Albert Bridge

Albert Bridge is a Thames road bridge between Chelsea on the north bank and Battersea on the south. Designed by Rowland Mason Ordish and opened in 1873, it began as a cable-stayed structure before Sir Joseph Bazalgette added suspension elements between 1884 and 1887. In 1973 the Greater London Council added concrete piers, turning the centre into a beam span. This makes it a rare hybrid of three styles and a Grade II* listed building. The bridge failed as a toll crossing and was taken into public ownership six years after opening. Its narrow 27-foot roadway and structural weaknesses made it poorly suited to motor traffic in the 20th century. Traffic restrictions now limit use to protect the ageing structure, yet it remains one of only two central London Thames road bridges never replaced. Nicknamed “The Trembling Lady,” it still carries warning signs advising troops to break step. At night the bridge is lit by 4,000 LEDs in a bright colour scheme designed to make it visible in poor light. The tollbooths at each end are the last surviving examples in London. From the embankments on either side the view includes the river traffic and the surrounding streets of Chelsea and Battersea.