Jan 15, 20236 min read

Tower Bridge Almost Cured My Acrophobia

Although this may seem like a clickbait title, I am here to clarify that this is true.

My close friends and family would know from my immense fear of looking down from the top of the building that the streets and cars below look miniscule. My legs tremble whenever I stand on top of the glass floor. Call it a reflex reaction. Wild imagination and scenarios run in my head, wondering what if the glass broke, and I plummeted down to the ground; my head cracked open with juices flowing out and my limbs twisted in an ungraceful manner.

So how does this relate to my visit to Tower Bridge?

Be patient. You don’t jump to the climax of the story without knowing the exposition.

To the Top of Tower Bridge

This was not my first trip to Tower Bridge. I had visited there when I was 12 years old with my mother. I could only recall the long queue, the spiralling stairs, and the bridge for a picturesque River Thames view. The bridge’s details and history had escaped my brain, as I was not into history at that age. This second visit was to refresh my memory and dive deeper into the construction and story behind this iconic bridge.

The best time to visit most London landmarks and attractions was on the weekdays during working hours. It took less than three minutes to wait at the ticketing line to where the security check was swifter than before. The guard even complimented my orange bag with a small kitten printed on the right pocket, as it resembled her cat at home. Visitors had two options to head upwards: by stairs or escalator. I chose the first option, a way to understand how the tower was built and the life within the tower.

London Bridge was the sole connector between Central and South London before the 19th century, when there was a boost in the city’s population. Tower Bridge was one of the new bridges commissioned by Edward VIII in 1886, when he was Prince of Wales. This massive construction involved over 400 workers, including divers who worked on the tower’s foundation. These divers had to wear suits that weighed as heavy as a full-grown mountain lion. The workers would cramp themselves into wobbly rubber suits, lead helmet and thick boots before submerging underwater. It took 8 years to finish the construction, which was a fast process considering the technology of that time.

The newly constructed Tower Bridge was in boring brown, like its internal colour palette. In 1977, the bridge was repainted red, white, and blue to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s silver jubilee. The next transformation happened in 2008, to the blue and cream white, as we know today.

On the top floor was a mini theatre that played a black and white silent movie depicting the dawn of 20th century London, with horse carriages and pedestrians flooding the bridge. Today, it is one of the highest traffic bridges in the city alongside London, Blackfriars, and Southwark Bridge.

Here Comes the Transparent Floor

Standing on the bridge above the River Thames is the purpose of the visit. Although the large glass panels protect the people from the strong winds and provide a clear view of London, visitors could open the small windows to take high-quality pictures or videos. On my left was the pointy Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe. There are other taller skyscrapers in the world that humble the Shar’s reputation. Nonetheless, its reflective panels display the bankside’s activities, like a shard of glass that could show a fraction of the image. On the other side was the river was the Tower of London, bearing a notorious fame as the most horrifying prison in England. Right in front was the London Bridge, with 600 years of history. Many could not differentiate between Tower Bridge and London Bridge, to where the Tower Bridge had published an article to explain the distinctions on the official website.

The glass panels were not installed on the ground during my first visit. It seems to be a compulsory design for every city landmark to install a see-through glass floor. Dauntless visitors would stand or sit on top of the glass, feeling like they were levitating above the river. What I saw was a different view: a possibility of falling into the icy river and the stinky water filling my lungs. I cautiously walked to the side that was covered in wood. My attempt to survive the ordeal had failed, as one staff member saw my awkward movement.

“Are you scared?” he said. “There’s nothing to fear, just stand on the panel.”

“But-”

“It’s alright. Give me your phone and follow what I say.”

I reluctantly stood on the glass floor. There was no way for me to move, as if I was petrified by Medusa’s gaze. I was hanging more than a hundred feet above the pedestrians and vehicles that were rushing to the other end of the bridge. Would anyone notice me in this pathetic and ungraceful state? In embarrassment, I wished I could vanish.

The staff first instructed me to walk towards him, so I did in baby steps. The next few steps were to walk in horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines while not looking down. My focus was on him, as my feet dragged my body in different directions. The more I moved around, the steadier my heart was that used to beat out of anxiety. I nervously let out a v for victory sign to show I was ready for a photo. Once the staff gave a thumbs up, I escaped as fast as my fingers would move away from a hot bowl.

“Congratulations. Here is a sticker for you.”

The staff handed me a round yellow sticker with the capitalised words screaming: GLASS FLOOR • I DID IT. He had taken a picture of me squatting down like a boss. People might have noticed my smile and assumed that I was enjoying the moment, but they could not see the anxiety and fear masked behind it.

Although it took less than three minutes for the photo, this surrealistic experience felt like an eternity. I saw stars and static noise, and my legs wobbling like jelly. All I had in my mind was to find the escape route to descend the tower. There was still a long way to go to fully treat my acrophobia.

Behind the Scenes at the Engine Room

I felt a lot better when I reached the ground level. I just noticed the concrete pavement had circular iron plates smaller than an average sewer hole, engraving names of architects and engineers that contributed to the construction project. Circulating them was a faded baby blue line that led visitors to the engine room at the bridge’s southern approach. The engine room was right within the gift shop beneath the bright; only visitors who had bought the Tower Bridge ticket could access the exhibit.

The engine room provided a glimpse of the old engines that lifted the bascules. A replica of the engine showed how steam and hydraulic pumps helped in operating the engines. The hydraulic system was run by coal, with an average of 20 tons of coal was used per week. Within two minutes, the bridge would be fully lifted for the ships to sail across. During this time, cars and pedestrians could not cross the bridge. Yet, this did not stop a bus driver from leaping the vehicle to the other side in 1952.

Technology improves as time goes. The heavy manual levers operated by 80 people had been replaced by a light weighted joystick to lift the bridge. The installation of the electric motor circuit marked the end of the old hydraulic system. Air freight and travel reduces the need for marine transportation, so Thames serves as a tourist destination. The tower lifts its bascules less frequently than its early days, when over 20 ships per day entered the river to import commodities and carry passengers. I could not remember if I had witnessed the bridge’s opening when I was younger, but I hope I could witness at least once.

To preserve my newfound memory, I had sketched the bridge on my watercolour paper. It took me months to finish this artwork.