Glen Ellis, the Londoner who opens and closes Tower Bridge - Londoner #29

Glen is a mechanical engineer by training, and now works in the control cabin at one of London's most iconic Landmarks, Tower Bridge. It is Glen's job to raise and lower the bridge several times a day to allow shipping to pass underneath. A self-pronounced problem-solver, Glen is inspired by his unique workplace and his central role in one of London's most photographed daily rituals.

This is film is the first in the Londoners of the Thames - 1000 Londoners Totally Thames 2014 series.
1000 LONDONERS

This film is part of 1000 Londoners, a five-year digital project which aims to create a digital portrait of a city through 1000 of the people who identify themselves with it. The profile contains a 3 minute film that gives an insight into the life of the Londoner, as well as their personal photos of London and some answers to crucial questions about their views on London life. Over the course of the project we aim to reveal as many facets of the capital as possible, seeing city life from 1000 points of view.

www.1000londoners.com
www.youtube.com/1000londoners
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Twitter: @1000_londoners

1000 Londoners is produced by South London based film production company and social enterprise, Chocolate Films. The filmmakers from Chocolate Films will be both producing the films and providing opportunities to young people and community groups to make their own short documentaries, which will contribute to the 1000 films. Visit www.chocolatefilms.com
Transcript
Hi, good afternoon Gann. Tower Bridge Radio.Yeah, just calling to let you know we’re standing by for your 15:15 bridge lift.
Checking up shortly.
All understood, we’ll stand by for your departure. Over.
It was back in 1997. I was doing a bridge lift at about 10 o’clock at night, and all of a sudden we saw blue flashing lights all over the place and it turned out to be Bill Clinton, stuck at the gates in his limousine. And well, within a few minutes of him stopping the phone went. We had Scotland Yard on the phone saying “Put the bridge down.” You know, the president is stuck at the gates and unfortunately I had to tell them I can’t do that because I had a boat coming under the bridge and I can’t jeopardise a vessel.
South-East all clear, thank you.
When the bridge was built it was in the middle of the busiest docks in the world and the act of parliament that was passed at the time did decree that shipping have right of way over road traffic and that still stands to this day.
I would like to think I’m a bit of a problem solver. If I’ve got a fridge or a freezer that packs up working, or central heating, I’ll always have a bash at that before calling out the experts shall we say. If we’ve got any issues on the bridge where we need to get a situation sorted out, you know, I’ll stick at it until I can solve the problems.
A lot of people don’t realise it still opens and funnily enough the ones that don’t are probably you know, quite a lot of Londoners.
Waterloo all clear, roger
Well the bridge is going to be opening in, is scheduled to open at 3.15 so that’s 15 minutes time.
Tango two, tango two. Mike four. Thanks for calling me Jim.
I’m just in the process of starting our pumps up here. As soon as they’ve started I’ll proceed with the life for you over.
So we’ve got eight pumps to start and they all start in sequence so they don’t overload the system. And when we’re happy the boats ready to come through we’ll stop the road traffic.
Stand by bridge staff, about to stop road traffic.
Clear the centre of bridge, the bridge is about to open. Clear the bridge please.
Then we get to the point where we can pull the lever which turns the gears of course and opens the bridge.
Obviously working on one of the most unique sights, icons in the world, erm it’s recognisable all over the place, Tower Bridge and I feel honoured.
And there she goes.
It’s a unique job and I don’t think there’s any other job quite like it to be honest yeah.

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