Tower Bridge Exhibition, London - September 2007
On a fine late summer's day we headed up to London and
visited the fascinating Tower Bridge Exhibition and attempted to
discover how it all worked. Along the way we enjoyed some
fantastic views over the River Thames from the high level walkways and
were enthralled by the Victorian Engine Rooms.
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Here we are then, posing for a picture with Tower Bridge as a
backdrop. Unfortunately this was into the sun which was low in
the mid-September sky. We enjoy several trips to London each
year, and often visit with our friend Bob who took many of the photos.
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Looking south over the bridge, the Tower Bridge Exhibition entrance was
to the right.
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After paying the reasonable £6 Tower Bridge Exhibition entrance fee, we
ascended 45metres by lift to the east walkway and viewed...
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...the many engrossing displays identifying the numerous London
landmarks below as we walked along Tower Bridge's high level walkways.
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This breathtaking view's looking along the River Thames towards Canary
Wharf and the London Docklands, seen in the distance on the left.
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Both towers were showing fascinating films of the bridge's building and
history. Can you spot one of the bridge's massive lifting arms
above that notice?
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Mike took a picture of Belinda trying out the Penny Press in the west
walkway as she...
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...embossed a penny like this! It came out a bit squashed
though. London tourists, eh!
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Yet another picture in the bag! Now here's a free tip for
photographers - when taking photos through windows, hold the camera as
close as possible to the glass to minimise reflections.
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This is looking towards The City from Tower Bridge's west
walkway. St Paul's Cathedral can just be seen on the far left,
down on the near right is the Tower
of London, behind which is the cigar shaped Gherkin.
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Emerging back outside, we looked up towards the bridge's high level
walkways we'd just visited.
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No - don't turn it up any higher! The Victorian Engine Rooms were
part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition and these giant boilers were used
in the olden days to generate the steam for the lifting engines.
You'll find Tower Bridge resources in our UK tourist links.
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Just trying to figure out how it all worked.. erm... Here's the
large flywheel of one of the two huge steam engines that used to raise
Tower Bridge.
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To the right are the dials, levers and gauges that controlled the
bridge in past times, to the left marches up Belinda who controls Mike
in present times!
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Here's the battery - two giant piston looking things that could store
enough power to raise and lower the bridge without steam.
Brilliant Victorian engineering!
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Well, let's leave Mike there still trying to figure out the
workings. The Tower Bridge Exhibition and Victorian Engine Rooms
sure proved to be an engaging visit.
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After touring Tower Bridge we had lunch then headed to Jubilee Gardens
where we came across this amazing site - a giant crane suspending a
'mobile' of musicians playing away right up in the air!
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A close-up of the drummer, now we hope he doesn't get caught short up
there! Notice the lovely clear blue sky, which was a rare sight
indeed during the UK 'summer' of 2007!
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