Friday 7 May 2010

Falmer part ii 7.5.2010 to 24.9.2010

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To see pictures from 1.11.2008 to 30.4.2010 click HERE

To see the most recent pictures please click HERE

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......24th September 2010.........24th September 2010.........24th September 2010......
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Forecast was rain approaching, so went to the Cathedral of Football early this morning.
West stand cladding and glass near completion.
North Stand wall at the top of the terracing has been rendered whilst the outside blockwork nears completion too.
The concourse approach to the West Stand entrance is being formed, and a huge pile of chalk has been excavated, ready for removal.
The new footbridge has been put across the railway lines, and bits are being built to join up with this.
If you've seen the 1901 Club DVD, you can see how everything is coming to reality.
What with the progress on the Amex, and being 2nd in table on goal difference, don't it make you feel good?





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......17th September 2010.........Pope Free Zone.........17th September 2010......
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What a lovely morning. Should I consider going to see Pope Benedict who is currently visiting our country? Certainly not when it's Friday and Falmer is there to be photographed. Anyway, I'm not even Catholic!
G.O.S.B.T.S virtually finished on East Stand, and progressing on West and now South Stands.
The extra long lorry in the site office car park has pieces of the new railway foot bridge on it, ready to be put in situ over this weekend.
The struts etc to receive this are already in place (see latter photos).
South Stand block work underway, and North Stand block work nearing completion.
West Stand terracing being caste.
Pitch area is having the temporary crushed brick layer removed, meaning that soon we will see the pitch being constructed.
Stunning mirror glass over main entrance to West Stand, and other glass there being installed.
Road works taking shape outside Stanmer Park. The east end levels are virtually built up to meet the A27/A270.





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......10th September 2010.........10th September 2010.........10th September 2010......
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Bumped in to Derek Chapman this morning. He is definitely with us regarding the photos, and I got the feeling he may help in some way after xmas.
The GOSBTS on the East Stand is over half-way complete.
The finishing blocks are being installed over the breeze blocks on the exterior of the North Stand.
Cladding now being fitted to southern half of West Stand as Everest pointed out yesterday.
Concrete blocks have been built adjacent to Falmer Station, presumably to support the new 8m wide footbridge?
SEEDA road works starting to make a bit of sense, now the eastern end has been built up to the existing A27 levels.




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......6th September 2010.........Inside Special.........6th September 2010......
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The fixing of the GOSBTS is in full swing on the East Stand.
East and West Stands interiors are looking pretty good with glass partitions going in, final rendering coats on the walls and all manner of stuff I don't recognise being fitted to the ceilings.
The West Stand concourse is being constructed, and when you get up close to the stand, that cladding is just beautiful. No corrugated cheapo stuff here a la St.Marys for example.






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......27th August 2010.........27th August 2010.........27th August 2010......
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After days of awful weather, I took advantage of a short dry spell to quickly whizz around the Mecca of Football.
The East Stand block work inside the stadium has been rendered.
The sexy moondust silver cladding has been stopped at a neat juncture on the West Stand.
Some sexy blue translucent roofing sheets or SBTRS as they will be known as for future reference, have been placed on the East Stand roof, ready for installation.
Only 21 league games to go at Withdean after tomorrow before we move in.












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......20th August 2010.........20th August 2010.........20th August 2010......
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Another wide-screen special this week.
Got up early today to catch the sun. The east stand looked stunning first thing, almost glowing.
All four temporary arch supports have upped sticks and gone.
The roofs on the backs of the north and south stands are coming along.
The vertical strips on the south stand are the finished article.
Sexy silvery cladding a la east stand is slowly creeping along the back of the west stand.
VIP car park area has become a temporary office location, and the SEEDA road works outside Stanmer Park have really changed the view there.
You can now walk underneath the tunnelly thing.
By Christmas, you will be able to turn right out of Stanmer Park, to save an unnecessary 2 mile trip to get back to where you started if you're heading in to town.











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......12th August 2010.........AERIAL SPECIAL.........12th August 2010......
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6th August (last Friday) was Everest's birthday, and in exactly one year's time from then is the first competitive match at the Amex.
Everest sugested that we went up in a plane last week to take some aerial shots but the weather wasn't brilliant, and there were some excellent photos posted last week anyway. Therefore, we rescheduled for today.
It was a bit windy up there, so hard to keep the camera steady , and the windows weren't that clean, but never mind.










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......6th August 2010.........6th August 2010.........6th August 2010......
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Exactly one year to the day until 22,500 of us witness the first league game at the Amex.
We fans have suffered enough, waited long enough and deserve this stadium.
It has been suggested that it may be the finest quality football venue in Europe.
Truly befitting of our wonderful city, and being Brighton born and bred, I can't tell you how proud I will feel on the opening day.
Thanks to all those who made this happen.
Back to business, the west stand blockwork looks complete.
The non-translucent roof sections on both the north and south stands has been started.
The farmers field on the south side of Village Way is almost at its final levels.
The hydraulic units on one of the west stand temporary supports have been removed, meaning that that part of the roof is now free-standing.
It shouldn't be long before all four supports are gone.













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......30th July 2010.........30th July 2010.........30th July 2010......
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It looks like the de-jacking of the arch supports on the west stand has started. This is quite a long process, so don't expect the temporary structures to disappear quite yet.
Work under the east and west stands is going well.
Window frames being installed in west stand and chalk is being used to build up the levels in order to form the foundation concrete before the terracing is cast.
Insulation being put on back of west stand.
Final brick cladding started at the bottom of the north stand wall.

























