Linking Ranelagh Gardens and Battersea Park
Chelsea Bridge
Admirers described the first Chelsea Bridge as the most beautiful of the bridges across the Thames. This was the bridge that opened in 1858.
Originally called the Victoria Bridge, the first bridge was a suspension bridge designed by Thomas Page. Work had begun in 1851. The bridge towers were made of iron resting on piers of wood and concrete enclosed within iron castings.
The roadway was formed by two wrought-iron longitudinal girders six feet deep, running the full length bridge. It hang from rods attached to the chains.
There were worries that it was not strong enough, so an extra chain was added in 1880. However this proved inadequate some years later so the old bridge was taken down in 1935.
The new bridge was designed by G. Topham Forest and opened in 1937. It is a self-anchored suspension bridge. The engineers gave the new bridge stronger foundations which they set in granite bored into the riverbed. The six-lane roadway is suspended using 37 galvanised steel wires. The bridge is decorated with lampstands carrying golden galleons.
Submitted by: Andrew Hunt, 22 January 2007
