Old A roads

[jimlews]

The A7,Carlisle to Edinburgh is designated the "scenic route" to Edinburgh

In my opinion, the B709 is the better bicycle route to Edinburgh; the A7, while quite picturesque in places, carries too much fast traffic for my taste. The road less travelled.

JL

[Mick F]

Did you see that BBC4 programme .......

We don't own a telly, and very very rarely watch anything on iPlayer.

[Dean]

Ah yes, I was thinking of the old A1 when I saw the title.

The first time I rode south through Aberford, I was very taken with the old coaching inn, much like Stamford in Lincs or Belford in Northumberland. A few hours later, I rode through Wakefield, and spotted that I was riding along Aberford Road, a sign of how important it once was.

The Great North Road is an interesting thing to try to follow, there are loads of variations.

There's a brilliant book (good to read in conjunction with the 'A1' link I gave
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S ... HXD6W10THM

Aye, I've been reading it on google books:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zY9 ... ge&f=false

[horizon]

Charles Harper is the unsung hero of British roads. What's more, his writing captures that amazing time just before and after the First World War when the bicycle existed and roads were at the high state of development they reached by 1840 but not yet subject to ruination by widening and improvement. Cars were few and far between.

I've got works of his on the bookshelf but the more you read the more you realise what we've lost to the King Midas touch of the roads lobby. Yes, you can widen, concrete, tarmac, level and dual carriageway your way across Britain but what you are left with is the sorrowful tears for a torn up landscape - and a traffic jam.

We've been picking out the good bits on this thread but there are plenty of others that disappeared under the jackboot of the yellow bulldozer.

[Richard A Thackeray]

There's a brilliant book (good to read in conjunction with the 'A1' link I gave
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S ... HXD6W10THM

Aye, I've been reading it on google books:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zY9 ... ge&f=false

I've seen the one you've read, quite a few years ago, surprisingly the main Library in Wakefield had it in the stacks!!

Try to find the one I linked, it's written very much in the 'Wainwright' style

[Richard A Thackeray]

There's a brilliant book (good to read in conjunction with the 'A1' link I gave
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S ... HXD6W10THM

On the back of owning that book, I've ordered this one earlier today

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1870067797/r ... ra_ohs=0-0

The 'Then & Now' book arrived earlier, it was through the letterbox, when I got back from my ride

I've had a brief browse, & it's exactly that
Old pictures, from various sources, paired with new images (from same viewpoint, where possible), plus OS maps, tracing the route northwards from The General Post Office, at St Martins-le-Grand, up to Edinburgh

I don't want to damage the spine just yet, but will try to take a couple of (sample) photographs of the book
I think it'll be a most enjoyable read, but with lots of referring to my OS maps, for the Yorkshire section

[Richard A Thackeray]

The 'Then & Now' book arrived earlier, it was through the letterbox, when I got back from my ride


I don't want to damage the spine just yet, but will try to take a couple of (sample) photographs of the book
I think it'll be a most enjoyable read, but with lots of referring to my OS maps, for the Yorkshire section

Here's a few

[drossall]

On the strength of this discussion, I bought the Webster book. I'll let you know what it's like.

This thread reminds me of my mother's story of travelling from Leeds to visit her parents in London, in the years after she and my father were married. He had access to an old works van with a rusty floor that leaked. She had to lift her feet off the floor as they went through every puddle along the length of the A1.

I often think of them driving through Graveley and Old Stevenage near here (and later taking me with them, presumably).

[Richard A Thackeray]

On the strength of this discussion, I bought the Webster book. I'll let you know what it's like.

It's a good historical book, but do try to have a look at (at the least) the Frank Goddard book, as it's more up to date, & has wonderful illustrations

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S ... C5QXJ9KE6V

(pages viewable on the site)

This thread reminds me of my mother's story of travelling from Leeds to visit her parents in London, in the years after she and my father were married. He had access to an old works van with a rusty floor that leaked. She had to lift her feet off the floor as they went through every puddle along the length of the A1.

