. ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁expected ▁that ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁and ▁City ▁Railway ▁would ▁build ▁its ▁western ▁termin us ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁between ▁Ch else a ▁and ▁Ful ham . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁in ▁anticip ation ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁railway ▁line ▁generating ▁high ▁demand ▁for ▁a ▁river ▁crossing , ▁an ▁Act ▁of ▁Parliament ▁was ▁passed ▁grant ing ▁permission ▁to ▁the ▁W and sw orth ▁Bridge ▁Company ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁bridge , ▁to ▁be ▁fin anced ▁by ▁to ll s , ▁with ▁the ▁prov iso ▁that ▁the ▁bridge ▁would ▁be ▁at ▁least ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁cross ▁the ▁river ▁with ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁three ▁sp ans . ▁Row land ▁Mason ▁Ord ish ▁designed ▁an ▁Ord ish – L efe uv re ▁Princi ple ▁bridge ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁the ▁Act ' s ▁specific ations , ▁of ▁a ▁similar ▁design ▁to ▁his ▁nearby ▁Albert ▁Bridge . ▁W and sw orth ▁Bridge ▁and ▁Albert ▁Bridge ▁were ▁author ised ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day , ▁the ▁last ▁private ▁to ll brid ges ▁author ised ▁in ▁London . ▁▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁bridge ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁fin ance ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁Ord ish ' s ▁design , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁a ▁new ▁Act ▁of ▁Parliament ▁was ▁passed ▁giving ▁the ▁company ▁permission ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁bridge ▁ ▁wide , ▁crossing ▁the ▁river ▁with ▁five ▁sp ans . ▁Ord ish ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁design ▁a ▁che