A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

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Justin Smith
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A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by Justin Smith »

I have been doing some research on the A38 dual carriageway openings between the M1 and Birmingham, this was the stretch I remember my Dad driving in the 70s.
Could the esteemed members of this forum ( ! ) please check this is all correct and possibly tell me when the section from Findern to North Burton Interchange was dualled as I cannot find that ? The latter is indicated as dual on my 1968 OS map.

1969 - M1 to Watchorn junction (A61)
1977 - Above to Little Eaton roundabout (A61)
1969 - Above to Allstree junction (A6)
1983 - Above to Markeaton roundabout (A52)
1975 - Above to Findern junction (Rykneld Rd ex A38)
???? - Above to North Burton junction (A5121 ex A38)
1967 - Above to Branston junction (A5121 = Burton bypass)
1964 - Above to Barton U Needwood junction (B5106)
1962 - Above to Alrewas junction (A513)
1958 - Above to north Lichfield junction (A5127 ex A38)

South of here I don't know, any ideas ?
Ross Spur
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by Ross Spur »

Clay Mills (north of Burton) to Findern would be 1967/ 1968. 3 miles of the 3.75 mile scheme had one carriageway opened on 29 April 1967. Work continued on the upgrading the old carriageway as a second carriageway and also the remaining 0.75 miles of work. The Burton Observer had a photo on 21 March 1968 from Clay Mills flyover looking north, describing it as another stretch in full use. Whether the rest was completed then it does not say.
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roadtester
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by roadtester »

Justin Smith wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 21:29 I have been doing some research on the A38 dual carriageway openings between the M1 and Birmingham, this was the stretch I remember my Dad driving in the 70s.
Could the esteemed members of this forum ( ! ) please check this is all correct and possibly tell me when the section from Findern to North Burton Interchange was dualled as I cannot find that ? The latter is indicated as dual on my 1968 OS map.

1969 - M1 to Watchorn junction (A61)
1977 - Above to Little Eaton roundabout (A61)
1969 - Above to Allstree junction (A6)
1983 - Above to Markeaton roundabout (A52)
1975 - Above to Findern junction (Rykneld Rd ex A38)
???? - Above to North Burton junction (A5121 ex A38)
1967 - Above to Branston junction (A5121 = Burton bypass)
1964 - Above to Barton U Needwood junction (B5106)
1962 - Above to Alrewas junction (A513)
1958 - Above to north Lichfield junction (A5127 ex A38)

South of here I don't know, any ideas ?
Can't really help with adding to or verifying any of this, but thanks for sharing with us what you have found so far - very interesting.

I didn't realise some of the dualling was as old as that.
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Bryn666
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by Bryn666 »

Justin Smith wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 21:29 I have been doing some research on the A38 dual carriageway openings between the M1 and Birmingham, this was the stretch I remember my Dad driving in the 70s.
Could the esteemed members of this forum ( ! ) please check this is all correct and possibly tell me when the section from Findern to North Burton Interchange was dualled as I cannot find that ? The latter is indicated as dual on my 1968 OS map.

1969 - M1 to Watchorn junction (A61)
1977 - Above to Little Eaton roundabout (A61)
1969 - Above to Allstree junction (A6)
1983 - Above to Markeaton roundabout (A52)
1975 - Above to Findern junction (Rykneld Rd ex A38)
???? - Above to North Burton junction (A5121 ex A38)
1967 - Above to Branston junction (A5121 = Burton bypass)
1964 - Above to Barton U Needwood junction (B5106)
1962 - Above to Alrewas junction (A513)
1958 - Above to north Lichfield junction (A5127 ex A38)

South of here I don't know, any ideas ?
This is excellent, in case you aren't sure you should be able to put this on the SABRE wiki too.
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Justin Smith
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by Justin Smith »

Bryn666 wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 10:37
Justin Smith wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 21:29 I have been doing some research on the A38 dual carriageway openings between the M1 and Birmingham, this was the stretch I remember my Dad driving in the 70s.
Could the esteemed members of this forum ( ! ) please check this is all correct and possibly tell me when the section from Findern to North Burton Interchange was dualled as I cannot find that ? The latter is indicated as dual on my 1968 OS map.

1969 - M1 to Watchorn junction (A61)
1977 - Above to Little Eaton roundabout (A61)
1969 - Above to Allstree junction (A6)
1983 - Above to Markeaton roundabout (A52)
1975 - Above to Findern junction (Rykneld Rd ex A38)
???? - Above to North Burton junction (A5121 ex A38)
1967 - Above to Branston junction (A5121 = Burton bypass)
1964 - Above to Barton U Needwood junction (B5106)
1962 - Above to Alrewas junction (A513)
1958 - Above to north Lichfield junction (A5127 ex A38)

South of here I don't know, any ideas ?
This is excellent, in case you aren't sure you should be able to put this on the SABRE wiki too.
As mentioned before my favourite book is my Cobbs rail atlas (all railways in E, W & S overlaid on full scale 1" maps with opening and closing dates) and I have added - in pencil - all motorways and roads that interest me (A1, A34, A38, A43 & A55) with their opening dates, just like the railway lines. The biggie, and most interesting, was the A1. Maybe I'll get round to doing an opening date list for that sometime ! It'd be pretty long though, and it does have a number of sectional opening dates I could not find.
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Justin Smith
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by Justin Smith »

Ross Spur wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 10:18 Clay Mills (north of Burton) to Findern would be 1967/ 1968. 3 miles of the 3.75 mile scheme had one carriageway opened on 29 April 1967. Work continued on the upgrading the old carriageway as a second carriageway and also the remaining 0.75 miles of work. The Burton Observer had a photo on 21 March 1968 from Clay Mills flyover looking north, describing it as another stretch in full use. Whether the rest was completed then it does not say.
Thanks for that, I shall add it to my Cobbs.....
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by wrinkly »

Justin Smith wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 18:18 As mentioned before my favourite book is my Cobbs rail atlas (all railways in E, W & S overlaid on full scale 1" maps
Just out of curiosity, how many pages does that take and what size are they?
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Justin Smith
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Re: A38 : M1 > Derby > Birmingham dual carriageway open

Post by Justin Smith »

wrinkly wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 19:12
Justin Smith wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 18:18 As mentioned before my favourite book is my Cobbs rail atlas (all railways in E, W & S overlaid on full scale 1" maps
Just out of curiosity, how many pages does that take and what size are they?
Cobbs rails atlas is in two volumes but the pages are not all numbered. The main section is the maps ("greyed" 1 inch series mainly about 1971 or late 60s) and the first section has 440 pages and the second about 220 but also the index (of stations, junctions etc) and historical "family trees" of all the railway companies. Pages are about 33cm x 30cm.
I bought my edition in Aug 2004, the first print run, and it cost £100, apparently it was subsidised to the tune of a quarter of a million pounds by Sir James Colyer-Ferguson as a contribution to the history of railways. The second print run was £150, now I think his son Patrick Cobb sells it with upgraded bindings etc but it costs is a lot more than £150, even second hand Cobbs are hundreds of pounds now. I have had the bindings of mine professionally strengthened and some of the page "valleys" the same (with bookbinders tape) as it gets so much use. I would not sell my annotated copy even for £1000s.
An example of one of my annotated pages is attached, it's just west of Edinburgh and includes the Forth crossings.
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Cobbs rail atlas (west of Edinburgh) 1000W L5 384kB.jpg
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