Industrial History: 1894 London Tower Bridge

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

1894 London Tower Bridge

(Satellite, 996,795 photos!!! When I accessed it on Feb 11, 2024, it had a count of 1,022,653!)

River View, Aug 2013

The Marine Buff posted, cropped

The construction of London's iconic Tower Bridge began in 1886 and was completed in 1894, marking a remarkable engineering feat of the Victorian era. Designed by architect Sir Horace Jones and civil engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry, the bridge was built to alleviate traffic congestion while maintaining river access to the bustling Pool of London docks.

Tower Bridge features a unique bascule (drawbridge) design that allows it to open for passing ships. Originally powered by steam engines housed in its striking Victorian Gothic-style towers, the bridge's lifting mechanism has since been updated to use electricity and oil, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly. The structure uses over 11,000 tons of steel in its framework, which is clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone to create its distinctive appearance.

The bridge is 940 feet [287m] in length, with its two towers standing at 213 feet [65m] high, connected by high-level walkways. It remains an important traffic route, with 40,000 crossings daily, and is part of the London Inner Ring Road. In addition to its functional role, Tower Bridge has become a renowned architectural landmark, symbolizing the ingenuity and ambition of the Victorian era. It continues to captivate both locals and tourists alike with its blend of practical engineering and Neo-Gothic architectural style

IlluminatedDriver
The bridge opened in 1894. "Tower Bridge was raised 6,160 times in its first year and today still opens 1,000 times a year. Despite the huge number of openings, there have been no major accidents. Although, on the 30th December 1952, a no. 78 double decker bus did have to make a jump for it when miscommunication led to the bridge opening before the bus had time to cross."