Coordinates: 51.5823°N 0.

5345°W

Chalfont Viaduct
The Chalfont Viaduct (also known as the Chalfonts Viaduct or the Misbourne
Chalfont Viaduct
Viaduct) is a five-arch brick railway viaduct on the Chiltern Main Line in south-
east England. Located between Gerrards Cross and Denham Golf Club stations, it
spans the M25 motorway between junctions 16 and 17. Technically, the bridge is
Chalfont No. 1 Viaduct; the longer Chalfont No. 2 Viaduct is a short distance to
the west.[1]

The bridge is noted as a local landmark because for more than 20 years it bore a
graffiti slogan, "GIVE PEAS A CHANCE" painted in large white letters on the south-
facing parapet.[2][3]
Chalfont Viaduct seen from the M25
(in 2009)
Coordinates 51.5823°N 0.5345°W
Contents
OS grid TQ0188
Construction reference
Graffiti Carries Chiltern Main Line
See also
Crosses M25 Motorway
References
Locale Gerrards Cross
External links
Official name Chalfont No. 1 Viaduct
Other Misbourne Viaduct
Construction name(s)

The Chalfont Viaduct is built of Named for The Chalfonts

blue and black engineering brick (Chalfont St Giles,
with additional decorative Chalfont St Peter,
brickwork. The bridge is Little Chalfont)
approximately 12.5 metres (41 ft) Owner Network Rail
high, although it varies in height Characteristics
due to changing ground level,
Design Arch
and it has five semi-elliptical
arches, each 15.5 metres (51 ft)
Material Blue/black engineering
The River Misbourne diverted via brick
wide. It was constructed between
culverts under the M25
1902 and 1906 by the Great Total length 104 metres (114 yd)
Western Railway (GWR) to carry Height 12.5 metres (41 ft)
trains on the Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway between London and
No. of spans 5, each 15.5 metres
High Wycombe across the River Misbourne.[4][5] It was designed by James
(51 ft) wide
Charles Inglis, chief civil engineer of the GWR, and assistant engineer Robert
Rail characteristics
Cherry Sikes.[6]
No. of tracks 2
In the mid-1980s the construction of the M25 motorway required the Misbourne
Track gauge 4 ft 81⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
to be diverted via underground concrete culverts. The route of the motorway was
standard gauge
aligned to pass through the arches of the Chalfont Viaduct, leaving the viaduct
History
Designer James Charles Inglis,
largely unaltered apart from the raised ground level and the addition of concrete R.C. Sykes
supports and crash barriers. The viaduct is the only brick-built bridge on this Construction 1902
section of the M25.[5] start
Construction 1906
Graffiti end

For many years the Chalfont Viaduct has borne a graffiti slogan, "GIVE PEAS A

CHANCE" painted in large white letters on the south-facing parapet, visible to M25
drivers heading in a clockwise direction. The north side of the bridge bears the
painted legend "PEAS06".[2]

Originally, the graffiti on the south parapet simply read "PEAS". It is thought that
"Peas" was the tag of a London graffiti artist which can be seen on other locations.
The words "give" and "a chance" were added later
. The altered slogan may refer to
the artist being repeatedly arrested, and it may also be a play on words in
reference to John Lennon's popular 1969 song, "Give Peace a Chance".[7][4][8]

The graffiti has become a popular local landmark and is regarded affectionately by
Chalfont
motorists as a reassuring location marker. In 2018, when the graffiti was partially Viaduct
removed and repainted in 2018 to read HELCH A CHANCE, it prompted media
commentary.[9][10] Location of the Chalfont Viaduct in
Buckinghamshire
See also
Gerrards Cross Tunnel

References
Citations

1. Maggs 2010, p. 34.

2. Winterman, Tom de Castella and Denise (25May 2011). "Campaigning by graffiti" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mag
azine-13524208). BBC News. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180920153837/https://www .bbc.co.uk/news/
magazine-13524208) from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
3. "Calls for M25 'give peas a chance' return"(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45593174).
BBC News. 21 September 2018. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180921154832/https://www .bbc.co.uk/new
s/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45593174)from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
4. Hamilton 2015, p. 59.
5. Kelly 2009, p. 1.
6. Kelly 2009, pp. 2–3.
7. Kelly 2009, p. 5.
8. "The 'Give Peas a Chance' Bridge"(https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chalfont-viaduct). Atlas Obscura. Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20180920233802/https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chalfont-viaduct)from the
original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
9. Clifton, Katy (20 September 2018)."Motorists devastated as iconic 'Give Peas a Chance' graf fiti is erased" (https://w
ww.standard.co.uk/news/uk/motorists-devastated-as-iconic-give-peas-a-chance-m25-graf fiti-is-erased-a3941311.htm
l). London Evening Standard. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180920154003/https://www .standard.co.uk/ne
ws/uk/motorists-devastated-as-iconic-give-peas-a-chance-m25-graf fiti-is-erased-a3941311.html)from the original on
20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
10. " 'Give peas a chance' M25 graffiti removed" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45564552).
BBC News. 18 September 2018. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180920233540/https://www .bbc.co.uk/new
s/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45564552)from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
Sources

Hamilton, Ray (2015).M25: A Circular Tour of the London Orbital. Summersdale. ISBN 978-1-78372-656-1.
Retrieved 20 September 2018.
Kelly, Alison (2009). "Chalfont Viaduct Buckinghamshire – HistoricBuilding Recording" (PDF). Oxford Archaeology.
Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
Maggs, Colin (2010). The Branch Lines of Buckinghamshire. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 34.ISBN 978-1-4456-
2558-4. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

External links
Postcard of the Misbourne Viaduct c. 1905
Photograph of the viaduct crossing the River Misbourne c. 1903
The Misbourne Viaduct under construction c.1903
The Misbourne Viaduct under construction c.1903

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chalfont_V

iaduct&oldid=868101867"

This page was last edited on 10 November 2018, at 00:51(UTC).

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.