I wanted to do another collective report on rooftops and cranes like I did last year, but this time in non-public. I kept putting it off, thinking to myself, 'I'll just wait until I get that one more...'
I looked back, and including all the smaller 'one shot wonder' rooftops, this report would have been a little too long. So since I'm in tonight, I thought I'd pick out some of my more favourite height's and throw a write up together.
So here we go, in the order they come on Photobucket....
The Tower Hotel, July
I first looked at this last year with Chris, before we realised that we could have just walked in through the main doors. Security clocked us trying all the plant doors etc. And we eventually had to leave.
Last month we were recce'ing other sites along the Wapping stretch of water and decided to give it another go. This time walking boldly through the front doors and into the lift. At the top we found the plant door unlocked, and after a bit of searching around in the dark, we found the roof door...
View attachment 465779
Sea Containers House, March
AKA; KRT's smaller next door neighbour.
Half-Life originally told me about Sea Container's up-coming renovations since a relative of his worked there. I completely forgot about it until Dicky and AndrewB cracked it earlier in the year. Kudos, it kinda made up for the fact KRT is currently sealed
Visited with Chris before moving onto TC2 at 20 Fenchurch, which can still be seen in the background here:
View attachment 465780
One Tower Bridge, July
Even more unaffordable housing to go up in London. I climbed the cranes with Dicky, AndrewB and Serenity after watching the opening night fireworks at Millennium Mills.
One thing I'll note, most of the cranes to have gone up recently in London have been locked up; this crane proved that a locked hatch doesn't always mean it can't be climbed.
More information on the site here.
View attachment 465781
View attachment 465782
Regents Place, August
I first looked at this site with Analepsis earlier in the year (or last year, I can't remember) when the cranes first went up. The building was only on about floor 2 or 3 at that stage, and since the base of the crane was next to security's hut we decided to go up some levels in the building and hop across. Unfortunately this didn't quite work out, and we were spotted by security next door wondering across one of the unfinished floors.
I was reminded of the site recently when a report went up, so went to have another look with a non-member. Security has been stepped up a little since my first unsuccessful visit, with cameras erected around the site. Access was still the same though.
I didn't take the tallest building, because quite simply, I didn't notice it. I went straight for the staircase I took on my first visit, and didn't notice the taller tower next door until I was on the roof. Never mind, the views were still good.
View attachment 465783
View attachment 465784
Urbanest, Kings Cross Lands, August
I done one of these Urbanest site's last year at Tower Hill. This one was exactly the same in interior layout; lots of bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms. At 27 storey's it's easily the tallest in the area, and gives a good view of all the rail infrastructure that surrounds Kings Cross and St. Pancras.
Security was fast asleep in his hut, so without wasting time we hopped into the site, narrowly avoiding a passing Police car:
View attachment 465785
View attachment 465786
Novotel Kings Cross, July
It's not actually Novotel anymore, but I can't remember who runs it. So we'll stick with Novotel.
I think I got quite lucky with this one, it had been on my list of thing's to check for a little while, so I met up with sjw and headed in for a look. Arriving at the top we found the roof door flapping in the wind. After getting a few shots we disappeared. I came back again for some night photo's and found both doors locked back up.
View attachment 465787
View attachment 465788
University of London, Senate House, March
This probably deserves a report all to itself, however I didn't take many pictures, and those I did take were crap.
I actually nearly dropped my tripod off the edge here, only managing to catch it as it toppled over the edge. That would have been awkward to explain to the authorities!
Visited with Dicky and Keitei after a re-visit to Sea Containers.
View attachment 465789
View attachment 465790
Glastonbury House, May
Not much to say on this one, other than it was nice relaxed roof with good views over to Battersea PS. They were obviously holding some sort of event there at the time, as the chimney's were lit up purple once it got dark.
It also offered a good view into the nearby Chelsea Barracks. I've eyed up those boarded up tower blocks a few times now, but the OTT security, plus the Alsation on the loose has always put me off. Maybe one day....
Cheers to Patch for the tip-off on this one.
