MT 118/72

London Highways Division: (M1) Hendon Urban Motorway; bridges, Brent LBC

Date range	1960-1964
Location	National Archives (see all files stored here)
Catalogue	See entry
File base	Series MT, subseries MT 118

Context

As the title suggests, this weighty file is all about the bridgework on the M1 between junctions 2 and 5.

There are contract documents for WS Atkins to design the motorway from Brockley to Page Street, ca 1961. A significant part of the file concerns the bridge carrying the A41 Edgware Way, which was an existing railway bridge that was both widened and extended to span the motorway: how to design it, how to get the necessary headroom under it, how high the retaining walls had to be, how to maintain a consistent appearance for the whole bridge, etc.

You'll also find a lot of stuff here about railway posessions, which proved difficult to manage.

Contents of note

• 13 plans in a folder at the back showing all manner of detail regarding the A41 bridge, including parapet and crash barrier design, stages of construction, etc.

• Description of the original alignment of the Scratchwood Link, which would be largely carried on two enormous viaduct structures. Designs were to be submitted to Royal Fine Art Commission on 5/7/62, with perspective drawings to be provided, but the designs and drawings are not here.

People with camera copies

None known.