The longest possible stint.....
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The longest possible stint.....
Yup...
That time again - with some of the motorways being completed in Scotland I have been thinking on the longest possible distance using motorways...
1. must not leave motorway restrictions. the road must be under motorway restrictions.
2. all parts of the motorway can be used. slip roads roundabouts etc.. as long as they are under motorway restriction. pass an end of motorway sign then its over.
3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.
4. assume fuel tank will be infinite....
5. assume a ready supply of redbull....
Just how far could you eck it out on the UK motorway system. just how many miles could you manage to cover without duplication ?
Id imagine with the scottish network being completed then this distance would be somewhat impressive ?
who can manage the longest distance.
That time again - with some of the motorways being completed in Scotland I have been thinking on the longest possible distance using motorways...
1. must not leave motorway restrictions. the road must be under motorway restrictions.
2. all parts of the motorway can be used. slip roads roundabouts etc.. as long as they are under motorway restriction. pass an end of motorway sign then its over.
3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.
4. assume fuel tank will be infinite....
5. assume a ready supply of redbull....
Just how far could you eck it out on the UK motorway system. just how many miles could you manage to cover without duplication ?
Id imagine with the scottish network being completed then this distance would be somewhat impressive ?
who can manage the longest distance.
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.
Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.
Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.
Re: The longest possible stint.....
My go-to for "longest continual motorway journey" is the M27/M271 roundabout.
With an infinite fuel tank, you can just do that forever.
Probably not in the spirit of the question
With an infinite fuel tank, you can just do that forever.
Probably not in the spirit of the question
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
I'd have followed the M9 to the FRB / M90 and terminated at PerthAnOrdinarySABREUser wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 12:57 Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.
Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.
Re: The longest possible stint.....
3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.AnOrdinarySABREUser wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 12:57 Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.
Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.
Re: The longest possible stint.....
3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.
Re: The longest possible stint.....
sadly there is that short section of A90 between the two sections of M90 that stops that.wallmeerkat wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 13:11I'd have followed the M9 to the FRB / M90 and terminated at PerthAnOrdinarySABREUser wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 12:57 Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.
Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
Yes you're right! Surprised they didn't run non-motorway parallel carraigeway alongside the M90. Maybe just a loop back round the M9/M8 then.Gav wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 13:14sadly there is that short section of A90 between the two sections of M90 that stops that.wallmeerkat wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 13:11I'd have followed the M9 to the FRB / M90 and terminated at PerthAnOrdinarySABREUser wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 12:57 Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.
Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.
- RichardA35
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
I've got to somewhere about 1250 miles
M275Portsmouth - M27 - M3 - M25 - M20 J8 - M26 - M25 - M23 J9 - M25 - M4 - M4J22 - M5 - M42 - M6 - M69 - M1 - M18 - M180 - M181 "New" rbt - M180 - M18 - M1 - M25 - M40 - M42 - M5 - M6 - M62 - M60 ACW - M62 - M621 - M1 - M62 - M60 - M61 - M65 - M6 - A74(M) - M74 - M73 - M8 - M9 - M876 - M80 - M8 - M73 - M80 Dunblane
although heading back down the M6 and M5 from Coatbridge to Exeter would probably be longer.
M275Portsmouth - M27 - M3 - M25 - M20 J8 - M26 - M25 - M23 J9 - M25 - M4 - M4J22 - M5 - M42 - M6 - M69 - M1 - M18 - M180 - M181 "New" rbt - M180 - M18 - M1 - M25 - M40 - M42 - M5 - M6 - M62 - M60 ACW - M62 - M621 - M1 - M62 - M60 - M61 - M65 - M6 - A74(M) - M74 - M73 - M8 - M9 - M876 - M80 - M8 - M73 - M80 Dunblane
although heading back down the M6 and M5 from Coatbridge to Exeter would probably be longer.
- Vierwielen
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
I see that by a quirk of geography, one has to select either British motorways or Northern Ireland motorways as teh two sets are disconnected (I am assuming that if motorways exist that feed directly into the ferry ports (as is done on the Channel Tunnel termini), then the two would be linked, but they are not.
Last edited by Vierwielen on Thu Mar 21, 2024 15:31, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
NI motorways tend to have junctions and terminations that are non-motorway. M22 - M2 - M3 is 22 miles.Vierwielen wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 15:08 I see that by a quirk of geography, one has to select either British motorways or Northern Ireland motorways as teh two sets are disconnected (I am assuming that if motorways exist that feed directly into the ferry ports (as is done on the Channel Tunnel termini), then the two woudl b elinked, but they are not.
