Tower Bridge: An Icon of London

[@megaprojects9649]

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[@johnwolf2829]

There is a hell of a lot more to this thing than I ever imagined, thanks for making this!

[@jaydee6414]

Herods Temple in Jerusalem certainly qualifies as a megaproject, even in this day & age.

[@jongoshawk926]

maybe not a megaproject but william walker propping up the foundations of winchester cathedral is a very moving human story about engineering. features brunel and stevenson, though walker blows them both away as a character.

[@brandonhargrove4563]

Old school engineers are impressive. They had none of the modern access to information but still made things like this happen.

[@damanigrey8123]

Math hasn’t changed much…

[@popuptoaster]

@@damanigrey8123 And only the stuff they got right has survived. :D

[@peap1610]

@@damanigrey8123 but computers have

[@FussyPickles]

just wait till you hear what the egyptians did

[@duncancurtis1758]

Does it still have the secret entrance to M's base below MI6 headquarters?

[@randalscott7224]

One of the more dramatic flights under the walkway was performed by an RAF pilot Alan Pollock in his Hawker Hunter of No. 1 Squadron on the 5th of April 1968. Pollock was upset that the "powers that be" had nothing planned for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the RAF, so he took it upon himself to do something about it whilst flying his Hunter from RAF Tangmere to RAF West Raynham. Pollock flew low over several London landmarks before he found himself flying down the Thames and aimed for the gap between Tower Bridge's road and pedestrian walkway with the tip of his tail fin passing several feet below the walkway. On arrival at West Raynham he was arrested but avoided a court marshal by being invalided out of the RAF on medical grounds. This avoided embarrassment for the government and possible public support for his actions. He was exonerated by the RAF in 1982.

[@MianCowell]

Thank you, I was disappointed this story was missing.

[@littelbro14]

Still read this in Simon's voice, so it's like it wasn't missing at all.

[@randalscott7224]

@@littelbro14 thank you! 🙂

[@Maurice_Moss]

Glad you mentioned that, I was going to! Don't know how he could talk about planes flying through Tower Bridge and not mention that story 😅

[@anthonyjackson280]

I design machinery (filling equipment). I have always used CAD systems, first simple 2D drafting programs and now full 3D solid body modelling. I learned paper and pencil drafting in school in the 1970's. My respect for the people who designed things like Tower Bridge, tunnels, the great ships of the 19 and 20 th centuries, the aircraft of the 1900'a through 1980's and the space craft of the mid 20th century, with paper, pencils and slide rules is immense. As a teenager in the 1970's I remember the engineering departments with the rows of drafting tables and drafting machines, scaled rules etc. To make a minor design change involved hours of work erasing and re-drawing. For me it is tapping the 'Undo' icon a few times or 'edit part' and is done in a few minutes.

[@acemassey3618]

And yet the price for design still increases

[@pouch2598]

There’s nothing cooler than flying into Heathrow and seeing Tower Bridge and the Palace beneath you. For me, it was quite a welcoming sight-even though I’m American-coming into London was always like coming home, whether just from hearing my own language, or to know that a friendly town awaits.

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

Built for "£136 million" in todays money. That's impressive. If they built that exact bridge from scratch right now, it would likely be estimated at 10 times that, and then run overbudget by 5x.

[@pratiksingh1714]

No wonder Britain was the most successful country in the world.

[@Michael75579]

Even something as simple as the proposed Garden Bridge had an estimated construction cost that rose to over £200 million. Given that they burned through £53 million (including £43 million of public money) before the project was abandoned without having shifted even a single spadeful of earth, that £200 million looks wildly optimistic.

[@deamon002]

One thing you have to keep in mind with numbers like that is that simply adjusting for inflation can give a false impression, especially when you're talking a long time ago. For example, HMS Victory, a first-rate ship of the line launched in 1765, cost the British government £63,176, about 50 million today. Doesn't sound like that much for a giant warship, does it? Except the GDP of Britain at the time, the value of its entire economic output, was "only" 89 million pounds, meaning Victory's cost amounted to 0.07% of GDP. Interestingly, the GDP of the UK in 1894 was about 1.567 billion, making the 1.184 million price tag of Tower Bridge very similar in those terms: about 0.077%. Today, when the UK GDP is about 3.1 trillion, that would amount to about 2.4 billion.

[@mammamiia08]

But I could bet that less people would've died today, even if it was impressive for its time. I believe some of that cost today goes toward safety in the workplace.

[@GeoPePeTto]

@@deamon002 Damn. Those are some quick mafs. Joking aside, I appreciate the time you took to explain this. Cheers.

