Tower Bridge once Opened… With a Bus on it It also features over 31 million bricks and 2 million rivets. Tower Bridge is made up of more than 11,000 tons of steel and the foundations needed more than 70,000 tons of concrete to support the structure. Want an idea of how impressive the bridge is? Check out these Tower Bridge facts and figures. The Facts and Figures Involved in Tower Bridge’s Construction are Pretty Mind-Boggling They were closed in 1910 but now you can visit them as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The walkways weren’t really used that much… and as a result they became one of London’s informal red light districts, frequented by ladies of the night looking for some custom. However… You can spy the walkways The Walkways Fell into Disrepair and Became one of London’s Informal Red Light Districts The two high level walkways were designed so that pedestrians would still be able to use Tower Bridge when it was open. Originally Tower Bridge’s Two High Level Walkways Were Created so Pedestrians Could Still Use the Bridge When it was Open When Tower Bridge first opened, it used to be powered by coal burning steam engines, but these were replaced by a combination of electricity and oil in the 1970s. It Used to be Powered by Coal Burning Steam Engines You can visit on a special tour – but they also have occasional concerts in the chamber as the acoustics are pretty incredible. The Bascule Chamber is one of London’s quirkier spots – a huge cavern underneath the bridge in which the counterweights swing to operate the bridge. There’s a Huge Chamber Underneath the Bridge to Counterbalance the Bascules Incidentally, bascule is derived from the French for see-saw – not hard to see why. The two sections in the central span are called bascules – and they raise up to an angle of 83 degrees. The Two Levered Sections are Called Bascules He did get knighted the year before he died though, so its not all that bad. Sir Horace Jones sadly died in 1887, seven years before the bridge was completed on June 30th 1894. And He Never Lived to See the Bridge Completed Sir Horace Jones – the architect behind Tower Bridge shaped some of the most iconic buildings in Victorian London including Leadenhall Market, Smithfield Market and Billingsgate Market. The Same Architect who Designed Tower Bridge also Designed Many of London’s Famous Markets

Old tower bridge