76-564: Shad Thames is a historic riverside street next to Tower Bridge in Bermondsey , London, England, and is also an informal name for the surrounding area. In the 19th century, the area included the largest warehouse complex in London. The street Shad Thames has Tower Bridge at its west end and runs along the south side of the River Thames , set back behind a row of converted warehouses ; it then takes
152-582: A swing bridge ; Design B, a variation of that swing bridge; and Design C a bascule bridge . Design C was recommended and a bill was prepared to present to Parliament. The Act of Parliament authorising construction received royal assent on 14 August 1885 and is called the Corporation of London (Tower Bridge) Act 1885. The Act was specific about the design of what it (and contemporary media) named "The Tower Bridge", rather than just "Tower Bridge". Key stipulations were: Barry later noted that "at one time it
228-454: A tug boat should be on station to assist vessels in danger when crossing the bridge, a requirement that remained in place until the 1960s. The bridge connected Iron Gate, on the north bank of the river, with Horselydown Lane, on the south – now known as Tower Bridge Approach and Tower Bridge Road , respectively. Until the bridge was opened, the Tower Subway – 0.25 mi (400 m) to
304-501: A "semi-State" occasion. In addition to the official opening, the City of London Corporation gave an "entertainment", at a cost of £300, to 1,200 workmen and their wives. Edward Cruttwell, who had been in charge of the building of the bridge from the beginning, presided. After dinner, each workman was presented with a commemorative pipe and packet of tobacco, and each workman's wife with a box of sweetmeats. An Act of Parliament stipulated that
380-519: A 90-degree turn south along St Saviour's Dock . The street is partly cobbled . The nearest stations are Tower Hill , Tower Gateway (both requiring a river crossing to access), Bermondsey and London Bridge . The street Shad Thames is named as such in John Rocque 's 1747 map of London. The name may be a corruption of 'St John-at-Thames', a reference to the St John's Church which once stood south-west of
456-551: A central pair of bascules that can open to allow shipping. Originally hydraulically powered , the operating mechanism was converted to an electro-hydraulic system in 1972. The bridge is part of the London Inner Ring Road and thus the boundary of the London congestion charge zone, and remains an important traffic route with 40,000 crossings every day. The bridge deck is freely accessible to both vehicles and pedestrians, whereas
532-537: A charity established in 1282 for maintenance of London Bridge that subsequently expanded to cover Tower Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge , Southwark Bridge and the Millennium Bridge . Sir John Wolfe Barry was appointed engineer and Sir Horace Jones the architect (who, as the City Architect, was also one of the judges). Jones and Barry designed a bridge with two bridge towers built on piers. The central span
608-539: A day or so, often then proceeding through Tower Bridge (though they can go no further than the next crossing, London Bridge ). Police boats and speedboats pass by frequently, as do passenger boats (such as the Damien Hirst -decorated 'Tate to Tate' boat), and yachts from St Katharine Docks on the north side of the river opposite Shad Thames. Owing to its buildings, cobbled streets, riverside views and proximity to landmarks such as Tower Bridge, Shad Thames has been used as
684-480: A design studio, creative workshop, two seminar rooms and a common room. The Design Museum offices and main reception, a meeting room and a film studio are also located on the first floor. On the ground floor, the largest gallery in the Design Museum showcases a programme of temporary exhibitions. Accessible from both Kensington High Street and Holland Park , the atrium acts as an events space. A main staircase from
760-411: A facing of granite and Portland stone, backed with brickwork on the inside faces." An octagonal steel column stands at each corner of each tower (119 feet 6 inches long). The smaller abutment towers were "generally similar...though on a smaller scale." "The total length of the bridge, including the abutments, is 940 feet, and the length of the approaches are 1,260 feet on the north side, and 780 feet on
836-569: A larger site which formerly housed the Commonwealth Institute in west London. This landmark from the 1960s, a Grade II* listed building, designed by Robert Matthew / Sir Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall and Partners architects that had stood vacant for over a decade, was developed by a design team led by John Pawson . Fit-out of the Design Museum's new home was carried out by Willmott Dixon Interiors. The Design Museum opened in its Kensington location on 24 November 2016. The move gave
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#1732854894595912-605: A location for many films and TV programmes, including: An instrumental track called "Shad Thames" appears on the 1997 Saint Etienne album Continental and 2001 compilation Smash the System . 51°30′07″N 0°04′21″W / 51.5019°N 0.0725°W / 51.5019; -0.0725 Tower Bridge Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule , suspension , and, until 1960, cantilever bridge in London , built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with