[@Old_B52H_Gunner]

I constantly am on Microsoft flight simulator, though I’m American, I usually do so in the very accurate recreation of London in the simulator and because I often fly in the simulator with English friends I met on KZbin, and every time I do so, I always fly over the Tower Bridge to look at it in all its simulated glory. In my opinion it’s one of the most beautiful bridges ever built.

[@woody1320]

As an American I can't think of anything more British then this and what a wonderful landmark and brilliant engineering, thank you!

[@silverflyer1701]

Fascinating as usual, Simon! For some reason I always thought Tower Bridge was at least 100 years older than it is! Always learn something new from your videos! Keep 'em coming! Thank you!

[@_starfiend]

Three years newer than Brooklyn bridge in New York. :)

[@GRW3]

I’ve seen and been on Tower Bridge a bunch of times. While most of my business was in Westminster, near the Polish Embassy, our favorite restaurant was Roast down in Borough Market. While most of the time the cabs went across London Bridge sometimes we crossed on Tower Bridge, particularly on the way back to the hotel.

[@Taylor-oq3gf]

Not gonna lie, the first time i saw the Tower Bridge I was completely blown away. Seeing it in person is such an amazing thing.

[@davidmeeks2405]

Incredible feat of engineering and on top of that, it looks really cool

[@badbiker666]

I have a suggestion for another bridge story to put on Megaprojects. I was born and raised in Michigan in the United States. Michigan is split into two halves, both peninsulas surrounded by the Great Lakes. For generations there was a ferry system for crossing the Straits of Mackinac; the narrowest point between the northern (we call it the 'upper') and southern ('lower' to us) peninsulas. In the 1950s, traffic grew to the point that the ferries were unable to accommodate the number of vehicles that desired passage, so the government of Michigan decided it was time to build a bridge. The story of the design and building of the Mackinac Bridge (Mighty Mac to Michiganders) is fascinating and, I believe, a worthy addition to your channel. Give it some thought, won't you?

[@granmahurt3397]

Love it when you do videos on iconic buildings Simon. Adding to my reply to one of comments on the Sydney Opera house. Yes please!!! Side project or Mega project. Bring it on. Please? Great stories, well researched. Great team. Thank you Simon. 😊

[@sandybarnes887]

I always thought that was London Bridge. Thx 4 clearing it up

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Fascinating stuff as always. Other bridges that may serve as material are the CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel), and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that connects the city of Annapolis MD to Kent Island. It is one of only a few large curved bridges, and consists of multiple bridge construction methods for the several sections (platform, canteliever, through-girder, over-girder, suspension, etc.). Cheers, Simon!

[@jstorlie73]

I'd love to see a video about the rebuilding of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge after the 1989 earthquake

[@skyden24195]

Good call. When I was a kid in the 80's, I crossed the pre-quake bridge numerous times. Haven't been able to get over the new bridge though.

[@paulmaddison6193]

I know these episodes are recorded well in advance, but this video being released so close to the new Jay Foreman Unfinished London video about bridges is pretty cool.

[@skeletononcrystals5608]

Hmmm

[@franl155]

Is that what he does? KZbin keeps putting a "Jay Foreman" tab on my recommendations; never heard of him so wasn't bothered.

[@nicolaesposito6490]

@@franl155 he has a series, "unfinished London", that covers unfinished project, and some of their history. The videos are not very frequent (compared to Simon, every creator has unfrequent videos..) but are hilarious and informative, check them out

[@franl155]

@@nicolaesposito6490 - ok, thanks, I'll check him out - lol and probably provoke another tab with his name on it!

[@emilymoore378]

Hey Simon, fab content as always! Don't know if it would be a mega project or a side project, but would be awesome to see something on the Mersey tunnel between wirral and liverpool

[@comicalcarpet]

Should be something, especially for the age!

[@lebaggins10]

1613 mega project still in use - the new river - water supply to London - Always loved tower bridge, great video!

[@giselematthews7949]

This is so awesome!

[@codyj1162]

Not sure why but I found this fascinating and an excellent video to boot. Great work Simon, thank you!

[@ExestentialCrisis]

Very interesting. Thank you! A video on the Mackinac Bridge would be interesting. An icon now but was hotly contested when proposed.

[@JeffDeWitt]

And as I recall the Mighty Mac is the only one of the world's great bridges that connects two rural areas.

[@BFSilenceDogood]

Beautiful bridge. I always wanted to know about its background. Thanks!

[@stefanbraem]

A video about the Brussels palace of justice (once the biggest building in the world) would be quite awesome. It has a gigantic golden crown on its roof 🤩

[@shaunsmith-milne5647]

That would be cool

[@peterwilliams6289]

Talking of buildings, you should totally cover the chaos that was the Sydney Opera House construction megaproject.

