The B5493 is a short, but nonetheless fun, length of road. It follows the original line of the A453 east of Tamworth, having gained its present number when that road was replaced by the M42 in the 1980s.
The route starts in the western suburbs of Tamworth at a roundabout on the A51. It heads east along Lichfield Street into the town centre where it bears left onto Aldergate. The A513 comes in from the right at traffic lights just before the West Coast Main Line; there's a brief multiplex north.
The road regains its number in the northern suburbs of Tamworth where the A513 bears left at lights. From here our road heads north-east over a railway bridge on the Derby–Birmingham route and out of town. From here it's all fields, and can be driven at a very happy 60 mph (tractors permitting).
Being a former section of the Class I A453, the surface is excellent and the cambers are good. It's a favourite with motorcyclists too. There's not much else but fields as we glide past Seckington and No Man's Heath, and soon we reach the GSJ at Appleby Magna with the M42 (at J11) and the A444.
History
Although the B5493 ends at Appleby Magna today, it originally continued ahead into Measham. After crossing the B5002 it ended on the B586 in the village centre. This section was declassified around 2000, together with several other roads in the area.
Interestingly, however, this may not be the full story. The DfT Card Index from c2002 lists the B4593 as continuing all the way to Castle Donnington, in other along a considerable additional length of the former A453. Whether this was ever actually the case, an initial idea or just a lazy cut and paste is far from clear however.