988-399: A total accepted tender of £179,455. The total accepted tender for the eight contracts was £830,005. On average 432 people worked on the site, although at least 1,200 worked on its construction overall and received invitations to the entertainment provided for the workmen at its opening. Cruttwell was the resident engineer throughout the period of construction (and remained associated with
1064-462: A very heavy weight to maintain the desired pressure. The entire hydraulic system along with the gas lighting system was installed by William Sugg & Co Ltd . The gas lighting was initially by open-flame burners within the lanterns, but was soon updated to the later incandescent system. In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, designed by BHA Cromwell House. The only remaining parts of
1140-452: Is said that a century of spices had infused into the brickwork, so after they were converted into flats the first residents of each building could still detect the scent after which it was named. Various new buildings have been constructed, with similarly evocative names, such as Spice Quay Heights and China Wharf . Shad Thames's proximity to the City of London , which is about a mile north-west on
1216-560: The City of London Corporation . The southern section of the bridge, in the London Borough of Southwark , was Grade I listed on 6 December 1949. The remainder of the bridge, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , was listed on 27 September 1973. In 1960, the upper bridges of the two pedestrian walkways that connected the two main towers were converted from being cantilever bridges , projecting horizontally out into space, to suspension bridges when suspension cables were added. This
1292-564: The Commonwealth Institute . The former Design Museum was largely empty as of April 2017 and was expected to be converted into luxury apartments. The presence nearby of Tower Bridge , the Tower of London , Potters Fields Park , More London (where various cultural events take place) and The Shard means that this once-overlooked area is now frequented by tourists. Shad Thames has many residents, particularly living in converted warehouses, and development of new flats continues. They are represented by
1368-497: The East End of London was increasing, leading to demand for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge . A traditional fixed bridge at street level could not be built because it would cut off access by sailing ships to the port facilities in the Pool of London between London Bridge and the Tower of London . A Special Bridge or Subway Committee chaired by Sir Albert Joseph Altman
1444-459: The Port of London , and consequently was a target for enemy action. In 1940, the high-level span took a direct hit, severing the hydraulic mechanism and taking the bridge out of action. In April 1941, a parachute mine exploded close to the bridge, causing serious damage to the bascule, towers, and engine room. In 1942, a third engine was installed in case the existing ones were damaged by enemy action. It
1520-484: The Royal College of Art , V&A , Science Museum , Natural History Museum and Serpentine Gallery . Deyan Sudjic succeeded Alice Rawsthorn as director of the Design Museum in 2006. In 2016, Alice Black was appointed co-director. In 2019, Tim Marlow was appointed as director and chief executive. The top-floor space under the museum roof houses a permanent display, Designer Maker User, with key objects from
1596-548: The Shad Thames Residents’ Association . The converted warehouses retain their original characteristic features of brickwork, winches, large sign-writing and so on, and most are named after the commodities which were originally stored in them – Vanilla & Sesame Court, Cayenne Court, Wheat Wharf, Tea Trade Wharf, with further buildings named after cinnamon , cardamom , fennel , caraway , ginger , cumin , tamarind , clove , anise and coriander . It
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#17328548945951672-479: The Tay Bridge Disaster . The system was designed and installed by Hamilton Owen Rendel while working for Armstrong, Mitchell and Company of Newcastle upon Tyne . Water at a pressure of 750 psi (5.2 MPa) was pumped into the accumulators by a pair of stationary steam engines . Each drove a force pump from its piston tail rod. The accumulators each comprise a 20-inch (51 cm) ram which sits
1748-575: The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). The museum was originally housed in a former 1940s banana warehouse on the south bank of the River Thames in the Shad Thames area of London. The conversion of this warehouse altered it beyond recognition, to resemble a building in the International Modernist style of the 1930s. This was funded by many companies, designers and benefactors. The museum
1824-495: The 'larder of London'. An 1878 book says: Shad Thames, and, indeed, the whole river-side, contain extensive granaries and storehouses for the supply of the metropolis. Indeed, from Morgan's Lane—a turning about the middle of Tooley Street, on the north side, to St. Saviour's (once called Savory) Dock, the whole line of street—called in one part Pickle Herring Street, and in another Shad Thames—exhibits an uninterrupted series of wharves, warehouses, mills, and factories, on both sides of
1900-609: The 1980s and 1990s, when the disused but picturesque warehouses throughout the area were converted into expensive flats, many with restaurants, bars, shops, etc. on the ground floor. As part of the regeneration of the area, designer and restaurateur Terence Conran opened a number of now well-known riverside restaurants, including Le Pont de la Tour , the Blueprint Cafe and the Butler's Wharf Chop House . The area also includes numerous cafes, bars, shops and estate agents. Public access to