[@granmahurt3397]

Should love to see a video on the Sydney Opera house. What an amazing building, and what a talented architect. But the whole business around the building of it was a right mess.

[@Incogneto1981]

You literally are a brain with a beard and glasses! I love it! Whenever my excuse for a brain needs a workout i revert to one of your many, many many........ channels! You are brilliant!

[@travellingcanuck8243]

You know other people do the research and he just reads a pre written script written by someone else right?

[@KenVic02]

The state of the bridge at 8:50 reminds me of the first Sherlock Holmes movie in 2009. I've been waiting for the third movie in the series for years...loved the first two.

[@nadwanrosetta2942]

When I was a kid, I thought that the two towers of the bridge had some flats inside them (and I envied those who might live there) and I never thought about the engines that raise the bridge for the passing ships, but then I discovered the Ponte Vecchio of Florence in Italy, which have shops along its sides

[@adamdewitt6430]

Megaproject suggesting: The Mackinac Bridge. It reaches 5 miles across the Straits of Mackinac between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the state of Michigan. It is tall enough to allow shipping barges to pass under, and withstands the intense wind gusts of the Straits. It was completed on schedule in the late 1950's, with construction and module manufacturing continuing year-round. I believe at one point it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

[@ShukenFlash]

You should do a video on the I-580 (MacArthur Maze) collapse and reconstruction. Its often used in engineering classes as an example of what engineers are capable of doing when push comes to shove. In under a month one of the busiest interchanges in California was rebuilt after a tanker fire collapsed the upper deck. The hot shot construction company owner, one C. C. Meyers, boasted in his bid that he could rebuild it in 1/3 the time the state estimated, and for a price that was impossibly cheap. You see, there was a bonus of $200k per day the bridge finished ahead of their estimate, up to a max of $5million. His bid was actually $5.9 million, he said, because he was going to finish in time to collect the full $5mil bonus. Meyers was so sure he'd get the contract he had equipment moved to just across from the bridge ahead of time so they could start work within an hour of the contract signing. Not only did they pull it off, they came in ahead of schedule and under budget.

[@J3scribe]

Awesome structure. And beautiful.

[@nunya___]

Good video. Thanks. 👍

[@Matt-wc2mf]

This with Unfinished London, I'm learning a lot about London bridges this week...

[@tkskagen]

Floating Bridges would make a very interesting addition!

[@jh6031]

That was a nice episode. Great work as always, Megaprojects team!

[@trj1442]

That was an excellent episode. Thankyou MP team. May I suggest an episode on the Sydney Opera House. Quite an interesting MP. Cheers

[@blackgsd4177]

A tycoon did in fact buy London Bridge. Had it dismantled, shipped to Lake Havasu City, Arizona and reassembled. Not sure if he thought he was buying Tower bridge or not but he definitely got London Bridge.

[@blackgsd4177]

@Amethyst aka the garbage lady yep. You can still see the numbers marked on the stones they used to make sure everything went back where it belongs.

[@blackgsd4177]

@Amethyst aka the garbage lady yep. You can still see the numbers marked on the stones they used to make sure everything went back where it belongs.

[@siabell]

He did. The myth part is the bit where he thought it was Tower Bridge he was buying. If you look at photos of London Bridge in Arizona, you'll see it just fits well with it's surroundings, Tower Bridge would look utterly ridiculous

[@siabell]

@Amethyst aka the garbage lady if I remember correctly, there's a couple of the original stones that stayed in London, they were used on the rebuilt London version of London Bridge and inscribed with words explaining that

[@allangibson2408]

@@siabell More than a few stones stayed in London - one entire span was left behind (a section on the shore).

[@foulisfairgameclub]

You guys should do a Megaprojects video about the bridges in Portland, OR. There are so many and they are all so unique and interesting.

[@OMGWTFFYA]

Best trip I had over that bridge was when I meet a fellow Kiwi in a pub and he took me over it on the back of his petrol scooter during a whirlwind tour of London when I was half plastered when he gave me a ride back to my place in Hammersmith.

[@jamiearnott9669]

Excellent video and architecturally, it's aesthetically pleasing and it lasts. Iconic status well deserved! I've travelled under it to go to work or visit fiends as I've lived in London most of my life. JUst don't do a god awful booze cruise for "work" on this river! ;-)

[@Danibrahh]

The 1830’s London bridge was actually bought by an American and was relocated in the 1960’s to Lake Havasu City in Arizona.

[@cornelisjohn]

Is there a video on that one. I would like to watch it.

