NB Albert Bridge closed to road traffic from February 2010 to July 2011 [see 2010 below]
1864: Act authorising building of Albert Bridge
1873: Albert Bridge
built. Originally a cantilever design by Roland Mason Ordish.
710 ft. long. 40 ft. wide.
Twin ornamental cast iron towers resting on concrete foundations
support the carriageway by cable-stayed rods which fan out from the top of the towers,
and by suspension chains.
1873: Albert Bridge in the Illustrated London News -
Albert Bridge, 1873
1878: Albert Bridge, Henry Taunt -
Albert Bridge, Henry Taunt, 1878
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive
; HT2655
The [Albert Bridge] company was formed in 1863. Initially, £55,000 was raised in share capital under the 1864 authorising the bridge, but more was required, and subsequent Acts had to be obtained authorising an extension of the time limit and additional capital. The company took over Battersea Bridge for a Rent Charge of £3,000 in the year their new bridge was opened. The eventual share capital was £90,000 plus £30,000 of debentures. In 1875, a dividend of 5% was paid on the debentures and a mere 2% on the shares. In 1879 the Metropolitan Board of Works paid compensation for the two bridges of £170,305. In view of the time that had elapsed since share subscriptions were first paid, this was not a profitable company.
1884: Albert Bridge significantly modernised by Sir Joseph Bazalgette
;
1885: Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames:
A handsome new suspension bridge.
1897: Albert Bridge, James Dredge -
Albert Bridge, James Dredge, 1897
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive ; D230200a
After World War II it was proposed that the bridge be demolished, but,
following a high profile local
protest from residents (including Sir John Betjeman) it was reprieved and
re-opened in 1973 with a weight limit of 2 tons which is still in force.
Two cylindrical concrete river piers to support the carriageway were added.
It is the only Central London bridge never to have been replaced.
John Betjeman -
... shining with electric lights, grey and airy against the London sky;
it is one of the beauties of the London river.
The bridge is not strong enough to carry modern traffic and there is now a two ton weight limit on traffic that crosses this bridge. Interesting reminders are the notices on the bridge which instruct marching troops to break step. (Perhaps these should have been on the Millenium Footbridge?) The Albert Bridge is at its most beautiful at night when it is illuminated by thousands of electric light bulbs.
Albert Bridge © 2000 Doug Myers
2010: Albert Bridge closed to road traffic February 2010 to July 2011 -
Kensington and Chelsea council conceded drivers would face delays
but insisted the work was necessary to refurbish and strengthen the structure.
The £7.2million project, funded by the council and Transport for London,
will include removing all the paint and repainting the whole bridge,
putting in new, more efficient lights, refurbishing the toll booths and relaying the entire road surface.
The 710ft grade two listed Albert Bridge will be open to pedestrians and cyclists who dismount.
However, buses and heavy vehicles will still not be allowed to cross the bridge when the work is completed.
Kensington and Chelsea transport spokesman Nicholas Paget-Brown said:
“The bridge is showing the signs of age.
I appreciate that there will be disruption while the work is carried out,
but by returning Albert Bridge to its former glory,
residents and visitors to the area will be able to rest assured that they will have a bridge fit for the future.”
