Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge

VO
It's big, it's bold and it's got moving bits. Tower Bridge is an iconic landmark, but there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.

IV
Tower Bridge was opened in 1894, it took them 8 years to build. It was originally going to be red brick, but Morris Jones unfortunately died. John Wolfe Barrian Stevenson took over and they changed the red brick to the portland stone and granite that you see today to blend in with the tower of London. Also, Stevenson's father built the houses of parliament some years earlier and he was very influenced by his dad. That's why the bridge is very gothicy looking. It surprises people who come on the bridge about how often Tower Bridge is lifted to allow ships to come through. This year we will lift the bridge over a thousand times. It's a free service, the ships don't have to pay, but we have to have 24 hours notice so that we can agree a time. Once we agree a time, than the river traffic has right of way. If cars want to cross over, they either have to wait or go around.

IV
Nowadays, the bridge is lifted electrically. We still have the hydraulics, but the power is electric. When it first opened, of course, the bridge was lifted by steam, and you will see the original engines when you come on to the bridge.

VO
The Engines are on show as part of the Tower Bridge exhibition, which is open between 10-6 every day except Christmas, and costs under 6 pounds.

IV
The walkways across the top were originally for the pedestrians. When, hundred years ago, people would come into London Bridge station to cross over to go to work in the city, thousands of people would cross this bridge every day. When the ships were coming in to be unloaded, the bridge could be up for an hour, hour and a half some mornings. So if you were very unfortunate, you would have to go up the stairs, across and down the other side to go to work.

VOX
I didn't really know what to expect, just, and I didn't realize that the two towers were open and that you could actually go up and have a look. The views and what you can see around are fantastic, and it gives you an idea how the river worked.

VOX
It's something special, you can't see it anywhere in the world, so it's one of a kind.

IV
It's the only bridge like it in the world. Nowhere else is there a structure built like this, I mean, it's a building recognized all around the world. No matter what country you're in, if you see a picture of this, you will know it's Tower Bridge.