Ford Transit LWB High Top

[securespark]

Nation Grid had a load of Raised Suspension Trannies a few years ago, but haven't seen one for a while.

David & Julie - Guess you are near M/cr from what you have said. I hail from Stockport....

 

[david and julie]

Securespark..... they were 4x4, they used them to access pylons.

Yes, I live in Sale.

Have you seen the new footbridge they are erecting by Sale Waterpark over M60 this weekend? It is really attractive. DOT spokesperson said it's about time the motorway infrastructure looked better. Am I missing the point here? they are spending fortunes on road safety but want something pretty for us to look at whilst driving!

Dave

 

[AdamW]

Funny how car drivers pay for road tax, then the money gets spent on improving the safety of pedestrians...

Perhaps the idea of your new footbridge is that a big ugly steel structure will cause people to get so depressed looking at it that they will cause a pile-up to end it all. A good looking bridge will put a spring in their step and stave off the destructionist urges for a few miles (until they are in the next county anyway!).

 

[securespark]

Yes, I drive round the 60 a lot.

I thought they'd nicked the millenium bridge from over the Thames at first...


But hang on...do you realise what we're saying....that concrete is sexy???

They seem to be doing a lot of work next to Sale Golf Club too: is that groundwork for the tram?

And will they ever fix the Fairy Lane bridge that goes over to SGC?

It seems it has been "one lane only" forever. Well at least since 1990!!

Never mind attractive, though. I think they have lost the plot. I mean, motorways are by their very nature mundane roads. That cannot be avoided, even with the addition of a lovely bridge!!

What next, sensual lampposts??

 

[david and julie]

If I remember rightly they did that on Fairy Lane to stop people parking there (another failed idea!) Not sure about the tram route,I didn't think they had been given the dosh from the government yet. They did move a pylon from there as part of the M60 widening scheme.

Talking about dosh for the tram, someone told me that the government only finances a percentage of the cost in the regions, whereas the jubilee
line to isle of dogs was fully government funded. This is why our fares are so much more, we are saddled with big debts. They also kept thier busses under public ownership for years after everbody else. they were cheap to use to. Its odd how whats good for us isn't for London on such a small island.

 

[david and julie]

securespark.... been on M60 this afternoon as far as I know the work near the golf club is for 2 extra lanes. They are widening to 4 lanes either way, due to obstacles they can't put 1 lane either side. So we have 2 near new bridge then 2 on opposite side road, when it is finished they move central barrier over, to make 4 either way, if you see what I mean. They were also talking about a new slip onto the parkway for M/cr, this was to stop the congestion near the post house where people do a u turn for M/cr. We will be back to square one when they open new horse racing track at Worsley.

Adam.... they have no option to put a bridge or tunnel over the motorway
it is going over an old public right of way. This is often the case when you see these bridges over roads or railway's, They don't like doing it!

 

[securespark]

Sorry to bore everyone who has never driven on the M60, but D & J, do you know the A34 slip (going anti-clock - towards pyramid) there used to be two lanes, now there's only one.

Same on the other side - if you join the 60 from kingsway, there is only one lane where there used to be 2. I think this is madness - the authorities should be trying to ease congestion, not make it worse.

I've also seen this lane reduction elsewhere around M'cr/S'port.

What do you think?

 

[david and julie]

securespark......When they first put those restrications on kingsway slips
they used to alternate the lanes they were on, to even out the wear on the road surface. Don't have a definate answer for you though. My brother lives in Handforth I will ask if he know's why, when I see him.

They also did it on M602/M60 at Eccles, by painting chevrons.

At one stage they were uprating bridges all over the country to take 40 tonne trucks instead of 38. I know thats not much of an increase but most bridges were built when the limit was 32 tonnes. Perhaps they haven't
got round to these yet.

I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that they can't put bike and bus lanes on it! ( I won't start about A6)

 

[AdamW]

An old girlfriend of mine once claimed that if you put two men alone in a room together then within 10 minutes they will be talking about roads!

And isn't it funny how everyone knows that one person who seems to know every single road in the UK? There is a guy in my office who on hearing the words "I am taking a trip over to (insert place name) this weekend" will then describe the exact route I need to take. Quite a skill, and I doubt he ever gets lost or stuck in traffic unnecessarily. Plus if he lost his job he could become some kind of super-taxi driver.

I haven't had the heart to tell him I have GPS in my car yet, he loves giving directions!

 

[securespark]

D & J

They spent ages on the Kingsway/M60 bridge strengthening it with rods from underneath a while back..

Yes, the A6. In H/Chapel on the A6 and on Broadstone Road they put white lines that forced traffic into the path of oncoming vehicles....

I'm told this has happened elsewhere in the country - anybody else seen it?

And the stupid little squirts of green paint that pass for cycle lanes....but not when they are only a few metres long! Don't worry, I'm not anti-cyclist. I used to do a lot of long-distance pedalling, and still have thought for them.

But for me, the biccy is taken by SMBC who repainted the zig-zag lines of many crossings in the borough because (get this!!)

They started in the wrong direction!!

ie instead of starting with a line going SW-NE in direction, it went SE-NW.

So they stripped off all the paint on 100's of crossings and started again! Is that or is that not bureaucracy gone f in mad?

I mean, the lines look the same essentially, just that the starting point is different.........

 

[david and julie]

securespark......yes I remember Stockport Councils zig-zags, pathetic I'd say. I've been told the resrictions have been removed now on Kingsway bridge, They were concerned about the weight of double rows of HGV's queueing on it in the rush hour apparently. As you say they must of fixed it.

As you come off motorway from Sale to Handforth it used to be 2 lanes joining A34. They reduced that to one, apparently someone was crossing the road and a car came up the outside and hit (killed)them.

By the time we finish everybody will know our area...... Ha

 

[securespark]

OK. How about if we whisper?




Thanks for the chat, and sorry if I have bore other posters rigid...