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London 2012 Olympic Cauldron...


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JackB, you can also display the posts you are referring to - by clicking the "Quote" button below that respective post. It would be a lot easier for us to read than if we have to go back through the pages and find the number of the post you are referring to.

Anyway: Londonbound, that picture is a fantastic find. It's especially remarkable because it shows so many different areas where we already guessed the cauldron would go. The little garden north of the stadium on the opposite side of the canal, the service pods, the roof, the Orbit... And none of them look as if a cauldron is constructed there. :D One could really despair of it. ;)

And yes, I wondered about the fenced area, too. But to me, it appears much too close to the stadium and too narrow to be some kind of cauldron foundation. And I also highly doubt, Baron, that they will hook up the gas pipes there and snake them upwards. That would be very unsafe -- especially in that area that is the immediate entry and exit area for the spectators. Not to mention the wrap. If the roof really is the cauldron location, I suppose that they have a far more solid gas pipe already installed in the stadium's girders for months or years.

On a side note: Today in my work as a journalist, I saw a picture by the German Press Agency dpa apparently showing tourists taking pictures near the canal on the opposite side of that "mysterious" concrete square. One couldn't see the square in that picture, but one could see that little old bridge near it -- you know, the one that already existed before the Olympic Park was remodelled. And the doors of the fence at its ends were opened, I believe that some tourists even walked on that bridge. I was amazed that they can get that close to the stadium already now. Anyway, nothing appeared as if they are building a cauldron there either.

So that probably rules out another one of our original guesses. The only possibility for a cauldron in that area would be my (vague) guess in the other thread, a barge carrying some sort of telescopic or erectable cauldron tower. But I don't really believe in that scenario either.

So, all in all, I'm still as clueless about the cauldron's location as seven years ago when London was awarded the Games. ;)

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Olympian - the Park is still closed to tourists. There are a lot of volunteers (cast and Gamesmakers) wandering around though as well as sponsors' tours etc.

Ah, thanks for the information! And good to see that you didn't let yourself be frightened off by Colonel Iredale. ;)

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And I also highly doubt, Baron, that they will hook up the gas pipes there and snake them upwards. That would be very unsafe -- especially in that area that is the immediate entry and exit area for the spectators. Not to mention the wrap. If the roof really is the cauldron location, I suppose that they have a far more solid gas pipe already installed in the stadium's girders for months or years.

No. Remember the plans that were submitted and approved for gas lines only showed their underground placements? Wherever it would eventually be decided the spot would be, then crews will have to "sprout" connections from those underground gas lines. If I were to place something on the roof, of course, you would dig from that spot and then "snake" (and I use the term very loosely, but of course you would 'disguise' the piping in whatever structure there can accommodate it). This London Oly stadium's side contour is very much like Birds' Nest--sloping outward...so like with Birds Nest, the gas piping there just traced the criss-cross setup of their girders. Similarly here, piping would have to come up from that spot (which in case, it explodes or fires up, is at least on the outside, therefore minimizing any structural damage to the 'temporary' nature of the upper part. Besides, it's easier to watch for any monkey-business outside (who would climb that and not be seen by Security?); and similarly, easy to monitor on any closed-circuit camera that's already situated around the site.

So, it's not all that far-fetched for gas pipes to start from that spot. It just makes simple sense.

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Ah, thanks for the information! And good to see that you didn't let yourself be frightened off by Colonel Iredale. ;)

;) - since I KNOW that's public information and immediately apparent to anyone who goes near the Stratford Gate, that doesn't breach anything. I did get told that some of the Technical Gamesmakers have now been asked to monitor forums and social media so wondered if that's where our Colonel popped up from and perhaps doesn't know enough about the show himself to realise what's actually a potential information leak...

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No. Remember the plans that were submitted and approved for gas lines only showed their underground placements?

There were plans for the gas lines as well? I only know of the planning application map showing a possible location of a cauldron (http://planning.london2012.com/upload/publicaccessODAlive/OLY-OLF-APP-DWG-PDZ3-SSU-PAR-001%20%282268%29.pdf) and of a written planning application for the gas line (http://planning.london2012.com/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=LUOZKFSZK0000&searchtype=WEEKLY) which -- interestingly -- wasn't approved before January of this year. And I only know of rumours that they built two gas lines: One outside the stadium, one inside the stadium, maybe to have the choice between two possible cauldron locations.

However, what I say is that they could have done that "connection sprouting" much earlier. They don't have to do it in the final two weeks before the show, and I bet that they have done it much earlier -- if there really is the need for a gas supply on the roof. That's why I think that that fenced area outside the stadium has a whole different purpose. I especially doubt that it is anything cauldron-related because it's so large. For what do they need such a large area if they just want to make a connection to a gas pipe?

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More and more people around the world will, over time, get used to the longer list of official Olympic Games and the place of both editions of YOGs in the Olympic Movement.

Just on athlete numbers alone participating, the order from highest to lowest is, and will always be:

  1. Summer Olympic Games
  2. Winter Olympic Games
  3. Summer Youth Olympic Games
  4. Winter Youth Olympic Games

The first two of course will always be by far the biggest and more senior Games compared to their younger siblings.

This is the way the IOC always intended the Youth Olympic Games to be - a pathway to sporting excellence at the senior Games for our younger developing athletes.

InnsbruckCauldron-3.jpg

IOC President Jacques Rogge speaks at the Opening Ceremony of the inaugural

2012 Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympic Games.

