Sing a little tune

Why not sing this as you walk up to Tower Bridge

The lifting of Tower Bridge has become a must see event for visitors to London. Come and see the bridge raise, then tour the engine rooms to learn how it works. All this and more when you visit the Most Famous Bridge in the World!

Bridge Lift Times

Details of scheduled Bridge Lifts

DAY	DATE	TIME	VESSEL	DIRECTION
Wed	28 Apr	11:30	SB Lady Daphne	Upstream
Wed	28 Apr	12:00	SB Lady Daphne	Downstream
Sun	09 May	18:15	SB Lady Daphne	Upstream
Mon	10 May	10:30	SB Lady Daphne	Downstream
Sat	29 May	17:45	SB Will	Upstream
Sat	29 May	18:30	SB Will	Downstream
Sat	29 May	21:30	SB Will	Upstream
Sat	29 May	22:15	SB Will	Downstream
Fri	11 Jun	14:45	SB Will	Upstream
Fri	11 Jun	15:30	SB Will	Downstream
Fri	11 Jun	17:00	SB Will	Upstream
Fri	11 Jun	17:45	SB Will	Downstream
Tue	15 Jun	17:00	Yacht Alexandria	Upstream
Tue	15 Jun	17:30	Yacht Alexandria	Downstream
Thu	17 Jun	18:30	SB Will	Upstream
Thu	17 Jun	19:30	SB Will	Downstream
Thu	17 Jun	22:30	SB Will	Upstream
Thu	17 Jun	23:55	SB Will	Downstream
Fri	18 Jun	16:30	SB Will	Upstream
Fri	18 Jun	17:30	SB Will	Downstream
Sun	15 Aug	12:15	SB Will	Upstream
Sun	15 Aug	13:00	SB Will	Downstream
Sun	15 Aug	16:00	SB Will	Upstream
Sun	15 Aug	16:45	SB Will	Downstream
Sat	18 Sep	18:45	SB Will	Upstream
Sat	18 Sep	19:30	SB Will	Downstream
Sat	18 Sep	22:30	SB Will	Upstream
Sat	18 Sep	23:15	SB Will	Downstream

London Bridge was originally the only crossing for the Thames. As London grew, so more bridges were added, although these were all built to the west of London Bridge, since the area east of London Bridge had become a busy port. In the 19th century, the East End of London became so densely populated that public need mounted for a new bridge to the east of London Bridge, as journeys for pedestrians and vehicles were being delayed by hours. Finally in 1876, the City of London Corporation, responsible for that part of the Thames, decided the problem could be delayed no longer.

The view today from the high level Walkways has changed dramatically, although there are still signs of the area's amazing history. With the aid of photographs and interactive kiosks, visitors to Tower Bridge Exhibition can gain a greater understanding of how life would have been when the idea of a new bridge was originally conceived.

How a Design was Chosen
A huge challenge faced the City of London Corporation - how to build a bridge downstream from London Bridge without disrupting river traffic activities. To generate ideas, the "Special Bridge or Subway Committee" was formed in 1876, and opened the design for the new crossing to public competition.
Over 50 designs were submitted for consideration, some of which are on display at Tower Bridge Exhibition. It wasn't until October 1884 however, that Horace Jones, the City Architect, in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry, offered the chosen design for Tower Bridge as a solution.

The Building of the Bridge
It took 8 years, 5 major contractors and the relentless labour of 432 construction workers to build Tower Bridge.
Two massive piers were sunk into the river bed to support the construction and over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the Towers and Walkways. This framework was clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the Bridge a more pleasing appearance.
To learn more about the building of Tower Bridge, the people involved in its construction and why it was needed, visit The Tower Bridge Exhibition where video screenings explain the entire project, including the difficulties faced.

How it Works - Then and Now
When it was built, Tower Bridge was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge ever completed ("bascule" comes from the French for "see-saw"). These bascules were operated by hydraulics, using steam to power the enormous pumping engines. The energy created was stored in six massive accumulators, as soon as power was required to lift the Bridge, it was always readily available. The accumulators fed the driving engines, which drove the bascules up and down. Despite the complexity of the system, the bascules only took about a minute to raise to their maximum angle of 86 degrees.

Today, the bascules are still operated by hydraulic power, but since 1976 they have been driven by oil and electricity rather than steam. The original pumping engines, accumulators and boilers are now exhibits within the Tower Bridge Exhibition.


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