Skyscrapers and ships built faster than Oxford Botley Road closure

The road was closed at the rail bridge on April 11, 2023, when Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister, Joe Biden was US President and the current War in Gaza had not yet begun.

On the other hand, similar to today, Arsenal were eight points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League, although in 2023 that lead was overturned.

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Initially the closure at Botley Road was only expected to last for months but several delays – including the discovery of a Victorian arch and complicated utility pipes – hindered the project.

Network Rail work in Frideswide Square (Image: Network Rail)

This latest three-year milestone means that the project has taken longer, and in some cases far longer, than some of the world’s most iconic landmarks and vessels, even if many cost more than the £237.4m spent on the Oxford scheme.

We’ve listed some of them here.

Mary Rose ship (1511) – around 18 months

King Henry’s favourite vessel was constructed between January 29, 1510 and July 1511 and served as the Tudor monarch’s flagship for 34 years.

In the 1970s, the 800-tonne behemoth which held a crew of around 500, was the subject of a major salvage mission near the Isle of Wight.

In addition, it’s worth noting that the Botley Road closure has also lasted longer than three of King Henry’s six marriages.

The Eiffel Tower (1889) – 2 years, 2 months and 5 days

The Eiffel Tower and the Seine river in Paris (Image: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire)

Completed in March 1889, the 330-metre tower was constructed as the centre piece of the 1889 World’s Fair and to crown the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.

It is now the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world.

The Titanic (1911) – 3 years, 2 days

Slightly cheating here, but in two days this will be true and the end of the Botley Road scheme will still take months.

The largest ship in the world, at 269.1m long and 46,328 GRT (gross register tonnage), sank on its maiden voyage after being completed in 1911.

RMS Titanic leaving Southampton. Colourised image. (Image: Archive)

The Empire State Building (1931) – 1 year and 45 days

The 1,454-foot building was constructed between 1930 and 1931 and was the world’s tallest building at the time.

Despite the Wall Street Crash in October 1929, the investors decided to plough ahead with the project because of how much progress had already been made.

It officially opened on May 1, 1931.

The Empire State Building. (Image: PR)

The Space Needle (1961) – 400 days

Another landmark raised for a World’s Fair, this 138-foot tower is built to withstand winds of up to 200mph and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude.

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Construction began in April 1961 and the basic tower was finished by December 1961, after about eight months.

Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway (2011) – 3 years and 2 months

The high-speed railway connects the Bohai Economic Rim and the Yangtze River Delta, two major economic sites in China.

Construction began in April 2008 with the line opened to the public for commercial service in June 2011.

It remains the world’s longest high-speed line ever constructed in a single phase, at 1,318km.