King's Cross Lighthouse to get revamp
- Thread starter MrSki
- Start date
toblerone3
Grrrrr
I often wonder about that little triangle of land and wonder what's going on thinking that it must be some intractable planning blight cause by being on the borders of Camden and Islington.
I also think that this could be the end of the day for Mao Zedong!
I also think that this could be the end of the day for Mao Zedong!
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
I often wonder about that little triangle of land and wonder what's going on thinking that it must be some intractable planning blight cause by being on the borders of Camden and Islington.
I also think that this could be the end of the day for Mao Zedong!
oh yes, you pointed that out to us on that walk, I'd never noticed it before
toblerone3
Grrrrr
Nobody knows what the Lighthouse was for!
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
it is a mystery!
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
I thought it was alight when fresh oysters were being served in the oyster bar below?
editor
hiraethified
Loads of info and pics here: http://www.urban75.org/london/oyster-bar-kings-cross.html
toblerone3
Grrrrr
I thought it was alight when fresh oysters were being served in the oyster bar below?
From the Urban75 pages
"The official view used to be that the 'lighthouse' was an advertising feature intended to promote Netten's oyster bar which was immediately beneath on the ground floor. This is now shown to be unlikely."
MrSki
Who am I to say you're wrong
Why does it seem unlikely? (cos it was not a feature anywhere else?)
About three months ago, I helped out somebody digging out a basement at the bottom of the Cally Road. (A stones throw from the soon to be ex Flying Scotsman) built around the same time as Keystone Crescent(1870s), I can confirm there where shed loads (well actually cellar loads
) of oyster shells mixed in with the hardcore/foundations.According to locals, one of whom died earlier this year (aged 98) & living in the same house as she was born in, The top of Gray's Inn Road used to be a funfair! Right next to where the Lighthouse is.
Only having oysters twice in my life (& suffering an allergic reaction both times,
) I could understand wanting them fresh.For such an iconic building not to have more references when it was built I don't understand.
Maybe it was to navigate a peasouper.
It does split Pentonville Road (Quick rant for those not in KC, why does the spell checker, along with so many peeps ask how Pentonville Road is spelt?
Did they never play Monopoly?) With Gray's Inn Road it could have been a guide for taxis in the dark.The only reason it seems unlikely to me is that some poor bugger had to go upstairs and light the light.
I know that is was easily accessible for shooting pigeons in the mid to late eighties but also starting to crumble. (Hence why some bit are missing.)
I will follow on with my own percy reseach & try to dig out a photo or any other interesting fact.
Anyone with an objection, look at the time of my post & argue when the sun shines.
editor
hiraethified
I researched this pretty thoroughly at the time, and IIRC it was a topic on Robert Elms' radio show. No one could find any evidence of the tower being used for advertising, and by 1955 the building was plastered in ads anyway.
wiskey
Albatross Admirer
you're missing a 't' in 'this' in the caption under the walthamstow lighthouse pic
interesting reading though
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
If this is the scheme that goes ahead, I'm rather pleasantly surprised. The zinc armadillo roof of the extension doesn't look too obtrusive.
http://www.latitudearchitects.com/architecture/commercial/the-lighthouse/
http://www.latitudearchitects.com/architecture/commercial/the-lighthouse/
toblerone3
Grrrrr
I think there should be a light at the top of the Lighthouse.
GuerillaPhoto
Active Member
was inside there/ on the roof last week and its a fucking state inside.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
Having the Circle Line running a few feet underneath the site has also seriously limited the options for redevelopment.
Onket
Je suis [CONTENT REMOVED]
I see they've cleaned off some of the graffiti though.
Onket
Je suis [CONTENT REMOVED]
If it was plastered with ads then that'd fit in with the lighthouse being an ad in itself. Plus the lighthouse is higher than the top of that photo you posted, surely?
p)
editor
hiraethified
There's no photos or documentary evidence showing the 'lighthouse' operating as an advertising feature for the restaurant below.
Onket
Je suis [CONTENT REMOVED]
Couldn't possibly have been the case then.
editor
hiraethified
I've researched this quite thoroughly and couldn't find any evidence to support it being used as an advertising beacon. If, however, you can find some evidence to the contrary, I'd be delighted to update the article. Empty sneery comments just make you look stupid though.
editor
hiraethified
That doesn't even make sense, but if you have some fresh information to add to the article I've researched and photographed, I'd be delighted to see it.
Housmans
radical booksellers since 1945
...from what I hear from friends at KXRLG (Kings Cross Railway Lands Group) final council approval for the 'armadillo' redesign haven't yet been given, as a few objections have been raised by some sticklers for tradition. It seems though that the council is likely to approve in the end, but you know how it goes with these planning application things...
Part of the problem is that the 'back' of the building (facing the Scala) is owned by London Transport, as they have doors there that go down into the underground, and this section takes up a fair amount of space in the property. From what I gather the armadillo roof bit will house some of the more functional aspects of the building (ventilation or what not)
Part of the problem is that the 'back' of the building (facing the Scala) is owned by London Transport, as they have doors there that go down into the underground, and this section takes up a fair amount of space in the property. From what I gather the armadillo roof bit will house some of the more functional aspects of the building (ventilation or what not)
Onket
Je suis [CONTENT REMOVED]
My dad told me the tower on top was one of those... wossname, works like a pinhole camera: you see the the surrounding landscape projected onto a horizontal round screen. There's one at Clifton - what's it called? Camera obscura?
Yes, here's the one in Edinburgh: http://camera-obscura.co.uk/camera_obscura/camera_obscura.asp
Yes, here's the one in Edinburgh: http://camera-obscura.co.uk/camera_obscura/camera_obscura.asp
Similar threads
