A few weeks ago I watched the first stage of the pylon being erected on the north side of the Thames, and wandered back this weekend to see the impact the white needle is having on the surrounding areas.

As a clean, white thing, it stands out quite sharply with the older industrial estate and brown/grey roads and railways that punctuate the area.

The big question I have is how long it will stay clean and white, or whether the many metal edges in the double-helix design will start to leak rust down the sides over the next few years.

On the south side, the terminus building is progressing, with the distinctive unit in place on the upper floor to receive the cables. With the red branding from the sponsor being much in evidence, it was possibly coincidence that the giant wheel is also red?