Editing Chelsea Bridge (section)

== New Chelsea Bridge ==

[[File:Chelsea Bridge traffic.jpg|left|thumb|alt=Road atop a suspension bridge, with two lanes of car traffic in each direction.|With four lanes of traffic, the new bridge's roadway is much wider than that of its predecessor.]]

In 1931 the [[London County Council]] (LCC) proposed demolishing Chelsea Bridge and replacing it with a modern six-lane bridge at a cost of £695,000 (about £{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|695000|1931|r=-3}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=135}} Because of the economic crisis of the [[Great Depression]] the [[Ministry of Transport (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Transport]] refused to fund the project and the LCC was unable to raise the funds elsewhere. However, in an effort to boost employment in the Battersea area, which had suffered badly in the depression, the Ministry of Transport agreed to [[underwrite]] 60% of the costs of a cheaper four-lane bridge costing £365,000 (about £{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|365000|1931|r=-3}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}),{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=136}} on condition that all materials used in the building of the bridge be sourced from within the [[British Empire]].{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=68}}

=== Design and construction ===

[[File:Chelsea Bridge 2.JPG|thumb|upright=1.6|alt=Side view of suspension bridge over a wide river. Two sets of towers, each about a quarter of the way from the river's edge, hold up the bridge.|Being self-anchored, the bridge uniquely in London has no anchoring [[abutment]]s.]]

In 1934 a temporary footbridge which had previously been used during rebuilding works on [[Lambeth Bridge]] was moved into place alongside Chelsea Bridge, and demolition began.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=70}} The new bridge, also called Chelsea Bridge, was designed by LCC architects [[G. Topham Forrest]] and [[E. P. Wheeler]] and built by [[Holloway Brothers (London)]]. Much wider than the older bridge at {{convert|64|ft|m}} wide, it has a {{convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} wide roadway and two {{convert|12|ft|m|adj=on}} wide pavements [[cantilever]]ed out from the sides of the bridge.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}} Uniquely in London, Chelsea Bridge is a [[self-anchored suspension bridge]], the first of the type to be built in Britain.{{sfn|Smith|2001|p=37}} The horizontal stresses are absorbed by stiffening girders in the [[deck (bridge)|deck]] itself and the suspension cables are not anchored to the ground, relieving stress on the [[abutment]]s which are built on soft and unstable [[London clay]].{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=70}} The piers of the new bridge were built on the site of the old bridge's piers, and are built of [[concrete]], faced with [[granite]] above the low-water point.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=70}} Each side of the bridge has a single suspension cable, each made up of 37 {{frac|7|8}}-inch (23mm) diameter [[wire rope]]s bundled to form a hexagonal cable.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=70}}{{sfn|Smith|2001|p=37}} As was agreed with the Ministry of Transport, all materials used in the bridge came from the British Empire; the steel came from [[Scotland]] and [[Yorkshire]], the granite of the piers from [[Aberdeen]] and [[Cornwall]], the timbers of the deck from [[British Columbia]] and the [[Asphalt concrete|asphalt]] of the roadway from [[Trinidad]].{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=68}}

[[File:Chelsea Bridge cable.JPG|left|thumb|alt=End of a large red suspension cable, attached to a protrusion atop the side of the bridge deck.|As a self-anchored bridge, the suspension cables attach directly to the deck and do not extend to the ground.]]

Because the self-anchored structure relies on the roadway itself to absorb stresses, the suspension cables could not be installed until the roadway was built; however, until the cables were in place the roadway could not be supported. To resolve this problem, Topham had the roadway built in sections, supported on very tall [[barge]]s. The barges were floated into place at low tide, and the rising tide was used to lift the sections above the height of the piers. As the tide ebbed, the roadway dropped into place.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}}{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=68}}

The recently built [[Battersea Power Station]] then dominated most views of the area, so it was decided that the bridge's appearance was unimportant.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=136}} Consequently, in contrast to the heavily ornamented 1858 bridge, the new bridge has a starkly [[utilitarian design]] and the only ornamentation consists of two ornamental [[lamp post]]s at each entrance.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=136}} Each features a [[gilded]] [[galleon]] on top of a [[coat of arms]]. The outward facing sides of all four posts show the [[Coat of arms of London County Council|LCC coat of arms]] of the [[Lion (heraldry)|Lion of England]], [[St George's Cross]] and the [[Variation of the field#Barry, Paly, Bendy|barry]] [[Line (heraldry)#Wavy and nebuly|wavy]] lines representing the Thames; the inward faces on the south side show the [[dove of peace]] of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Battersea]], that on the northwest corner shows the winged bull, lion, boars' heads and stag of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea]], and that on the northeast corner the [[portcullis]] and [[Tudor rose]]s of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Westminster]].{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=77}}

[[File:Chelsea Bridge crest.JPG|thumb|alt=Post holding two lamps at the ends of two arms. The top of the post is decorated by a galleon; underneath the boat is a shield containing a white left and a blue right separated by a jagged line, on top of which rests a white bird carrying an olive branch.|Coat of arms of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Battersea]] on a Chelsea Bridge lamp post]]

The new bridge was completed five months ahead of schedule and within the £365,000 budget.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=77}} It was opened on 6 May 1937 by the [[Prime Minister of Canada]], [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], who was in London for the [[coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth]].{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=77}}{{refn|group=n|Although Thames bridges were traditionally opened by members of the royal family or leading London politicians, King was invited to perform the ceremony in honour of the roadway's being lined with [[British Columbia]]n [[Douglas Fir]].}}

=== Temporary wartime bridge ===

Two years after the bridge's opening the [[Second World War]] broke out. Because of their close proximity to [[Chelsea Barracks]] it was expected that enemy bombers would target the three road bridges in the area, and a temporary bridge was built parallel to Chelsea Bridge. As with the four other temporary Thames bridges built in this period, it was built of steel girders supported by wooden stakes; however, despite its flimsy appearance it was a sturdy structure, capable of supporting [[tank]]s and other heavy military equipment.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=137}} As it turned out, no enemy action took place in the area, and all three bridges survived the war undamaged. The temporary bridge was dismantled in 1945.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=137}}

=== Motorcycle gangs ===

Beginning in the 1950s, Chelsea Bridge became a favourite meeting place for [[Motorcycling|motorcyclists]], who would race across the bridge on Friday nights.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=77}} On 17 October 1970 a serious confrontation took place on Chelsea Bridge between the [[Essex]] and Chelsea chapters of the [[Hells Angels]], and rival [[motorcycle gang]]s the [[Road Rats]], [[Nightingales (gang)|Nightingales]], [[Windsor Angels]] and [[Jokers (gang)|Jokers]].{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=137}}{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=116}} Around 50 people took part in the fight; weapons used included [[Roller chain|motorcycle chains]], [[flick knife|flick knives]] and at least one [[Flail (weapon)|spiked flail]]. One member of the Jokers was shot with a [[sawn-off shotgun]] and fatally wounded,{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=116}} and 20 of those present were sentenced to between one and twelve years' imprisonment.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=137}}