Hi,

Just a query, Im always driving up to manchester, and on the M62 theres a house slap bang in the middle of it. Just wanted to know if any one knows the story behind it.

If i remember rightly, the farmer who owns it refused to move when they were building the road, so they built it round him. I also think there is some form of protection on it.

Joel

Originally posted by Joelc
If i remember rightly, the farmer who owns it refused to move when they were building the road, so they built it round him. I also think there is some form of protection on it.

Joel i remember this, didnt the road builders have to provide an underpass for the cows to get accross to their grazing ?

Originally posted by depoix
i remember this, didnt the road builders have to provide an underpass for the cows to get accross to their grazing ?

Spot on......don't know if the farm is still occupied though.

Yeh I remember that house. Used to go past it on the way from Sheffield to Blackpool when I was in college. :) Made me feel all nostalgic now. :D

The following webpage might be of interest:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/features/2003/m62.shtml

There was a documentary about the building of the M62 on Yorkshire TV a few years ago. The plans for the motorway were very controversial and the process of building it was extremely difficult. However, at one stage the planners were intending to completely cover the M62 with a transparent roof to protect it from the elements and another plan was to build a two-tier motorway. Eventually the planners decided to build a conventional motorway but build it in such a way that if it snowed the wind would blow the snow off the carriageway.

I bet when he says to his wife "oh go and play with traffic" he means literally.lol.

well thanks for that "fingers", you learn something new everyday

Originally posted by Joelc
If i remember rightly, the farmer who owns it refused to move when they were building the road, so they built it round him. I also think there is some form of protection on it.

Joel
I believe this is an urban myth - the government can use compulsory purchase orders, and they sure as hell aren't going to increase the cost of building a motorway by £millions just because a farmer is being a bit awkward!

The actual reason is that stretch of road is built on the side of a fairly steep hill - since motorways have to be pretty much level, to keep the two carriageways together would have meant either digging out a huge chunk of hillside, or supporting the outside on struts (and we know how well that worked at Tinsley!) Having both carriageways follow the natural gradient of the hill saved a lot of time and trouble. It would have been the same whether that house was there or not.

The same happens at some points of the M1 between here and Leeds - the southbound carriageway is on a completely different level than the northbound.

On similar lines the road up to Glasgow, I can't remember if we are talking about the M6 or the M74, there are some sections in the hills where the carriageway seperates and becomes a mile apart as it goes around either side of some hills.
It is some years since I drove up there though, so I can't remember exactly where.

Originally posted by ARMANI
I bet when he says to his wife "oh go and play with traffic" he means literally.lol. Not anymore, the farmer has recently died.

The house is empty now

I believe this is an urban myth - the government can use compulsory purchase orders, and they sure as hell aren't going to increase the cost of building a motorway by £millions just because a farmer is being a bit awkward!

The actual reason is that stretch of road is built on the side of a fairly steep hill - since motorways have to be pretty much level, to keep the two carriageways together would have meant either digging out a huge chunk of hillside, or supporting the outside on struts (and we know how well that worked at Tinsley!) Having both carriageways follow the natural gradient of the hill saved a lot of time and trouble. It would have been the same whether that house was there or not.

The same happens at some points of the M1 between here and Leeds - the southbound carriageway is on a completely different level than the northbound.

It is an urban myth. There was a truly brilliant series on BBC3 called 'The secret life of the motorway' which discussed this in depth.

I urge people to watch it. A fascinating essay on British history.

It is an urban myth. There was a truly brilliant series on BBC3 called 'The secret life of the motorway' which discussed this in depth.

I urge people to watch it. A fascinating essay on British history.

I know this is an old thread, but if you know the links to that series Cockney, I wouldn't mind seeing that series again [and others who missed it, would love it I reckon].

I agree, it was fascinating. The kind of boring programme in people's thoughts, until they watch, 3 minutes and hooked. :hihi:

The stats about, how quick they built the M1 compared to the M62 were mind boggling. :o The M62 should be one of the wonders of the world :hihi:

I believe this is an urban myth - the government can use compulsory purchase orders, and they sure as hell aren't going to increase the cost of building a motorway by £millions just because a farmer is being a bit awkward!

The actual reason is that stretch of road is built on the side of a fairly steep hill - since motorways have to be pretty much level, to keep the two carriageways together would have meant either digging out a huge chunk of hillside, or supporting the outside on struts (and we know how well that worked at Tinsley!) Having both carriageways follow the natural gradient of the hill saved a lot of time and trouble. It would have been the same whether that house was there or not.

The same happens at some points of the M1 between here and Leeds - the southbound carriageway is on a completely different level than the northbound.

This is almost right as far as I know - the motorway splits there because by pure chance the house was built slap-bang on top of a geological fault line which would not have supported the motorway, so they built around it.

This is almost right as far as I know - the motorway splits there because by pure chance the house was built slap-bang on top of a geological fault line which would not have supported the motorway, so they built around it.

IIRC this myth was answered in the series. The real reason isn't as interesting as the myth though. :hihi:

You want to be reading this page about the current owner filmed for programme on the M62 at 40:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/02/m62_farm_feature.shtml

Near the bottom is link to video in which they explain its an urban myth and the real reason is revealed :)

On similar lines the road up to Glasgow, I can't remember if we are talking about the M6 or the M74, there are some sections in the hills where the carriageway seperates and becomes a mile apart as it goes around either side of some hills.
It is some years since I drove up there though, so I can't remember exactly where.

Yes the M74 when it was upgraded the carriageways did part because of the as you call them hills" those hills were Mountains" as you approach Beattock.

The A9 from perth to Inverness has several area's where the road does the same.

Back to the M62 I remember in the 70's when it was built the motorway split because of the farm in the middle, as to the compusary purchace order on land and buildings it all depends on the land status there are certain restrictions as to what can be aquired.

But from memory that area is a main water cource and is not suitable for the requirements of a motoway construction.

I know this is an old thread, but if you know the links to that series Cockney, I wouldn't mind seeing that series again [and others who missed it, would love it I reckon].

I agree, it was fascinating. The kind of boring programme in people's thoughts, until they watch, 3 minutes and hooked. :hihi:

The stats about, how quick they built the M1 compared to the M62 were mind boggling. :o The M62 should be one of the wonders of the world :hihi:

www.thebox.bz

You should find the torrent on there for download.

The farmer is not dead but he does live on his own.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/02/m62_farm_feature.shtml

The farmer is not dead but he does live on his own.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/02/m62_farm_feature.shtml

The farmer who was there during the building of the M62 has passed on to that great motorway farm in the sky.
This guy from your link is the current tennant.

Ah right. Sorry, misunderstood. Nonetheless it's still lived in. There's a better personal interview in the Oldham Chronicle from a couple of months ago, but I've struggled to find it online.

Ahh I love it when I get to this bit of the motorway. Often used NX from Manchester to Leeds and it goes on this stretch of motorway. Am I right in thinking this is near the part which is the highest (summit-wise) motorway point in the UK?