[@shrimpflea]

I've been there. Very odd seeing it in the desert. There is also a new London Bridge in London, built in the 1970's. It is pretty unimpressive.

[@George-bm1lt]

I would recommend visiting the bridge and taking the tour it was cool to walk on the glass floor, you can look up and see yourself in the glass ceiling.

[@Zakster90]

Hey, do the 7 mile bridge in Key West, please? thank you 😊

[@wcubbin]

Solid bridge facts 👍

[@theidahotraveler]

Thanks again brotha

[@dougwalker4944]

You are my favorite "late night host"! 3 to 5 am PDX time.

[@vasilerogojan4520]

Tower Bridge, another achievement of the Victorian era.

[@skyden24195]

area/scenic shot: A double-decker bus crosses the Tower Bridge as voice overs are heard: Fozzie (v.o.): Kermit, what river is that? Kermit (v.o.): I think it's the English River. -"The Great Muppet Caper"

[@deceipher3]

Still serving us the facts when you’ve got a cold, nice one!

[@the-chillian]

Suggestion: This is probably more of a Side Project than a Megaproject, but a piece on the saving of Winchester Cathedral would be interesting. Basically it was about to fall over and sink into the swamp, and it needed to be placed on entirely new foundations. Which were underwater. It's a side project because the bulk of the work was done by one man only, diver William Walker. They needed a diver because once they dug down to the required depth the ditch would fill with water.

[@shrimpflea]

Nice video. You should do the Brooklyn Bridge. It's actually older than Tower Bridge.

[@b1646717]

As a former commercial diver I completely understand being picky about which tender runs the chamber while I'm in it.

[@FairbrookWingates]

Rather understandable, even by a non-diver! I think it's awesome that it was his daughter he trusted to assist him, given the sharp divide of men's work and women's work in that time.

[@justanotherbrokenerd2285]

How about the Globe Theater in London? However, it's not very "Mega", so maybe it would be better as a "Side Project".

[@Dampfish]

Fun fact: Bill Clinton thought that the raising of the bridge when his motorcade got split up was something that was specifically arranged for his visit as a fun showing off. It's said that he thoroughly enjoyed seeing it first hand and he actually later wrote Tony Blair (or at least his administration) thanking him for the show.

[@mmo7924]

Hey Simon, kindly make a video on the Karakorum Highway, the highest paved road in the world. Looking forward to it. Best wishes.

[@seanwright1264]

"Sick burn." 🤣

[@donaldmangel4732]

This bridge has survived many decades longer than many bridges in Pittsburgh. A bridge built in the 70’s collapsed this last week, luckily with no loss of life.

[@Michael75579]

Construction started 6 years after the Tay Bridge disaster, so they weren't taking any chances with the strength of the bridge. For the same reason the Forth Bridge, which began construction three years earlier, is also massively over-engineered.

[@JeffDeWitt]

Not sure if this is quite a megaproject but a story about the moving of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse would be interesting. It’s one of the largest masonry buildings ever moved.

[@AgentOrangeMTB]

Simon, please do a video on the Sydney harbour Bridge. As an Australian, I know the name is a bit on the nose but it is a masterpiece.

[@koelekahuna9370]

One of my favorite landmarks in the world.

[@mihran79]

You did not mention the bascule chamber concerts, I attended once, surreal!

[@TheEvilCommenter]

Good video 👍

[@PaulManningg]

Simon did a bad bag of blow and now his transformation into a gnome is now complete

[@mho...]

first time i saw the bridge, i was shocked how tiny it is! always looked waay bigger on tv somehow, same with bigben & co!

[@tedbyrne88]

Simon should write 1 script. I k ow he isn't a writer but he is the only one who could do a bio graphics video about himself. We all feel like we know him so well, yet we don't know him at all. We just get randomly hit with how he once took the greyhound round America and encountered racists. Or how he once flew to Asia just because the flight was cheap. Make it happen Simon

[@acedrifts]

Do a megaprojects of the megaprojects studio

[@TahmedAlif]

One of the most intricate architecture of the world 😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@0cch10]

An episode on the Dutch defensive "IJssel linie" would be great

[@georgeosborn3223]

What could be more Victorian than a steam-powered bridge?

[@owenshebbeare2999]

True, though steam power was already well established before she ascended the throne.

[@oddsandwindsocks5905]

Great video Simon, I thought the American did think that he was actually buying tower bridge, but when he constructed it in USA found out he was mistaken.

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: The construction of the San Diego Coronado Bridge, located in San Diego, California.

