Tower Bridge and The Monument

• Tower Bridge Exhibition’s Engineering Tours are returning from November to give visitors the opportunity to see the inner workings of the most famous bridge in the world
• Go behind the scenes in a two-part tour and access out of bound areas including the Bridge Control room and the Bascule Chambers, which recently housed a one-off concert for the Totally Thames festival
• Ticket price: £50 per person which includes a souvenir guide book and access to Tower Bridge’s thrilling high-level walkways and glass floor for a unique perspective of London, 42 metres above the Thames
• Tickets here

Ever wanted to get behind the scenes at Tower Bridge? Now is your chance. November sees the return of the Bridge’s annual Engineering Tours, offering visitors the chance to experience the inner workings of the most famous bridge in the world. With an increased number of tours this year due its popularity among visitors, tickets are priced at £50 per person and include exclusive access to areas normally off limits to the public. The Engineering Tours will re-commence in November and take place every weekend thereafter throughout December, January and March. Places are limited and sell out quickly, so early booking is advisable.

The Tours
Led by one of Tower Bridge’s experienced guides, the two-hour tours are divided into two parts. Part One includes an audio-visual discovery of the Tower Bridge Exhibition which explains the fascinating history of the Bridge and its construction. Visitors can experience the thrill of the panoramic Walkways, suspended 42 metres above the River Thames with far-reaching viewsacross London, before discovering the atmospheric setting of the Bridge’s Engine Rooms. These feature the magnificent restored steam pumping engines, accumulators and boilers that were used to power the bridge lifts until 1976.

Part Two of the tour is led by one of the Bridge’s Senior Technical Officers who will escort visitors to several areas normally out of bounds to the public, including the Bridge Control Room and the immense Bascule Chambers below river level. The tour also includes the Machinery Room, which houses the impressive hydraulics that power the lifting of the Bridge. Visitors can discover just how the Bridge works today and ask our experts any questions they may have.

Tower Bridge Engineering Tours 2015
Dates: Starting in November 2015, running every weekend thereafter throughout December, January and March (not February).
Cost: £50 per person, which includes a Tower Bridge Souvenir Guidebook. Tours start from 15.00hrs and last for approximately 2 hours and each tour is limited to 12 places. Individual tickets can be purchased for these tours so, for this special period, there is no need to be part of an organised group with a minimum number. Visitors must be over 12 years old to attend one of the tours.

Further information is available from www.towerbridge.org.uk.

Notes to Editors:
Tower Bridge (http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/)
Tower Bridge was the creation of architect Sir Horace Jones and civil engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry. It took eight years to complete and was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by the Prince and Princess of Wales (the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra).

Tower Bridge Exhibition opening hours: 
Summer Opening Hours: April - September 10:00 - 17:30 (last admission)
Winter Opening Hours: October - March 09:30 - 17:00 (last admission)

Admission prices for Tower Bridge Exhibition:  
Adults:£9
Children aged 5-15: £3.90
Groups of 10 or more: £3.40 
Concessions:£6.30 
Family tickets from £18 
Under 5s free

•  The nearest underground stations are London Bridge or Tower Hill.

•  The experience of visiting the high-level Walkways has now been bolstered with the addition of the new glass floor, which gives visitors a unique perspective of London 42 metres above the Thames. Guests are able to tread on the glass floor whilst traffic passes beneath their feet – the glass floor panels can withstand the weight equivalent to one elephant or two London Black Cabs.

•  The popular Great Bridges of the World exhibition has been refreshed, now featuring 40 of the world’s most revered bridges, each of which represents a breathtaking feat of engineering.

•  Tower Bridge is supported by The City of London Corporation – a uniquely diverse organisation in that it not only promotes and supports the City and provides it with a full range of services, but provides wider services for London and for the nation as a whole. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk.

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