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......23rd July 2010.........23rd July 2010.........23rd July 2010......
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T'is a thing of great beauty.
All corners bar the south east one are being filled in.
Last bit of concrete being laid at the west end of the south stand.
Block work at the back of the west stand increasing daily. The top level looks complete.
A road about half a mile long has been constructed parallel with the rail way lines from Falmer School to the stadium.
A huge convoy of asphalt lorries was slowly reversing to the school end, ready to start surfacing.
The VIP car park has had its first layer of tarmac.















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......16th July 2010.........16th July 2010.........16th July 2010......
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It's all coming together beautifully.
Photos all taken from outside, but hope to get inside next week.
The south-west corner where the viewing holes are will shortly be filled in, meaning even fewer angles for photos.
Block work is creeping along the back of the monsterous west stand.
The VIP car park is taking shape to the east of Falmer station and the SEEDA road works outside Stanmer Park entrance are immense, with huge walls being built up to the top of the fly-over support.
Falmer station concourse is also getting its levels worked on.












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......25th June 2010.........25th June 2010.........25th June 2010......
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I was allowed on the viewing platform today, but the view is very restricted.
It is being moved further down very soon, so better shots will be possible then.
The time has come where work out of sight is really zooming, and I have been given access on a monthly basis to take photos from inside.
Just as well, as all views from outside the perimeter have all been covered?
JSFW may appear less often due to the stage we're at with the build, and reduce to the above-mentioned monthly posting, and key moments, ie removing the temporary arch structures, pitch works and exterior landscaping.
This was going to happen at some point, and that point is now.
With less than a year to go before the keys are handed over, we'll be there before we know where we are.










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......18th June 2010.........18th June 2010.........18th June 2010......
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Thanks once again to Martin Perry for sorting this.
Whilst the actual visible structure is coming along like a good'un, there's lots of interesting work being carried out, not on view from outside.
These are landmarks in the build, rather like the first steel erection, the demolition of the old Uni buildings, the arch etc.
Now, the installation of the urinals!












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......6th June 2010.........Arch Number 2 Special no 3.........6th June 2010......
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The webcam suggested that the 3rd part of the west stand arch was due for lift off this morning.
Once again, Everest was there before me. We chose a slightly different position to each other to vary the interest in the photos.
Trying to get a good angle for the last arch erection proved very difficult, and perhaps the webcam came up trumps today?
I travelled via Falmer Road rather than Lewes Road today, and when the stadium comes in to view as you drive down, even with one piece of arch to go, the sight of the stadium is the most uplifting you can get.
It is going to become one of Sussex's iconic views.










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......4th June 2010.........Arch Number 2 Special no 2.........4th June 2010......
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What a scorcher.
Everest did the tour in the morning, and was in position this afternoon for more film and photos.
He will post some amazing stuff later.
2nd bit of arch went up with no hitches.
Loads of recognisable Albion fans turned up to get a glimpse of history today.









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......3rd June 2010.........Arch Number 2 Special.........3rd June 2010......
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I got the nod that the arch was "In the air".
I had no option but to zoom up to Falmer with my now famous step-ladder.
Everest was already in position with his cam corder, camera, mobile phone and all sorts of electronic gadgetry.
The sky was the most amazing shade of blue, lending itself to enhance the white middle section of arch, which now sits proudly on the temporary supports.
Hopefully, all "flange" problems have been ironed out this time!














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......29th May 2010.........29th May 2010.........29th May 2010......
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Got back from holiday last night, and having been starved of Falmer action for a whole week, I couldn't wait to get there, having not had even a sniff of the webcam or NSC.
The temporary supporting structures for the west stand arch are in place, but it looks like this may be just the start going by the east stand ones.
The north east corner has been joined up, and there are roof supports coming out of the north stand.
Don't forget the west stand goes right down to pitch level, or where the yellowish crane is standing (picture 9), so if it looks big now, give it a few more weeks.















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......20th May 2010.........20th May 2010.........20th May 2010......
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Fog on the sea front lead me to believe that a visit to the Mecca of Football to take photos might be a waste of time.
However, at Falmer the sun lit up the morning sky and it was a scorcher.
The ring of steel is slowly starting to close.
All sorts of various tasks being carried out in the west stand on all levels and every else you looked throughout the site.
The SEEDA fly-over supports are now being joined up too.
PS. Next JSFW will be Saturday 29th May.

















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......19th May 2010.........My Falmer Stadium Tour.........19th May 2010......
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For all the pictures from this tour please go here








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......14th May 2010.........14th May 2010.........14th May 2010......
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Summer's here at last? Shirt sleeves rolled up and another lap with the trusty step-ladder.
South stand terracing looks complete.
More west stand pre-cast terracing in place.
North stand approaching the west stand.
The SEEDA roadworks at the entrance to Stanmer Park are going at a pace.
The fly-over support that didn't set properly has been rebuilt and the new road in to the Uni car parks is complete.
Now I'm getting to grips with my new camera, there's a few black and white efforts today.
Next week's JSFW will be a day early (Thursday), due to me doing a bit of galavanting.










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......7th May 2010.........ELECTION FREE SPECIAL.........7th May 2010......
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After last week's visit in to the inner sanctum, I had to reaquaint myself with ye olde step-ladder today.
With election fever still in the air, coincidently the Historians and Collectors' Society nominate and vote for someone to receive an award for work that has been achieved to embellish the history of our club.
Yours truly is delighted to have received the most votes this season.
This is for my photographic efforts that appear here on NSC, and hence I will be presented with an award at half-time on the pitch against Yeovil tomorrow.
I am thrilled to bits.
Here's this week's efforts.

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