B4162 (Monmore Green - Deepfields)
B4162 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Monmore Green (SO929975) | |||
To: | Deepfields (SO933943) | |||
Via: | Ettingshall | |||
Distance: | 2.1 miles (3.4 km) | |||
Met (1927): | A41, A4039, A4123, A463 | |||
Now part of: | A4126 | |||
Primary Destinations | ||||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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For the current route with that number, also in Wolverhampton, see B4162.
The original B4162 was a short-lived B-class road in the southeast of Wolverhampton, lasting only from 1922 to sometime before 1932, by which point it was renumbered A4126, which it remains.
The B4162 number was originally thought to be lost in the 1928-29 period, due to the similarity in number between the A4126 and A4123, which opened in late 1927. After further research, it was ascertained that the A4123 (and the nearby A4124) were allocated in April 1927, and the A4127 in April 1928.
However, during the early annual changes in the numbering system, each zone was taken individually and consecutive numbers were used starting from central London and working outwards.
The April 1927 changes included the allocation of the A4123 and A4124 in the Wolverhampton area. This road is closer to central London than the A4124, and so would be expected to carry that number if they had been allocated at the same time (with the A4124 being allocated the A4125 number instead). However, the real A4125 was in Abergavenny, further out from London than Wolverhampton. Furthermore, the A4126 number does not appear on the relevant 1927-28 MoT Map (Sheet 16), whilst both the A4123 and A4124 do. Instead, the B4162 is shown.
Hence, the A4126 number should have been allocated in April 1928 as part of the next batch of new numbers.
However, in April 1928, the A4127 was allocated to a route in Middlesex, far closer to central London than southern Staffordshire. This then breaks the "closest to London is allocated first" rule if the B4162 was upgraded here at that time. It is therefore entirely possible that the A4126 was one of the earliest recycled numbers, though where that number was originally allocated is at this time complete speculation.
The 1932 Ten-Mile Road Map of Great Britain shows the A4126 number in use for this road, giving an end point for the allocation of the B4162 here.