London’s Greatest Bridges with Rob Bell

In the first episode, Rob focuses on the original, and for 17 centuries the only bridge across the Thames, London Bridge. Rob explores the multiple versions of this bridge over the centuries and charts how each has shaped Britain's capital city, from the Romans who used it to control southern England, to the astonishing and raucous medieval bridge, designed by priests, inhabited by hundreds, and financed and managed by City merchants.

In the second episode, Rob focuses on the story of London's Tower Bridge, looking closely at he bridge's ingenious engineering, and how this bridge has become entwined with the people of the east-end, the Blitz, and the end of Empire.

As London and Britain grew wealthier, the pressure for a second bridge in the capital became irresistible. Financed by private capital, lotteries and grants, Westminster Bridge was built between 1739 and 1750 under the supervision of Swiss engineer Charles Labelye. By the mid-19th century the bridge was subsiding badly and proving expensive to maintain. The current bridge was designed by Thomas Page and opened in 1862. Rob unearths the human stories and discovers how each bridge changed the face of London and helped shape the story of Britain.

Rob uncovers the story of the two Waterloo Bridges, both once hailed as bridges of the future. He discovers the original Waterloo Bridge was an icon of the Industrial Revolution, built using the latest technology to cater for the incredible growth of London. But this bridge – dubbed the finest in the world – was too expensive a crossing for the impoverished inhabitants of London, and fell into disrepair. Its replacement, the current bridge, symbolised the modern world. Rob discovers the astonishing story behind this bridge – including its war-time forgotten female labour force.