Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

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Ross Spur
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Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Ross Spur »

Sabre Wiki lists it as Colnbrook Interchange https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/ind ... nterchange whereas OSM and The Gazette notice of opening in 1985 lists it as Thorney Interchange. What is its current official name?
Ian

From the SABRE Wiki: Colnbrook Interchange :

REDIRECT [[Thorney

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Micro The Maniac
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Micro The Maniac »

BBC local radio always refers to it as the Thorney Interchange

Notably, (ahem) Wikipedia also uses Thorney rather than Colnbrook

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorney_Interchange
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Chris5156 »

In plans for its construction as far back as 1966 (20 years before it opened!), when it was envisaged as part of the North Orbital Road project managed by Bucks CC, it's referred to as Thorney Interchange.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by c2R »

Chris5156 wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 21:41 In plans for its construction as far back as 1966 (20 years before it opened!), when it was envisaged as part of the North Orbital Road project managed by Bucks CC, it's referred to as Thorney Interchange.
I've also been doing some research this evening - the only references I can find are probably based on our wiki.... which is probably based on this migrated post from Tom

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2374&hilit=colnbrook&start=20
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Ross Spur »

Thanks for your help. I've also just noticed that the local newspaper websites refer to it as Thorney Interchange so will go on that.

Cheers
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by c2R »

Ross Spur wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 19:17 Thanks for your help. I've also just noticed that the local newspaper websites refer to it as Thorney Interchange so will go on that.

Cheers
Yes, I think it probably advisable if we alter our page to go with that as well - I'll do the honours over the next couple of days.

Edit - Done.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Truvelo »

There are several junctions where the name changed from the original plans to when it was built. Bredbury Interchange is shown as Brinnington Interchange on 1970's proposals for example.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Matthew »

After having access to the AA data some 20 years ago, I can confirm it was classed as Thorney Interchange.

I still occasionally hear the M3/M25 described as the Thorpe Interchange on traffic reports, but it's not the least bit obvious to drivers there. It's really either the M3, or M25, junction.

Colnbrook, if I recall, was the Spur junction?
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Chris5156 »

Matthew wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 13:37 After having access to the AA data some 20 years ago, I can confirm it was classed as Thorney Interchange.

I still occasionally hear the M3/M25 described as the Thorpe Interchange on traffic reports, but it's not the least bit obvious to drivers there. It's really either the M3, or M25, junction.

Colnbrook, if I recall, was the Spur junction?
I think its official name is Airport Interchange - that’s what is shown on construction plans and legal orders, anyway.

Edit: now I think about it, I believe the temporary signs that are currently up along the M4 labelling bridges for the benefit of the Smart Motorway works contractors also label it Airport Interchange.
Last edited by Chris5156 on Wed Dec 08, 2021 08:38, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Ruperts Trooper »

Truvelo wrote: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:54 There are several junctions where the name changed from the original plans to when it was built. Bredbury Interchange is shown as Brinnington Interchange on 1970's proposals for example.
That seems to happen a lot with infrastructure projects - back in the '60s the new reservoir near Huntingdon was known as Diddington Reservoir during construction but officially named Grafham Water when completed.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by WHBM »

There was a signage policy change on primary routes quite some years ago to put an official name in the heading line of signage at major junctions, which had not been done until then. For some reason this was never carried through to motorway junctions, maybe because it was thought junction numbers are sufficient, without regard for when two motorways cross at a junction their numbers are quite different.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by c2R »

WHBM wrote: Wed Dec 08, 2021 19:35 There was a signage policy change on primary routes quite some years ago to put an official name in the heading line of signage at major junctions, which had not been done until then. For some reason this was never carried through to motorway junctions, maybe because it was thought junction numbers are sufficient, without regard for when two motorways cross at a junction their numbers are quite different.
They are on some ADSs on sliproads exiting the motorway, but not on the main line..
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Chris5156 »

WHBM wrote: Wed Dec 08, 2021 19:35 There was a signage policy change on primary routes quite some years ago to put an official name in the heading line of signage at major junctions, which had not been done until then. For some reason this was never carried through to motorway junctions, maybe because it was thought junction numbers are sufficient, without regard for when two motorways cross at a junction their numbers are quite different.
The option to add a junction name at the top of the sign was part of the Guildford Rules changes, so dates to TSRGD 1994. I don’t know why it doesn’t permit the same on motorway ADS, but I’d hazard a guess that it’s to do with minimising the amount of text on motorway direction signs, and junction numbers providing enough identifying information.

I agree that, at least in some cases, it’d be a useful addition.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Vierwielen »

Micro The Maniac wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 17:22 BBC local radio always refers to it as the Thorney Interchange

Notably, (ahem) Wikipedia also uses Thorney rather than Colnbrook

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorney_Interchange
Wikipedia gives a - reference. While Wikipedia might haved many faults, the reference they cited appears to be authoritative.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Vierwielen »

Micro The Maniac wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 17:22 Notably, (ahem) Wikipedia also uses Thorney rather than Colnbrook
Wikipedia blotted its copybook when some clown slapped a notice on the M1 article stating that the junction list "should be presented in a properly formatted junction table".
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Gareth Thomas »

I always thought of Junction 5 as the “Colmbrook Interchange” personally.

This does remind me of a conversation with my dad some time back. I mentioned the “Darenth Interchange”.

“Where is that?” asks Dad, a former traffic police officer very familiar with the roads or north Kent.

“The M25/A2 junction,” I reply.

Dad scoffs.

“That’s the South Orbital,” he says. “There’s no such thing as the Darenth Interchange.”

I suspect this may have been a old name for the junction but the signs, local media, radio travel alerts and indeed this very wiki all use the name “Darenth Interchange”, which as far as I am aware has always been its “official” name.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Steven »

Gareth Thomas wrote: Sat Dec 11, 2021 22:52 I always thought of Junction 5 as the “Colmbrook Interchange” personally.

This does remind me of a conversation with my dad some time back. I mentioned the “Darenth Interchange”.

“Where is that?” asks Dad, a former traffic police officer very familiar with the roads or north Kent.

“The M25/A2 junction,” I reply.

Dad scoffs.

“That’s the South Orbital,” he says. “There’s no such thing as the Darenth Interchange.”
Well, given that the Kent section of the South Orbital Road is what became the M25/M26, I suspect that comes from a misunderstanding that the whole of the southern part of M25 is part of the South Orbital - which it isn't, it's on the line of Ringway 3 north of the big curve that's between J3 and J4.
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Re: Official name for M25 J15 / M4 J4B

Post by Gareth Thomas »

Steven wrote: Sun Dec 12, 2021 08:35
Gareth Thomas wrote: Sat Dec 11, 2021 22:52 I always thought of Junction 5 as the “Colmbrook Interchange” personally.

This does remind me of a conversation with my dad some time back. I mentioned the “Darenth Interchange”.

“Where is that?” asks Dad, a former traffic police officer very familiar with the roads or north Kent.

“The M25/A2 junction,” I reply.

Dad scoffs.

“That’s the South Orbital,” he says. “There’s no such thing as the Darenth Interchange.”
Well, given that the Kent section of the South Orbital Road is what became the M25/M26, I suspect that comes from a misunderstanding that the whole of the southern part of M25 is part of the South Orbital - which it isn't, it's on the line of Ringway 3 north of the big curve that's between J3 and J4.
Quite probably, although the M25 wasn’t finished when Dad started on Traffic, especially with the section you mention being one of the last bits to open.

I should have pointed out that by his logic, the Swanley Interchange should also be known as “South Orbital”! 😄
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