1976-684: The Bridge Master. Some of the control mechanism for the signalling equipment has been preserved and is housed in the Tower Bridge's museum. During the first twelve months after the opening of the bridge, the average stoppage of road traffic at each bridge lift was six minutes. The average number of vehicles crossing the bridge daily was about 8,000. Design Museum The Design Museum in Kensington , London, England, exhibits product, industrial, graphic, fashion, and architectural design. In 2018,
2052-708: The British composer Samuel Bordoli. 30 classical musicians were arranged along the length of the bridge 138 feet (42 m) above the Thames behind the Olympic rings. The sound travelled backward and forwards along the walkway, echoing the structure of the bridge. Following the Olympics, the rings were removed from Tower Bridge and replaced by the emblem of the Paralympic Games for the 2012 Summer Paralympics . In 2016, Tower Bridge
2128-459: The Resident Engineer, and Mr Homfray, who superintended the machinery." Stevenson replaced Jones's original brick façade with the more ornate Victorian Gothic style, which made the bridge a distinctive landmark and was intended to harmonise the bridge with the nearby Tower of London. The total cost of construction was £1,184,000 (equivalent to £170 million in 2023). Tower Bridge
2204-552: The Thames, Tower Bridge Road , Tooley Street and St Saviour's Dock (or arguably Mill Street); it forms the most north-easterly corner of the SE1 postcode district. The "Woodcut" map of London of c. 1561 calls the general area "Horssey Down". The 1872 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map calls it "St John Horselydown", meaning the parish of St John's Church in Horselydown , though this area extended somewhat further south and west than
2280-588: The Victorian engine rooms. The latter still houses the original steam engines and some of the original hydraulic machinery . The bridge closed for a month in 2000 to repair the bascules and perform other maintenance. A computer system was installed to control the raising and lowering of the bascules remotely. However, the system proved unreliable, resulting in the bridge being stuck in the open or closed positions on several occasions during 2005 until its sensors were replaced. In April 2008, authorities announced that
2356-455: The adjoining flats. Photographs from the early 20th century show that at the peak of warehouse usage there were many more of these bridges than survive today. There is a wide variety of river-going traffic next to Shad Thames. It is part of the particularly deep section of river called the Pool of London , which even ships can navigate. Hence, from time to time even full-size cruise ships or naval vessels will stop next to Shad Thames, usually for
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2432-469: The atrium gives access to all floors and offers views to the first and second floors and the hyperbolic paraboloid roof. A double-height space spanning the two lower levels, Gallery Two hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions dedicated to architecture, fashion, furniture, product and graphic design. The Bakala Auditorium seats 202 people and provide a purpose-designed space for a programme of talks, seminars, debates and public and private events throughout
2508-477: The bridge also command a view of the grey concrete Guoman Hotel (formerly known as the Tower Hotel ) on the north side of the river, considered by many to be an eyesore. Most of the warehouses retain the original relatively small windows, which limit their views; some of the newer buildings have better views—for example, flats on the east end of Spice Quay Heights have wide floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. One of
2584-458: The bridge piers. At night, coloured lights were used, in either direction, on both of the piers: two red lights to show that the bridge was closed, and two green to show that it was open. In foggy weather, a gong was sounded as well. Vessels passing through the bridge were required to display signals. By day, a black ball at least 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter was mounted high up where it could be seen. Night passage called for two red lights in
2660-476: The bridge until his death in 1933). He noted that there were "only" ten fatal accidents during the construction: four in sinking the foundations, one on the approaches, and the remaining five on the superstructure. Two piers, containing over 70,000 long tons (78,400 short tons; 71,123 t) of concrete, were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. The first caisson was started in September 1886 and it
2736-410: The bridge would undergo a £4 million refurbishment that would take four years to complete. The work entailed stripping existing paint down to bare metal and repainting in blue and white. Before this, the bridge's colour scheme dated from 1977, when it was painted red, white, and blue for Queen Elizabeth II 's Silver Jubilee . Its colours were subsequently restored to blue and white. Each section
2812-494: The bridge's twin towers, high-level walkways, and Victorian engine rooms form part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. Tower Bridge has become a recognisable London landmark. It is sometimes confused with London Bridge , about 0.5 miles (800 m) upstream, which has led to a persistent urban legend about an American purchasing the wrong bridge . By the late 19th century, the population and commercial development in
