London Town Guide |
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The bridge incorporates a bascule (seesaw) system, which allows the central section to be raised so that tall ships can pass underneath. In order to achieve this, the two towers contain a steel frame covered in stone, which was a huge engineering feat at the time. And even today the mechanics of the bridge are impressive - the 1,000 ton arms can be raised in just 1½ minutes. Spanning between the two towers is a high-level walkway for pedestrian use. This was actually closed to the public between 1910 and 1982 as it had become a popular suicide spot, but now you can walk across as part of the tour that is included in the Tower Bridge Experience. Since London is no longer as busy a port as it once was, the bridge is not raised very often these days. But when it is it is still an impressive sight so it is worth asking when the next scheduled raising is. Tower Bridge is open daily but times vary throughout the year so do check times in advance. For a tour of the bridge try the Tower Bridge Experience. |
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