The Rolling Bridge
{{short description|Curling moveable bridge in London}}
{{about||the Victorian-era retractable bridge|Guthrie rolling bridge|an example of the rolling bascule bridge|Pegasus Bridge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = The Rolling Bridge
| native_name =
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| image = The Rolling Bridge by Thomas Heatherwick, Paddington Basin2.jpg
| caption = Half curled
| carries = Pedestrians
| crosses =
| locale =
| owner =
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| architect =
| designer = Thomas Heatherwick Studio
| engineering = SKM Anthony Hunts and Packman Lucas
| design = Truss bridge
| material = Triangular steel segments, hydraulic actuators, lightweight deck
| length = {{convert|12|m}}
| width =
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| mainspan =
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| load =
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| life =
| builder = Littlehampton Welding Ltd
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| begin =
| complete = 2005
| cost =
£500,000
| open =
| inaugurated =
| replaces =
| coordinates = {{coord|51.518390|-0.174735|type:landmark_region:GB-LND|display=inline,title}}
}}
The Rolling Bridge is a kinetic sculpture,{{Cite web |title=Rolling Bridge / Thomas Heatherwick – eVolo {{!}} Architecture Magazine |url=https://www.evolo.us/rolling-bridge-thomas-heatherwick/ |access-date=2023-04-10 |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |date=January 2016 |title=How would one determine the essential balance between form and function in the cases of four 21st century pedestrian bridges? |url=https://rhsib.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/occ_d_6_visar_eee_1305_1c_e.pdf |journal=International Baccalaureate Extended Essay |pages=9–10}} and a unique type of curling moveable bridge, completed in 2004 as part of the Grand Union Canal office and retail development project at Paddington Basin, London.
Design
File:The Rolling Bridge opening and closing (600px, 5x speed).ogv, London. The clip is shown in 5 times the original speed.]]
The Rolling Bridge was conceived by Thomas Heatherwick. It consists of eight triangular sections hinged at the walkway level and connected above by two-part links that can be collapsed towards the deck by hydraulic cylinders mounted vertically between the sections. When extended, it resembles a conventional steel and timber footbridge, and is 12 metres long. To retract the bridge, the hydraulic pistons are activated and the bridge curls up until its two ends join, to form an octagonal shape measuring one half of the waterway's width at that point.
The bridge won the British Constructional Steelwork Association's British Structural Steel Design Award.{{cite web | title=37th Structural Steel Design Award Winners | url=http://www.corusconstruction.com/en/news_and_events/awards/structural_steel_design_award/2005/ | publisher=Corus | date=23 June 2005 | accessdate=28 May 2011}}
Disadvantages
The Rolling Bridge could theoretically allow the passage of boats, but the small basin behind the bridge is not open to canal traffic – it is currently occupied by a fountain, and blocked by a steel barrier at surface level to prevent boats entering.{{Citation |title=The Rolling Bridge In London HD 2014 HD | date=January 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9jGPKItfkA |access-date=2023-04-10 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=doodlebug1700 |date=2021-01-27 |title=Correct. Spent 6 mon… |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/mechanical_gifs/comments/l5an71/the_rolling_bridge_in_paddington_london/gkw12yw/ |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=r/mechanical_gifs}} It also has a very long cycle time, taking 2–3 minutes to finish moving in either direction,{{Cite web |title=The Rolling Bridge – London {{!}} CECR |url=https://info.cecr.in/the-rolling-bridge-london/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |language=en-US}} which compares unfavourably with [http://www.stroudvalleyscanal.co.uk/swingBridges traditional hand-operated canal footbridges] and would cause delays on a waterway with frequent boat traffic. Finally, the detour around the open bridge is very short,{{Cite web |title=OpenStreetMap |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=OpenStreetMap |language=en}} so the crossing is arguably not required at all. Thus, the project is primarily public art rather than a practical structure for navigation.
The high number of complex moving parts – fourteen hydraulic rams, numerous precision bearings, and an underground machinery chamber to provide the required oil pressure – can be seen as an example of overengineering, and has led to maintenance failures where the bridge is unable to move for significant periods of time.{{Cite web |title=Rolling Bridge (London) – All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go |url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186338-d3356697-Reviews-Rolling_Bridge-London_England.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Tripadvisor |language=en}} For these reasons, the design disregards established principles of architecture and civil engineering such as form follows function.
A higher-profile water crossing in London also proposed by Heatherwick – the Garden Bridge – attracted significant criticism along similar lines for mainly targeting tourists as a novelty, rather than functioning as a practical water crossing.
"Rolling" as a name and as a type
Traditional use of the term "rolling bridge" dates from at least the Victorian era, and is used to describe a type of retractable drawbridge used to span a ditch or moat surrounding a fortification. That type of bridge is not hinged, and remains horizontal when it is rolled inside the gates of a fort. Modern versions are called retractable bridges or thrust bridges. One particular version of the rolling bridge type was known as the Guthrie rolling bridge, examples of which may still be seen at Fort Nelson, Portsmouth. Certain types of bascule bridges roll on an arc; an example is the Pegasus Bridge.
Opening times
The bridge is scheduled to open every Wednesday and Friday at noon, and every Saturday at 2 pm.{{cite web |title=Paddington Basin's Bridges in action |url=https://www.thisispaddington.com/article/see-the-fan-bridge-in-action |website=Paddington |accessdate=29 December 2018 |language=en |date=7 March 2017 |archive-date=29 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229171532/https://www.thisispaddington.com/article/see-the-fan-bridge-in-action |url-status=dead }}{{update-inline|date=June 2024}}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/RollingBridge/ Rolling Bridge] by Sándor Kabai, the Wolfram Demonstrations Project
- [http://www.selmec.org.uk/article_0009_the_heatherwick_rolling_bridge.aspx Meccano model of Heatherwick's Rolling Bridge] by Alan Wenbourne
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko3hYhhK4-k&feature=c4-overview&list=UUkPiXOI29S8LVlunRgi3jDg Simulation Rolling Bridge made FreeBasic by Xkrouhn]
- [http://en.smath.info/forum/yaf_postsm11066_Graph-animation.aspx#post11066 2D animation made with SMath Studio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rolling Bridge}}
Category:Pedestrian bridges in London
Category:Bridges completed in 2004