[@rovercoupe7104]

I liked the continuity errors - the shirt, the jumper. M.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , 🐺

[@christopherjohnrudma]

great video. now you should do The City of London

[@NorthernAlliance216]

Hey Simon, what about the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carriers. The biggest ships built for thr Royal Navy.

[@siabell]

Most of the interesting information about them is highly classified, so I'm not sure he would be able to go into much more detail other than 'it's bloody massive, and it has some planes on it'

[@thejudgmentalcat]

TIL the interior of the towers is beautiful 😍

[@siabell]

If you're ever in London, it's worth doing the tour. You get shown the inside of the towers where the counterweights come down (just as long as it's not being opened at that time, for obvious reasons)

[@amb163]

Suggestion: the Rideau Canal Locks, which are still hand-cranked to this day.

[@onemorechris]

Tower Bridge used to be on my commute to work! a great looking bridge and not, as US tv news thinks; ‘London Bridge’ hehe

[@hellequin.303]

That bridge has perfect timing 😂

[@onepiecepedia]

The Tower Bridge is to London what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris ❤🌉🗼

[@77appyi]

apart from tower bridge is usful

[@JamesRivord]

One Megaproject that has amazed me is the system of time zones. How did anyone get the whole world to agree on one definition of time. We can't get the world to agree on anything today (money, religion, distance, etc.). This has not stopped the US from messing with the system with daylight savings time. I suspect it all stems from the British being the sailing power of the world at the time (hence Greenwich), but I really don't know for sure.

[@senuauwu]

wow amazing

[@michaelpipkin9942]

Can you do the history of The Thunderbirds? Not the TV show, the AIRSHOW.

[@twocvbloke]

Imagine being the "lucky" ones to dig out the mud from the thames knowing that it was just a mass of turd deposits silted over through time since the sewer systems had been put in place... :P

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Plus no small number of treasures. Sh1t and gold, I suppose.

[@annihaa2079]

Please do the Hamburg Operahouse. Pleeeaaaasseee

[@FSEVENMAN]

It's about fucking time you did one of the U k's finest gems.....good show mate...

[@4KChillVibes.]

On ve day the Air Officer Commanding No. 224 Group RAF and my grandfather flew a plane threw tower bridge, they did get a nasty slap on the wrist for it but the commadore went on to be the air chief marshal.

[@Manuel-gu9ls]

London bridge is falling down, falling down, London bridge is falling down my fair lady

[@sandybarnes887]

Different one

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Bloody legendary bus driver!

[@bankerdave888]

Those pandas will counterfeit anything! 🤣🤣🤣

[@57menjr]

Beautiful

[@kjorlaug1]

I don't know if this would be a mega project or a side project, but the Big Dam bridge in Little Rock Arkansas is I believe the largest pedestrian bridge in the world

[@thevictoryoverhimself7298]

A double decker bus has jumped the tower bridge gap. Thats the most british thing i've ever heard.

[@rotary7372]

Albert was an action hero bad ass.

[@--Dani]

Beautiful structure

[@bipedalame]

Dredging and widening the river Clyde in my hometown of Glasgow a mega project

[@SuperMississippian]

Is there a "locks of love" for the beardless?

[@EAcapuccino]

Britain's most iconic landmark! 🇬🇧 Whenever you see a reference to the UK in so many other places documentaries, films etc, that always shows up! An engineering marvel! 🌉 I have been under it on a speed boat! It was fabulous!

[@SephirothRyu]

Many people would say that Big Ben is the most iconic.

[@EAcapuccino]

@@SephirothRyu My own opinion doesn't rule out others 😅 Yes that too, BUT a clock tower on its own is less recognizable. A clock tower could be anywhere. Unless the houses of Parliament are included in its picture.

[@SephirothRyu]

@@EAcapuccino Fair enough. But it is a fairly distinctly large clock tower, and if you ask someone non-British, Big Ben is the one people think of first. Heck, more foreigners probably know about London Bridge over Tower Bridge because of that whole "London Bridge is Falling Down" nursery song (what is it with nursery songs being about bridge collapses and cradles falling from trees and similar things anyway?).

[@mandlin4602]

Ring of roses… Londons burning… yeah it’s some dank shit

[@ronstewtsaw]

It is not a myth that an American businessman bought London Bridge. The myth is that he thought he was buying Tower Bridge. I have walked over London Bridge in Arizona. Weird, but kind of cool.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

He knew what he was buying, especially given he essentially just bought the stone facing of the 1820's London Bridge, though it makes for a good urban legend.. The bridge in Arizona is essentially local, but clad with London Bridge stone.

[@ronstewtsaw]

@@owenshebbeare2999 I wasn't aware that it was just the facing stone. Thanks!