Oldest Motorway Signs Still In Use

[jonnyf90]

What are the oldest motorway signs still in use on the network?

My candidates are these on the M23 - J10 https://goo.gl/maps/zRn387BuJ162 without chopsticks
and J11 where it becomes the A23 https://goo.gl/maps/UqxDdKHroDz with a new replacement in front...

Any others?

[wrinkly]

Wasn't a contender mentioned in another thread in the last few days?? On the M5 maybe??

[Duncan macknight]

I imagine 10 or so years ago there would of been many more but due to "modernisation and inprovement" most of them have been replaced however a few have survived. Scottish motorways have a few examples like on the M90 at Junction 4 or the M8 in Glasgow, "chopsticks" etc.

[Osthagen]

Wasn't a contender mentioned in another thread in the last few days?? On the M5 maybe??

Absolutely!

See here.

Interestingly, while most signage for Wales is usually preceded by the identifier of 'North' (M56, M54) or 'South' (M4, M50) for the respective areas of the country, here it's simply listed as 'Wales'.

[Paul237]

I posted this one recently:
https://goo.gl/maps/dpfbGJcDnLG2

I think it's from the early 80s?

[Osthagen]

I posted this one recently:
https://goo.gl/maps/dpfbGJcDnLG2

I think it's from the early 80s?

Beat you to it I'm afraid!

I think its more likely a 70s sign.

[Paul237]

I posted this one recently:
https://goo.gl/maps/dpfbGJcDnLG2

I think it's from the early 80s?

Beat you to it I'm afraid!

I think its more likely a 70s sign.

Oops, just spotted it!

That sign is older than me.

[Osthagen]

This one on the M1 Northbound after J20 seems pretty old. My money's on the 70s.

1sign.png (47.42 KiB) Viewed 4359 times

[lefthandedspanner]

These ones on the M53 are probably from the early 80s, and are showing their age.

[Johnathan404]

This thread may be of interest as most of the examples will still stand.

These ones on the M53 are probably from the early 80s, and are showing their age.

I did check for this thread and noticed the 'Motorway - no stopping' signs have been removed from J1.

[WHBM]

The backlit ones from opening the M8 through Glasgow in 1970 are still in use and look decidedly like the originals.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.86976 ... 312!8i6656

[Glen]

The backlit ones from opening the M8 through Glasgow in 1970 are still in use and look decidedly like the originals.

The structures will be original but the sign faces aren't.
They were originally a slightly different design with the coloured panel surrounding the matrix signals, and of course, they had "Ring Road" as a direction.


M8 Motorway - Original Style Gantry J18 by Stuart Baird, on Flickr

[thatapanydude]

Here is this one at my local patch of A1(M) J9. I hope HE don't remove this, even though it shouldn't be there.

[Osthagen]

Here's some rather old signage on the M56 West at J15.

56sign.png (75.95 KiB) Viewed 4161 times

I'd say this is definitely a bit older than me (I'm 27).

[Crimbo]

these look pretty old on the M65 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.78710 ... 6656?hl=en as well as this on the opposite carriageway https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.78705 ... 6656?hl=en

[Osthagen]

these look pretty old on the M65 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.78710 ... 6656?hl=en as well as this on the opposite carriageway https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.78705 ... 6656?hl=en

For the latter, the use of Skipton as the Forward Destination as opposed to Colne would imply that the sign is actually quite old.

[Bryn666]

There are several signs from 1984 along the J6 to 10 stretch.

The oldest M65 sign approaching J11 has since been replaced though.

[Osthagen]

This next one isn't actually on a motorway, but it points to one and for that reason, I will include it. It is located near Sedbergh, Cumbria.

m6nrsedbr.png (17.18 KiB) Viewed 4057 times

It is barely legible, so I aught to clarify that it reads 'Motorway M6'.

As for age, my guess would be c.1970, as it is around that time that the M6 was extended into that area.

[JohnnyMo]

This next one isn't actually on a motorway, but it points to one and for that reason, I will include it. It is located near Sedbergh, Cumbria.

It is barely legible, so I aught to clarify that it reads 'Motorway M6'.

As for age, my guess would be c.1970, as it is around that time that the M6 was extended into that area.

Likewise this one in Letchworth may date from the late 60's when the Baldock bypass was opened.

[Osthagen]

In addition to the sign I linked above, here's another on the M1:

1sign1.png (64.21 KiB) Viewed 4023 times

This one is definitely more faded than the one a few miles south. 70s I reckon.

Edit: Here's one that's almost impossible to read, at M1 J18:

1sign1.png (26.27 KiB) Viewed 4016 times

It is, however, meant to read:

Coventry (North) 19
Leicester 21
Birmingham 37
Nottingham 49