User:Roundhouse0/TV02

Tinsley Viaduct53°25′N 1°24′W / 53.417°N 1.400°W / 53.417; -1.400 is a two-tier

Wincobank. It is located at 53°25′N 1°24′W / 53.417°N 1.400°W

The viaduct was opened in March 1968^[1] and cost £6 million to build. The bridge has since been strengthened, in 1983 and again recently, with work finished in spring 2006. Although originally designed to carry 6 lanes, during the strengthening work the M1 was reduced to 4 lanes following an EU directive on load bearing. This arrangement has now been made permanent to allow the third lane in each direction to join from J34 to make the very busy junction safer.^[2]

The viaduct is balanced on rollers to allow for thermal expansion and contraction, and the route weaves slightly in order to make its way past other buildings. As things currently stand, the Meadowhall Shopping Centre lies in the valley to the west, while to the east is the Blackburn Meadows sewage works.

The viaduct is one of Sheffield's most prominent landmarks, made all the more so by the adjacent pair of

E.On, have stated their intention to demolish them^[4]^[5] now that the strengthening of the viaduct makes it more feasible. An online petition has been set up demanding that the towers be kept [1]

. Many locals wish them to be demolished and see them as an eyesore. They believe that the continued discussion about keeping them there to be generated by a noisy minority.

References

^ Tinsley Viaduct, Sheffield by Sidney A. Leleux. A report on the building of the viaduct, from April 1966
^ £82 Million M1 Tinsley Viaduct strengthening work nears completion, from the Government News Network, highlighting the reasons behind keeping the road at four lanes
^ Turning Towers into Art, BBC South Yorkshire, 8th July 2006
^ Setback for ambitious art project, BBC South Yorkshire, 10th April 2006
^ 'Unique' towers facing demolition, BBC South Yorkshire, 31st October, 2006

External links

Project website Prime Minister's Award
Go sheffo: Cooling the Towers Cooling towers public art competition held in 2005.
BBC News 'Turning towers into art' A news article on the Tinsley Viaduct cooling towers

[1] Tinsley Viaduct, Sheffield by Sidney A. Leleux. A report on the building of the viaduct, from April 1966

[2] £82 Million M1 Tinsley Viaduct strengthening work nears completion, from the Government News Network, highlighting the reasons behind keeping the road at four lanes

[3] Turning Towers into Art, BBC South Yorkshire, 8th July 2006

[4] Setback for ambitious art project, BBC South Yorkshire, 10th April 2006

[5] 'Unique' towers facing demolition, BBC South Yorkshire, 31st October, 2006

[1]

[2]

[4]

[5]