2888-454: The face of each pier. The bascules, weighing about 1,070 tons each including ballast and paving, are counterbalanced to minimise the force required and allow raising in five minutes and have an arc of rotation of 82° with the centre of the arc, or pivot point, being 13 feet 3 inches inside the face of each pier and 5 feet 7 inches beneath the surface of the roadway. The two side spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with
2964-474: The help of Henry Marc Brunel . It crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and is one of five London bridges owned and maintained by the City Bridge Foundation , a charitable trust founded in 1282. The bridge was constructed to connect the 39 per cent of London's population that lived east of London Bridge, equivalent to the populations of "Manchester on the one side, and Liverpool on
3040-413: The modern-day Shad Thames. As it was originally a large field for grazing horses and cattle, it may be a corruption of 'Horse Down'. In Victorian times, Shad Thames included the largest warehouse complex in London. Completed in 1873, the warehouses housed huge quantities of tea, coffee, spices and other commodities, which were unloaded and loaded onto river boats. For this reason, the area became known as
3116-488: The museum three times more space than in its previous location at Shad Thames, with the new Swarovski Foundation Centre for Learning, 202-seat Bakala Auditorium and a dedicated gallery to display its permanent collection, accessible free of charge. The new building was the subject of a profile on the Sky Arts programme The Art of Architecture in 2019. The move brought the museum into Kensington's cultural quarter, joining
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3192-511: The museum won the European Museum of the Year Award . The museum operates as a registered charity , and all funds generated by ticket sales aid the museum in curating new exhibitions. The museum was founded in 1989 by Sir Terence Conran , with Stephen Bayley as inaugural CEO , after the two men had collaboratively created the highly successful exhibition space known as The Boilerhouse at
3268-434: The museum's collection. A restaurant, members' lounge, residency studio and an events and gallery space are also located on the top floor. On the first floor, a design and architecture reference library is a resource for students, educators, researchers and designers. It also includes archive material relating to the history of the museum. The Swarovski Foundation Centre for Learning is a suite of learning facilities including
3344-400: The narrow and crowded roadway. During the 20th century, the area went into decline as congestion and containerization forced shipping to unload goods further east, and the last warehouses closed in 1972. Many artists lived in the area in the 1970s (presumably owing to the low cost of living there); these reportedly included David Hockney and Derek Jarman . Shad Thames was regenerated in
3420-413: The old system are the final pinions, which fit into the racks on the bascules and were driven by hydraulic motors and gearing. Oil is now used in place of water as the new hydraulic fluid . Originally, river traffic passing beneath the bridge was required to follow several rules and signals. Daytime control was provided by red semaphore signals , mounted on small control cabins on either end of both of
3496-418: The other side of the river, means that many residents are wealthy City workers, and the restaurants are frequented by City folk at lunchtime. Consequently, local property prices are very high. Properties with river views are particularly expensive, having balconies and dramatic views of the Thames, Wapping (across the river), Tower Bridge, the " Gherkin ", and even the distant Canary Wharf , though flats nearer
3572-414: The other", while allowing shipping to access the Pool of London between the Tower of London and London Bridge . The bridge was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales , and Alexandra, Princess of Wales , on 30 June 1894. The bridge is 940 feet (290 m) in length including the abutments and consists of two 213-foot (65 m) bridge towers connected at the upper level by two horizontal walkways, and
3648-483: The riverside was obtained by local community activists including Maggie Blake, after whom an alley leading from Shad Thames to the riverfront, Maggie Blake's Cause, is named. Terence Conran was also involved in founding the Design Museum near the east end of Shad Thames, which housed exhibitions of graphic and product design; however, the museum relocated to Kensington in 2016 to a larger building formerly occupied by
3724-454: The same position. Foggy weather required repeated blasts from the ship's steam whistle . If a black ball was suspended from the middle of each walkway (or a red light at night) this indicated that the bridge could not be opened. These signals were repeated about 1,000 yards (910 m) downstream, at Cherry Garden Pier , where boats needing to pass through the bridge had to hoist their signals/lights and sound their horn, as appropriate, to alert
3800-553: The site of Tower Bridge and London Bridge (a distance of approximately 0.5 miles) is demonstrated in Schedule B of the Act which lists 11 active docks , quays and wharfs operating on the north side of the Thames, and 20 wharfs operating on the south side. Two further Acts of Parliament were required to extend the time allowed to complete the works. On 12 August 1889 the Corporation of London (Tower Bridge) Act 1889 received royal assent to extend
