Clock ticking for leaning Big Ben

[The Dragon Master]

Big Ben is leaning to one side and may eventually become unstable - but only in thousands of years, according to a newly revealed report.



The tower leans 0.26 degrees to the north-west, putting it out of alignment by about 0.5m at its highest point.



The lean was discovered when Transport for London commissioned a report, because the extension of the Jubilee Line passes under Parliament.



Experts are unsure what is causing the lean.



But one theory is that the London clay on which the tower was built is drying out.



Mike McCann, keeper of the great clock, told BBC London: We have been monitoring it since 1999, so we've got some pretty good data.



Our resident expert believes it will be between 4,000 and 10,000 years before it becomes a problem.



So it's not significant today, but we do need to keep an eye on it.



The 0.26 degree angle is one 16th of the Leaning Tower of Pisa's tilt.



Mr McCann continued: There's no real proof what has caused it.



But it is built on London clay and that can dry out and that can cause movement.



There is no evidence the lean was caused by work on the Underground.



Big Ben is the name of the bell contained within St Stephen's Tower, also known as the Clock Tower, according to a spokeswoman at the Houses of Parliament.



But in recent years the tower itself has been known colloquially as Big Ben.

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15243118



Phew, it won't collapse any time soon

 

[DrLeftover]

You'd better go see it now.... ....

 

[Evil Eye]

...Think it'll still be there in a 1000 years?

 

[DrLeftover]

If the global warmers have their way it'll probably be half under water by then....



But as that's the second biggest lie of our time, yeah, it'll still be there.

 

[Evil Eye]

What's the biggest lie?

 

[DrLeftover]

 

[Evil Eye]

So there is no hope?

How depressing.