A50 London - Yorkshire Motorway

A50?

Yes, A50.

Where's the (M)?

There isn't an (M).

Huh? Are you being all crazy again?

No! I'm being serious!

OK. Seeing as you're not being very forthcoming, I'll figure it out for myself.

Go on then - I'm listening!

Right - A50. Part of the A50 is effectively a replacement for the cancelled M64. It must be something to do with that then!

No, it's got absolutely nothing to do with the M64!

Own up then!

OK - it's the M1.

What???

Yes, the M1.

This is a story that goes way back, before the M1 was actually built, and the whole way to number motorways was being decided.

To quote from an internal Ministry of Transport memo dated 17th April 1958:

"With a view to continuing this system [the all-purpose, non-motorway system], Route No. A50 has in fact been reserved in anticipation of the London - Birmingham Motorway, with the idea that it would form a parallel to A5, and again largely on the clockwise side of it..."

So there you have it - the original number for the M1 was in fact, A50!

Of course, the realisation that it would be a better idea for motorways to have their own numbering system soon sank in.

Well, I never.

I thought you'd like it!

Can I comment on this motorway?

Of course! Contact me and I'll put them here!

Have any other visitors commented?

An anoymous contributor adds:

Interestingly the A50 from Leicester to Stoke actually becomes the M1 motorway for part of its route.  The A50 joins and becomes the M1 at J22 and becomes the A50 again after leaving the M1 at junction J24.

A50

London - Yorkshire Motorway

Counties:

Northamptonshire

Buckinghamshire

Bedfordshire

Hertfordshire

Length:

62 miles

100 km

Built:

1959

Status:

Lost

Map Links:

Might Have Been Map