Waterloo Bridge

Waterloo Bridge is a road and pedestrian bridge crossing the River Thames in central London, connecting the Strand and Aldwych on the north bank with the South Bank and Waterloo on the south. The present bridge was designed by architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott with engineers Rendel, Palmer and Tritton to replace John Rennie’s original Waterloo Bridge of 1817. Construction began in 1937 and continued through the Second World War, with women forming part of the wartime workforce, leading to the bridge becoming popularly known as the “Ladies’ Bridge”. The reinforced-concrete structure has five shallow spans clad in Portland stone and was officially opened in December 1945. It is now protected as a Grade II* listed structure.

Waterloo Bridge has appeared in A Window in London (1940), Waterloo Bridge (1940), Alfie (1966), The Young Americans (1993), Trainspotting (1996), Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) (2001), 28 Days Later (2002), MI-5 (2002–2011), Run Fatboy Run (2007), Sherlock (2010–2017), Doctor Who (2005–), Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and The Agency (2024–). The bridge has been used both as a recognisable London landmark and as a setting for scenes taking place directly on or beneath the crossing.

In A Window in London (1940), Waterloo Bridge is closely connected to Peter, a crane driver working on the construction of the new bridge. The film was made while the present Waterloo Bridge was still being built and contains valuable location footage of the unfinished structure. Peter takes Vivienne up onto his crane above the construction site after she leaves her husband, making the real bridge works an important part of both his occupation and the story.

In Waterloo Bridge (1940), the bridge provides the central setting around which the romance between army officer Roy Cronin and ballerina Myra Lester is constructed. Roy stops on Waterloo Bridge while travelling to France at the beginning of the Second World War and remembers meeting Myra at the same location during an air raid in 1914. Their first encounter on the bridge begins the film’s extended flashback and establishes the location as a recurring symbol of their relationship. The real Waterloo Bridge, which was still being reconstructed at the time, is listed among the production’s London filming locations, although substantial dramatic material was also created at MGM Studios.

In Alfie (1966), Waterloo Bridge appears at both ends of the film. The opening begins with a panorama of London that settles on the bridge, where a stray dog is seen before the story introduces Alfie Elkins. At the end, after Alfie reflects on the consequences of his relationships and finds himself alone, the bridge returns as part of the closing imagery, with Alfie walking away through London and the stray dog following him.

In The Young Americans (1993), Waterloo Bridge appears during the London investigation led by New York detective John Harris. Harris stands on the bridge looking out over the city while pursuing the drug-related murder case that has brought him to Britain. The elevated position over the Thames provides a broad view of London during the scene.

In Trainspotting (1996), Waterloo Bridge appears in the film’s closing scene. After the heroin deal in London, Mark Renton secretly takes the group’s money, leaving a share behind for Spud before walking away with the rest. Renton crosses Waterloo Bridge as his final “Choose Life” monologue describes the conventional existence he now intends to pursue. The shot of him walking across the bridge marks his departure from Begbie, Sick Boy and his former life.

In Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) (2001), Waterloo Bridge is used as the exterior entrance to the fictional Club. The bridge provides the exterior identity of the establishment visited during the London crime story, while the Club’s interior was filmed separately at Kempton Park Steam Museum.

In 28 Days Later (2002), Waterloo Bridge appears during Jim’s first journey through an apparently deserted London after he awakens from his coma. After crossing Westminster Bridge and wandering through the abandoned city centre, he is seen crossing Waterloo Bridge as well, surrounded by empty roads and abandoned vehicles. The sequence forms part of the film’s famous opening depiction of a London emptied by the Rage virus outbreak.

In MI-5 (2002–2011), Waterloo Bridge appears in the season 3 episode “Who Guards the Guards?” (2004). Adam Carter walks across the bridge while carrying out a surveillance-detection route. He moves through several locations and repeatedly crosses the Thames while attempting to determine whether he is being followed, later changing his appearance at the National Film Theatre and using Hungerford Bridge and Millennium Bridge as additional crossings.

In Run Fatboy Run (2007), Waterloo Bridge forms part of Dennis Doyle’s increasingly painful attempt to complete the fictional Nike River Run. After falling and injuring his ankle, Dennis refuses to abandon the race and continues across Waterloo Bridge despite the injury. He crosses towards the South Bank before continuing through central London as friends and spectators begin to realise that he intends to finish the marathon regardless of his condition.

In Sherlock (2010–2017), the area beneath the northern side of Waterloo Bridge appears in the season 1 episode “The Great Game” (2010). While investigating a murdered gallery attendant and an assassin known as the Golem, Sherlock Holmes takes John Watson beneath the bridge to meet a homeless woman who is part of his network of informants. Sherlock gives her money and instructions to locate information about the Golem before continuing to the Hickman Gallery.

In Doctor Who (2005–), Waterloo Bridge appears in the seventh-series episode “The Bells of Saint John” (2013). The Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald cross the bridge on the Doctor’s anti-gravity motorcycle during their journey through London towards the headquarters of the Great Intelligence at the Shard. The bridge forms part of the motorcycle sequence that takes the pair through several recognisable central London locations.

In Edge of Tomorrow (2014), Waterloo Bridge appears during the film’s depiction of London under threat from the Mimic invasion. Major William Cage is shown on the bridge looking across the city as the military crisis surrounding the invasion develops, using the crossing and the Thames skyline to establish London within the film’s near-future wartime setting.

In The Agency (2024–), Waterloo Bridge appears in the season 1 episode “Hawk From a Handsaw”. Near the end of the episode, Martian meets Sami and confronts her about why she has come to London and why she has been lying about attending her lectures. Their conversation develops into an argument over their relationship and Martian’s distrust of her motives. Sami eventually tells him that their relationship is not working, and the two walk away from each other in opposite directions across Waterloo Bridge. The scene is filmed directly on the bridge, with recognisable London landmarks including the London Eye and Somerset House visible in the surrounding views. At the end of the scene the camera zoom out and the name of the bridge is revealed.

---