London River Crossings Quiz | London

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the designer of the modern Battersea Bridge, which commenced operation in 1890? He is perhaps more famous for the design and construction of a proper sewage system in London.

Answer: Sir Joseph Bazalgette

Londoners suffered from poor hygiene and even frequent outbreaks of cholera as late as the second half of the 19th century. Bazalgette designed a scheme of huge underground sewers to take waste away from Central London and dump it into the Thames further downstream.

The waste, of course, now gets reprocessed rather than dumped straight into the river, and the Thames is these days extremely clean. Some of the main sewers run underneath Chelsea, Albert and Victoria Embankments.

2. Designed by Sir Alexander Binnie and opened in 1902, which tunnel connects from roughly where the old tea clipper Cutty Sark is stationed (the south side) to Island Gardens on the southern tip of the Isle of Dogs (the north side)?

Answer: Greenwich Foot Tunnel

This is a great way of crossing the Thames and also a great way of appreciating the magnificent Greenwich vista from the North Bank. Canalaletto, the 18th century Venetian painter, had a famous painting looking back at Greenwich from the North Bank.

There are 100 steps on the Greenwich (south) side, but only 88 on the Isle of Dogs (north side). Since it is officially classified as a highway, it is open 24 hours a day.

3. A combined bascule and suspension bridge, this is perhaps the most iconic bridge of all across the Thames. It takes its name from another famous attraction across the water on the north bank.

Answer: Tower Bridge

Although completed in 1894, Tower Bridge looks considerably older. That is quite deliberate so as to be in harmony with the nearby Tower of London.

Horace Jones was the architect for the project, although he died before its completion. He was responsible for many of the splendid market buildings in London, including Smithfields, (Old) Billingsgate, Leadenhall. Sir John Wolfe-Barry was the engineer. His father Charles Barry was responsible for rebuilding the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) 60 years earlier in 1834 after it had been destroyed by fire.

4. The Millennium Bridge opened in 2000 and goes from roughly outside the Tate Modern (on south bank) to just below St Paul's (on north bank). Who was the well-known architect of this bridge?

Answer: Baron Norman Foster

The bridge became known as the "Wobbly Bridge" due to some early teething problems, but it works fine and affords spectacular views of the Thames and London.

Baron Foster among the most pre-eminent British architects. Some of his more well-known structures in London include 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin), City Hall (opposite Tower of London), Supreme Court Building (Middlesex Guildhall) on Parliament Square, Great Court at British Museum and the Arch of the New Wembley Stadium.

5. What tunnel is actually a pair of road tunnels which connect the Borough of Tower Hamlets (from just south of the East India dock) to the Borough of Greenwich (to just south of the O2, formerly the Millennium Dome)?

Answer: Blackwall Tunnel

The older original tunnel was officially opened in 1897 and was designed to curb traffic congestion. It is used for northbound traffic. The newer eastern tunnel was opened in 1967, is much wider and is used for southbound traffic.

Over 100 years later, Blackwall Tunnel has remained a notorious traffic blackspot and should be avoided at rush hour if possible.

6. Until 1750, there was only one bridge across the Thames at London; namely London Bridge (apart from a small timber bridge at Putney). Which was the next bridge built? It opened in 1750.

Answer: Westminster Bridge

This heralded a large increase in the number of bridges as Blackfriars (1769), Kew (1759), and Richmond (1777) were all built during the next 30 years. Additionally, there was a rebuilding of London Bridge (1760-63).

7. This tunnel provides an east-west route from the Docklands (Isle of Dogs) to Central London. It runs close to the course of the Thames, but not quite underneath it. It does, however, run underneath a basin connected to the docks. What is it?

Answer: Limehouse Link Tunnel

Although only 1.12 miles in length, it cost almost 300 million pounds to build. On a per mile basis it was the most expensive piece of road ever built in the UK up to that time. To be fair, the conditions were quite difficult in terms of other structures and bodies of water to avoid, but it still sounds expensive...

8. Named after a famous military victory over Emperor Napoleon, this bridge affords some of the best ground-level views anywhere in London.

Answer: Waterloo Bridge

Waterloo Bridge is sometimes referred to as the 'Ladies Bridge', since much of the workforce that constructed the second bridge on the site from 1942-1945 was comprised of females. (The men were mainly away fighting in World War II).

9. Originally called William Pitt Bridge, the name didn't seem to stick and it became named after a Dominican priory which once stood nearby. Which one is it?

Answer: Blackfriars Bridge

William Pitt the Younger was a remarkable man, becoming Prime Minister at the tender age of 24. Despite all his accomplishments, though, he is also remembered as the man who introduced income tax back in 1798.

Roberto Calvi, an Italian banker with close connections to the Vatican, was discovered hanged under Blackfriars Bridge in 1982. It was ruled a murder at the Coroner's Inquest and has been the source of many conspiracy theories since then.

10. What was the original bridge over the Thames dating back to Roman times? It was one of the main reasons that Londinium (known later as London) evolved into the city we know today.

Answer: London Bridge

There have been several versions of London Bridge. One previous version was sold to a Missouri entrepreneur, Robert McCulloch, for around US$ 2.5 million. It was reconstructed at Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Source: Author nytoffee

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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London River Crossings Trivia Quiz

This is all about crossings that span the River Thames in the vicinity of London. Don't worry; there are plenty of helpful hints!

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