3876-410: The south side. The width of the bridge and approaches between the parapets is 60 feet, except across the opening span where it is 49 feet. The steepest gradients are 1 in 60 on the north side, and 1 in 40 on the south side." The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules, or leaves, which project 100 feet out each and extend backwards 62 feet 6 inches within
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#17328548945953952-431: The street, where the present-day London City Mission is located Alternatively it may be from shad fish, which could be found in the Thames. The surrounding area is also today called Shad Thames, or Butler's Wharf (after the largest of the riverside warehouses). Both names refer to a 350 m × 250 m (1,148 ft × 820 ft) rectangle of streets, converted warehouses and newer buildings, bounded by
4028-597: The student residences of the London School of Economics is located on Gainsford Street in the centre of the area. Among the most striking features of Shad Thames are the walkways which criss-cross the street high overhead. Most of them now connect the Butlers Wharf building and the Cardamom Building and were originally used as bridges to roll barrels and the like between warehouses. They are now used as balconies by
4104-414: 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 and accessed by lifts and staircases. These walkways were designed as cantilever bridges for a distance from each tower of 55 feet, with girders bridging the 120 feet between the ends of the cantilevers. The structure
4180-407: The time allowed for construction by a further four years to 1893 and make various adjustments to neighbouring streets that had proved necessary. The work was not yet complete after those four years, and on 29 June 1893 the Corporation of London (Tower Bridge) Extension of Time Act 1893 received royal assent extending the time by a further year. Construction was funded by the City Bridge Foundation ,
4256-478: The tunnel was closed in 1898. The high-level open-air walkways between the towers gained a reputation for prostitutes and pickpockets . Since they were only accessible by stairs, the walkways were seldom used by regular pedestrians and were closed in 1910. The walkway reopened in 1982 as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. During the Second World War , Tower Bridge was seen as a major transport link to
4332-484: The underlying steelwork, and achieve the stipulation that the bridge should fit architecturally with the Tower of London. Jones died in 1887, and Barry took over as architect. Barry later summarised the contributions to the construction of Tower Bridge: "Mr Fyson, who undertook much of the preparation of the detailed drawings; Mr Stevenson, who had been his assistant with the architectural work; and...most of all...Mr Cruttwell,
4408-435: The upper bridge" which allowed the design to proceed as it stands today. Unusually, Tower Bridge was designed to include three types of bridge: the two spans from the shore to the piers are a suspension bridge; the central, opening span is a bascule bridge; and the high level walkways were cantilever bridges until converted to suspension bridges in 1960. The main towers "consist of a skeleton of steelwork, covered with
4484-489: The west – was the shortest way to cross the river from Tower Hill to Tooley Street in Southwark . Opened in 1870, Tower Subway was among the world's earliest underground ("tube") railways, but it closed after just three months and was reopened as a tolled pedestrian foot tunnel. Once Tower Bridge was open, the majority of foot traffic transferred to using the bridge, as there was no toll to cross. Having lost most of its income,
4560-530: Was a 150 hp horizontal cross-compound engine, built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. at their Elswick works in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was fitted with a flywheel having a 9-foot (2.7 m) diameter and weighing 9 tons, and was governed to a speed of 30 rpm. The engine became redundant when the rest of the system was modernised in 1974 and was donated to the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum by
4636-449: Was awarded the hydraulics contract for which they tendered £85,232 (December 1887); Mr William Webster was responsible for the southern approach at £38,383 (July 1888); Sir William Arrol & Co. had the contract for the metalwork of the superstructure at £337,113 (May 1889), which amounted to about 12,100 tons; Messrs Perry & Co won two contracts covering the masonry superstructure (May 1889), and paving and lighting (May 1892) for
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#17328548945954712-403: Was closed to all road traffic from 1 October to 30 December. This was to allow structural maintenance work to take place on the timber decking, lifting mechanism and waterproofing the brick arches on the bridge's approaches. During this, the bridge was still open to waterborne traffic. It was open to pedestrians for all but three weekends when a free ferry service was in operation. The structure
4788-548: Was completed in March 2010 using a state-of-the-art coating system requiring up to six different layers of paint. A lighting system based on RGB LED luminaires was installed, concealed within the bridge superstructure, and attached without drilling holes, owing to the bridge's Grade I listing. On 8 July 2012, as part of the London Olympics , the west walkway was transformed into a 200-foot-long (61 m) Live Music Sculpture by
