After reading Speeds report from the Padded cell, i kind of got what he was saying, the part about looking for stuff that is not part of the normal visit around busy exploring sites. This was not quite the same but it reminds you that if you keep your eyes open then you may see something different. This story begins with a visit to a site that was one of my favouites, the Metropolitan water board mains tunnel http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums...Mains-Tunnel-1-TWICKENHAM-MAY-2014?highlight= . As BigBadAsh and myself left this great site we walked to the bridge which is about 30 metres away and noticed that the bridge had some space inside,visible through a grate. We were intrigued as to what it looked like inside and could we go all the way through to the other side. We spent a couple of nights ( one with BHG, who had also spotted it on her visit ) to see if we could get in, we were just about to give up when we discovered a way in 'Bingo'. Came back about a month later to have a look round. What we found was on the one hand disappointing but on the other it revealed some surprising history. The disappointment came when we realized that there was no through way to the other side but we found some history in the form of writing on the walls, chronicling the lives of people who had made this place their home at some point. Not a Tower Bridge in terms of architecture or history but interesting none the less. I guess this is urban exploring at the grass roots
History from wiki
Twickenham Bridge crosses the River Thames in southwest London, England. Built in 1933 as part of the newly constructed "Chertsey Arterial Road", the bridge connects the Old Deer Park district of Richmond (historically Surrey) on the south bank of the river to St. Margarets (historically Middlesex) on the north bank, both within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Twickenham Bridge gets its name from the fact that it is on the road to the town of Twickenham (also in the same London borough), which is approximately 3 km upstream from Twickenham Bridge, past Richmond Bridge.
The bridge forms part of today's A316 (Chertsey Road), which links Central and West London with the M3 motorway at Sunbury-on-Thames.
The bridge's architect was Maxwell Ayrton and the head engineer was Alfred Dryland. The proposed design of the bridge envisaged four 70 foot towers to be constructed on the riverbanks with retaining walls of 20 feet above road level. The plans were widely opposed and a local petition was organised by the Daily Telegraph against the design on the grounds that it was inappropriate to the setting in Richmond.
The final design of the bridge was of three reinforced-concrete arches supported on concrete piers with Art Deco embellishments. The bridge incorporates three permanent hinges enabling the structure to adjust to changes in temperature, the first reinforced concrete bridge structure in the UK to use such an innovation.[1] The arch springings, as well as the arch crowns, have decorative bronze cover plates. Ribbed shuttering was used in the casting of the concrete piers and abutments, giving the main faces a ribbed finish that was then knocked back. The approach viaduct and retaining walls were constructed in precast blocks that were wire brushed to create a rough finish.[2] The balustrades and lamps were constructed of open bronzework.
The bridge was opened on 3 July 1933 by Edward, Prince of Wales.
The bridge was declared a Grade II* listed structure in 2008, providing protection to preserve its special character from unsympathetic development.[3][4]
pics
This is a great photo of the construction of the bridge. You can see the entrances to the tunnel if you look hard
The Egyptian architecture is visible throughout the bridge
The grate which stirred our interest
[/
This is the inside of the staircase
A makeshift bed and food stuff left by last resident back in about 2008
Not called BBA for nothing
Thanks to BBA and BHG
Thanks for looking
History from wiki
Twickenham Bridge crosses the River Thames in southwest London, England. Built in 1933 as part of the newly constructed "Chertsey Arterial Road", the bridge connects the Old Deer Park district of Richmond (historically Surrey) on the south bank of the river to St. Margarets (historically Middlesex) on the north bank, both within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Twickenham Bridge gets its name from the fact that it is on the road to the town of Twickenham (also in the same London borough), which is approximately 3 km upstream from Twickenham Bridge, past Richmond Bridge.
The bridge forms part of today's A316 (Chertsey Road), which links Central and West London with the M3 motorway at Sunbury-on-Thames.
The bridge's architect was Maxwell Ayrton and the head engineer was Alfred Dryland. The proposed design of the bridge envisaged four 70 foot towers to be constructed on the riverbanks with retaining walls of 20 feet above road level. The plans were widely opposed and a local petition was organised by the Daily Telegraph against the design on the grounds that it was inappropriate to the setting in Richmond.
The final design of the bridge was of three reinforced-concrete arches supported on concrete piers with Art Deco embellishments. The bridge incorporates three permanent hinges enabling the structure to adjust to changes in temperature, the first reinforced concrete bridge structure in the UK to use such an innovation.[1] The arch springings, as well as the arch crowns, have decorative bronze cover plates. Ribbed shuttering was used in the casting of the concrete piers and abutments, giving the main faces a ribbed finish that was then knocked back. The approach viaduct and retaining walls were constructed in precast blocks that were wire brushed to create a rough finish.[2] The balustrades and lamps were constructed of open bronzework.
The bridge was opened on 3 July 1933 by Edward, Prince of Wales.
The bridge was declared a Grade II* listed structure in 2008, providing protection to preserve its special character from unsympathetic development.[3][4]
pics
This is a great photo of the construction of the bridge. You can see the entrances to the tunnel if you look hard
The Egyptian architecture is visible throughout the bridge
The grate which stirred our interest
[/
This is the inside of the staircase
A makeshift bed and food stuff left by last resident back in about 2008
Not called BBA for nothing
Thanks to BBA and BHG
Thanks for looking
