Construction of the M1

[telstarbox]

With HS2 soon to start I found this film of the construction of the first section of the M1 interesting.

Some of the challenges are the same as today - particularly fitting the alignment around existing infrastructure and unfavourable weather!

The design team used technology of the 1950s such as helicopter surveillance, short wave radio and on-site refuelling. However there was no CAD or emails on smartphones, with all the drawing being done by hand ( in imperial units).

If anyone on here was involved in the early motorway schemes it would be interesting to hear your experiences.

 

[Bromley boy]

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of early motorway schemes but it's interesting to note that, while it took 19 months to complete the southern section of the M1 in the 1950s, it took close to three years to dual 2.5 miles of the A21 between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the 2010s, finally opening earlier this year.

I'm sure that's comparing apples with oranges, but an amusing comparison nonetheless.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/malling/news/one-of-countys-busiest-roads-132519/

It’s taken three years and cost £70m, but today one of the county’s busiest stretches of road was officially opened after a vital upgrade.

It is hoped the revamp - to the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury - will help ease congestion for the 35,000 vehicles who use it every day, while also improving connections between London and Hastings.

The work involved expanding 2.5 miles of single carriageway into two lanes, with three new junctions and four new bridges.

 

[telstarbox]

I went to school in Tonbridge so I know the North Farm Roundabout well!

Less emphasis in the 50s on environmental impact - and lots of cheap labour from Ireland then too.

 

[Domh245]

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of early motorway schemes but it's interesting to note that, while it took 19 months to complete the southern section of the M1 in the 1950s, it took close to three years to dual 2.5 miles of the A21 between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the 2010s, finally opening earlier this year.

I'm sure that's comparing apples with oranges, but an amusing comparison nonetheless.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/malling/news/one-of-countys-busiest-roads-132519/

Apples and oranges indeed. It's not dissimilar to the arguments had about electrifying lines that are open (GWML) vs electrifying a construction site that'll soon become a railway (HS2). Building a motorway through the countryside with no traffic using it is going to be quicker to do than having to build a road around an already busy road, and having to keep traffic moving (!) through the area.

I also know the road well, and am looking forward to going over it again at some point without having to crawl to a stop at the roundabout (heading northbound) or at the point where it drops from two lanes to one (going southbound) - although the last time I went over it at the end of the summer, it was more or less finished - there was a 50mph restriction throughout the length of the works on the new road (but nobody was paying attention to that!)

 

[MonsooN]

It's taken four years to complete a 12 mile upgrade on the A1 between Leeming Bar and Barton (Near Darlington)

I'm sure if it was a completely new stretch of road, it could have been done so much quicker, but as it's a busy, strategic route, you can't just re-direct traffic. They've also kept a minor road running alongside the new motorway for farm and local traffic to use.

 

[cactustwirly]

It's taken four years to complete a 12 mile upgrade on the A1 between Leeming Bar and Barton (Near Darlington)

I'm sure if it was a completely new stretch of road, it could have been done so much quicker, but as it's a busy, strategic route, you can't just re-direct traffic. They've also kept a minor road running alongside the new motorway for farm and local traffic to use.

It's taken absolutely ages to upgrade the M1, between Nottingham and Sheffield.

 

[D365]

Hmm. How many years has it taken for the A14 Huntingdon bypass to begin construction?

 

[gazthomas]

I wonder sometimes is it our planning regime that causes issues or is it a blatant lack of productivity. I do tend to think it is the later. In other countries (okay India excepted) they would have had the job done quickly and efficiently. Look at how quickly the Chinese built their high speed rail lines. Yes, they were built in largely empty places but as they say "where there's a will there's a way"

 

[MotCO]

My real frustration is the apparent inactivity during the road works. I appreciate that there will be times when you are waiting for earth to settle or concrete to set, but there is a lot of inactivity. Can the works be done 24/7, particularly during summer, or in the example of the A1(M), instead of trying to build 12 miles all at once, can't it be built in smaller chunks to allow fewer miles of disruption at any one time?

