I was intrigued by the “London Bridge” model shown in the Mysto Manual. I decided to build a similar one using “modern” Erector parts. I remembered that it had been moved from London to Arizona not too many years ago and was now a tourist attraction. BUT, pictures on the web showed a flat stone and concrete arch bridge that was not too interesting. I finally found out that the bridge I was looking for is still in London and is really called the London Tower Bridge which was completed in 1894 and is not the one of nursery rhyme fame. The real London Bridge in Arizona is on the left, the London Tower Bridge is on the right.
Even A. C. Gilbert was wrong! A number of bridges have been called London Bridge including one that was torn down by the Norse in 1014 (Probably inspiring the nursery rhyme) and the one completed in 1831 and now at Lake Havasu in Arizona. There is now a new London Bridge which was built in 1973 over the Thames to replace the one in Arizona.
The Mysto model was built mostly of girders and was rather crude looking. I gussied up mine with base plates. The lift mechanism I believe is similar to the Mysto one. (Details are in the Mysto manual 2 which I don’t have). The lift ropes for the right hand span are concealed under the upper walkway as they go over to the left tower. The motor is concealed in the left tower. I had to use a P55 motor as an A49 would not fit.