Diversions 2022

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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

The A287 junction lights caused 2-3 mile tailbacks. In the real days, it was a short D2 with refuges and slips. Now it is D1 with much larger refuges and little traffic, as the w/bnd side indicates. The signals are really superfluous for such low levels on normal days.
There used to be queues on summer weekends at each lane drop where the dualled sections ended. Otherwise it flowed freely most days of the year.
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Queueing for the A287 lights, about a mile and a half away
Queueing for the A287 lights, about a mile and a half away
Holiday traffic on the A30 in Hampshire again
Holiday traffic on the A30 in Hampshire again
A lorry from Cornwall, once a daily sight, now as rare as...a diverted lorry from Cornwall.
A lorry from Cornwall, once a daily sight, now as rare as...a diverted lorry from Cornwall.
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

An unspoilt section of early 60's dual carriageway, at least on this side. Some junctions hatched, some not.
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H8.jpg
H10.jpg
H11.jpg
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

Yes, it may seem a lot but, I took 117 of em'
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Hatch
Hatch
The Hatch
The Hatch
Looking towards Black Dam, where J6 connects via the A339 ring road, just over the hill.
Looking towards Black Dam, where J6 connects via the A339 ring road, just over the hill.
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

And finally......
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East of Hatch. An old road layby, from the 1962/3 dualling, the last before further improvements were scrapped as a new motorway was planned.....
East of Hatch. An old road layby, from the 1962/3 dualling, the last before further improvements were scrapped as a new motorway was planned.....
Looking towards Hook. A junction in the distance that is in original condition. Really dangerous in trunk road days. Locals rat running on this day made it seem dangerous again.
Looking towards Hook. A junction in the distance that is in original condition. Really dangerous in trunk road days. Locals rat running on this day made it seem dangerous again.
Overspill from those leaving at J7, snarled up Basingstoke as well. This is Kempshott hill, heading east. There was another accident between J7 and 6 within minutes of 6-5 reopening, causing overspill in both directions. This was an S3 in the 60's
Overspill from those leaving at J7, snarled up Basingstoke as well. This is Kempshott hill, heading east. There was another accident between J7 and 6 within minutes of 6-5 reopening, causing overspill in both directions. This was an S3 in the 60's
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

And here is a summer lane drop westbound queue, approaching Hartley Wintney, on Good Friday, March 1967
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5 A30_Star_hill_24-3-67.jpg
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

Funny how things turn out. I was heading for the A33 after M3 was closed from 8-9 s/bnd but, heard on the radio that 1 lane had reopened. I was going via Romsey to avoid long queues caused by emergency bridge joint repairs at apparently, the railway bridge near Twyford Down. 2 lanes closed, huge queues. Coming along the old A31 to join the old A33, there was a solid stream of traffic heading north there. So, quick change of plan, I joined the queue out to near J11. Turned around at the rbt and bought a coffee and sausage sarnie at a layby van and headed back along the old A33, bypassed in 1967. Found a parking spot by a church and ate my breakfast then, a walkabout......

Hadn't really thought of this section as a likely diversion route but, Satnav obviously decided otherwise.
Attachments
Pointing the way
Pointing the way
Former S2/1 up Otterbourne Hill
Former S2/1 up Otterbourne Hill
Climbing lane is now a cycle path, which wasn't used at all in the 2 hours I was there.
Climbing lane is now a cycle path, which wasn't used at all in the 2 hours I was there.
Last edited by SteveA30 on Sat Jul 23, 2022 05:59, edited 1 time in total.
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

A33(T) Otterbourne, until the A33(T) bypassed it, until the M3 ate it.
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Standing in the climbing lane
Standing in the climbing lane
Bottom of the hill
Bottom of the hill
Top of the hill
Top of the hill
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SO53
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SO53 »

If I'd have known you were in the area Steve, I'd have brought you some refreshments!

Good to see Otterbourne Hill make it into your pictures. Very often clogged with people avoiding delays on the M3 in either direction. So much so, it can be queued for a good few miles trying to navigate the roundabouts at J12 and J11.

As for the cycle lane, it does get a far bit of use, mainly by commuters heading home from Winchester to Chandlers Ford or Eastleigh. Or school children on their way to the local secondary school. Only those cyclists emulating Tadej Pogacar use the road going uphill, causing motorists to get frustrated as they struggle up at walking pace (not surprising given its gradient).
SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

Thanks, I did get a Costa coffee from the machine in Nisa, just by some roadworks that almost caused a bottleneck. There were lights turned sideways so I'm assuming they were turned off to help with traffic flow. It looked as if the work had been narrowed just enough for 2 way traffic, although it was tight. Good bit of local initiative though, responding to changed circumstances.

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest ... 2-07-2022/

There will be more disruption next week according to the above....

