Tower Bridge is a bascule bridge in London, England over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name. It has become an iconic symbol of London and is sometimes mistakenly called London Bridge, which is the next bridge upstream. The bridge is owned and maintained by Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the Corporation of London.
Design In the second half of the nineteenth century, increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London. A tunnel beneath the Thames, the Tower Subway, had been opened in 1870,A Special Bridge or Subway Committee was formed in 1876 to find a solution to the river crossing problem. It opened the design of the crossing to public competition. Over 50 designs were submitted, including one from civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The evaluation of the designs was surrounded by controversy, and it was not until 1884 that a design submitted by Horace Jones, the City Architect, was approved.
Hydraulic system One of the original steam engines: a horizontal twin-tandem compound engine, fitted with Meyer expansion slide valvesThe original raising mechanism was powered by pressurised water stored in six hydraulic accumulators.
The system was designed and installed by Sir W. G. Armstrong Mitchell & Company of Gateshead. Water, at a pressure of 750psi was pumped into the accumulators by two stationary steam engines, each driving a force pump from its piston tail rod. The accumulators each comprise a 20-inch ram on which sits a very heavy weight to maintain the desired pressure.
|
 |
| Location |
London, England |
| Opening date |
1894 |
| Crosses |
Thames |
| Carries |
Motor vehicles, pedestrians |
| Design |
Bascule bridge |
| Total |
length 244 m (800 feet) |
| Maintained by |
Bridge House Estates |
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