View attachment 465791
View attachment 465792
Emirates Air Line (Cable Car), May
I originally spent a whole night recce'ing this with Dicky. Looking at both sides of the river. However on the north side security was an abundance, with big fences, dogs and CCTV cameras. They had even cut off the self-rescue ladders on the shore!
The south tower on the other hand had none of that, just a well lit bridge across the Thames. That we be our main obstacle. I was also quite surprised I could see no camera's, although I did find one later on...
I came back with Kevin Arnold a few time's afterwards, and every time we turned away and went home due to workers in the tower. Kev went on and did it on his own, so I went back a few day's later with Analepsis, getting our tide timing spot on.
Getting in and up was good fun, especially with workers on the ground below. Just before we were about to leave I noticed a man in hi-viz walking across the bridge towards us.. My pants filled up for a second as I thought workers were moving back onto the tower. Had they done that, we would have been trapped.
Thankfully it was only security on his patrol, but I did noticed his camera at the top facing down on the bridge. Sneaky
View attachment 465793
View attachment 465794
View attachment 465795
Maple Quays, Canada Water, March
My wide angle distortion absolutely ruined my pics from here, so I'll have to get back there at some point soon.
This was actually quite 'hot'. Not because of security, but because the whole site is surrounded by flats. Including a tower block which overlooks the first third of the crane.
We were continuously hiding from people coming out on their balconys, and at one point accidentally found ourselves hiding right in front of a site camera. Luckily nothing came it.
Visited with Dicky.
View attachment 465796
View attachment 465797
Brompton Oratory, May
I don't really like west London so much, but it did look good from above. I visited with Smalls on probably the first 'warm' night of the year.
We stayed up there til dawn and made our way out after the milkman had done his thing.
View attachment 465798
View attachment 465799
County Hall, August
Scott originally recommended this to me, so I went and had a look with Chris and AndrewB after watching Battle of Waterloo at Leak Street.
We had a look at the basement too, but I found it a little boring. Just lots of identical corridors leading to more identical plant rooms. We found one room full of London Eye paraphernalia though, which was pretty cool. Including spare parts and large models. And even some taxidermy owls!
View attachment 465800
View attachment 465801
Thanks for looking.
I looked back, and including all the smaller 'one shot wonder' rooftops, this report would have been a little too long. So since I'm in tonight, I thought I'd pick out some of my more favourite height's and throw a write up together.
So here we go, in the order they come on Photobucket....
The Tower Hotel, July
I first looked at this last year with Chris, before we realised that we could have just walked in through the main doors. Security clocked us trying all the plant doors etc. And we eventually had to leave.
Last month we were recce'ing other sites along the Wapping stretch of water and decided to give it another go. This time walking boldly through the front doors and into the lift. At the top we found the plant door unlocked, and after a bit of searching around in the dark, we found the roof door...
View attachment 465779
Sea Containers House, March
AKA; KRT's smaller next door neighbour.
Half-Life originally told me about Sea Container's up-coming renovations since a relative of his worked there. I completely forgot about it until Dicky and AndrewB cracked it earlier in the year. Kudos, it kinda made up for the fact KRT is currently sealed
Visited with Chris before moving onto TC2 at 20 Fenchurch, which can still be seen in the background here:
View attachment 465780
One Tower Bridge, July
Even more unaffordable housing to go up in London. I climbed the cranes with Dicky, AndrewB and Serenity after watching the opening night fireworks at Millennium Mills.
One thing I'll note, most of the cranes to have gone up recently in London have been locked up; this crane proved that a locked hatch doesn't always mean it can't be climbed.
More information on the site here.
View attachment 465781
View attachment 465782
Regents Place, August
I first looked at this site with Analepsis earlier in the year (or last year, I can't remember) when the cranes first went up. The building was only on about floor 2 or 3 at that stage, and since the base of the crane was next to security's hut we decided to go up some levels in the building and hop across. Unfortunately this didn't quite work out, and we were spotted by security next door wondering across one of the unfinished floors.
I was reminded of the site recently when a report went up, so went to have another look with a non-member. Security has been stepped up a little since my first unsuccessful visit, with cameras erected around the site. Access was still the same though.
