Thomas went looking for the rolling bridge on Friday.
In keeping with typical college student
stereotypes I had a 15 pence bowl of noodle soup today. Studying abroad on a
budget is a delicate balance because I want to have a true London experience
and not have a large goose egg waiting for me when I get back to America. Even
though I used all my birthday wishes hoping that the dollar would randomly grow
in strength versus the pound, it did not. Cue 'London for free' Google
searches.
One of the many random things I found really engaged my engineers
curiosity. It was a pedestrian bridge across a city channel. The structural
components of the bridge were basic, but the idea and execution added character
to the resurging Paddington Waterfront.
In the water surrounding the bridge
floated numerous quaint house barges with bikes strapped to the top and the
occasional dog napping in a life ring. Six days of the week the bridge was
quite normal, but every Friday it is shown to be a very unusual drawbridge. It
rolls up. One end raises up, curls over, and matches to the other.
The whole
process reminds me much of a little pill bug rolling up in his protective
shell. To be able to see and understand its engineering was actually my
favorite part of seeking this bridge out. It uses hydraulic cylinders that
extend and fold the railing into a star, raising the rest of the bridge.The
bottom of the bridge encloses the center in a large octagon.
I had a weird urge
to hop inside and use it like a large human hamster wheel. I resisted and
continued along the channel exploring Little Venice and taking in the sights of
the city.
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