Manky Signs

Discussion about street lighting, road signs, traffic signals - and all other street furniture - goes here.

Moderator: Site Management Team

Post Reply
User avatar
Iain
Member
Posts: 264
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 14:57
Location: Coventry
Contact:

Manky Signs

Post by Iain »

Reading about replacement of old signs in the other topic reminded me of this sign long past its best... A444 Coventry. It really is well overdue for replacement and looks like a panel for the M69 was added sometime in the 80s before the A46 was routed to the east of here.

I wonder if there are any mankier ones than this?!
A brimful of asha on the M45.
User avatar
a1adam
Member
Posts: 337
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 23:31

Re: Manky Signs

Post by a1adam »

I have a photo of this sign in Whyteleafe from 2002 that was damaged even then. Nearly ten years later and it still hasn't been fixed or replaced.
User avatar
CrackersA361
Member
Posts: 285
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 19:36
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by CrackersA361 »

I love these sorts of signs! I think that A444 example actually reads 'A46' on the top, I know it certainly does in the opposite direction, just past the Whitley junction bridge, here.

There's loads in Coventry, some lovely examples of the dark green primary signs from the 1970s, as well as the wide blue border local direction signs too.

There's also a knackered 'no waiting' sign at the end of my road that's clearly been hit at some point, is filthy and very rusty! When I'm back up there I'll definitely get a photo of it on my way to the co-op! :laugh:

Perhaps it says something about Coventry City Council's sign replacement policy? :wink:
James

Britain's Lost Motorway Network: My Flickr set of map scans. A collection of all the bits of motorway we didn't build that made it onto a map. And a few that weren't planned at all!
User avatar
mapboy
Member
Posts: 1111
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2011 08:53
Location: Birmingham

Re: Manky Signs

Post by mapboy »

Coventry has them everywhere! I can't remember if it is still there but there was an old rusted primary route conformation sign for the A444 on the B4113 Leamington Road outside the memorial park.

I have also seen (though it seems to have disappeared now) on the A4114 there was a junction sign that had the A51 on it, not in brackets, though I think this has been taken down.

There also was an old rusty sign on the A38 Droitwich Spa By-pass northbound between the Ombersley and Berry Hill interchanges. The lettering had partly come off so it displayed 'A3': Bromsgrove 6 miles; Birmingham 24 miles.

In Droitwich town centre itself, nearly all the roadsigns along the old A38 still show it as the A38, with primary route status; they have never been changed to reflect the new numbers.
geo449
Member
Posts: 1007
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 20:31
Location: Wolverhampton

Re: Manky Signs

Post by geo449 »

Well, there is always this ye old Worboys sign. Can you make out what it says?

At least it's still very dark green!
Very rarely here
User avatar
parristim
Member
Posts: 472
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 19:54
Location: Sheffield

Re: Manky Signs

Post by parristim »

We were trying to get to Chorley FM last weekend and had to divert (I'd checked and found no mention that the Woodhead was closed :( ) and passed this beaut http://g.co/maps/ep4zx
User avatar
Bryn666
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 36757
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 20:54
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by Bryn666 »

Yes, there used to be loads of original ADS around the M62 - Kirklees have slowly got rid of them all bar that one.

It's a bit poor that 41 years after the motorway opened the signs are still there to be honest.
Bryn
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.

Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/showmeasignbryn.bsky.social
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
User avatar
kit
Banned
Posts: 2596
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 19:57

Re: Manky Signs

Post by kit »

This is the oldest sign I have ever seen on the HA network: -

http://g.co/maps/pm44b

Not sure of it's date but it's not reflective so must be pretty old - it obviously predates the M40 and realignment of the A34 & A44. It's in pretty good nick though so I hope it stays!
I didn't want to believe my Dad was stealing from his job as a road worker. But when I got home, all the signs were there.
User avatar
dragonv480
Member
Posts: 1254
Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 23:14
Location: Dumfries and Galloway
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by dragonv480 »

No examples, but Huddersfield and surrounding areas have their fair share of green signs with letters peeling off that are clearly from the 70s and 80s, including huge roundabout direction signs.

**EDIT:** OK, I couldn't resist finding one of many examples.

manky manky manky
Cheers! Image

Gaz Wilson
geo449
Member
Posts: 1007
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 20:31
Location: Wolverhampton

Re: Manky Signs

Post by geo449 »

It was interesting seeing this when coming back from the Halifax/Elland awayday last year.

