Sunday 23 July 2017

Leap for London Bridge

One of the postcards issued to support London's bid to stage the Olympics in 2012 featured Tower Bridge being hurdled. Another of the cards featured a gymnast on 'The Gherkin' skyscraper (30 St Mary Axe) which can be seen on the right through the bridge.  Despite visiting London many times I've never actually been on the trip inside the bridge towers to view among other things the Victorian Engine Room, which once used steam to raise the bascule and allow the tall ships up and down the Thames River.
The reverse of the card bullet points what London was promising to deliver.  Work had started on the bid in 1997 but I would guess the card dates from between 2003 when parliamentary approval and the associated funding needed was given and the games being awarded to the city in 2005. I found the card when browsing a second hand bookshop in central England, it hadn't travelled as far as some of the competitors who enthralled us in the weeks of the sporting competition.

Postcards for the Weekend theme - Bridges - cross over to Connections to the World 

3 comments:

violet s said...

If I ever make it back to London, that would be one tour I'd love to take.
I hope everyone still feels all that effort and leaping was worth it!

Heleen said...

Also I only know the Tower Bridge from the outside.
Wonderful, amazing picture!

Maria said...

Same with Violet, if I ever make it back to London, a trip inside the bridge towers is also a tour I would love to take. Thanks for sharing this card.