Falmer Archive: 9th October 2009

26th February 2010

Seems I caught a good spell of weather for photos this morning.
It was still bitterly cold though, and the wind funnelling along Village Way was evil.
However, the heart cockles warmed up no end with what I saw today.
The west stand well under way.
The north stand foundations have been started as has the cladding on the back of the east stand.
After a cracking evening at Charlton last Tuesday, and the uplifting progress of the stadium, what's the chances of a hat-trick

19th February 2010
With two sections of arch up, and the other due later today, it's really exciting times with the build now.
The west stand steel is going up quickly, and we know how quick that is, going by the speed the east and south stand framework went up.
There's different projects going on all over the site.

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......15th February 2010..............Arch going up again..............15th February 2010......
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First part of the Arch going back up again - hopefully the other 2 sections to follow shortly!!!

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......12th February 2010..............12th February 2010..............12th February 2010......
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West stand basement taking shape nicely.
Seating area in front of the south stand has had a flat coating ready for the concrete.
Under-pinning of Village Way ongoing.
Falmer station concourse widening area now has a sub-base.
It's all coming along very nicely indeed.

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......5th February 2010..............5th February 2010..............5th February 2010......
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Lots of progress since last week.
Looks like some scaffolding has been taken down from the south end of the east stand.
Block work taking place in the top tier of the east stand.
Under-pinning of Village Way taking place behind the West Stand.
Pre-cast wall sections being craned in to place in West Stand basement.
Falmer station concourse extension works going well.

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......29th January 2010..............29th January 2010..............29th January 2010......
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Bitter cold wind, causing the old trigger finger a bit of a problem.
Strange structure in front of south west thrust block.
More concreting and other work gone on in the west stand basement.
Should see dramatic advancements on this stand and arch erection soon.

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......24th January 2010..............Sunday Morning special..............24th January 2010......
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Due to Friday's appalling weather, I went to Falmer this morning.
The usual lack of noise from trundling lorries of chalk and their bleeping reversing warning devices made for an eery, and due to being Sunday, ecclesiastical atmosphere about the place.
However, some work was taking place with several welders in action, carrying out the arch modification work, all in complete silence.
There has been some concreting and a pre-cast wall has been erected in part of the west stand basement.

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......15th January 2010..............15th January 2010..............15th January 2010......
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Happy New Year to one and all.
The recent snow has delayed progress a little, but I'm told that lost time will be easily made up.
Lots of lorries full of chalky soil being taken over the road.
West stand basement easily visible.
Arch sections being welded on the ground.

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......8th January 2010..............WOT no pictures special..............8th January 2010......
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Due to Jack Straws idleness there are no pictures this friday. Nothing to do with all work being suspended because of the Weather ;-))

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......1st January 2010..............SEEDA Road Works Watch..............1st January 2010......
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I couldn't resist it.
Having the day off, I cycled to the Mecca of Football.
The infrastructure works are just as exciting to me as the stadium stuff.
The big scaffolding structure is to do with the fly-over.
The total area of these works, especially behind the road opposite the stadium in Stanmer Park, is a lot bigger than you think.
If you zoom in on the fourth photo, above the first building on the left, you can see the crawler crane, to give you a rough idea where this is all going on.

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......25th December 2009.............HAPPY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL.............25th December 2009......
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What better way to spend Christmas morning than a stroll around the site of our future dream home?
This week is all about the west stand foundations.
Last week's snow meant you couldn't see the vast progress made here.
Players' tunnel clear in picture 4.
Thanks everybody for your kind comments over the last year.
Wishing you all the best for 2010.
Cheers, JS.

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......18th December 2009..............Special Snow Edition..............18th December 2009......
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Slithered to the stadium site through 4" of snow.
Parked at Falmer Station as spinning cars were blocking Falmer Road and Village Way.
After the maiden flight of the arch last week, this week had to be an anti-climax? Perhaps not? The snow has made this week's efforts rather magical.
The next arch raising episode should be the final lift, early next year.
Calendars nearly sold out, so hurry if you want one.

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......11th December 2009..............The Lifting of The Arch..............11th December 2009......
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I'd learnt that the arch would be on the move at daylight today.
I was on site at 7.30am and daylight was breaking.
It was flipping cold, and I took a photo or two in the strange morning light.
Checked out the best place to put the ladder, then the fog came down.
Oh no. Workers started to attatch the chains to the arch and about 9.00am the mist started to lift.
Barry Izbak also made an early start, and his video will be another epic which he will post on another thread later.
Soon, the sun came out, and it was absolutely perfect for taking photos of this momentous occasion.
Well worth ballancing on a ladder for four hours!