I say "see" it, it was at night and the only things I could see were the reflected boarders around the blue patches! Everything else didn't reflect at all so it was a good thing I knew where I was going! :shock:

If I remember correctly that sign has been replaced by something a little more visable now?
Very rarely here
SC2
Member
Posts: 2571
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:55

Re: Manky Signs

Post by SC2 »

kit wrote:This is the oldest sign I have ever seen on the HA network: -

http://g.co/maps/pm44b

Not sure of it's date but it's not reflective so must be pretty old - it obviously predates the M40 and realignment of the A34 & A44. It's in pretty good nick though so I hope it stays!
I love the simplicity of that. I'm sure nowadays that'd have about a million destinations on.
User avatar
Truvelo
Member
Posts: 17706
Joined: Wed May 29, 2002 21:10
Location: Staffordshire
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by Truvelo »

How about these where the numbers are no longer visible :shock:
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
Big and complex.
User avatar
CrackersA361
Member
Posts: 285
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 19:36
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by CrackersA361 »

mapboy wrote:Coventry has them everywhere! I can't remember if it is still there but there was an old rusted primary route conformation sign for the A444 on the B4113 Leamington Road outside the memorial park.
Just had a look on Streetview and couldn't see it sadly.

The main route south out of the city towards the A46 yields other examples too:

These overhead signs on a footbridge, though the left arrow for main traffic has now been concealed now the flyover has been reduced to a single lane.

I particularly like this one!

Then there's this very well preserved one on the A4114 Holyhead Road towards the A45.
James

Britain's Lost Motorway Network: My Flickr set of map scans. A collection of all the bits of motorway we didn't build that made it onto a map. And a few that weren't planned at all!
User avatar
irrelevant
Member
Posts: 1176
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 21:41
Location: Salford
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by irrelevant »

I know it's only a warning sign, but I have absolutely no idea what this sign is/was...
User avatar
Mattemotorway
Member
Posts: 1919
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 18:55
Location: Insert City Name Here

Re: Manky Signs

Post by Mattemotorway »

There used to be a good example, not so long ago on the A614 in Howden... But that's now been replaced... (Certainly was replaced by September 2008!)

So I'll raise this one instead! I'm not completely sure if it's still there (The pic also dates from September 2008!), and it's not as old as other examples, but it's definately original to the road! (1987 vintage, LOL!)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll= ... .35,,1,1.7

(Or at least it would if I knew how to link to the right image!)
My old posts are just downright embarrassing.

Expects to climb the job ladder quickly and is often glued to my phone... Apparently..
User avatar
a1adam
Member
Posts: 337
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 23:31

Re: Manky Signs

Post by a1adam »

Here's a strange one in Newick, East Sussex.

It's not so much that the sign is manky, just incredibly (ie centuries!) out of date. The right hand direction to Winchester is fine - the A272 does indeed lead all the way to Winchester. But Canterbury to the left? Well, maybe in the 1500s, when Pilgrims would traverse this stretch of road between the two cities.

The A272 itself goes nowhere near Canterbury, and I can't imagine many of the good citizens of Newick making the pilgrimage to Canterbury today. To do it they would probably use the A272-A267-A265-A229-A268-A28. Not exactly a direct route, and a darn sight further than Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead and many other little towns that it would actually be quite helpful to signpost from Newick!
User avatar
Bryn666
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 36757
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 20:54
Contact:

Re: Manky Signs

Post by Bryn666 »

dragonv480 wrote:No examples, but Huddersfield and surrounding areas have their fair share of green signs with letters peeling off that are clearly from the 70s and 80s, including huge roundabout direction signs.

**EDIT:** OK, I couldn't resist finding one of many examples.

manky manky manky
That got replaced! Botched, though.
Bryn
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.

Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/showmeasignbryn.bsky.social
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
User avatar
haymansafc
Member
Posts: 4808
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 16:52
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire

Re: Manky Signs

Post by haymansafc »

The A51 has a couple of beauties. This, just south of Nantwich for example. It’s been there for as long as I can personally remember and was pretty tatty some twenty years ago.

For Algae/moss, this gets a regular coating on it due to the nearby trees. There are occasional attempts to scrub it up (it’s had another in recent weeks as it happens) but it often goes a few years at a time almost entirely covered with near enough nothing legible.
Truvelo wrote:How about these where the numbers are no longer visible :shock:
I forgot that those were still there - or at least they were the last time I passed!
The journey is never over until the arrival.
User avatar
vlad
Member
Posts: 2614
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 16:20
Location: Near the northern end of the A34

Re: Manky Signs

Post by vlad »

This one has now gone unfortunately (swap to the other carriageway to see its replacement).

Staffordshire CC seem to have binged on replacing signs this year. Some really old ones like this and this are unfortunately also now deceased.

Stoke CC, on the other hand, don't currently have the money to replace signs like this that badly need it. :)
"If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed." - Sylvia Plath
User avatar
c2R
SABRE Wiki admin
Posts: 11512
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:01

Re: Manky Signs

Post by c2R »

irrelevant wrote:I know it's only a warning sign, but I have absolutely no idea what this sign is/was...
I particularly like the dead lamp above it!
Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps
Post Reply