When I was about 10, my father had Mini Clubman like that, a real one, not that stupid thing that's on sale today.
It had a piece of sheet steel over a gaping hole in the floorplan, that was simply held down by the pieces of carpet in there

[Richard A Thackeray]

More;

'GNR' as it passes through Micklefield (south of Aberford)





Wetherby
As 'GNR' entered the town
This bridge dates back in part to 1378, but was rebuilt & widened in 1828.
Note the original arches visible to the upstream side (widening can be seen through the arches themselves)



The Angel, once a coaching Inn




Thorpe Willoughby (west of Selby, on A63)
Note the word 'TurnPike'





FerryBridge
John Carrs bridge (finished 1804)




Doncaster
'GNR' sign, by the junction of the Austerfield road

[Richard A Thackeray]

Hope these, & the previous, can be seen
Please advise, if not

Alongside the 'Wakefield-Doncaster' turnpike, partially hidden by the hedge, in summer


Brotherton, just south of the 'Fox', where the 'GNR' & York/Tadcaster roads split





Bawtry
One of the most desired/famous addresses in Yorkshire, as the county border was the lane alongside the house




Wentbridge

The start of Jacksons Lane (pre 1830 'GNR'), my Octavia in the foreground
Taken during a route photographing drive, for my Clubs Half-Marathon, in April (Ackworth Road-Runners)
https://www.facebook.com/richard.a.thac ... 436&type=3




On the Cutting (to north of village)



Castleford
Still there, to this day, or it was on Wendesday (11th), when I passed it

[Vorpal]

Hope these, & the previous, can be seen
Please advise, if not

Lovely pics. Thanks for sharing them.

[Jon Lucas]

I'm unsure now as to whether this thread is asking for roads which used to be A roads (or possibly which used to be the equivalent before road numbering was introduced) or ones which are still A roads but not too busy. If the latter, I'd nominate the A420 from the outskirts of Bristol (Warmley) to Chippenham and then the A4 as far east as Newbury. It's rather busy around Calne but the rest of it is similar to the A38 north of Bristol, as mentioned by the OP; wide, flat and straight, with in all probability less traffic than it was designed to cope with.

The intention was the latter (roads that still retain their A road numbering) but am happy to have both, and the A4 from Chippenham to Newbury was also on my list (a wonderful road around Marlborough, which still feels like an old coaching town).

Many thanks to everyone who has posted here, and especially to Richard for those pictures and memorabilia about the Great North Road, which are fantastic. Do keep them coming.

Note for Richard - I was also intending to start a thread one day on milestones, which appear in many of your pics, some often only being visible to cyclists as they are too hidden from motorists eyes these days. I won't start the thread yet, as I'm about to go away and will be offline for some days.

[Vorpal]

Note for Richard - I was also intending to start a thread one day on milestones, which appear in many of your pics, some often only being visible to cyclists as they are too hidden from motorists eyes these days. I won't start the thread yet, as I'm about to go away and will be offline for some days.

Milestones along LEJoG: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=58560&p=494070
Roadside antiquities: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=48004&p=397751

[Vorpal]

The intention was the latter (roads that still retain their A road numbering) but am happy to have both, and the A4 from Chippenham to Newbury was also on my list (a wonderful road around Marlborough, which still feels like an old coaching town).

I thought it was the other.

All of the A roads I've used can be uncomfortable at peak times, but ones that I think are at least okay to cycle, and actually rather pleasant in at least some conditions are:
A129
A176 (north of the A127)
A128 (the bits around the A12 can be intimidating)
A1060
A1092
A134
A143
A1071
A1017 (but not around Haverhill)
A149 (Best avoided on Friday and Sunday afternoons/evenings, especially in summer)
A1065 (north of the A47)
A1120 (east of the A140)
My favourite of these is the A1141 through Lavenham in Suffolk.

Roads that are rideable, and even enjoyable in light traffic, but definitely not for the faint of heart are the A414, A131, A148, A132, and parts of the A140.

The A414 and A132 used to be the fastest route to my work, so I rode them fairly regularly at peak times.

The A127 has a side path along most of it, but it's not a pleasant environment.

Roads that are to be avoided, if possible, are the A12, A11, A14, A13, A10, A120. There are a couple of places where it is difficult to avoid riding on some of them for short sections. I have ridden on the A120 east of Braintree on a number of occasions, and I would avoid it if possible, but it's rideable when not avoidable. Just not nice.

Cyclists are banned from the new A130 between Howe Green and the A13. They are also banned on the new A120 between Braintree and the M11.

I generally prefer to take the 'old roads' where new A roads have been built and the old road reclassified, or the back lanes, rather than A roads. But of course, the A roads can be interesting, and sometimes they are essentially the only route. Very often, they are the fastest route.