NEN Gallery

The bridge was opened on 30 June 1894 by the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark. It was built because of increasing commercial developments in London,which required 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 between London Bridge and the Tower of London. In 1876 the design of the crossing was opened to public competition. In 1884 the design submitted by Horace Jones, the City Architect, was approved. Construction started in 1886 and took 8 years. The bridge is 800 feet in length with two towers each 213 feet high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. Each bascule weighs over 1,000 tons.