When you stand on the south bank of the Thames in London, looking north toward the Tower of London, there’s one structure that stops you in your tracks-not because it’s the tallest, or the oldest, but because it moves. Tower Bridge isn’t just another bridge in London. It’s a working marvel, a symbol of Victorian ingenuity, and a daily part of London life that even many locals never fully appreciate. While Big Ben chimes and the London Eye turns, Tower Bridge lifts its bascules for ships, a spectacle that still draws crowds on a Tuesday morning just like it did in 1894.
Most bridges in the world are static. Tower Bridge isn’t. It’s one of the few remaining bascule bridges still operating on its original hydraulic system-now upgraded with electric motors, but still obeying the same rules. Every day, it opens for tall ships, cargo vessels, and even the occasional tall-masted yacht from the Royal Yacht Club. In 2025 alone, Tower Bridge lifted over 800 times. That’s more than twice a week. If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic on the A100 because the bridge opened for a tall ship, you know exactly what this means. It’s not a tourist trick. It’s functional.
Locals in Southwark and Wapping have grown used to the alarm bells, the red lights flashing on the railings, and the slow, groaning rise of the two 1,000-ton bascules. Tourists snap photos, but the real magic happens when you see it from the water. Take a Thames Clipper from Westminster to Tower Bridge Pier-you’ll feel the bridge lift beneath you. The moment the gap opens, and the ship slips through, it’s like watching London breathe.
Walk across Tower Bridge, and you’re not just crossing the Thames. You’re walking through history. The high-level walkways, originally built so pedestrians could cross while the bridge was raised, now serve as one of London’s best free viewpoints. The glass floor panels on the upper walkway? They weren’t added for thrill-seekers-they were installed in 2014 to let visitors see the gears and levers below. Look down, and you’ll see the original 1894 machinery: the massive counterweights, the piston rods, the brass fittings still gleaming under the lights.
The Tower Bridge Exhibition, tucked into the eastern tower, is one of London’s most underrated museums. It doesn’t have a gift shop full of £12 mugs. Instead, it has original blueprints, steam-powered pumping engines, and a 19th-century control room where bridge keepers once monitored ship traffic with telegraphs and oil lamps. You can even stand in the exact spot where the bridge operator would have pulled the lever to open the bridge. No VR headset. No holograms. Just real history, preserved.
When Tower Bridge opened in 1894, it was the most advanced bridge in the world. It was designed to let tall-masted ships pass under it while still allowing road traffic to cross. The solution? Two 200-ton bascules that could lift to 86 degrees in under a minute. The original power came from steam-driven hydraulic accumulators-huge water-filled tanks under pressure, powered by coal-fired boilers. Today, those systems are gone, replaced by electric pumps. But the core design? Still intact.
That’s rare. Most Victorian infrastructure in London has been replaced. The Metropolitan Railway? Gone. The original gas lamps on the Strand? Replaced with LEDs. But Tower Bridge? It still runs on the same principles. The hydraulic system was upgraded in 1974, but engineers kept the original levers, the same gear ratios, the same counterweight balance. It’s like keeping a 1967 Mini Cooper running with its original engine-but with better fuel.
And here’s the kicker: it still needs daily maintenance. Every morning, a team of engineers checks the bascule alignment, the oil levels, the safety locks. They test the emergency stop. They clean the tracks. They do this not because it’s required, but because they take pride in keeping a London icon alive.
Tower Bridge isn’t just a bridge. It’s a logo. It’s on London Underground maps. It’s on postcards sold at Covent Garden. It’s the backdrop for the London Marathon finish line. It’s the bridge you see in every James Bond film that features the Thames. But unlike the London Eye or the Shard, it doesn’t scream "look at me." It works quietly, reliably, every single day.
It’s the bridge that connects the City of London to Southwark, not just geographically but culturally. On one side, the financial district with its glass towers and Bloomberg terminals. On the other, the street markets of Borough Market, the historic pubs of The Anchor, and the Tate Modern. Tower Bridge doesn’t just link two sides of the river-it links London’s past with its present.
Even the lighting matters. At night, the bridge glows in blue and white LEDs, a modern touch added in 2018. But it’s not flashy. It doesn’t flash ads or change colors for holidays like the London Eye does for Christmas. It stays true to its heritage. The glow is soft, deliberate, respectful. It’s the kind of lighting you’d expect from a place that’s been around since Queen Victoria was still on the throne.
If you’re in London and want to truly understand Tower Bridge, don’t just take the tour. Do this:
Tower Bridge doesn’t need to be loud to be unforgettable. It doesn’t need to be the tallest, the newest, or the most expensive. It just needs to work. And for over 130 years, it has.
Yes, Tower Bridge lifts ships regularly-over 800 times in 2025 alone. It opens for tall vessels that can’t pass under it, including cargo ships, historic sailing vessels, and private yachts. The lifts are scheduled and publicly listed on the official Tower Bridge website. Locals in Southwark and Wapping often hear the warning bells and pause to watch.
Absolutely. Unlike many London attractions, the Tower Bridge Exhibition doesn’t overdo it with digital gimmicks. It’s a real, hands-on look at the 1894 hydraulic system, original control rooms, and the massive counterweights that still function today. The glass floor walkway lets you see the machinery beneath your feet. It’s one of the few places in London where engineering history feels alive, not archived.
Yes. The road deck is open to pedestrians and vehicles at all times, free of charge. The high-level glass walkways and exhibition require a ticket, but crossing the bridge itself costs nothing. Many Londoners use it as a shortcut between Tower Hill and Borough Market. It’s often less crowded than London Bridge or Southwark Bridge.
The current blue and white color scheme was introduced in 2018 as part of a major restoration. Before that, it was painted in a dark green and red scheme from the 1970s. The blue was chosen to reflect the color of the Thames on a clear day, and the white accents help the bridge stand out against London’s skyline. It’s not just aesthetic-it’s practical. The lighter color reduces heat absorption, which helps protect the steel structure.
On average, Tower Bridge opens around 20 times a month, or roughly once every 1.5 days. The frequency varies by season-summer sees more tall-masted vessels and river cruises, while winter is quieter. You can check the exact schedule on the official Tower Bridge website, which updates daily. Many Londoners set phone alerts for upcoming lifts.
