Glasgow Science Centre tower reopens after four-year hiatus
by Tom Anstey | 08 Jul 2014
The tower originally opened in 2001 but has been marred by technical difficulties and structural issues
Glasgow Science Centre’s ill-fated tower is set to reopen in the Scottish city more than four years after visitors were last allowed to use it.
The 127m (416ft) rotating tower – which offers a 20-mile view of the Glasgow area on a clear day – has spent more than 80 per cent of its existence closed since opening in 2001, having been plagued by a number of structural problems making it unsafe to the public.
The £10m (US$17.1m, €12.6m) structure has undergone a £1.8m (US$3m, €2.3m) revamp, with repairs made to the rotary thrust bearing that allows the tower to turn, while the existing lifts have also been replaced.
Trips to the tower’s top will cost £4.95 (US$8.50, €6.20), with the visitor attraction remaining open for the centre’s summer season before closing on 2 November for the winter season.
The redevelopment was paid for partly by money gained from a settlement reached with the original contractors – Carillion – over the quality of the work, while the remainder of the cost has been met by Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow City Council.
The tower is currently the only structure in the world capable of 360 degree rotation into prevailing wind and holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest fully rotating freestanding structure in the world.
Glasgow Science Centre’s ill-fated tower is set to reopen in the Scottish city more than four years after visitors were last allowed to use it. The 127m (416ft) rotating tower – which offers a 20-mile view of the Glasgow area on a clear day – has spent more than 80 per cent of its existence closed since opening in 2001, having been plagued by a number of structural problems making
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