 

[OuterDistant]

Look at how quickly the Chinese built their high speed rail lines. Yes, they were built in largely empty places but as they say "where there's a will there's a way"

The "way" in this case, of course, being a one party state. I dread to think what happens to anyone who says "I object to this line being built here".

 

[DarloRich]

My real frustration is the apparent inactivity during the road works. I appreciate that there will be times when you are waiting for earth to settle or concrete to set, but there is a lot of inactivity. Can the works be done 24/7, particularly during summer, or in the example of the A1(M), instead of trying to build 12 miles all at once, can't it be built in smaller chunks to allow fewer miles of disruption at any one time?

You can have whatever you like - if you are prepared to pay for it. That is the real issue ( as with the railways)

Motorway maintenance and enhancement works aren't, really, that much different to railway maintenance and enhancement works. They often need to work with the adjacent line open, there people are out in all weather sin a dangerous environment, they can only take possession of the M1 at certain times, they have to plan diversionary routes, they are subject to equipment failure, over runs, working at night weather challenges, budgetary constraints, political footballism and changing requirements and customer demands.

While on a course I had a really good chat with someone who does a very similar job to me at Highways England and it really brought home the similarities.

The main differences are the competency framework required for railway work and the requirement for specialist versions of commonly available equipment for railway construction

 

[YorkshireBear]

It's taken four years to complete a 12 mile upgrade on the A1 between Leeming Bar and Barton (Near Darlington)

I'm sure if it was a completely new stretch of road, it could have been done so much quicker, but as it's a busy, strategic route, you can't just re-direct traffic. They've also kept a minor road running alongside the new motorway for farm and local traffic to use.

But the diversion part where they did build a new section was by far the quickest of course!

 

[RichmondCommu]

It's taken absolutely ages to upgrade the M1, between Nottingham and Sheffield.

When you consider the small amount of space available to construction workers whilst traffic passed by at 50 mph its hardly surprising that the widening took so long to complete.

 

[dosxuk]

The concrete calamity where they built several miles of new central barrier with the wrong concrete and had to rip it all apart and rebuild it didn't help either.

 

[tspaul26]

The "way" in this case, of course, being a one party state. I dread to think what happens to anyone who says "I object to this line being built here".

Damnatio memoriae I would imagine.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

if the history of motorways interest you have a look at the pathetic motorways website. Fascinating insights into what the M25 should have been, the missing bits of the M23, A1 and why its a (M) and not a M, the missing Tyneside motorways, the M62 being in the wrong place and why the M67 and M60 stop where they do in Stockport.

http://pathetic.org.uk/

 

[DynamicSpirit]

if the history of motorways interest you have a look at the pathetic motorways website. Fascinating insights into what the M25 should have been, ... (snip)

You mean - a railway?

 

[DelW]

I'm not sure if it would be considered 'early' in motorway terms, but I worked on the M25 in the late 1970's, on the section which wiped out most of the remains of the Westerham branch. Some rail enthusiast friends have never forgiven me....

At that time Brasted station yard was still occupied by a coal merchants, which had presumably originally been supplied by rail. When I apologised to one of the older hands there that we'd be taking away part of his yard, he commented that the motorway alignment had first been proposed in the 1930's, so we'd been a long time coming! The yard seems to still be there on Google maps, but I can't see any indication what it might be used for now.

When we removed the railway embankment west of Brasted station, we found the top metre or so was mainly ash. Presumably the bank had settled over the years, and ash was the cheapest available filler. When we got down to the bottom of the embankment, there were big lumps of un-compacted clay sitting on the blackened remains of the original grass and topsoil.

East of Brasted, the motorway centreline ran down the railway cutting. Post closure, trees had grown and some had fallen into the cutting, and blocked drainage had led to it flooding, so it was quite a forestry exercise to cut our way through with a chainsaw, to set out the centreline and the offsets for the fence lines. Driving through there now it's hard to visualise how it was.

