TOWER
BRIDGE OF LONDON
Victorian Steam Engines and Thames London Views
London’s
Tower Bridge bills itself as the "Most Famous Bridge in the World", but
that might be disputed by Brooklyn or San Francisco’s Golden
Gate, but is surely the most distinctive. The bridge’s Victorian era
stone towers and drawbridge span across the Thames River are unmistakable
for any
other – though, some visitors to London mistakenly refer to it as London
Bridge. The London Bridge made from the nursery rhyme “London Bridge
is falling down” was dismantled a couple of decades ago and now oddly
spans across a lake inlet in Arizona, but does play a part in the story
of the iconic Tower Bridge.
The city of London was faced with a challenge in the burgeoning industrial
age of the late 19th Century. The aging London Bridge was congested and a
new bridge was envisioned down river, but with an eye to not disrupting the
flow of river shipping. A committee was first formed in 1876 to collect public
design concepts, but it wasn’t until 1884 that city Architect Horace
Jones along with designer John Wolfe Barry submitted the radical plans for
a steam hydraulic “Bascule” draw bridge. Although the bridge
appears like towers of stone like a castle, the structure is actually of
a steel framework, but covered with Cornish granite and Portland stone to
protect the metal from the elements and give the bridge a more attractive
appearance.
The
Tower Bridge first opened for carriage traffic in 1894, was recently featured
in its construction phase as a background effect in the most recent “Sherlock
Holms” movie (see Finding Sherlock Holmes Locations). The high upper
walkways were intended for pedestrians to cross while the bridge was up,
but largely unused by Londoners who found it too much of a climb. The walkways,
often cold and windy, and out of sight from below, gained popularity for
prostitutes to take customers, until they were closed to the public in 1910.
The bridge managed to survive the bombing blitz of World War II and has been
undergoing a refit and refurbishment. The Tower Bridge gets its name, not
from its own towers but from its location on the river, with it crossing
from near the Tower of London where the crown jewels are kept (see Visiting
the Tower of London) to the South Bank.
Of
course the bridge can be walked across, or admired from the river below on
a Thames cruise boat (see Thames
Cruises) with no charge, but for a visit
to the upper walkways for a fabulous view of London and a look below at the
Victorian era steam engines which once powered the lift mechanism, the Tower
Bridge Exhibition presents the story of the bridge with films, photos and
interactive displays. A must see for London visitors. The entrance to Tower
Bridge Exhibition is located at the North West Tower of the Bridge;
allowing entrance into the bridge structure and stairs to the high level
walkways,
now covered for all year round weather. After exiting the bridge structure,
visitors follow a line to the Victorian Engine Rooms on the south side, with
the historical musuem exhibits, which change from time to time.
Visiting Tower Bridge Exhibition
The Tower Bridge Exhibition is open daily (except Christmas) - 10am to 6:30pm
April to September (last admission 5:30pm) and 9:30am to 6pm October to March
(last admission 5:00pm). Tickets for the Tower Bridge Exhibition can be purchased
online. Admission for adults is £7. Children up to 15 £3, under
five are free. A family ticket is available for £11. The London Bridge
is included with a London
Pass. © Bargain
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Tower Bridge
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See Also:
LONDON
SIGHTSEEING BY HOP-ON-OFF BUS
LONDON
EYE OBSERVATION WHEEL
SHERLOCK
HOLMES MUSEUM LONDON - 221B BAKER ST
HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR LONDON
CULTURE CONNECT - LONDON-PARIS MUSEUMS 2 FOR 1 DEAL
