25 September: Wandsworth Bridge

Wandsworth Bridge opened on this date in 1940. Here are ten things you may not know about Wandsworth Bridge.

1. Wandsworth Bridge is 650 feet (200m) long, 60 feet (18m) wide and has a clearance below of 39 feet (11.9m) at lowest astronomical tide. It carries the A217 road which connects Battersea to Parson's Green.
2. There have been two bridges on the site. The first was a toll bridge built in 1873 and designed by Julian Tolmé. It was built because there were plans to build the western terminus of the Hammersmith and City Railway nearby so it was anticipated more people would want to cross the river at that point. However, the railway terminus wasn't built, and it was difficult for vehicles to cross it because of drainage problems on the approach road - so it operated at a loss.
3. The first bridge opened in 1837 with a low key ceremony followed by a buffet in the local pub.
4. The toll for a pedestrian was 1⁄2d and for a cart 6d. In 1880 it was taken into public ownership and made toll-free.
5. In 1880, it was, to all practical purposes, a footbridge, in bad condition and too weak to carry Buses. In 1926, a Royal Commission recommended it should be replaced.
6. The new bridge cost £503,000 - about £31.5 million in 2016. (The old bridge had cost £40,000 - about £3.2 million in 2016).
7. The current bridge was designed by Sir Thomas Peirson Frank. Work began on the new bridge in 1937 and was meant to open in 1939, but completion was delayed by the start of the second world war. (The first bridge had opened late, too, because the builders went on strike.)
8. Also thanks to the war, the bridge was painted in rather dull shades of Blue to camouflage it during air raids. The colour scheme hasn't changed since then so, despite it being a very busy bridge (over 50,000 vehicles crossing it every day), it has been regarded as the least noteworthy bridge in London.
9. If you're planning on passing under it in a boat, beware - Wandsworth Bridge is where the speed limit for shipping changes from 12 knots (22 km/h) to 8 knots (15 km/h). It is strictly enforced.
10. At the southern end of the bridge is a large 1960s modernist style roundabout, which was used as a location in the 1971 film, A Clockwork Orange.