Some impromptu shots of HMS Belfast and the surrounding area

[adt70hk]

Hi all

So I was in London today for a small industry conference. It was hosted by a big London law firm, which is based in 20 Fenchurch Street aka 'The Walkie Talkie' building. We were on the 31st floor which meant we got a great view across London and some views of HMS Belfast and The Tower that most people never get. My colleague and I then went for a short walk after the conference and so there are some more conventional shots of her.

The vessel moored alongside HMS Belfast was flying the Finnish flag.

Hope you enjoy them.

ATB

Andrew


PS In case you have not heard of it, more info on the Walkie Talkie building here.

[Guest]

The vessel moored alongside HMS Belfast was flying the Finnish flag.

With number 02, it should be the minelayer Hämeenmaa.

[Jim R]

Very nice photos Andrew. As you say not many get that vantage point. It's a few years since I visited HMS Belfast.

[Ian M]

London has changed a lot!
A few years ago I spent ages trying to find the building I used to work in many years since. Then I found out that it was pulled down and it is where the shard now stands.
Does anyone know what happened to Southwark towers to warrant it being demolished?

Belfast looks rather nice in the camo. last I was there she was Grey with grey. lol

[adt70hk]

With number 02, it should be the minelayer Hämeenmaa.

Very nice photos Andrew. As you say not many get that vantage point. It's a few years since I visited HMS Belfast.

London has changed a lot!
A few years ago I spent ages trying to find the building I used to work in many years since. Then I found out that it was pulled down and it is where the shard now stands.
Does anyone know what happened to Southwark towers to warrant it being demolished?

Belfast looks rather nice in the camo. last I was there she was Grey with grey. lol

Hi guys

Thanks for the feedback and Jakko for the info.

Ian - It has changed a lot!! I lived in London for over 8 years and continued to work their until 2014. Pre-lockdown I used to go down four of five times a year. And it keeps changing so much.

Thanks again.

Andrew

[Guest]

Does anyone know what happened to Southwark towers to warrant it being demolished?

I think you gave the answer yourself already:

it is where the shard now stands

The building has a Wikipedia page, but that doesn’t say why specifically it was torn down, which reinforces my thought that it was simply the above.

Talking of the Shard, did you know you can’t just take any old junk up there even if it is for science?

[The Smythe Meister]

Blimey,what a concrete Jungle!!...
.... I'll stick with little ole green Devon thanks.

[Ian M]

I think you gave the answer yourself already:

So you are saying a perfectly sound and modernish building was pulled down just because they wanted to build something bigger...

[Guest]

I can easily see that being done if someone Qatar happens to want to spend a minimum of 435 million pounds for the replacement.

[Waspie]

Blimey,what a concrete Jungle!!...
.... I'll stick with little ole green Devon thanks.

And a very sunny Devon this morning!!

[Tim Marlow]

So you are saying a perfectly sound and modernish building was pulled down just because they wanted to build something bigger...

Not uncommon Ian. It’s just business. If the original owners of the building can get more money for the land and the building from a developer than they will get back from renting the building over a reasonable period of time, then they will sell to the developer. The developer will then build something larger that will get them a greater return on their investment. Used to happen a lot in the Victorian period. Buildings were put up and torn down with alarming regularity, depending upon the requirements of the market. Not saying it’s right, just that’s how it is.
Personally, I’ll stay in rural Somerset.

[Waspie]

You have to imagine how poor ole Henry the VIII felt having a bl**dy great MoD building built on the top of his watering hole. (Pub).
In a few years time Londinium will be owned by the Arab States anyway in the same way our countries utilities have been sold to foreign countries!!

[Nicko]

The company I gave over twenty years of my working life to had an evening 'event' on HMS Belfast probably in the late nineties. I really enjoyed having a nose round and thinking about all the slide rule calculations and manual machining operations it must taken to build her.....

"Where's the food, Nick?"
"Head down there and turn left just past the torpedo!"...

Couldn't believe how big that torpedo was either...

Spent a day or two each week in London for quite a few years back then. Rarely venture there now.


Nick

[Ian M]

"Where's the food, Nick?"
"Head down there and turn left just past the torpedo!"...

Lol I was at a company summer party on her as well many years ago, when I used to work in the now long gone Southwark towers.

[stillp]

Funny you should mention HMS Belfast...

Pete