Tides this week
Upstream to Battersea Bridge
Estuary
PLA
QEII Br
Barrier
Tower Br
Custom Ho
London Br
; Frost Fairs
Cannon St Rb
The Great Stink
Southwark Br
Millenium Br
Blackfriars Rb
Blackfriars Br
Waterloo Br
Charing Cross Rb
Westminster Br
Lambeth Br
Vauxhall Br
Victoria Rb
Chelsea Br
Albert Br
Battersea Br
Battersea Rb
Wandsworth Br
Fulham Rb
Putney Br
Hammersmith Br
Barnes Rb
Chiswick Br
Kew Rb
Kew Br
RICHMOND
Twickenham Br
Richmond Rb
Richmond Br
TEDDINGTON
Kingston Rb
Kingston Br
Ditton Slip
Hampton Br
MOLESEY
SUNBURY
Walton Br
Desborough Cut
SHEPPERTON
Chertsey Br
CHERTSEY
M3 Br
Laleham Slip
PENTON HOOK
Staines Rb
Staines Br
Runnymede Br
BELL WEIR
Magna Carta Is
OLD WINDSOR
Albert Br
Datchet
Victoria Br
Black Potts Rb
ROMNEY
Eton
Windsor Br
Windsor Rb
Windsor Slip
Elizabeth Br
BOVENEY
Dorney Lake
York Cut
Summerleaze Fb
MonkeyIsland
New Thames Br
BRAY
Bray Slip
Maidenhead Rb
Maidenhead Br
Below Boulters
BOULTERS
Cliveden
Hedsor
COOKHAM
Cookham Slip
Cookham Br
BourneEnd RFb
Quarry Woods
A404 Br
MARLOW
Marlow Br
Bisham
TEMPLE
HURLEY
Medmenham
Culham Ct
Aston Slip
HAMBLEDEN
Temple Is
Fawley Ct
Remenham
Regatta
Phyllis Ct
Henley Slip
Leander
Red Lion
Henley Br
Angel on Br
Landing
Hobbs Boatyard
Hobbs Slipway
MARSH
Hennerton
Bolney
Wargrave
Shiplake Rb
R.Loddon
SHIPLAKE
Sonning Br
SONNING
Dreadnought
K&A Canal
CAVERSHAM
Reading Br
Caversham Br
Reading Slip
Purley
MAPLEDURHAM
Hardwick Ho
Whitchurch Br
WHITCHURCH
Hartswood Reach
Gatehampton Rb
Goring Gap
Goring Br
GORING
Swan
CLEEVE
Moulsford
Moulsford Rb
Papist Way Slip
Winterbrook Br
Wallingford Br
BENSON
Shillingford Br
R.Thame
DAYS
Burcot
Clifton Hampden
Clifton Church
Clifton H Br
Barley Mow
Long Wittenham
CLIFTON
Appleford Rb
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Br
CULHAM
Culham Cut Fb
Abingdon Slip
Abingdon
Abingdon Br
ABINGDON
Nuneham Rb
Nuneham
Nuneham Park
Radley Boats
SANDFORD
Rose Island
Kennington Rb
Isis Br
Iffley Mill
IFFLEY
Oxford Rowing
Isis
Donnington Br
Riverside Slip
Boathouses
Punting
Lower Cherwell
Upper Cherwell
Islip
Head of River
Salters Steamers
Folly Br
Bacons Folly
Oxford Fb
Osney Fb
Weir stream
Osney Rb
Bullstake Stream
Osney Marina
OSNEY
Osney Br
Four Rivers
OLD RIVER
CANAL
Medley Weir Site
Medley Fb
Bossoms
Perch
Trout
GODSTOW
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow Br
Thames Br
KINGS
River Evenlode
EYNSHAM
Swinford Br
Oxford Cruisers
PINKHILL
Farmoor
Stanton Harcourt
Bablock Slip
Arks Weir Site
NORTHMOOR
Harts Fb
//Rose Revived
Newbridge
//Maybush
River Windrush
below Shifford
SHIFFORD
Shifford Fb
Tenfoot Fb
Trout Inn
Tadpole Br
RUSHEY
Old Mans Fb
RADCOT
Radcot Cradle Fb
Swan Inn
Radcot New Br
Radcot Old Br
GRAFTON
Eaton Hastings
Kelmscott
Eaton Fb
BUSCOT
Bloomers Hole Fb
Trout Inn
St Johns Br
ST JOHNS
Halfpenny Br
Marina Slip
LIMIT
Inglesham
Hannington Br
Kempsford
Castle Eaton Br
Marston Meysey
A419 Br
Cricklade
SOURCE?
THAMES HEAD
SEVEN SPRINGS