Tower Bridge

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Coordinates: 51°30′20″N 0°04′32″W / 51.50556°N 0.07556°W / 51.50556; -0.07556

Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge London Feb 2006.jpg
Coordinates51°30′20″N 0°04′31″W / 51.5055°N 0.075406°W / 51.5055; -0.075406
Carries2 lanes of A100 Tower Bridge Road, cyclists, and pedestrians
CrossesRiver Thames
LocaleLondon boroughs:
– north side: Tower Hamlets
– south side: Southwark
Maintained byBridge House Estates
Heritage statusGrade I listed structure
Preceded byLondon Bridge
Followed byQueen Elizabeth II Bridge
Characteristics
DesignBascule bridge / Suspension Bridge
Total length801 ft (244 m)
Height213 ft (65 m)
Longest span270 ft (82.3 m)
Clearance below28 ft (8.6 m) (closed)
139 ft (42.5 m) (open)
(mean high water spring tide)
History
Opened30 June 1894; 128 years ago (1894-06-30)
Location
Map

Tower Bridge is a drawbridge in London. It crosses the River Thames near the Tower of London. It allows ships through the bridge deck when is raised at an angle in the centre.

The north side of the bridge is Tower Hill, and the south side of the bridge comes down into Bermondsey, an area in Southwark. Tower Bridge is far more visible than London Bridge, which people often mistake it for. Many tourists go to London to see the Tower Bridge. It has its own exhibition centre in the horizontal walkway. This gives one of the best vantage points in London.

The "bascules" are the surfaces raised to allow tall ships to pass through: this happens about 900 times per year. The bridge's decks (bascules) can be raised to 83o from the horizontal.

History[change | change source]

The City of London Corporation held a competition for the design in 1876.[1] Over 50 designs were entered, and in 1884 Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry's design was chosen.

Workers began to build the Tower Bridge in April 1886 and the bridge was opened in 30 June 1894.

In June 2012, the bridge was highlighted on the route of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the Thames.[2]

Design[change | change source]

The bridge is 800 ft (244 m) in length with two towers, each 213 ft (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 ft (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83o to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1,100 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimize the force required and allow raising in five minutes. The bascules are raised by huge hydraulic pumps which were first powered by steam engines. In 1976 these were replaced by oil and electricity.[1] The bridge is made from more than 11,000 tons of steel, and covered with Cornish granite and Portland stone.[1]

The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways. The pedestrian walkways are 143 feet (44 m) above the river at high tide.[3] These walkways allow people to still cross the river, even when the bridge is raised. They were closed in 1910 because not enough people used them, but were reopened in 1982.[1]

Gallery[change | change source]

Tower Bridge,London Getting Opened[change | change source]

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_1

    Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_1

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_2

    Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_2

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_3

    Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_3

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_4

    Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_4

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_5

    Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_5

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_6

    Tower_Bridge,London_Getting_Opened_6

  • The Tower Bridge, London completely opened

    The Tower Bridge, London completely opened

Tower Bridge Photo[change | change source]

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Construction_photo_1

    Tower_Bridge,London_Construction_photo_1

  • Tower_Bridge,London_Construction_photo_2

    Tower_Bridge,London_Construction_photo_2

  • Tower Bridge, London Under Construction 1

    Tower Bridge, London Under Construction 1

  • Tower Bridge, London Under Construction 2

    Tower Bridge, London Under Construction 2

  • Tower Bridge, London Old photo

    Tower Bridge, London Old photo

  • The invitation of opening of Tower Bridge, London

    The invitation of opening of Tower Bridge, London

  • The Tower Bridge, London in the night 1

    The Tower Bridge, London in the night 1

  • The Tower Bridge, London in the night 2

    The Tower Bridge, London in the night 2

  • The Tower Bridge, London in the night 3

    The Tower Bridge, London in the night 3

  • The Tower Bridge, London

    The Tower Bridge, London

  • Tower Bridge during day

    Tower Bridge during day

  • Tower Bridge at night

    Tower Bridge at night

  • Tower Bridge area from the air

    Tower Bridge area from the air

  • Tower Bridge seen from the north bank of the Thames

    Tower Bridge seen from the north bank of the Thames

  • South view at dusk

    South view at dusk

  • Close-up of walkways, illuminated at dusk

    Close-up of walkways, illuminated at dusk

  • Close-up of opened bascules

    Close-up of opened bascules

  • The south tower, showing pier at river level

    The south tower, showing pier at river level

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Tower Bridge Exhibition". towerbridge.org.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  2. ↑ Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, Key facts Archived 2012-06-05 at the Wayback Machine; Londontown.com, "Thames Jubilee Pageant,"; retrieved 4 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "Tower Bridge". Archive – the Quarterly Journal for British Industrial and Transport History. Lightmoor Press (3): 47. 1994. ISSN 1352-7991.

Other websites[change | change source]

Media related to Tower Bridge at Wikimedia Commons


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