Big Wheel

Standing at a height of 60 metres the Birmingham Wheel towers over Centenary Square. The Ferris Wheel was never intended as a permanant feature of Birmingham having arrived in the city from Paris where it was previously located.

The Wheel is owned by World Tourist Attractions Ltd and the wheel was transported from Paris to Birmingham on 22 trucks. Using water as ballast to avoid having to dig foundations for the support, the wheel features 42 six seater gondolas.

Passengers on the Wheel had to listen to the French commentary about the River Seine and the Eiffel Tower. The company put this embarassing hitch down to technical difficulties although the commentary never changed for the duration of the wheel's stay until September 2006.

Photos of the big wheel in Birmingham