A303 HighWay To The Sun

[Richard A Thackeray]

I watched this programme on iPlayer, concerning the history of the A303, after it was on BBC 4 the other night

To me, anyway, it was very interesting, I'm sure I've seen a very similar programme about the 'Great North Road' - the A1
(I have a great book about the 'GNR', illustrated very much in the 'Wainwright style'


There's a world of difference driving on one of these pre-motorway trunk roads, infinitely more interesting

For examples;
- think of the A1, pre-upgrading; once past Wetherby, you had farms, and houses, cosying right up to the road-side

- South of Doncaster, the 'GNR' still has beautiful old coaching inns sanding, some in disrepair (at Scrooby Top)
Taken by me, July 2005


- Heck!!, in FerryBridge, until the 1960s, & the concrete bridge, the A1 was the main street!



- Bramham Crossroads (where the A64 crosses) was once an actual cross-roads, then a roundabout

The roundabout, late 50s?

My colour images; 2005


Supposed to be just pre-WW1



Yes, I'm rambling...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/epi…/b0116ly6/a303-highway-to-the-sun

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

This book;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-North-Road-Frank-Goddard/dp/0711224463

 

[Fnaar]

Different road, but it reminded me of this:

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I remember buying, whichever LP (EP?) that had that on


Returning to Yorkshire, here's what must be one of the greatest addresses in the County

In the pre-boundary change days, the Nottinghamshire border ran along the road seen in the pic, to the right (south) of the house - now it's a couple of miles down the road

 

[stephec]

I read the book that this show was probably based on.

It's a bit dull, and I gave up halfway through, but I've recorded the programme so I'll give it a watch.

 

[Bollo]

The A303 is my highway to f%^*#^ work

 

[threebikesmcginty]

The A303 is my highway to f%^*#^ work

Are you a druid?

 

[TheDoctor]

Ah, the old GNR. It's at least a hundred yards from me.

 

[Ian H]

The A303 is my route to London, much 'improved' over the years. Quicker, but losing the interest.

 

[Brains]

I've travelled the A303 more times than I care to remember with half the family in Cornwall and me living in London most of my life

I still clearly remember still being awake at about midnight aged probably 3 or 4, as my parents drove across Bodmin Moor (all just dual lane then) and were overtaken by a local in what must have been an 1930's 'jalopy', and it was also my first long distance drive when I passed my test, London and back in a Ford Escort,
My brother still holds the family record at shortest time for 276 miles in 3hrs 45mins, and I think I hold the three longest times, all well over 10 hours for the same distance.
.

 

[Globalti]

When you die, perhaps you should get your family to put your ashes in a salt cellar attached to the bumper of a car and scatter you the entire length of the A303.

Saw the programme and quite enjoyed it. There's an infinite amount of material there as you could make programmes about every one of Britain's major trunk roads. The A56 is my particular pet road as much of my recent life has taken place up and down its length.

This map explains British road numbering and will interest a few on here. Roads are numbered according to their zone, going clockwise:

For example Cheshire and Cumbria have roads numbered A5* and B5***

 

[nickyboy]

I've travelled the A303 more times than I care to remember with half the family in Cornwall and me living in London most of my life

I still clearly remember still being awake at about midnight aged probably 3 or 4, as my parents drove across Bodmin Moor (all just dual lane then) and were overtaken by a local in what must have been an 1930's 'jalopy', and it was also my first long distance drive when I passed my test, London and back in a Ford Escort,
My brother still holds the family record at shortest time for 276 miles in 3hrs 45mins, and I think I hold the three longest times, all well over 10 hours for the same distance.
.

Similar memories. From Carnforth in N Lancs my Mum and Dad used to drive overnight to Cornwall. Dad had a Mini van and he put some mattresses in the back for my sister and me. Minimum 8 hours, even overnight, so we used to arrive fresh as daisies whilst Mum and Dad were knackered.
I shall be travelling along/over the A303 for the first time in my life next week as I need to go to Salisbury for the first time ever.

 

[Globalti]

Salisbury? My family are from there and some still live there. Be sure to visit the cathedral as it's an amazing building; do the roof and spire tour if you've got time.

Watch out for traffic Police on the A30 - I got a ticket there.

If you're oop north your best route is actually M6, M5 then the very good A417 - A419 to Swindon - cross the M4 then head down through Marlborough and Tidworth. The last 40 miles to Salisbury is a ballache, whichever road you choose.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Saw the programme and quite enjoyed it. There's an infinite amount of material there as you could make programmes about every one of Britain's major trunk roads. The A56 is my particular pet road as much of my recent life has taken place up and down its length.

This map explains British road numbering and will interest a few on here. Roads are numbered according to their zone, going clockwise:

For example Cheshire and Cumbria have roads numbered A5* and B5***

Not seen that diagram before, but I knew of the reasonings/dividings of areas

 

[IDMark2]

If memory serves, the A303 drops it's end 3 and becomes the A30 from Honiton onwards further South West, the Honiton bypass and the 'new' A30 now are dual carriageway from there on to the M5 Junction at Exeter (near where the Met Office has moved to). So the road down to Penzance from here is called the A30, passing though Bodmin Moor and all the way down. I doubt some of the homeowners 'right next to the roadside' envisaged the roads growing to their current size when they bought them!