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......4th December 2009..............4th December 2009..............4th December 2009......
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Beautiful morning today, blue sky and frosty.
The temporary supports stand proudly awaiting the landing of the arch next week.
The whole site is virtually level now, and the complete enclosed area looks ready for the next action.
The earthwork for the Falmer Station concourse extension has started.

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......27th November 2009..............27th November 2009..............27th November 2009......
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Flipping cold up there this morning.
Loads and loads of soggy chalk being taken over the road from the west stand area to the field opposite.
3rd part of the arch completed.
One photo sort of shows you how it will look when put together.

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......20th November 2009..............20th November 2009..............20th November 2009......
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For the second week running, rain delayed play, but here you are.
North east thrust wall, (dog's head) reinforcing rods look brilliant against the sky.
Diggers now removing loads of chalk from where Uni buildings were.
Thanks to the builders who showed their back sides to me as I tried to focus on my last shots!

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....14th November 2009......From Inside the Building Site by Natterjack......14th November 2009....
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......13th November 2009..............13th November 2009..............13th November 2009......
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The site looks like a murky pond after all the recent rain.
The other end of the arch which arrived yesterday looks miniscule compared to the bits that have been assembled.
Brick work obvious in east stand.
All the demolition works seem to have been completed.
Road works outside Stanmer Park going at a real pace too.

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......6th November 2009..............6th November 2009..............6th November 2009......
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SEEDA road widening scheme going strong outside Stanmer Park.
Big swathe of trees gone and cones all over the place, (not pine cones)!
Second of the three arch sections being constructed on the ground.
South west corner dog's head reinforcement rising.
Took a night shot last night too.

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......30th October 2009..............30th October 2009..............30th October 2009......
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It looks like the first third of the arch is ready for lifting.
Scaffolding all along the east stand ready for the brick layers.
Piles of breeze blocks on the floors of the east stand.
Demolition going strong.
Tarmac being laid at the furthest south westerly part of the site.

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....29th October2009.......From Inside the Building Site by Natterjack.....29th October2009....
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....26th October 2009........Jack Straw's Crawler Crane Watch 26/10/09........26th October 2009....
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Driving down Falmer Road, there it was.
You can probably see it from the moon.
No ladder, but always have my camera.

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......23rd October 2009..............23rd October 2009..............23rd October 2009......
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Weather was perfect for photos, but got worse as time went by and ended up a bit damp.
Accompanied again by Barry Izbak, who's film will be on another thread very soon.
The most impressive thing this week is the "crawler crane", which I'm told will be twice as big as it is now when it's fully put together.
The arch bits are arriving and being put in place on the metal store thingys.
Demolition coming (going?) along at a pace.
Spoke to the John on the gate who finishes work at the site today.
Please Natterjack, could you pass on our best wishes to John and thank him for his help with the info I've been able to post on here.

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....20th October 2009............Falmer Arch Chase............20th October 2009....
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I got a call from Barry Izbak telling me that he thought he spotted what is probably the first part of our arch, sitting in a lay-by on the A23.
This was my cue to drop everything, and go off like an American "Storm Chaser", to spot it myself. As I hurtled up past Hickstead, indeed, it was the arch I saw hurtling back past me on the other side of the road.
I took the next exit and caught it up as it travelled through the pylons.
Trying to get along side for a really close view, I got beeped by the safety outrider who wouldn't let me in the outer lane, so nearly coming a cropper at the Rabbit Roundabout like many others before me.
Took a quick photo!
I overtook it on the A27 and stopped at the first layby where I took another shot.
Then it slowly and gracefully made its may over the A27 up Falmer Road and into the stadium site where it safely came to rest.

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......17th October 2009..............Falmer from the air..............17th October 2009......
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....16th October 2009............16th October 2009............16th October 2009....
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Whilst at Hollingbury Golf Course yesterday, I saw a great photo opportunity.
Steps all in place on east stand.
The "Crawler Crane" is being put together in front of the east stand.
This will be used to raise the arch and will take about 6 weeks.
Demolition of Uni buildings in full swing. Photo is of Uckfield House.

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....9th October 2009............9th October 2009............9th October 2009....
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