1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

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gepree68
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1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by gepree68 »

Image Image Image
I just found this interesting 1960 video showing 3 proposed routes for the top half of A491 between M5 J4 and A456 in Hagley.

The map shows routes A, B and E, of which B was the A491 route actually built.

Route E was quite a bit to the west.

Route A would have taken today's A491 route from M5 J4 but only to today's roundabout (Bromsgrove Road / Broome Lane). Today the roundabout is there but A491 flies over the top of it. North of here, route A would have followed the existing Bromsgrove Road, and only later diverged towards today's A491/A456 roundabout at Hagley.
Last edited by gepree68 on Thu Nov 08, 2018 20:16, edited 1 time in total.
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IAN
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by IAN »

Route E looks like it would have been very close to the 'Stockbroker Belt' village of Belbroughton - Plenty of locals with the influence to get it thrown out I should think!

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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by Truvelo »

That is interesting. A quick look at the Worcestershire Archive catalogue reveals plans for route B but not the others. Presumably the others must have been out of the running by the time detailed plans were drawn up.

What I would be interested in seeing is if there were plans to dual the Sandy Lane section to the M5. It would seem strange to only dual part of it.

I must say I do admire the rather upmarket voices of the two gentlemen in that video.
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
Big and complex.
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

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If I click on the pictures I get an "adult content" message!
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gepree68
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by gepree68 »

wrinkly wrote: Thu Nov 08, 2018 18:07 If I click on the pictures I get an "adult content" message!
Sounds like Flickr trying to encourage people to upgrade from their free service to their paid-for service!
UPDATE: Switched from Flickr to Imgur, and it seems to work better.
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

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gepree68 wrote: Thu Nov 08, 2018 17:08 today's roundabout (Bromsgrove Road / Broome Lane). Today the roundabout is there but A491 flies over the top of it.
I have always thought that roundabout looks odd. It looks as though there ought to be slip roads to connect it to the A491.

https://goo.gl/maps/TsYyNEGL4tP2
https://goo.gl/maps/MPVAbYiZwLE2
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

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PhilC wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 21:04 I have always thought that roundabout looks odd. It looks as though there ought to be slip roads to connect it to the A491.

https://goo.gl/maps/TsYyNEGL4tP2
https://goo.gl/maps/MPVAbYiZwLE2
Similarly there's a roundabout over the M3 at Camberley with no slip roads, and a roundabout over the M56 Sharston Spur.
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by Alderpoint »

wrinkly wrote: Sat Nov 10, 2018 23:29 Similarly there's a roundabout over the M3 at Camberley with no slip roads, and a roundabout over the M56 Sharston Spur.
And over the M42 just north of the NEC.
And under the M6 elevated section - although adding in sliproads here would be problematic on an already very busy roundabout.
Quite common??
Let it snow.
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wrinkly
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by wrinkly »

I knew there were some I'd forgotten but I don't think there are many we've still missed.

The M42 one is due to be clobbered by HS2; however, in its place we'll get a new roundabout under HS2!

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 000007.pdf

HS2 also goes very close to your other one but possibly in tunnel.
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by PhilC »

Alderpoint wrote: Sat Nov 10, 2018 23:50
And over the M42 just north of the NEC.
And under the M6 elevated section - although adding in sliproads here would be problematic on an already very busy roundabout.
Quite common??
I drive round those two quite frequently, I'm surprised it didn't register with me. I think it's because at those junctions I never want to get on the motorway, I would have done that a couple of junctions earlier. On the A449 I often want to get to the garden centre on the roundabout below and have have to take quite a detour to get to it.
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

Post by nick_dunn »

PhilC wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 21:04
gepree68 wrote: Thu Nov 08, 2018 17:08 today's roundabout (Bromsgrove Road / Broome Lane). Today the roundabout is there but A491 flies over the top of it.
I have always thought that roundabout looks odd. It looks as though there ought to be slip roads to connect it to the A491.

https://goo.gl/maps/TsYyNEGL4tP2
https://goo.gl/maps/MPVAbYiZwLE2
Me too. In fact in my early driving career on that roundabout I had the unnerving feeling that Violet Lane and Bromsgrove Road actually were sliproads, leading to several circuits of the roundabout whilst I convinced myself otherwise.

Interesting video and proposals. Begs the question what happened to options C and D?
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Re: 1960: 3 proposed routes for A491 from M5 J4 to A456 near Hagley

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