4864-464: Was designed to withstand wind pressures of 56 lb per square foot ( 2.7 kPa), a design constraint introduced following the Tay Bridge disaster which had occurred just 15 years before the opening of Tower Bridge. There is a chimney on the bridge that is painted to look like a lamppost. It was connected to a fireplace in a guardroom located in one of the bridge piers. The original raising mechanism
4940-484: Was divided into eight contracts. Mr (later Sir) John Jackson won three of those contracts and was responsible for the northern approach to the bridge (which started in February 1887), the foundations of the piers and the abutments of the bridge (started February 1887), and the cast iron parapet for the northern approach (December 1887) at a total accepted tender cost of £189,732; Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co. Ltd ,
5016-422: Was enshrouded in scaffolding and plastic sheeting to prevent the old paint falling into the Thames and causing pollution. Starting in mid-2008, contractors worked on a quarter of the bridge at a time to minimise disruption, but some road closures were inevitable. The completed work should stand for 25 years. The renovation of the walkway interior was completed in mid-2009. The renovation of the four suspension chains
5092-511: Was formed in December 1875 to find a solution. On 7 December 1876, the Committee presented a report recommending a bridge or subway to the east of London Bridge should be constructed, funds permitting. More than fifty designs were submitted, including one from civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette , which was rejected because of a lack of sufficient headroom. None of the designs gained support and it
5168-401: Was intended that the new works should be made suitable for the mounting of guns and for military occupation." But that "The latter idea was afterwards to a great extent discarded." However, the Act provided for "the senior officer commanding in the Tower [of London]...shall at all times have...the right to occupy the Tower Bridge." The extent of the maritime trade conducted at this time between
5244-535: Was not until 24 July 1884 that the Bridge House Estates Committee brought forward a report that proposed "a low level bridge, with mechanical opening or openings" be built. Following a deputation from the Committee visiting Belgium, Holland, and Newcastle Bridge, a proposal was presented on 28 October 1884 to the Court of Common Council for a mechanical bridge built according to one of three models: Design A,
5320-526: Was not until January 1890 that both piers were complete. The reason for the long duration of the foundation works was the need to defer excavation of the second pier until the staging for the first pier had been removed to allow 160 feet of clear water-way for shipping. More than 11,000 long tons (12,320 short tons; 11,177 t) of steel were used in the framework for the towers and walkways, which were then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone to protect
5396-620: Was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by the Prince and Princess of Wales . The opening ceremony was attended by the Lord Chamberlain , the Lord Carrington and the Home Secretary , H. H. Asquith . It was reported that "few [pageants] have been more brilliant or will have a more abiding and historic interest" than the opening of Tower Bridge in the history of the City of London, and it was
5472-400: Was originally designed by Horace Jones but his design had an arch instead of the current high-level footways. Concerns about ships' masts and rigging hitting the arch meant that his design faced objections and Jones "began to think that the arched form must be given up". It was at this point in 1885 that John Wolfe Barry partnered with Jones and developed the concept of the "level soffit for
5548-512: Was powered by pressurised water stored in six hydraulic accumulators . There were then two pairs of engines on each pier. Each pair consisted of a larger engine 8 ½ inches in diameter and a smaller one at 7 ½ inches. All eight engines had three cylinders. The reason for two pairs of engines on each pier was to build in redundancy. The machinery was "equal to twice the requirements of the Board of Trade", already very rigorous standards established following
5624-460: Was principally designed by the Conran group, with exhibitions over two floors, and a "Design Museum Tank" exhibition space out by the waterfront. A large scale sculpture titled The Head of Invention by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi was installed in the area between the museum and the Thames. In June 2011, Sir Terence Conran donated £17.5 million to enable the museum to move in 2016 from the warehouse to
5700-473: Was split into two equal bascules or leaves, which could be raised to allow river traffic to pass. The two side spans were suspension bridges, with rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained in the bridge's upper walkways. Construction - overseen by Edward Cruttwell - started on 22 April 1886, with the foundation stone laid by the Prince of Wales on 21 June, and took eight years. The work
5776-414: Was to reinforce the strength of the walkways. In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, designed by Geoffrey Beresford Hartwell, of BHA Cromwell House, with the original final pinions driven by modern hydraulic motors . In 1982, the Tower Bridge Exhibition opened, housed in the bridge's twin towers, the long-closed high-level walkways, and
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