Tower Bridge

On Sunday, October 2nd, we toured the Tower Bridge. (No, it's not "London Bridge" -- Brits have great fun laughing at Americans who think it's London Bridge -- which is one bridge farther upstream.) The bridge was opened in 1894 after many years of discussion and consideration of competing designs; it was built to alleviate a serious shortage of crossings over the Thames river as London's traffic increased. It is named for the nearby Tower of London (the northern end of the bridge is right next to the Tower's wall). The bridge has become one of the most recognizable symbols of London and is really quite an engineering and aesthetic achievement.

The tour includes the two towers and the pedestrian walkways across the river at the top. They were made part of the bridge so that even when the roadway is open to let ships pass, pedestrians can continue to cross by climbing up and over.

It is another prized example of Victorian engineering which, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you know is one of Chuck's favorite aspects of London. The tour includes all the original machinery for the then-hydraulically-powered machinery that lifted the roadway. (Today that equipment, while still in place and on display, is not used, but has been replaced by modern electric motors.) The historical picture at left shows the bridge with the roadway raised for a ship to pass.

For more pictures of the bridge, the views from the upper walkways and the area around it, go to: http://chuck.smugmug.com/gallery/853065