Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections

**steviecarnie** · 16-05-2010 09:00 PM

Series 2 - 1. Wembley Stadium
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...mbley_Stadium/

showing all the different techniques and thinking that went into building it.

**Hibs On Tour** · 17-05-2010 12:22 AM

Should maybe have got a groundsman instead of an engineer to look at the pitch - its been awful since the place opened!

**~~hibs0666~~** · 17-05-2010 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by steviecarnie

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Series 2 - 1. Wembley Stadium
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...mbley_Stadium/

showing all the different techniques and thinking that went into building it.

Just a shame it's hosted by one of the Three Pricks.

**Antifa Hibs** · 17-05-2010 09:19 AM

After the state of our pitch last year, I trust Rod will be phoning Wembley requiring about the possibility of a hundred million pound retractable roof to allow sunlight in.

***MacBean*** · 17-05-2010 09:27 AM

I believe that there is a Scotland flag buried deep under the pitch as there were a few Scots that headed up the digging/laying of a foundations?

**steviecarnie** · 17-05-2010 10:29 AM

i was surprised to find out the whole roof doesnt close, just the ends......the dearest stadium ever constructed and its incomplete

**ChrissyG1875** · 17-05-2010 11:03 AM

It's no Easter Road.

***hibbie02*** · 17-05-2010 11:19 AM

It pains me to say it, but it is a bloody good stadium and very well designed (apart from the pitch which is sheight). However if you suffer from vertigo, then avoid the less expensive seats (there are no cheap ones).

It is all a far cry from the old sloped terraces, when (watching John Robertson stroke that pen past Joe Corrigan in 1981) players could look like ants.

**Iain G** · 18-05-2010 02:04 AM

As it was built by Aussies it will probably fall down in a few years anyway

**GhostofBolivar** · 18-05-2010 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by Hibs On Tour

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Should maybe have got a groundsman instead of an engineer to look at the pitch - its been awful since the place opened!

That's got nowt to do with the way the ground was constructed. The problem with the pitch is that the stadium cost too much to build. The company that runs Wembley has to make payments on the loans taken out to pay for it. There's also a lot of expectation that they prove it was worth the expense. So there's incredible pressure on them to use the stadium on a regular basis.

This means that they'll let anyone use Wembley for anything they want as long as there's money to be made from it. Hence rock concerts, rugby league, American football, etc. They've even had motor racing there. What's more, they don't take the football calender into account when they schedule things, so the pitch never gets an opportunity to recover from all the wildly unsuitable events that are held on it.

It's a great stadium as long as you don't go there to watch football.

**GhostofBolivar** · 18-05-2010 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by steviecarnie

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

i was surprised to find out the whole roof doesnt close, just the ends......the dearest stadium ever constructed and its incomplete

Wembley caost £757m.

The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington cost £830m. The new Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey that opens this autumn is projected to cost £1.1bn according to Wikipedia.

***Monts*** · 18-05-2010 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by GhostofBolivar

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Wembley caost £757m.

The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington cost £830m. The new Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey that opens this autumn is projected to cost £.1bn according to Wikipedia.

Is that billion American or British? Either way it doesn't make sense as 100million is less than the others, and there's no way it's going to cost 100,000million...

**OstKurve Hibs** · 18-05-2010 06:53 AM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/3667973564/

Does that mean these 2 will be the closest stadiums in the world n not tannadice n dens? Unless they r knockin the old one down.

**Disc O'Dave** · 18-05-2010 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by bernz

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Is that billion American or British? Either way it doesn't make sense as 100million is less than the others, and there's no way it's going to cost 100,000million...

Yes, but an American billion is 1,000 million, and a UK billion is 1,000,000 million.

Thus making it make more sense...

(Ah I see, you have picked up on the .1 in the number...I am an idiot....)

**Gatecrasher** · 18-05-2010 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by GhostofBolivar

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Wembley caost £757m.

The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington cost £830m. The new Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey that opens this autumn is projected to cost £.1bn according to Wikipedia.

Dallas Cowboys Stadium looks amazing

***hibbie02*** · 18-05-2010 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by OstKurve Hibs

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/3667973564/

Does that mean these 2 will be the closest stadiums in the world n not tannadice n dens? Unless they r knockin the old one down.

They often do this in the US. They did it in Tampa when they built the new Stadium next to the old one (which was none too shabby). It meant that the natives don't get too confused by having to move their tailgate party site. They can keep the car park for the new Stadium.

**Hibs On Tour** · 18-05-2010 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by GhostofBolivar

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

That's got nowt to do with the way the ground was constructed. The problem with the pitch is that the stadium cost too much to build. The company that runs Wembley has to make payments on the loans taken out to pay for it. There's also a lot of expectation that they prove it was worth the expense. So there's incredible pressure on them to use the stadium on a regular basis.

This means that they'll let anyone use Wembley for anything they want as long as there's money to be made from it. Hence rock concerts, rugby league, American football, etc. They've even had motor racing there. What's more, they don't take the football calender into account when they schedule things, so the pitch never gets an opportunity to recover from all the wildly unsuitable events that are held on it.

It's a great stadium as long as you don't go there to watch football.

Well doh! But they would have known that they would have to do all that *before* it went up so they should have been able to factor that into whatever plans were in place for the playing surface and implement accordingly.

John Terry, for all his other faults, was right on the money with his criticism of it. If its supposed to be English football's showcase stadium, then the playing surface has to be right. Otherwise its just an expensive white elephant.

***.Sean.*** · 18-05-2010 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Disc O'Dave

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Yes, but an American billion is 1,000 million, and a UK billion is 1,000,000 million.

Thus making it make more sense...

(Ah I see, you have picked up on the .1 in the number...I am an idiot....)

Never knew that. Very confusing.

**GhostofBolivar** · 18-05-2010 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by bernz

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Is that billion American or British? Either way it doesn't make sense as 100million is less than the others, and there's no way it's going to cost 100,000million...

British.