InnsbruckCauldron-1.jpg

Egon Zimmerman, the 1964 Winter Olympic Downhill Champion,

lights a Cauldron at the 2012 Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympic Games.

InnsbruckCauldron-2.jpg

Three Cauldrons were lit at the 2012 Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympic Games

to also commemorate the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympic Games.

What does any of that have to do with the price if eggs? We understand the genesis and declared purpose of the YOGs -- that is not the issue. We all know how they rank in terms of size as well.

The question is whether Innsbruck is the first 3-time Olympic host city. Are you saying you agree with Baron and think Innsbruck deserves that title?

I discount the YOGs. The distinction of being the first three-time Olympic host city goes to London.

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The question is whether Innsbruck is the first 3-time Olympic host city. Are you saying you agree with Baron and think Innsbruck deserves that title?

Yes they are... all the Olympic protocol was there : flag, hymn, flame coming from Greece....

Not counting it is the same as considering the Winter & the Summer as two different events... and not not considering than Munchen could have been the first city to host 2 different Olympics.

Definitively Innsbruck has been the 1st city to host 3 Olympic Games.

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Yes they are... all the Olympic protocol was there : flag, hymn, flame coming from Greece....

Not counting it is the same as considering the Winter & the Summer as two different events... and not not considering than Munchen could have been the first city to host 2 different Olympics.

Definitively Innsbruck has been the 1st city to host 3 Olympic Games.

Yes, it is an IOC-accredited event...sporting all the protocol, branding & OK, reduced-budget pomp & pageantry of the older senior Games. If the IOC declassified the 1906 Intercalated Games, then the 21st century IOC body has certainly and wholeheartedly embraced the YOGs (for the time being), with their full imprimatur.

Back to London. Until we know what that new "blue" tent contains, I was thinking there will be two duplicate cauldrons. One for the floor via that central hole; and the other one on the roof. Instead of transferring the whole contraption; they just transfer the flame; keep the floor cauldron in place for the Closing; and then just light the roof one. So much easier than transferring the whole cauldron overnight on the 27th.

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Latest picture from today July 21st.

tumblr_m7iv47u7md1rx6a0vo1_500.jpg

What's that blue structure in front of the stadium towards the middle of the picture...?

I looked through an older image and could not find that blue structure, so it appears new....

AN5879439Aerialviewofthe.jpg

Is this finally [related to] our cauldron?

Back to London. Until we know what that new "blue" tent contains, I was thinking there will be two duplicate cauldrons. One for the floor via that central hole; and the other one on the roof. Instead of transferring the whole contraption; they just transfer the flame; keep the floor cauldron in place for the Closing; and then just light the roof one. So much easier than transferring the whole cauldron overnight on the 27th.

Yeah, that's basically been my best guess all along. A ceremony only cauldron with the flame being transfered to an identical one elsewhere afterwards. Though I'm not sure about the second one being on the roof.

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Yes they are... all the Olympic protocol was there : flag, hymn, flame coming from Greece....

Not counting it is the same as considering the Winter & the Summer as two different events... and not not considering than Munchen could have been the first city to host 2 different Olympics.

Definitively Innsbruck has been the 1st city to host 3 Olympic Games.

We disagree then. I bet we'll hear multiple broadcasters credit London as the first three-time host. (I've already heard some.) That was how This line of conversation started. What will happen in 30 years when the YOGs are dead?

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Out of all the off-topic disucssions this thread has spiraled into, this "London: first three time Olympic host city or not?" one is by the far the most insufferable and uninteresting.

Do you have something to say about the cauldron's location?

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We disagree then. I bet we'll hear multiple broadcasters credit London as the first three-time host. (I've already heard some.) That was how This line of conversation started. What will happen in 30 years when the YOGs are dead?

Those broadcasters DON'T always know what they're saying. At that 25th anniversary dinner of LA 1984 three summers ago, the emcee kept yapping about how the LA Coliseum was the first arena/venue to host TWO Olympic Opening Ceremonies. I just wanted to run up there grab the mic and tell him WRONG!! The St. Moritz Olympic Ice Arena and the Stockholm Olympic stadium laid claim to that title first: St. Moritz for 1928 and 1948 winters; and Stockholm for 1912 and the Equestrian 1956 summers. The larger cities (like London and LA) will always try to grab those titles spuriously!!

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Latest picture from today July 21st.

tumblr_m7iv47u7md1rx6a0vo1_500.jpg

What's that blue structure in front of the stadium towards the middle of the picture...?

And may I ask where this blue structure is exactly? I can't get my bearings straight at this angle.

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Yeah. A blue structure that could be absolutely anything and we have no way of verifying. Engrossing!

Do you realize that we won't have any way of "verifying" the cauldron until we see it lit on our television screeens in less than a week or until it's obviously clear that's the cauldron? We had no way of "veryfying" the inflatable hanger on top of the Bird's Nest and whatever was inside of it four years ago and until pictures leaked of the cauldorn testing days before that ceremony.

So yes, that structure, for now, is engrossing. It's a structure to the north of the stadium - the area of Olympic Park we have had our obsessive internet eyes on for months - that may or may not have been there some weeks ago and may have appeared in the last few days. I posted it on here in case someone knows what / where exactly it might be.

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And may I ask where this blue structure is exactly? I can't get my bearings straight at this angle.

Shot looks to have come from the area outside the stadium behind where the Tor is located (North?). I think the Blue builds were already there in the picture someone else had posted in the previous page, its just that the angle of the shot makes it look like the structures are bigger.

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