Surviving parts of Original Roads

[Glenn A]

I'd imagine the A9 from Stirling to Inverness is still doable in its original form, although you are routed around the town centre in Perth. Rather a slog through places like Pitlochry in summer, but an interesting drive.

You don't have to "imagine". You can look at the facts that are contained on this very website. It'll take about five minutes of your time.

Maybe imagine was the wrong word, the old A9 is perfectly doable.

[Vierwielen]

The A5 through Betws-y-Coed follows Telford's original route - his Waterloo Bridge is still in use and his milestones (eg here) are still clearly visible.

[Vierwielen]

Part of the A3 through Hndhead, having been replaced by a tunnel, is now known as the A333 while the rest of it has been returned to nature.

[mfmman]

The original A4 (acknowledging that it was once A36) is currently not accessible in either direction through Keynsham High Street. It has been eastbound only (except cycles) for a few years but is currently closed altogther to traffic and may well stay that way

[Glenn A]

The original A1 through Newcastle city centre is impossible now due to Northumberland St being pedestrianised, but north of the CME, you can drive along the Great North Rd, which is as it was before the seventies, albeit with some D2 as you come out of Gosforth.

[Isleworth1961]

The original A4 (acknowledging that it was once A36) is currently not accessible in either direction through Keynsham High Street. It has been eastbound only (except cycles) for a few years but is currently closed altogther to traffic and may well stay that way

Similar situation regarding the original A38 through Thornbury. South Glos Council closed the High Street to through traffic "to allow for social distancing" and their grand plans of street fairs, street cafes etc!. Traders, bus users (the few that there are at present) and most other people are against it, and the diversionary route is sometimes horrendously busy, not helped recently by roadworks.

[vlad]

...the rest of [the A3 through Hindhead] has been returned to nature.

It's not really surviving, then, is it?

(Having said that, there's a surprising amount where you can tell it did used to be a road - and there's a corker of a milepost near the northern end!)

[ForestChav]

...the rest of [the A3 through Hindhead] has been returned to nature.

It's not really surviving, then, is it?

(Having said that, there's a surprising amount where you can tell it did used to be a road - and there's a corker of a milepost near the northern end!)

You can still see where the A33 went at Winchester from aerial views too. As well as some of it being a park and ride now.

[Scratchwood]

I'd be staggered if any major route existed in its entirety as a driveable road, due to pedestrianisation schemes. The old route of the A2 for example went through the centre of Bexleyheath, Dartford and Gravesend, all with some form of pedestrianisation along the original route now.

Indeed in Bexleyheath, the old route through the centre has even been built over!

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4559163 ... 384!8i8192

[Graham]

The Great North Road, the Old Mail Road to Scotland: London to York. by Charles G. (Charles George) Harper
This was published in 2 volumes, the first part being London to York and the second York to Edinburgh
These seem to be a printing from 1900 or thereabouts

First edition of The Great North Road was 1901, the second was 1922, both in two volumes. The first is the more attractive edition as it is larger format and has more illustrations.

Harper wrote 13 titles in this series, covering what became the A1, A10, A2, A21, A23, A3, A30 (as far as Exeter), A4, A40, A5, A6/A74, plus two volumes in East Anglia; one (the Newmarket, Bury, Thetford and Cromer Road) roughly following the A11/A147, and the other (the Norwich Road) following the A12 to Ipswich then the A140.

The series was first published between about 1893 and 1910. Second editions date from 1922-24, presumably to cash in on the publication of the road numbering system. Not all volumes were published in second editions.

The books are well worth perusing for anyone with an interest in the original routes of the radial coaching routes out of London.

[Steven]

The Great North Road, the Old Mail Road to Scotland: London to York. by Charles G. (Charles George) Harper
This was published in 2 volumes, the first part being London to York and the second York to Edinburgh
These seem to be a printing from 1900 or thereabouts

First edition of The Great North Road was 1901, the second was 1922, both in two volumes. The first is the more attractive edition as it is larger format and has more illustrations.

Harper wrote 13 titles in this series, covering what became the A1, A10, A2, A21, A23, A3, A30 (as far as Exeter), A4, A40, A5, A6/A74, plus two volumes in East Anglia; one (the Newmarket, Bury, Thetford and Cromer Road) roughly following the A11/A147, and the other (the Norwich Road) following the A12 to Ipswich then the A140.

The series was first published between about 1893 and 1910. Second editions date from 1922-24, presumably to cash in on the publication of the road numbering system. Not all volumes were published in second editions.

The books are well worth perusing for anyone with an interest in the original routes of the radial coaching routes out of London.

Does the A5 volume cover the Watling Street route, or Telford's Holyhead Road via Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres, as that was by far the most important coaching route?

[Graham]

Does the A5 volume cover the Watling Street route, or Telford's Holyhead Road via Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres, as that was by far the most important coaching route?

The books (a 2-volume set) cover both routes, though I think they treat the route via Birmingham as the more important route (following the A45/A41 from Weedon Beck to Oakengates). This is apparent in the way the 2 volumes are divided up - volume 1 is London-Birmingham, volume 2 is Birmingham-Holyhead.

The old road across Anglesey (via Llangefni & Bodffordd) is also included.