ST KATHERINE DOCKS LONDON 1828-29 HEW 58 TQ 349 805 N52o 47' 30.2" W2o 1' 45.3
Thomas Telford created this harbor with locks beside the Tower of London to create a secure wharf and warehouses for high value imported cargo. It involved demolishing an entire ancient neighborhood of 1200 people and the medieval houses around the very old St. Katherine's church.
One John Lloyd of Westminster contributed 446 pounds sterling to build a wrought iron foot bridge whose two halves ingeniously retract on rails into the masonry abutments driven by gears above ground and cogs on the bridge in order to allow ships to pass between the Basin and the Eastern Dock. There is a drawing signed by Thomas Rhodes who was Telford's engineer on site 1828-9. Today, after Telford's basin was again redeveloped in 1993 into a yacht basin encompassing condos and businesses in the old warehouses, this small retracting iron footbridge is almost the only tangible reminder of his project.
To get there, take the Underground to Tower Hill Station, go down the steps toward the river and turn left following signs to Tower Bridge through underpass and then follow signs to St. Katherine Docks.