Great Wheel

The Great Wheel stood in Earls Court, London, for eleven years. It was built for the Empire of India Exhibition and opened to the public in July 1895. The wheel was 94 metres tall and 82.3 metres in diameter, weighing about 900 tons. It carried over 2.5 million passengers in 40 cars, each holding thirty people. The wheel was demolished in 1907 after its last use at the Imperial Austrian Exhibition.

The Great Wheel was modelled on the original Ferris Wheel from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It was also known as the Gigantic Wheel or Graydon Wheel. The wheel stayed in service until 1906, when it was no longer profitable to run. Its construction began in March 1894 at Maudslay, Sons and Field in Greenwich.

Visitors to Earls Court found the Great Wheel an impressive sight. The wheel’s size made it a landmark of the area. Its 40 passenger cars offered views across London. The wheel’s design drew crowds to the exhibitions it served. After its removal, the site became part of Earls Court’s changing landscape.