Computers had yet to arrive on construction sites, but scientific calculators had just become available to replace books of 7-figure log tables for setting out calculations. However, they were still sufficiently expensive that we had one shared between about 8 engineers in the early days. In contrast much of the plant in use then wasn't too much different from now, although motor-scrapers have pretty much disappeared from Britain since then.

Probably the biggest difference from now is that we didn't have to produce the huge numbers of method statements, risk assessments, safety and design checks etc. that are needed now. Safety has improved out of all recognition since then though, so I can't say we should go back to those days.

 

[telstarbox]

Thanks for sharing DelW.

Would you say there is any difference in the build quality of finished schemes between then and now?

 

[DelW]

Thanks for sharing DelW.

Would you say there is any difference in the build quality of finished schemes between then and now?

In those days the clients had representatives on site, Resident Engineers and Clerks of Works, whose remit was to check and inspect everything before it was covered up. It used to amuse me when TV detective shows talked about disposing of dead bodies in the foundations of motorway bridges, we were lucky to get away with a bit of tying wire left behind, as each concrete pour had to be cleaned and washed out to the Clerk of Works' satisfaction just before pouring.
Today most clients rely on the contractor's Quality Assurance procedures, which are as good or as bad as the staff operating them. Mostly I'd say quality is no worse than then, and safety and environmental precautions are way better. There will probably be a few rogue sites where someone fills in all the paperwork without having actually done the checks though, which would be less likely under the old system.

 

[Cowley]

In those days the clients had representatives on site, Resident Engineers and Clerks of Works, whose remit was to check and inspect everything before it was covered up. It used to amuse me when TV detective shows talked about disposing of dead bodies in the foundations of motorway bridges, we were lucky to get away with a bit of tying wire left behind, as each concrete pour had to be cleaned and washed out to the Clerk of Works' satisfaction just before pouring.
Today most clients rely on the contractor's Quality Assurance procedures, which are as good or as bad as the staff operating them. Mostly I'd say quality is no worse than then, and safety and environmental precautions are way better. There will probably be a few rogue sites where someone fills in all the paperwork without having actually done the checks though, which would be less likely under the old system.

Really interesting DelW. My Dad who’s a retired surveyor worked on much of the M4 and also the section of split level M5 south west of Bristol (which my kids call ‘Grandads Motorway’ ).
He’s got a good few stories to tell and really enjoyed his time working on them.
The sheer scale of motorway building in the 70s and 80s was incredible.
We used to visit his mother/my grandma in Woodford and travelled on the M25 bits that were completed and bit by bit joined together around that time.

 

[DelW]

Thanks, Cowley, it was a good time to be working in construction - plenty of work and contractors often kept teams together from one project to the next so you really knew and trusted the guys you were working with. Many of us lived in caravans on the site so we socialised together as well, usually in the nearest pub. The hours were long, muckshift drivers typically worked a 6 & 1/2 day 80 hour week and engineers were expected to cover the full shifts as well, so there was plenty of overtime (though only at flat rate for staff). These days there are few 'travelling men', most people work within commuting radius of home and go home every night instead of one long-weekend every six weeks. Good days to look back on though

 

[TUC]

I do think that the long timescales on many major projects reflects the fact that as a nation we seem to be reluctant to push hard and be demanding when it comes to contracts. We accept a slow timetable from a contractor even when it's clear that, with energy, faster progress could be achieved. Also, when delivery of a project slips, too often there seems to be shrugs of the shoulders and acceptance rather than a focus on resolving the issue and getting back on track.

 

[Dai Corner]

There is still some pretty serious road building going on here in Wales with the A465 Heads of the Valleys road being dualled through some challenging country which necessitates some impressive civil engineering.

Lots of pictures and discussion here.

Oh, and it's over budget and behind schedule