Post Office tower

[Tubbycoates]

I was in London at the weekend. I'm no engineer, so how come the Post Office tower (or whatever it is called these days) does fall over? It looks top heavy to me.

[tenrec]

?

[ChuckFickens]

Does fall over???

As long as the centre of gravity is inside the boundaries of the base any structure will stay standing, That and the fact it will have flamming great foundations holding it down!

[rowanwitch]

The only threat would be an earthquake strong enough to create a 'pendulum' effect with the top swinging so far from the vertical that it would topple. We are not on any big enough faults so should be fine

[Hopkirk]

Didn't they hammer it in with a huge club hammer?

Mind you, I did that with the spike for my rotary airer. That looks more like the tower in Pisa than the PO Tower.

[Dodger666]

It's been called the BT Tower for many years now.

When GPO telecommunications services were split up in 1981, prior to privatisation in 1984, the tower was renamed London Telecom Tower. When the company rebranded again in 1992, it became the BT Tower.

[grasscarp]

I went up it years ago when it had a revolving restaurant at the top.

[Hopkirk]

Some of the inspection covers outside are labelled GPO.

When they change them I will stop using the name.

[ChuckFickens]

It was also an official secret until the mid 90's so couldn't appear on any maps

(I guess they just hoped nobody would notice the bloody great big secret tower in the middle of London)

[Sqad]

grasscarp so did I.......with a date.......it wasn't you was it?

[Hopkirk]

I remember the restaurant aswell.

I wondered if there was a speed selector lever.
I wanted to push it up to maximum speed, and see if the food hit the windows.

[buildersmate]

In the 'old' days, you used to be able to visit the top. All that stopped when the threat of terrorism meant it was seen as a potential target. Ditto the now defunct revolving restaurant.
It needed to be that all because microwave transmission needs direct line of sight to the next mast and central London sits down in a clay basin with hills around the edges.

[Dodger666]

"Some of the inspection covers outside are labelled GPO.

When they change them I will stop using the name".

I assume the Post Office still delivers your mail too.

[grasscarp]

Sqad. Might have been me. There were so many men and so little time. Oh dear I think I am suffering from Samantha Brick Syndrome!

[TheNovice]

used to work for BT, went to the very top inspection platform once. Very disconcerting as the platform is wider than the support structure so when you look down you cannot see what's holding you up!!! Great view though.

[Dodger666]

Me too novice, I worked on Building Engineering Services for BT in Birmingham. I worked on the crane of the top of Birmingham BT Tower a couple of times.

As you say, great views.

[maggie01]

I went up there for my 21st birthday meal.Many years ago