Tower bridge driver#

In 1952, a bus driver Albert Gunter was casually driving the 75 bus across the bridge when he noticed something odd happening. This is hands down my favourite of the Tower Bridge facts I’ve found. Tower Bridge once Opened… With a Bus on it It also features over 31 million bricks and 2 million rivets. Tower Bridge is made up of more than 11,000 tons of steel and the foundations needed more than 70,000 tons of concrete to support the structure. Want an idea of how impressive the bridge is? Check out these Tower Bridge facts and figures. The Facts and Figures Involved in Tower Bridge’s Construction are Pretty Mind-Boggling They were closed in 1910 but now you can visit them as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The walkways weren’t really used that much… and as a result they became one of London’s informal red light districts, frequented by ladies of the night looking for some custom. You can spy the walkways The Walkways Fell into Disrepair and Became one of London’s Informal Red Light Districts The two high level walkways were designed so that pedestrians would still be able to use Tower Bridge when it was open. Originally Tower Bridge’s Two High Level Walkways Were Created so Pedestrians Could Still Use the Bridge When it was Open When Tower Bridge first opened, it used to be powered by coal burning steam engines, but these were replaced by a combination of electricity and oil in the 1970s. It Used to be Powered by Coal Burning Steam Engines

You can visit on a special tour – but they also have occasional concerts in the chamber as the acoustics are pretty incredible. The Bascule Chamber is one of London’s quirkier spots – a huge cavern underneath the bridge in which the counterweights swing to operate the bridge. There’s a Huge Chamber Underneath the Bridge to Counterbalance the Bascules Incidentally, bascule is derived from the French for see-saw – not hard to see why. The two sections in the central span are called bascules – and they raise up to an angle of 83 degrees.

The Two Levered Sections are Called Bascules Sir Horace Jones – the architect behind Tower Bridge shaped some of the most iconic buildings in Victorian London including Leadenhall Market, Smithfield Market and Billingsgate Market. The exhibition ‘London in Black and White: A Photographic Celebration’ which opens on Thursday 30 June, will allow visitors to see a collection of rare images from London’s past.įor further information visit Same Architect who Designed Tower Bridge also Designed Many of London’s Famous Markets The Tower Bridge Exhibition, inside the most famous bridge in the world, is a must-see attraction for any tourist in London. By taking samples of paint from all over the bridge he was able to discover that the Clean Air Act of 1956 had actually improved the quality of London’s atmosphere, as there was no soot between the layers of paint. When the restoration began in 2008, Patrick Baty, a paint specialist, was brought in to determine how the bridge was painted when it was first built in 1894. This trust is now worth £700 million and continues to give grants to charities in Greater London. The main purpose of this trust is still to maintain all five City Bridges: London, Tower, Southwark, Blackfriars and Millennium Bridge. This ancient City trust dates back to 1097 when monks founded a charity that charged Londoners a toll for crossing London Bridge.

The restoration cost a staggering £4 million, and was funded by Bridge House Estates. At this time it was painted a greenish-blue colour and a chocolate brown – its current colours of red, white and blue were chosen for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1976. It took 8 years, 5 contractors and 432 construction workers to build the bridge, which was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by the Prince and Princess of Wales – the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Bridge Master Eric Sutherns MBE said, “It’s fantastic to see the bridge finally divested of all wraps, scaffolding and cradles and standing proud in pristine condition again.”Īrchitect Sir Horace Jones and civil engineer Sir John Wolfe-Barry were the masterminds behind the creation of Tower Bridge in the late 1800s. The first boat that passed through the bridge was the MV Dixie Queen at 5:30pm on Saturday 2 April. With the polythene removed and the paint dry, the bridge was once again ready to open for shipping. The restoration of Tower Bridge that takes place every 25 years was completed at the end of March. Finally, after three yearsof paint analysis, scaffolding, polythene and engineers, the most famous bridge in the world has been restored to all its former glory – Tower Bridge is back.įinally, after three years of paint analysis, scaffolding, polythene and engineers, the most famous bridge in the world has been restored to all its former glory – Tower Bridge is back!

Tower bridge