The Rolling Bridge

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The Rolling Bridge is a kinetic sculpture and moveable bridge in Paddington Basin, London. It was designed by Thomas Heatherwick and finished in 2004 as part of the Grand Union Canal development.

How it works
The bridge is made of eight triangular sections hinged at the walkway. These sections are connected above by two-part links and moved by hydraulic cylinders. When extended, it looks like a 12-metre-long steel-and-timber footbridge. To close, the pistons curl the bridge into an octagonal shape that crosses about half of the waterway.

Design and build
The project uses fourteen hydraulic cylinders, many precise bearings, and an underground oil-pressure system. It won the British Structural Steel Design Award. Designers: Thomas Heatherwick Studio. Engineers: SKM Anthony Hunts and Packman Lucas. Built by Littlehampton Welding Ltd, with a construction cost of about £500,000.

Disadvantages
The basin behind the bridge isn’t open to boats; it has a fountain and a surface barrier. Moving the bridge takes 2–3 minutes, slower than traditional canal bridges. The short detour around the open bridge means some see it more as public art than a practical crossing.

Location and opening times
It is at Paddington Basin, London (coordinates 51.51839 N, -0.174735 W). The bridge is scheduled to open on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, and on Saturdays at 2 pm.

Note on history
The term “rolling bridge” comes from older usage for retractable bridges. Modern versions are called retractable or thrust bridges.