What is blackpool tower made of

The structure forms part of a cluster of buildings, including a ballroom, circus arena, aquarium and zoo, amusements and shops. The complex was the first major development in Blackpool to be financed largely by money from outside the town.

The Blackpool Tower Company was formed with the aim of building the observation tower as a tourist attraction. The company chairman was John Bickerstaffe , mayor of Blackpool , knighted who remained in post until his death.

Max am Ende , a German engineer, mathematician and expert in complicated ironwork structures, verified the design calculations. The engineer is given as R. The spelling may be a misprint and sources might be referring to civil engineer Richard John Gifford Read c.

Read was initially to be consulted [on Blackpool Tower], but actually took no part in the project. The tower occupies the centre of a trapezoidal block of buildings, measuring about 85m by 52m sq m. The legs of the tower are numbered as follows: 1 north west , 2 south west , 3 south east and 4 north east.

The foundations were constructed during winter , and erection of the superstructure commenced in March The tower is founded in boulder clay and its legs sit on four blocks of concrete, Excavations for these foundations slope towards the centre of the tower, to be at right angles to the axes of the legs.

Rolled steel joists are embedded in the top of the blocks to distribute the loads. Steel bedplates and box section base girders connect the legs to the concrete blocks. The mm deep x mm wide girders join to form a 5m centre to centre square frame, bolted through the foundation blocks using four The ends of the girders extend beyond the frame and are built into the surrounding keep wall. This helps resist lift from wind forces acting on the structure. Connect Comfort and Uplift 2nd November Connect Comfort and Uplift 30th October Connect Comfort and Uplift 26th October Show News 26th October Connect Comfort and Uplift 13th October Comedy 8th October We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.

If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The Mayor of Blackpool, John Bickerstaffe, attended the Great Paris Exhibition in and was so impressed by the structure that he commissioned The Blackpool Tower to be built upon his return. Read more on its history here. In heavy winds, which are common at the seaside, The Blackpool Tower will gently sway along with it.

Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire. Opened to the public in , the ft m tall structure is the th tallest freestanding tower in the world. Blackpool Tower is also the common name for Tower Buildings — the red brick 3-storey entertainment complex at the foot of the tower. The complex contains the Tower Circus, the Tower Ballroom and an aquarium. The tower itself was inspired by the design of the Eiffel Tower which had opened 5 years earlier.

Blackpool Tower has been a successful attraction since it opened in , creating both employment and revenue for the town.

The Tower Circus alone played to around , people in — employing about 50 performers and other staff. As well as having a financial impact, the tower has become a symbol of Blackpool both in the UK and overseas. Designed by architects James Maxwell and Charles Tuke — who both died before the project was finished — the Blackpool Tower is m high to the top of its flagpole.

Engineers used 2, tonnes of steel and 94 tonnes of cast iron to build the structure. The tower itself has 4 legs - each of which is made up of a further 4 legs.

Engineers braced these further 4 legs with lattice girders. A lattice girder is one where the load is carried by latticed metal — often in a criss-cross pattern.