▁Station , ▁in ▁the ▁London ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁W and sw orth ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁river , ▁and ▁the ▁areas ▁of ▁S ands ▁End ▁and ▁Par s ons ▁Green , ▁in ▁the ▁London ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁and ▁Ful ham , ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁bridge ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁a ▁to ll ▁bridge ▁built ▁by ▁Julian ▁Tol mé ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁in ▁the ▁expectation ▁that ▁the ▁western ▁termin us ▁of ▁the ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁and ▁City ▁Railway ▁would ▁shortly ▁be ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁sharp ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁people ▁wanting ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁river ▁at ▁this ▁point . ▁The ▁railway ▁termin us ▁was ▁not ▁built , ▁and ▁problems ▁with ▁d rain age ▁on ▁the ▁approach ▁road ▁made ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ▁difficult ▁for ▁vehicles . ▁W and sw orth ▁Bridge ▁was ▁commer cially ▁un success ful , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁it ▁was ▁taken ▁into ▁public ▁ownership ▁and ▁made ▁to ll - free . ▁Tol mé ' s ▁bridge ▁was ▁narrow ▁and ▁too ▁weak ▁to ▁carry ▁bus es , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁a ▁Royal ▁Commission ▁recommended ▁its ▁replacement . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁Tol mé ' s ▁bridge ▁was ▁demol ished . ▁The ▁present ▁bridge , ▁an ▁un ad orn ed ▁steel ▁cant ile ver ▁bridge ▁designed ▁by ▁Sir ▁Thomas ▁Pe ir son ▁Frank , ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9