I didn't take the tallest building, because quite simply, I didn't notice it. I went straight for the staircase I took on my first visit, and didn't notice the taller tower next door until I was on the roof. Never mind, the views were still good.
View attachment 465783
View attachment 465784
Urbanest, Kings Cross Lands, August
I done one of these Urbanest site's last year at Tower Hill. This one was exactly the same in interior layout; lots of bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms. At 27 storey's it's easily the tallest in the area, and gives a good view of all the rail infrastructure that surrounds Kings Cross and St. Pancras.
Security was fast asleep in his hut, so without wasting time we hopped into the site, narrowly avoiding a passing Police car:
View attachment 465785
View attachment 465786
Novotel Kings Cross, July
It's not actually Novotel anymore, but I can't remember who runs it. So we'll stick with Novotel.
I think I got quite lucky with this one, it had been on my list of thing's to check for a little while, so I met up with sjw and headed in for a look. Arriving at the top we found the roof door flapping in the wind. After getting a few shots we disappeared. I came back again for some night photo's and found both doors locked back up.
View attachment 465787
View attachment 465788
University of London, Senate House, March
This probably deserves a report all to itself, however I didn't take many pictures, and those I did take were crap.
I actually nearly dropped my tripod off the edge here, only managing to catch it as it toppled over the edge. That would have been awkward to explain to the authorities!
Visited with Dicky and Keitei after a re-visit to Sea Containers.
View attachment 465789
View attachment 465790
Glastonbury House, May
Not much to say on this one, other than it was nice relaxed roof with good views over to Battersea PS. They were obviously holding some sort of event there at the time, as the chimney's were lit up purple once it got dark.
It also offered a good view into the nearby Chelsea Barracks. I've eyed up those boarded up tower blocks a few times now, but the OTT security, plus the Alsation on the loose has always put me off. Maybe one day....
Cheers to Patch for the tip-off on this one.
View attachment 465791
View attachment 465792
Emirates Air Line (Cable Car), May
I originally spent a whole night recce'ing this with Dicky. Looking at both sides of the river. However on the north side security was an abundance, with big fences, dogs and CCTV cameras. They had even cut off the self-rescue ladders on the shore!
The south tower on the other hand had none of that, just a well lit bridge across the Thames. That we be our main obstacle. I was also quite surprised I could see no camera's, although I did find one later on...
I came back with Kevin Arnold a few time's afterwards, and every time we turned away and went home due to workers in the tower. Kev went on and did it on his own, so I went back a few day's later with Analepsis, getting our tide timing spot on.
Getting in and up was good fun, especially with workers on the ground below. Just before we were about to leave I noticed a man in hi-viz walking across the bridge towards us.. My pants filled up for a second as I thought workers were moving back onto the tower. Had they done that, we would have been trapped.
Thankfully it was only security on his patrol, but I did noticed his camera at the top facing down on the bridge. Sneaky
View attachment 465793
View attachment 465794
View attachment 465795
Maple Quays, Canada Water, March
My wide angle distortion absolutely ruined my pics from here, so I'll have to get back there at some point soon.
This was actually quite 'hot'. Not because of security, but because the whole site is surrounded by flats. Including a tower block which overlooks the first third of the crane.
We were continuously hiding from people coming out on their balconys, and at one point accidentally found ourselves hiding right in front of a site camera. Luckily nothing came it.
Visited with Dicky.
View attachment 465796
View attachment 465797
Brompton Oratory, May
I don't really like west London so much, but it did look good from above. I visited with Smalls on probably the first 'warm' night of the year.
We stayed up there til dawn and made our way out after the milkman had done his thing.
View attachment 465798
View attachment 465799
County Hall, August
Scott originally recommended this to me, so I went and had a look with Chris and AndrewB after watching Battle of Waterloo at Leak Street.
We had a look at the basement too, but I found it a little boring. Just lots of identical corridors leading to more identical plant rooms. We found one room full of London Eye paraphernalia though, which was pretty cool. Including spare parts and large models. And even some taxidermy owls!
View attachment 465800
View attachment 465801
Thanks for looking.
