If you were wandering along the Thames one cold night this past week, you might have spotted a curious sight. That’s because one of the London Eye’s iconic capsules was seen bobbing its way along the river. But fret not – the capsule didn’t somehow detach itself from the iconic attraction and make a run for it. Nor was it some kind of elaborate heist where someone was attempting to steal a London Eye capsule. Instead, it’s just the first stage in an extensive upgrade that is set to spruce up the London Eye.
Now, a big part of maintaining the London Eye is making sure it remains as safe and up-to-date as possible. And with the attraction entering its 25th year of operation in 2o25it’s in need of a little pre-emptive maintenance. And that all starts with the pods themselves. But these can’t be inspected whilst perched in the air. Instead, they need to be removed and transported to a special facility.
So then the question arises: how do you transport an enormous 10-tonne capsule? By barge, of course! Which is why, yesterday, the London Eye capsule was seen bobbing its way down the Thames. It was on its way to UK Loco to be checked out and upgraded.
In its absence, the capsule has been replaced with a temporary cage. But no, you can’t ride in the replacement cage…
Upgrading the London Eye
As part of the upgrade, the London Eye’s capsules are being modernised and outfitted with “the latest technology, safety features, and visitor comfort enhancements.” Each capsule will be removed and inspected individually. They will undergo six months of testing and evaluation. This will ensure that any necessary repairs are completed as part of the upgrade.
Oh, and by the way – that process of removing the capsule? It took 12 people a whopping 12 hours to complete!
Said Stuart Watson, Director at UK Loco:
“It’s not every day that you see a capsule from Britain’s most recognisable attraction come floating down The Thames on its way to your workshop! We’ve been eagerly awaiting the first capsule’s arrival so our team can get cracking with the upgrade and future proofing works”.
The London Eye was last upgraded and renewed back in 2009. Those works finished in 2012, just in time for the London Olympics.
The current London Eye upgrade project is expected to be completed by early 2029. In the meantime, though, it might look a little different. And you might even spot some of the other capsules making their way down the Thames.
Said Robin Goodchild, Senior General Manager of The London Eye:
“In line with the planning permission for The London Eye, we pledged to futurise and invest in upgrading London’s most iconic skyline attraction. It’s a momentous milestone to see the first capsule removed by our highly skilled team, as we continue the celebrating our 25th anniversary year.
“The Eye may look a little different to usual, whilst the renovation works are underway, but it’ll keep on rotating and welcoming guests to view London from 135M above.”
