The day a bus jumped over Tower Bridge

BUS TRAPPED ON RISING TOWER BRIDGE — 10 Hurt in Plunge Across Gap — POLICE START INVESTIGATION

DAILY TELEGRAPH REPORTER

Ten people in a bus were hurt on Tower Bridge last night when the bascules carrying the road which lifts to allow Thames traffic to pass began to rise. The injured were taken to Guy’s Hospital. A number of other passengers suffered from shock. City of London police were investigating the accident last night.

The bus, a No. 78 bound for Dulwich from Shoreditch, carrying 20 passengers, was almost half-way across at 9.30 when the north bascule began to rise. The wheels dropped over the edge with a heavy jolt. The bus did not overturn, but the passengers were thrown in a heap. Seats were torn away. Later, the bus was driven to the end of the bridge.

MECHANISM STOPPED

As soon as the accident happened, the mechanism operating the bascules was stopped. The bridge is controlled by the Bridges and Houses Committee of the City of London Corporation. The method of warning road traffic that the bascules are rising is by traffic lights and the ringing of hand-bells three times at each end of the bridge. Iron gates are closed on the public footpaths.

The Superintendent Engineer of Tower Bridge said later that the bus dropped about 3 ft from the north bascule, which rose first, to the other bascule, which was almost flat. The shock of the drop caused the injuries. “The bus came unnoticed on to the bridge as it was just on the move.” He added that inquiries were being made to find whether the red warning light was on. A relief man was operating the bascules.

“LIGHTS AT GREEN”

The bus driver, Mr. Albert Gunter, 46, of Theberton Street, Islington, said: “I was going over the bridge when the lights were at green. The bridge opened up and the bus crashed 5 ft or 6 ft on to the other half, which was stationary. I had to keep going, otherwise we would have gone into the water. The bus continued 5 ft or 6 ft after the drop. I stopped and then realised that the stationary part of the bridge might go up too, so I carried on until I was under the archway. Then I heard the warning bell.” Mr. Gunter, who has been a bus driver for 26 years, added that he had driven over Tower Bridge hundreds of times.

The most seriously hurt of those taken to hospital was the bus conductor, Mr. Alfred Barton, who had a broken leg.

Header

Image description: A large illustration of Tower Bridge in London with its two towers. The bridge bascules are raised, and a London double-decker bus is shown dramatically jumping the open gap.

Text: “Miracles sometimes happen! You don’t believe it? Well, you will after you’ve read this fantastic story of the [December 1952] JUMPING BUS”

Panel 1

Image description: A London Transport driver clocks in at a garage, greeted by another uniformed worker. A double-decker bus is behind them.

Narration: “When Mr. Albert Gunter of Islington reported for duty at London Transport’s Dalston Garage in the late afternoon of December 30th, 1952, it was just another day's work of driving to him.”

Worker: “Number 78 for you today, Albert!”

Gunter: “Shoreditch to Dulwich, run, eh?”

Panel 2

Image description: A number 78 double decker bus leaves the gates of the L.P.T.B. Dalston E Garage.

Narration: “Albert Gunter collected his conductor, Mr. Barnes, and they set off on their job of carrying Londoners home from business, to the cinema, in fact anywhere between Shoreditch and Dulwich where Londoners wanted to go.”

Panel 3

Image description: A crowded canteen area. People drink hot tea.

Narration: “They completed one trip, and had their break”

Conductor: “Brrr! It’s a darned cold night.”

Gunter: “This cuppa char is just the job.”

Panel 4

Image description: The bus continues its night route. Conductor Barnes works the fare collection.

Narration: “Off they went again. They picked up passengers, dropped them, and picked up more. As they approached Tower Bridge from the north side of the river at about 9.35 p.m., they had eight passengers.”

Conductor: “Any more fares, please?”

Panel 5

Image description: View from the driver’s seat as the bus rolls toward Tower Bridge. The bridge appears calm and down.

Narration: “From the driver’s cab, everything seemed normal as the Tower Bridge loomed ahead.”

Panel 6

Image description: A shot of the Thames with ships waiting and Tower Bridge in silhouette, whith the but about to roll onto the bridge.

Narration: “There was traffic on the river, waiting for the bridge to open so that the ships could pass up and down stream.”

Panel 7

Image description: Close-up of driver Albert Gunter in shock as he notices the road surface lifting in front of him.

Narration: “Now the bus was on the bridge—and suddenly the bascule began to rise! The bridge was opening to let the river traffic through!”

Panel 8

Image description: The bus leaps across a three-foot gap, clearing the opening bascule and landing heavily on the far side.

Narration: “Slowly the bascule inched up. Tragedy stared Albert Gunter in the face. A lesser man might have lost his head— But not driver Gunter. In a split second he made his decision — and slammed his foot down on the accelerator.”

Narration continues: “The gap was now three feet wide. The bus leapt forward and jumped the yawning maw of the bridge! With a lurch that sent the passengers in Gunter’s bus hurtling to the front of the vehicle, the bus landed on the stationary bascule. Immediately the bridge operators halted the lifting machinery and a tragedy has been averted.

All ten people on the bus were taken to hospital, but luckily their injuries were slight.”

Panel 9

Image description: A photograph of driver Gunter shaking hands with an official as he receives a cash reward for his bravery.

Narration: “Driver Gunter still drives the 78 bus, and conductor Barnes, who worked a time in the garage at Dalston, is now retired. 

And every time Mr. Gunter takes out number 78 bus and passes along its route, he remembers the night his bus jumped Tower Bridge. ‘It could only happen once in a lifetime’, he says.”