B6387

Route

Walesby

The B6387 in north Nottinghamshire is a useful link from Boughton, Walesby, and Elkesley to the 'old' A1 at Gamston.

The B6387 starts off in Boughton at a mini roundabout. There are three arms to the roundabout: our road and the A6075 to Ollerton and to Tuxford. Close by, the unclassified Newark Road provides a link to the A616 and (not surprisingly!) Newark. Our road heads north through one of the estates built for the long-gone coal mines, before heading under a railway bridge that once served the many mines in the area. Beyond the bridge, we pass a triangular-shaped junction before heading out into the countryside. The road is fairly bendy, but it is perfectly possible to drive at between 40 and 60 mph until we reach Walesby, two miles from Boughton.

At Walesby, we pass through a crossroads at the Carpenter's Arms. The left turn is a road that leads to the Scout Camp and the A614 beyond it. There are only really houses on the right-hand side of the road, and we pass through the village quickly. The road is straight for some distance, before we need to negotiate a pair of tricky bends that often catch motorists unaware. On the next right-hand bend, there is a side turning to Bothamsall, and our road straightens out again. After a mile and a half, we reach a junction with the A1, which passes underneath us. The next point of interest is Retford's Gamston Airport, which we pass on the left. There is an access to the airport along the road, shortly before we bend to the right and enter the village of Gamston, crossing a bridge over the River Idle.

On the far side of the bridge we turn sharp left and follow the river to our left for a short while before the road bends around gradually to the right to reach the end of our route: a T-junction with the A638, the former Great North Road. Turn left here for Retford, and right for the Markham Moor junction and the A1.

History

The B6387 was originally unclassified but gained its number in the mid-1920s, and is shown on the 1930 Michelin map.

Before Gamston Airport was built, the B6387 continued north across where the airfield now lies before following Ollerton Road up the west side of Retford to reach the A620 immediately next to the railway bridge. Indeed, this northern arm seems to have retained the number for some years after the war before being declassified, despite the current route at Gamston being followed.