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Interesting Motorway services

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Yew

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Hi all,

I've recently had cause to pass the architecturally interesting Lancaster (Forton) services on the M6, as pictured below with its large, hexagonal tower which formerly housed a restaraunt (unfortunately no longer, due to fire safety regulations) and hexagonal OTIS elevators;

2.jpg

Image from :http://www.motorwayservices.info/lancaster_forton_services_m6/photos

And this has got me wondering, are there any other particuarly interesting, be it buildings, history or trivia, motorway (or A road?) services in the UK that you can think of?


Mod note: I know that in some ways motorways arent entirely public transport, but they sort of are, and this seemed the most suitable area to put a question like this

Thanks,

Yew
 
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Clip

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ive always found the ones that actually go over the motorways a thing of wonder as to why they would even do that rather than the normal roadside efforts - I guess purchasing the land was taken into account here but its still a novel idea that amuses me whenever I use one
 

radamfi

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ive always found the ones that actually go over the motorways a thing of wonder as to why they would even do that rather than the normal roadside efforts - I guess purchasing the land was taken into account here but its still a novel idea that amuses me whenever I use one

It avoids duplicating facilities on both sides of the road. There are ones where the slip road crosses the road to avoid duplicating facilities, like London Gateway (formerly Scratchwood) on the M1 and the new Cobham services on the M25. Alternatively some of the newer ones are built just off the motorway such as Cherwell Valley and Beaconsfield on the M40.
 

Antman

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As far as I am aware the Beaconsfield services are the only ones to feature a pub, the Hope and Champion
 

Daz28

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I've sometimes wondered why there was never a motorway service area combined with a train station to make a well facilitated parkway.
 

yorksrob

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I'll never forget visiting my Auntie in Wales and stopping off at the service station on the M4 with impressive views over the (old) Severn Bridge. The route is no longer the M4 (since the new Severn bridge was built) but I believe the service station building is still there, albeit no longer a service station.

As regards Lancaster, when I was a student there, there was a story that some used to walk up the central reservation to it as a dare. Never tried it myself though !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I believe there's one on the M1 with a restaurant on the bridge over the motorway (which I must admit, I consider rather groovy !)
 

yorksrob

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Leicester Forest East, I think. But when I was a kid (back in the mid-70s), there was a few on the M1 like that.

That's a shame if they got rid of them.

There also used to be one on the M4 with a big slope to the upper floor which used to interest me as a child.
 

starrymarkb

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Leicester services are due to close soon as the motorway is being widened. That is the problem with bridge services
 

Antman

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I've sometimes wondered why there was never a motorway service area combined with a train station to make a well facilitated parkway.

There have been suggestions of extending Tramlink to Clacket Lane services on the M25, whether they'll ever come to anything remains to be seen.
 

Yew

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Was still there, but closed, in summer 2014. Think it might be listed, or at least the roof is.

I'm of the understanding that the roof is Listed, however the Little chef is closed (I think, however, the one on the other side of the road is still open? I think it was last time I passed about a year ago)

Its a shame there couldnt be an escape installed to Forton services to allow the tower to be used again, I would bet the view would be impressive!
 

table38

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I believe there's one on the M1 with a restaurant on the bridge over the motorway (which I must admit, I consider rather groovy !)

There was a story about someone who, having dined, returned to the car park to find his car had been stolen!

He contacted the Police, who helpfully located his car in the car park on the other side of the motorway :)
 

yorksrob

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There was a story about someone who, having dined, returned to the car park to find his car had been stolen!

He contacted the Police, who helpfully located his car in the car park on the other side of the motorway :)

Ha ha, I bet that was an embarrassing day out !
 

freetoview33

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I'll never forget visiting my Auntie in Wales and stopping off at the service station on the M4 with impressive views over the (old) Severn Bridge. The route is no longer the M4 (since the new Severn bridge was built) but I believe the service station building is still there, albeit no longer a service station.

As regards Lancaster, when I was a student there, there was a story that some used to walk up the central reservation to it as a dare. Never tried it myself though !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I believe there's one on the M1 with a restaurant on the bridge over the motorway (which I must admit, I consider rather groovy !)

The now M48 Severn View services. The original building with the views is now offices with the services in a much smaller building! Also with the new motorway junction on the M49 coming I can see these services completely closing. But maybe seeing some just off the Second Bridge at the M49 Junction would be nice, with some good views!
 

johntea

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How many motorway services are there that can actually be walked to on foot?

I'm thinking of when I stayed at the Premier Inn South Mimms, 5 minute walk and you go past a small service station that seems more designed for trucks and the like, then a few minutes later you're at the big Welcome Break services.

Of course, unless you're driving to that particular Premier Inn in the first place it isn't the most accessible! Used to get a taxi from either Potters Bar or High Barnet with it being a lot cheaper than a central London hotel but now prefer Stevenage with the hotels there walking distance from a regular 20 minute train to London!
 

D841 Roebuck

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M6 Tebay Services in Cumbria are in a rather nice spot. Nice restaurant and farm shop, albeit a bit pricey. Independently run I believe.

www.tebayservices.com

Been a good few years since I've visited Tebay, but always found it excellent for quality, unlike most of the others.

To be fair, Michaelwood (M5) was also pretty good - although the joy of having passed Birmingham and being well on the way to Devon and/or Cornwall may have something to do with it.
 

Blindtraveler

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Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
Leicester services are due to close soon as the motorway is being widened.

Is there going to be a replacement? A lot of Nat Ex Coaches use them.↲
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
another vote for Tebay here too, excillent! Its also interesting to observe how many have over the years had multiple refurbishments and redevelopments - Charnock Richard on the M6 being an example here.↲
 

starrymarkb

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The new Gloucester services are going to be run by the same people as Tebay. Northbound is open but Southbound was still under construction last time I went through. Had planned to stop and look but circumstances (oil level light) meant I used Michaelwood in the end.
 
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deltic

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I've sometimes wondered why there was never a motorway service area combined with a train station to make a well facilitated parkway.

I seem to recall there was some idea to do just that but it was felt it would lead to long distance rail heading so the railways would lose more than it would gain and the car parks would have to be enormous
 

yorksrob

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The now M48 Severn View services. The original building with the views is now offices with the services in a much smaller building! Also with the new motorway junction on the M49 coming I can see these services completely closing. But maybe seeing some just off the Second Bridge at the M49 Junction would be nice, with some good views!

Indeed. There was nothing like having a coke with a view of the old bridge. As a child, it was really exciting - felt you were going somewhere :)
 

snowball

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I am old enough to have had a meal in the tower at Forton.

As far as I'm aware there have only ever been five service areas with catering facilities in the bridge over the motorway, and I think they all still have some version of them: Leicester Forest East on the M1, Medway (formerly known as Farthing Corner) on the M2, and three on the M6: Keele, Knutsford and Charnock Richard. I've used them all except Meday.

The M1 has already been widened once past Leicester Forest East by abolishing the hard shoulders, but the buildings and bridge survived. I don't think there is a current proposal to widen it again, but there may have been one 5 or 10 years ago, and it could be revived in another 5 or 10 years.

I think there are a few service areas with no road access except via the motorway. This has been discussed at once or twice on the SABRE forums.

There's at least one website, possibly two, devoted to service areas.

My own favourite is Annandale Water on the A74(M). It's nowhere near as good as when it was first built, but the restaurant and lodge still overlook their own lake.
 
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