How to build Tower Bridge

• How to build Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge - the most famous bridge in London and one of the symbols of not only cities, but, perhaps, the whole of England. With its Gothic towers, it has an unusual, catchy and recognizable appearance. Looking at these objects are always amazed, how in those days they were built ...

This time we have the opportunity to see the process.

Amazing photos showing the process of construction of Tower Bridge, were suddenly found ... in a dumpster.

Fifty-color photos in sepia, dating from the 1892 year, captured under construction Tower Bridge, one of the main attractions of the UK.

The last five years of photography lay in a suitcase under the bed, an anonymous resident of Westminster, who found them in the dumpster during the demolition of a building. In addition to the photos, he found some of the books. The man says that the book attributed to Tower Bridge Museum and tried to tell an employee that he has still photos, but it did not even want to listen, saying that the photos have already more than enough. The man admits that just do not know what to do with the photos - and therefore put them in a suitcase and put it under the bed.

So they were there and if one day the owner of the unusual findings not decided to tell about the pictures to his neighbor Peter Berthudu working in Westminster guide. Peter says that my eyes could not believe, seeing unique pictures. He spent several days studying the albums and documents, trying to figure out whether they are known photo professionals - and found that nobody even aware of their existence!

Tower Bridge - the lowest situated within the Thames bridge (he first encountered when climbing it from the North Sea) and only one of the bridges, which is a drawbridge.

The photographs captured the steel base of the bridge, the existence of which many do not even know - because the outer part of the bridge is lined with stone. The architect of the bridge was Horace Jones, who after his death was succeeded as John Wolfe-Barry. It was he who insisted that the bridge was lined with stone.

Peter Berthud calls this photograph of his beloved. "These people do not even aware that erected a monument of architecture", - he says.

The construction of the Tower Bridge began in 1886 and was completed in 8 years. Inauguration of the new bridge took place on June 30, 1894, Edward Prince of Wales and his wife Princess Alexandra.

His modern appearance Bridge acquired in 1977 - before that, since its opening, it was all chocolate brown. The bridge was repainted in the national colors in honor of the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II.

The name of the bridge was due next to the Tower: the north end of the bridge is located near the southeast corner of the Tower, and parallel to the eastern wall of the Tower there is a road, which is a continuation of the Tower Bridge.

The decision to build the bridge was made in connection with the development of the eastern region of London - East End - of its residents became inconvenient to move to the other side of the Thames. Built in 1870, the tunnel under the Thames Tower Subway was intended only for pedestrians and only partially solves the problem.

Adjustable bridge spans lifts located at the base of the towers of the hydraulic mechanism. At first, it was steam engines. Bridge divorced just a few minutes, his farm at the same time rose to 86 degrees, that is, rose almost vertically. The same mechanism is powered lifts, lifting pedestrians at high-altitude galleries and signals that control traffic on the bridge. In 1976, hydraulic system, which was originally water, became an oil and was electrified.

Bridge divorce is not on schedule, and every time under him had to go through the ship. Currently, there is a schedule, but it is not a regular - is made for several months in advance at the request of large ships, which should pass under the bridge in the London pool or back.

Pedestrian gallery at a height of 45 meters above the water, thought for people to be able to pass over the bridge even during lifting spans. Top people climbed the spiral stairs and elevators, located inside the towers. However, already in 1910, the gallery was closed decision of the Parliament, as became a refuge for prostitutes and pickpockets. Decent pedestrians are not particularly eager to climb on them, preferring to wait until the bridge and the divorce will be reduced again.

Since 1982, the gallery re-opened, but as part of the Museum of the bridge and observation deck.

Inside the bridge there is a museum dedicated to its history. In it you can see the real thing, but do not act now the mechanisms that control the movement of the spans.