Star.pngStar.pngStar.pngStar.pngStar.png

A38

From Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
A38
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (494)
From:  Bodmin (SX087683)
To:  Mansfield (SK535610)
Distance:  309.7 miles (498.4 km)
Meets:  A30, A389, B3360, A390, B3254, B3252, B3251, A374, B3249, B3271, A388, B3413, A3064, A386, B3250, B3413, A374, B3416, B3213, A3121, B3372, A385, B3380, A384, B3352, A383, A382, B3344, A380, A379, M5, A361, B3181, B3391, B3187, A3065, A3807, B3170, A3027, A358, A3038, A3259, A361, A39, A372, B3139, B3140, A370, A371, A368, B3133, B3130, A4174, A3029, B3122, B3120, A4044, A4, B4053, B4051, B4054, B4052, B4469, B4468, A4174, B4056, B4057, B4427, B4061, B4509, B4066, A4135, B4071, A419, B4008, A430, A4173, B4072, B4073, A4302, A417, B4063, A40, A4019, B4213, A438, B4080, A438, M50, A4104, A4440, A44, B4205, A449, B4482, A4536, A4538, B4090, A4133, A442, B4065, B4094, B4091, B4184, A448, M42, B4096, B4185, A491, B4120, B4121, A4040, B384, A4029, B4217, A4540, B4127, B4135, B4100, B4114, A38(M), A5127, M6, B4148, A452, A4097, M6 Toll, A446, A453, A5, A5148, A5206, A5192, A5127, A513, B5016, A5121, A5132, A50, B5008, A516, A5111, A52, A6, A61, B6179, A610, B6441, B6179, B600, M1, B6019, B6406, B6027, B6023, B6018, B6021, B6022, B6139, A617, B6014, A6009
Former Number(s):  A61, A387, A389, A446, A615
Old route now:  M5, A379, A3015, A5127, B3181, B3187
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

Birmingham  • Bristol  • Cornwall  • Derbyshire  • Devon  • Gloucestershire  • National Highways • North Somerset  • Nottinghamshire  • Somerset  • South Gloucestershire  • Staffordshire  • Warwickshire  • Worcestershire

Traditional Counties

Cornwall • Derbyshire • Devon • Gloucestershire • Nottinghamshire • Somerset • Staffordshire • Warwickshire • Worcestershire

Route outline (key)
A38 Bodmin – Exeter
A38 Exeter – Sampford Peverell
(M5) Exeter – Sampford Peverell
A38 Sampford Peverell – Brent Knoll
A38 Brent Knoll – Bristol
A38 Bristol – Hardwicke
A38 Hardwicke – Gloucester
A38 Gloucester – Wychbold
A38 Wychbold – Birmingham
A38(M) Aston Expressway
A38 Gravelly Hill – Mansfield bypass
A38 Mansfield bypass – Mansfield


Route

The A38 crossing the Tamar Bridge.
Main Article: A38/Route

Originally, the A38 ran from Plymouth to Derby, but it was extended at both ends. It was known to some as "the longest country lane in England", and the south-western section was notorious at holiday times for the congestion. Fortunately, the M5 took care of that, and nowadays for most of its length the A38 is a fairly quiet road shadowing the M5 extremely closely. (I don't know how many junction signs on the M5 mention the A38, but it's a lot!)

Notable locations along the route

Saltash Tunnel

The East portal of the Saltash Tunnel
Main Article: Saltash Tunnel

Almost as soon as you are off the Tamar Bridge heading into Cornwall, the A38 dives into this tunnel in Saltash.

Tamar Bridge

The Tamar Bridge
Main Article: Tamar Bridge

The Tamar Bridge forms the major of two crossings of the lower River Tamar between Plymouth and Cornwall (the other being the Torpoint Ferry) on the A38. The suspension bridge, opened in 1961, carries a three-lane tidal flow carriageway and has toll booths located on the Plymouth side.

Pearce's Hill

Pearce's Hill
Main Article: Pearce's Hill

Pearce's Hill is the southern terminus of the M5 and is located south of Exeter. It is a trumpet interchange, joining the A30 to the M5-A38 route.

Cullompton Bypass

A disused section of the original Cullompton Bypass
Main Article: Cullompton Bypass

The Cullompton Bypass, opened in 1969 as part of the A38, is the only part of the M5 to not have opened with that number. In its time as A38, the road was D2M standard, with wide central reservations, ready for the upgrade to M5.

Bedminster Bridge

Bedminster Bridge
Main Article: Bedminster Bridge

Located in Central Bristol and like Bath Bridge to the east, Bedminster Bridge is in fact two bridges crossing the River Avon, to form a roundabout.

