cable car

Farewell to London

/ mikeosbornphoto / 16 Comments

After living in London for more than 16 years, it’s time to say goodbye. I’m heading north to Manchester for fresh challenges and a whole new hinterland for photography.

I’ve been looking back over thousands of photographs taken in this city over the past five years, meaning much of my time here is locked in memories. This tiny fraction of images touches upon London’s scale and grand architecture – and places I’ve spent many hours in or passed by so many times. A goodbye here is a hello elsewhere – see you again soon from pastures new.

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Peninsular

/ mikeosbornphoto / 13 Comments

There is a nub of land which juts into the River Thames. It’s a hive of modern development and activity, with sleek housing blocks, a lofty cable car and a landmark music and entertainment venue – the O2 Arena. A recent river walk took me to North Greenwich, and here are four images from this remarkable piece the capital’s territory.

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Silver spike

Modern chequers

Grown-up Meccano

Crazy paving portholes

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London’s high wires

/ mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

London’s North Greenwich peninsula is a place of wires and lines, or so it appeared on a recent visit. Its main feature is the O2 Arena, a vast domed building topped with protruding struts, tethered by a web of lines. You can take a walking journey over its roof. A group of people were tackling this feat, clad in light blue jump suits, taking in the views.

A handful of other thrill seekers were enjoying a fairground ride close to the arena, swirling madly against the bright sky. But the big new attraction is London’s cable car – or Emirates Air Line, which takes you across the water to Royal Dock. Its poles, wires and gently dangling cars are a pleasure to photograph.

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SEE ALSO: AERIAL VIEWS

Aerial views

/ mikeosbornphoto / 11 Comments

The newest addition to London’s complex transport web is a cable car, which crosses a waterway between North Greenwich and Royal Dock. The Emirates Air Line, as it’s officially called, provides a short joy ride and an impressive viewing – and photographic – platform across parts of the city.

In these shots, captured on a bright afternoon, the protruding yellow struts of the O2 Arena dominate the frame. It was used for gymnastics during the London Olympic Games and temporarily renamed the North Greenwich Arena. The soaring, shimmering skyscrapers of Docklands line up across the Thames. The new vantage points of the cable car are pretty impressive.

From another point on the ride, this cluster of riverside buildings dominates the vista. The slender form of the BT Tower, some way off in London’s West End, can be seen to the right of the tallest tower. This is a London ride well worth taking.