It has been 51 years since the London Bridge we know today was opened up to the public
Sad news bridge fans – London’s most iconic bridge may not be around for as long as you think.
It has been 51 years since the London Bridge we know today was opened up to the public.
Despite people consistently mistaking it for its neighbour Tower Bridge, the structure has helped the city become the powerhouse it is today.
But like all good things, the crossing does have an expiration date, keeping its maintenance team on its toes.
‘I never let my daughter sing “London bridge is falling down” when she was a toddler. That song was banned,’ Tom Creed, City Bridge Foundation group engineer told Metro.
And Tom makes sure the haunting nursery rhyme will never come true.
Engineers changed it beyond recognition before the bridge was first built hundreds of years ago to help keep it going – but just how much longer do we have with this magnificent beauty?
How many times has the bridge been rebuilt?
Photographer: Howard Kingsnorth
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Stone RF(Credits: Getty Images)
London Bridge circa 1890 (Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Tom Creed, City Bridge Foundation group engineer, on London Bridge (Picture: Tim Fletcher)
Although London Bridge has never fall down, it does keep being rebuilt – four times to be exact.
The original structure first dates back to as early as 43 AD and being made of bits of timber.
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After it kept being destroyed by fires and storms, a final wooden one was built in 1163.
Around 100 years later, Henry II commissioned the first stone structure. But this was again taken down so it can be expanded.
In 1831, and a masonry stone structure which was sturdier was erected, and lasted for 140 years before the London bridge we know was completed in 1973.
A View Of London Bridge in 1616 (Picture: Evening News/Shutterstock)
Without it, the UK’s capital would not be what it is today.
Tom said: ‘The bridge has defined London and connected the city with the rest of the country. It is difficult to imagine how the place could have evolved without it.’
How has the bridge changed?
Since 1973 has had to adapt to the times.
‘It has fewer arches and it is made of concrete, which often means the bridge gets lumped in with brutalism but from an engineering point of view it is fantastic,’ Tom said.
‘It does not clog up the river like the old structures used to, but we have made some aesthetic changes.’
City workers crossing London Bridge during rush-hour, 1987. (Picture: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
A couple place a bouquet of flowers on London Bridge in memory of the victims of the terroist attack in 2017 (Picture: AFP)
In 2016, a new staircase with LED lighting was built and in 2019 illumations were installed across the bridge.
Most recently in 2020, the bearings have been replaced and waterproofing done to keep it in tip top condition.
What has happened on the bridge?
The bridge has seen terrorist attacks, boat crashes and has even been featured in blockbuster films.
In 1984 the British warship HMS Jupiter collided with it, causing significant damage to both.
London Bridge is lit up with the Hashtag #LONDONUNITED on the first anniversary of the London Bridge terror attack (Picture: John Keeble/Getty Images)
It features heavily in films based in London, including a shot of Hugh Grant running across it in 2002 film About A Boy.
In 2017, three pedestrians were killed by a van in a terrorist attack, prompting security barriers to be installed along the pavement.
How long is the bridge expected to last?
All bridges in London are designed and engineers to last 120 years.
Sadly this means we are nearly half way to reaching London bridge’s life expectancy.
But to those who are feeling a sense of despair – all is not lost.
London Bridge In The 1920’s (Picture: Daily Mail/Shutterstock)
Tom said: ‘We are working to protect and maintain the bridge for as long as possible because it’s now a cultural asset, and that is a lot of responsibility.
‘And we are now looking looking into what the future has in store for bridges in London.
‘We are trying to place more of an emphasis on greener methods of transport, such as walking and cycling.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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