m6 preston by pass

[cockneyexile]

hi can anyone tell me when this opened? also not long after opening for a matter of days it shut can anyone tell me why

[Artemis]

1958 or 1959 and it was the first stretch of motorway built in Britain. Why it closed after a few days I don't know.

[heatherglen]

M6 Preston by-pass was built by Tarmac in 1956. Don't know why it closed after a few days.

[maggi]

 

 In its early life I seem to remember students from Manchester University painted a Zebra crossing on it as a Rag stunt.  I don't know if they closed it, possibly to clean it.

[THECORBYLOON]

The motorway was opened to traffic on 5th December 1958 by the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan.

In January 1959, however, a small amount of frost damage affecting the carriageways occurred as a result of an exceptionally rapid thaw, when the temperature rose from 8F to 43F (-13 deg C to 6 deg C) within a period of thirty-six hours.

Since there was no speed limit on the motorway it was decided that, for safety reasons, it should be temporarily closed to sort the problem.. 

[Peter Pedant]

Hi me cockney sparra

Everyone thinks that the M1 was the first motorway in England to be opened. In fact it was the M6 preston by pass. AND AND AND, the opening memorial plaque for this is at the Worsley interchange on what is now the M60 - but used to be the M62, onthe link going into Manchester (rather than toward Bolton)

[cockneyexile]

MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL WHO TOOK THE TIME TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION   . ONCE AGAIN MANY THANKS TO YOU ALL              RICKY

[spudqueen]

Peter Pedant - why on earth would the opening memorial plaque for the M6 be on the M62/M60???? It is still on the M6, by the motorway police thingy at junction 31.

[Artemis]

The Zebra crossing was something to do with 'The Bogle Walk' I think. This was an annual walk during rag week from Preston to Manchester (UMIST).