Lydiate Ash

Lydiate Ash
Main Article: Lydiate Ash

Lydiate Ash is junction 4 of the M5. It originally formed the northern terminus of the first section of the M5.

Spaghetti Junction

Spaghetti Junction
Main Article: Gravelly Hill

The infamous Spaghetti Junction, Gravelly Hill provides the interchange between the M6, A38(M), A38, A5127 and an unclassified road. It does this by means of a complex array of slip roads and a roundabout.

History

The old corner at Spring Pools
Main Article: A38/History

As one of the longest A-roads in the British Isles, it is inevitable that the road has changed a lot over the years. Of all the changes that it has been through, the gradual southern progression of the M5 during the 1970s has been the most damaging, ripping the heart from the road in more ways that one.

Links

legislation.gov.uk

Pathetic Motorways

Roads.org.uk

Roads UK

The Motorway Archive

Bypass openings




A38
Sections
Projects
Junctions
Alfreton Interchange • Almondsbury Roundabout • Aztec West • Barrow Tanks • Barton Turn • Bassetts Pole • Bedminster Bridge • Belgrave Interchange • Birches Green • Branston Junction • Callywith Junction • Carkeel Roundabout • Carminow Cross • Chelston Interchange • Chelston Roundabout • Chudleigh Station Junction • Churchill Gate Crossroads • Clay Lane Junction • Clay Mills • Cole Avenue Junction • Coombe Hill • Cornhill (Highbridge) • Coxbench Interchange • Creech Castle • Cross Keys Roundabout • Cross Rifles Roundabout • Cullompton Interchange • Dart Bridge Interchange • Dartmouth Circus • Deep Lane Interchange • Drumbridges Junction • Drybridge Junction • Dunball Roundabout • East Brent Roundabout • Edithmead Interchange • Filton Roundabout • Findern Interchange • Forder Valley Interchange • Goodstone Cross Junction • Gravelly Hill • Gupshill Roundabout • Splatford Junction • Haldon Junction • Harcombe Junction • Hartshay Interchange • Harvester Island • Hilliards Cross Interchange • Holloway Circus • Huntworth Interchange • Island Shop Interchange • Kennford Junction • Ketch Roundabout • Kingsway Roundabout • Lancaster Circus • Langley Mill Interchange • Latchbrook Junction • Lean Quarry Junction • Lee Mill • Lime Kiln Roundabout • Linhay Hill Junction • Little Eaton Roundabout • Longbridge Island (Birmingham) • Looe Mills Junction • Lower Dean Junction • Lydiate Ash • Maiden Down • Manadon Interchange • Markeaton Island • Marley Head Interchange • Marsh Mills Interchange • Menheniot Junction • Minworth Island • Moorswater Junction • Palm Court Island • Park Circus • Pearce's Hill • Peartree Junction • Perry Elm Roundabout • Pinxton Interchange • Rashwood Interchange • Saltash Town Junction • Slideshow Island • St Budeaux Interchange • St Chads Circus • St James Barton • Stoketon Cross Junction • Hillards Cross • Streethay • Swinfen Interchange • The Black Horse Junction • The Isaac Tongue Junction • The Norton Crossroads • Tiverton Parkway Interchange • Toll Gate House • Toyota Island • Trerulefoot Roundabout • Turfdown Roundabout • Twelvewoods Roundabout • Twyning Interchange • Tyburn House Island • Walford Cross • Wall's Roundabout • Watchorn Roundabout • Waterloo Cross • Waterwells Roundabout • Weeford Interchange • Weston Mill Interchange • Westover Junction • Wickes Roundabout • Wobbly Wheel • Woodpecker Junction (South Brent) • Wrangaton Cross
Services
Crossings
Roads
Places
Miscellaneous
Related Pictures
View gallery (494)
Old A38 - Coppermine - 22577.jpgOld A38 - Haldon Hill - Coppermine - 18254.jpgA38 Derby bend.jpgApril 1968 - Coppermine - 19330.jpgSONR 08-11-20 1.JPG
