10/11/2025
On 30 December 1952, a double-decker bus was making its regular route from Shoreditch to Dulwich when it faced an incredible challenge on Tower Bridge. It was late, dark, and below freezing. Although the Great Smog had lifted, visibility was still poor. Albert Gunter, the bus driver, drove at 12 mph when he suddenly realized the road ahead was rising the southern bascule of the bridge was opening.
With 20 passengers and a conductor aboard, stopping was not an option. Gunter, a former wartime tank driver, quickly dropped gears and pressed the accelerator, hoping the bus could clear the gap. Passenger Peter Dunn described the frightening moment: the bus’s rear wheels hit the rising section with a loud crash, throwing him to the floor.
Despite the shock, the bus landed safely on the other side. Once it stopped, Gunter invited everyone to see the gap and explained his reasoning: stopping could have caused the bus to fall into the river, so he had to keep going. His calm thinking and experience saved all aboard, turning what could have been a disaster into a legendary story.