However, as it moves from an unplanned to a planned diversion, the route may be different, although Satnav will still tell drivers differently no doubt. I'm expecting Romsey to take the brunt of it, via Hursley, to avoid Otterbourne/Compton completely. Could be night closures.
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solocle
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by solocle »

Not diversions per se, but the old roads from Sunday's cycle. Mostly the A30:
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Now it was a brief dalliance with the A33. A nice serenely quiet dual carriageway, punctuated by some morons on motorbikes using it as a drag strip (doing about 140 mph or something like that). The M3 is just the other side of the hedge, of course.
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Back to the A30, well, it used to be. One advantage of the bike is I get to go down most of the pedestrianised High Streets!
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And off onto the A315 Roman Road at Clockhouse Roundabout.
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SteveA30
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by SteveA30 »

That's a lot of mileage in one day, good job the temp had cooled down a bit.
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Glenn A
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by Glenn A »

The A686 is closed from Melmerby to Alston as the Langwathby Bridge needs urgent repairs that will take two months. This will mean anyone wanting to reach Alston from the M6 will need to take a huge diversion to jct 43 of the M6 and then the A69 and A689. From West Cumbria, this means using the A595 to the A689 near Carlisle. While not the busiest tourist place in the country, Alston is quite popular due to its narrow gauge railway and the A689 could see a large rise in traffic, made worse by the fact this is the route buses and HGVs take to reach the town.
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solocle
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by solocle »

SteveA30 wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 21:24 That's a lot of mileage in one day, good job the temp had cooled down a bit.
Yeah, the temps were decently high. The sun came out just before I entered Hampshire (beating down at the "Thyme & Tides" cafe in Firsdown). My bike computer was reading about 30-33 in the sun for that section, spiking up to 40 when stationary at Sutton Scotney services. I can't even imaging what the 40 degree weather would have been like.

As it was I got a couple of cramps which I think were inadequate hydration. It was a nice run with a reasonable tailwind, in all honesty I didn't think I was in shape for the distance. I was expecting to be getting onto the train at Salisbury or Basingstoke - or even Andover, as I had the chance to go that way. But, just pressing on a bit, it was a question of focusing on the next milestone - Baisngstoke, Surrey, 100 miles. When I saw the sign for Staines 9, London 27, it meant that I was going to press on to the 100 mile mark, and then it was only going to be 20 miles into Central London.
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In all honesty it's as much a mental game as a physical one.
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Chris Bertram
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by Chris Bertram »

Nice picture of the bike, but what's the photo supposed to be telling us?
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owen b
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by owen b »

Chris Bertram wrote: Sun Jul 31, 2022 22:21 Nice picture of the bike, but what's the photo supposed to be telling us?
Photo of the Month contender. Pedestrians, double decker bus, bike, bike lanes, 20 limit, presses all the right buttons :) . Joking aside, I think it's a very good road photo, lots of interesting detail.
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Chris Bertram
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by Chris Bertram »

owen b wrote: Sun Jul 31, 2022 23:48
Chris Bertram wrote: Sun Jul 31, 2022 22:21 Nice picture of the bike, but what's the photo supposed to be telling us?
Photo of the Month contender. Pedestrians, double decker bus, bike, bike lanes, 20 limit, presses all the right buttons :) . Joking aside, I think it's a very good road photo, lots of interesting detail.
Well possibly, but I can't see how it fits into the narrative of the post. And you have to admit that the bike is very much front and centre of the picture.
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solocle
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by solocle »

Chris Bertram wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 09:11
owen b wrote: Sun Jul 31, 2022 23:48
Chris Bertram wrote: Sun Jul 31, 2022 22:21 Nice picture of the bike, but what's the photo supposed to be telling us?
Photo of the Month contender. Pedestrians, double decker bus, bike, bike lanes, 20 limit, presses all the right buttons :) . Joking aside, I think it's a very good road photo, lots of interesting detail.
Well possibly, but I can't see how it fits into the narrative of the post. And you have to admit that the bike is very much front and centre of the picture.
Well, that was my destination photo. It was "look where I rode to", always nice to have a good bike shot for Strava. But unlike the other shots I took of Buckingham Palace and the Elizabeth Tower, it had a good roads component too - and my route there was of course the old main roads pre-motorways / A303.

I guess the thing missing is a map:
Capture1.JPG
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Chris Bertram
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by Chris Bertram »

solocle wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 12:29 Well, that was my destination photo. It was "look where I rode to", always nice to have a good bike shot for Strava.
Ah, that wasn't clear. And this isn't Strava, so the appearance of a bike in almost every shot is, perhaps, unexpected.
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Hdeng16
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by Hdeng16 »

Chris Bertram wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 12:58
solocle wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 12:29 Well, that was my destination photo. It was "look where I rode to", always nice to have a good bike shot for Strava.
Ah, that wasn't clear. And this isn't Strava, so the appearance of a bike in almost every shot is, perhaps, unexpected.
I'm confused too. This thread is called "Diversions 2022" and does what it says on the tin usually. I don't get why you solocle chose this thread to post a photo blog about a bike trip. I agree it's not strava - but perhaps in the Unleashed areas it would have hit the mark. Here... it's just a bit odd.
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solocle
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Re: Diversions 2022

Post by solocle »

Hdeng16 wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 15:55
Chris Bertram wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 12:58
solocle wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 12:29 Well, that was my destination photo. It was "look where I rode to", always nice to have a good bike shot for Strava.
Ah, that wasn't clear. And this isn't Strava, so the appearance of a bike in almost every shot is, perhaps, unexpected.
I'm confused too. This thread is called "Diversions 2022" and does what it says on the tin usually. I don't get why you solocle chose this thread to post a photo blog about a bike trip. I agree it's not strava - but perhaps in the Unleashed areas it would have hit the mark. Here... it's just a bit odd.
Because the roads involved are prime diversion routes if there's a snarl up. The A30 and A33 were both posted further upthread. Obviously the M3 is a no-no, but the A33 was actually a diversion to avoid the A303.
Image
I thought it was worth having some pics of these roads in their normal life, when about the only traffic avoiding the trunk roads was me.
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