Help! Aerial view of The Crystal Palace

[Ian Bull]

Hullo everyone,

A friend wishes to build a small model of the Crystal Palace. I've offered to draw the plans he needs and have the dimensions of the components. I've done the Central Transept but am now 'stuck'.

Can anyone direct me to a clear aerial photograph of the building taken from the South West or the West?

I'm most happy to share the eventual drawings and would upload the work I've already done if I could work out how to do so.

Many thanks in advance

Ian Bull

[tulse hill terry]

I don't have access to a picture at the moment, but having built a model myself, the thing to remember is that above the ground floor, which was made of three units eight feet wide, 3 x 8 = 24 feet, the floors above were 4 feet shorter, so 3 x 8 feet wide, but 20 feet high.

The drawings I made were A3, so impossible for me to scan at home.

[Chris Doran]

A set of six aerial views from every direction has just appeared on eBay -- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SE-LONDON-CRYSTAL ... s_MJ&hash= (item 390217848692) and others from the same seller. The listings have high quality scans.

[Konqi]

There are a number of aerial photos on this topic:

http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1748

[Ian Bull]

Very many thanks to all who've replied. The help given here will allow me to complete the drawings for my friends model. I couldn't have asked for more.

His model will be very small but the drawings will work at large scales. For those who are interested, they'll be in 'vector' format. Once finished I'll let the forum know and try and find a way to post them. Everyone can then have a bash at building their own Crystal Palace!

Again, many thanks

Ian Bull

[Ian Bull]

Hullo again everyone,

I've very nearly finished the drawings for the small scale model of the Crystal Palace. May I ask for a further favour?

Can anyone point me to a clear image of the northern end of the building after the 1866 fire damage had been repaired. Simply, as it was from the first fire until the end. Any angle would do, not necessarily an aerial view.

Many thanks in advance.

Ian Bull

[tulse hill terry]

Hope this helps

The northern end of the building and the North Tower Gardens, after the fire.

[/quote]

[Ian Bull]

Hullo Terry,

That's absolutely perfect. Thanks very much indeed.

All the best

Ian Bull

[bigbadwolf]

Though not a great contributor to this corner of the forum, I know I speak for everyone when I say we're really looking forward to seeing the completed model. A couple of pictures, perhaps.

Until then, I hope this link helps towards your project:

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/london/model/

[Ian Bull]

Hullo 'bigbadwolf',

I'll certainly provide photos as soon as the model is finished. Although I supplied the drawings the model is being built by someone else. It might be some time before he gets started as he's first finishing off a large, dead accurate, model of Denmark Hill station.

The Crystal Palace model is going to be small enough to fit in his alcove and will principally be of the former High Level station with Paxton's structure serving as a backdrop. In the scale he'll be using the railways rails will be 3mm apart and the carriages just an inch long, all fully operational though!

I've only been asked to draw the Western side of the building but could produce the rest if anyone's interested. There's nothing commercial about this project so if anyone wants copies of what's been done so far, just send me a PM.... ianbull At btinternet Dot com

Many thanks again to all for the help offered here.

Ian Bull