Other nearby roads
Plymouth
NCN2 • NCN288 • A374 • A379 • A386 • A387 • A388 • A389 • A3041 • A3042 • A3043 • A3049 (Plymouth) • A3064 • A3078 (Plymouth) • A3081 • A3822 • A3860 • A3861 • B3214 • B3238 • B3239 • B3240 • B3241 • B3242 • B3243 • B3244 • B3245 • B3246 • B3247 • B3250 • B3373 • B3396 • B3413 • B3416 • B3417 • B3432 • E116 (Old System) • EuroVelo 1 • T8 (Britain)
Exeter
Bristol
A4 • A36 • A37 • A369 • A370 • A403 • A407 (Bristol) • A420 • A430 (Chippenham - Bristol) • A431 • A432 • A3024 (Bristol) • A3029 • A3034 (Bristol) • A4017 • A4018 • A4032 • A4044 • A4162 • A4174 • A4175 • A4176 • A4320 • B3119 • B3120 • B3121 (Bristol) • B3122 • B3123 (Bristol) • B3124 • B3125 • B3126 • B3129 • B4045 (Keynsham) • B4046 • B4047 (Gloucestershire) • B4048 • B4049 • B4050 • B4051 • B4052 • B4053 • B4053 (Colston Street, Bristol) • B4054 • B4055 • B4056 • B4057 • B4058 • B4465 • B4466 • B4467 • B4468 • B4469 • E30 • E105 (London - Fishguard) • E116 (Old System) • EuroVelo 1 • EuroVelo 2 • Longest Lane • M4 • M5 • M32 • M49 • NCN4 • NCN41 • Outer Circuit Road • South Bristol Spur • T9 (Britain) • T16 (Britain)
Birmingham
A34 • A38(M) • A41 • A42 (Reading - Birmingham) • A45 • A47 • A435 • A441 • A452 • A453 • A455 (Birmingham - Stafford) • A456 • A457 • A458 • A4027 • A4028 • A4029 • A4030 • A4040 • A4097 • A4123 • A4166 • A4167 • A4400 • A4540 • A4723 • A5127 • B38 (Selly Oak) • B384 • B3800 • B4025 • B4043 • B4096 • B4100 (Birmingham) • B4114 • B4118 (Birmingham) • B4120 • B4121 • B4122 (Birmingham) • B4123 • B4124 • B4125 • B4126 • B4127 • B4128 • B4128 (Suffolk Street, Birmingham) • B4129 • B4129 (Birmingham City Centre) • B4130 • B4131 • B4132 • B4133 • B4134 • B4135 • B4136 • B4137 • B4140 • B4141 (Birmingham) • B4142 • B4143 (Birmingham) • B4144 • B4145 • B4146 • B4147 • B4148 • B4167 • B4182 • B4217 • B4284 • B4498 • B4514 • B4515 • B4516 • B4531 • B4532 • B4533 • B4552 • B4730 • E05 • E24 • E28 (Birmingham - Ipswich) • E33 (London - Glasgow) • E116 (Old System) • Holyhead Road • Longest Lane • M5 • M6 • M40 • M42 • M600 • Northern and Western Motorway • Ryknild Street • T13 (Britain) • T14 (Britain) • T15 (Britain) • T16 (Britain) • T35 (Britain) • T53 (Britain)
Derby
A1-A99
The First 99           A1  •  A2  •  A3  •  A4  •  A5  •  A6  •  A7  •  A8  •  A9  • A10 • A11 • A12 • A13 • A14 • A15 • A16 • A17 • A18 • A19
A20 • A21 • A22 • A23 • A24 • A25 • A26 • A27 • A28 • A29 • A30 • A31 • A32 • A33 • A34 • A35 • A36 • A37 • A38 • A39
A40 • A41 • A42 • A43 • A44 • A45 • A46 • A47 • A48 • A49 • A50 • A51 • A52 • A53 • A54 • A55 • A56 • A57 • A58 • A59
A60 • A61 • A62 • A63 • A64 • A65 • A66 • A67 • A68 • A69 • A70 • A71 • A72 • A73 • A74 • A75 • A76 • A77 • A78 • A79
A80 • A81 • A82 • A83 • A84 • A85 • A86 • A87 • A88 • A89 • A90 • A91 • A92 • A93 • A94 • A95 • A96 • A97 • A98 • A99
Motorway sectionsA1(M): (South Mimms - Baldock • Alconbury - Peterborough • Doncaster Bypass • Darrington - Birtley)
A3(M) • A8(M) Baillieston spur • A38(M) • A48(M) Cardiff spur • A57(M) • A58(M) • A64(M) • A66(M) • A74(M) • A92(M)
DefunctA1(M) Newcastle CME • A2(M) Medway Towns Bypass • A4(M) • A5(M) • A8(M) Renfrew bypass • A14 • A14(M) • A18(M) • A20(M) • A36(M)
A40(M): (Westway • Denham -Stokenchurch) • A41(M) • A42 • A46(M) • A48(M): (Port Talbot bypass • Morriston bypass) • A62(M) • A88 • A99
UnbuiltA2(M) Rochester Way Relief Road • A6(M): (Western route • Eastern route) • A14(M) (Expressway) • A34(M) • A48(M) Llantrisant Radial • A59(M) • A61(M)

SABRE - The Society for All British and Irish Road Enthusiasts
Discuss - Digest - Discover - Help