptor...
When Tommy Steele was performing in a show in Liverpool in 1981, he made an offer to Liverpool City Council to create a sculpture as a tribute to the Beatles. His fee for the commission would be three pence (this was an allusion to Steele's musical show and film "Half a Sixpence"). The offer was accepted by the Council, as it would be expected to increase the tourist trade of the city, and they made a donation of £4,000 towards its cost. The statue took nine months to make, and it was unveiled by Tommy Steele on 3 December 1982.
Tags: Liverpool Stanley Street Beatles Lennon McCartney Eleanor Rigby song sculpture sculptor Tommy Steele
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