There is 1 junction that is all motorway - M12 Ballynacor - if you follow the M1, M12 and turn around here it is 48 miles.
RoI might be interesting, traditionally a hub-and-spoke model from Dublin but some of the spokes are being connected eg. M17/M18 but there are all-purpose road connections.
Re: The longest possible stint.....
This has to be stupidily long ie something like.
A194(M) -> A1(M) -> M1 -> M25 -> M3 -> M27 -> Turn around at M271 -> M27 -> M3 -> M25 -> M40 -> M42 -> M6 -> M5 -> M4 -> Turn around at Heathrow -> M4 -> M5 -> M6 -> M42 -> M40 ->M25 -> M1 -> M6 -> M6 Toll -> M6 -> A74(M) -> M74 -> M73 -> M80 -> M876 -> M9 -> M8 -> Turn around at M73 -> M8 -> M9 -> M876 -> M80 -> M73 -> M74 -> A74(M) -> M6 -> M65 -> M61 -> M60 -> M62 -> M18 -> M180 -> M181 (Turn around) -> M180 -> M18 -> Turn around A1(M) -> M18 -> M62 -> A627(M) -> Turn around -> A627(M) -> M62 -> M60 -> Turn around at M62 -> M60 -> M61 -> M65 -> M6 -> M6 Toll -> M6 -> M69 -> M1 -> A1(M) -> A194(M)
How many miles, god knows - a lot.
A194(M) -> A1(M) -> M1 -> M25 -> M3 -> M27 -> Turn around at M271 -> M27 -> M3 -> M25 -> M40 -> M42 -> M6 -> M5 -> M4 -> Turn around at Heathrow -> M4 -> M5 -> M6 -> M42 -> M40 ->M25 -> M1 -> M6 -> M6 Toll -> M6 -> A74(M) -> M74 -> M73 -> M80 -> M876 -> M9 -> M8 -> Turn around at M73 -> M8 -> M9 -> M876 -> M80 -> M73 -> M74 -> A74(M) -> M6 -> M65 -> M61 -> M60 -> M62 -> M18 -> M180 -> M181 (Turn around) -> M180 -> M18 -> Turn around A1(M) -> M18 -> M62 -> A627(M) -> Turn around -> A627(M) -> M62 -> M60 -> Turn around at M62 -> M60 -> M61 -> M65 -> M6 -> M6 Toll -> M6 -> M69 -> M1 -> A1(M) -> A194(M)
How many miles, god knows - a lot.
Re: The longest possible stint.....
Start on the M5 near Exeter, then M6, A74(M), M74, M80, M80, M90, more or less the motorway route from Exeter to Perth.
- RichardA35
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
But, according to the "rules" of this question, if you can turn round under motorway restrictions, and not go on the same section twice, then you could head back down south on the opposite carriageway doubling the length.
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
Maybe we need a Wiki page of non-freeflow motorway junctions under motorway regulations... to start:
- M27/M271
- A1(M)/M18
- M60/M62 Simister Island
- M18/M180
- M4/Heathrow Spur
- M181/A1077(M)
Re: The longest possible stint.....
M1/M62Micro The Maniac wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:17Maybe we need a Wiki page of non-freeflow motorway junctions under motorway regulations... to start:I can't immediately think of any more But I'm sure there are...
- M27/M271
- A1(M)/M18
- M60/M62 Simister Island
- M18/M180
- M4/Heathrow Spur
- M181/A1077(M)
M4/A308(M)/A404(M)
M4/M32
M5/M50
M6/M65
M61/M65
M8/A8(M)/M73
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Re: The longest possible stint.....
Yes, I think the longest straightforward route is to start and finish at M5 J31 (Exeter) then go to Scotland on the M5/M6/A74(M)/M74. Then take the M73, and the M8 - you need to use the roundabout but it's under motorway regulations. Then M9, M876, M80 and M73, and you can go back to Exeter on the opposite carriageway.RichardA35 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2024 09:47But, according to the "rules" of this question, if you can turn round under motorway restrictions, and not go on the same section twice, then you could head back down south on the opposite carriageway doubling the length.
Though you can certainly insert some more loops. I think you can divert to London down the M4 and back up the M40, then M6/M69/M1/M62/M6 (only works northbound).