The Engineer 614 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 There's a 6th ed Burrow's Pointer Guide street map of the City available at NottsHistory.org but it just says 1960s (Taxi Ray posted a link a few years ago). Can anyone narrow the date down a bit, based on what is there or not there? For instance a dotted line for the part of Clifton Boulevard that runs down by Lenton Lane so that must have been in planning. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,465 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 If anyone wants to look, this is it. http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/resources/maps/Nottingham/nottinghamstreetmapc1960.pdf Looking at the part by Clifton Boulevard which The Engineer mentioned, the dotted line is the ring road bridge which goes over the railway near Dunkirk at Abbey Street. I can remember going over that bridge when it first opened and it would've been about 1963-64. So I'd assume the map is just before that. UPDATE I have an actual copy of one of those maps. Mine is 7th edition and dated 1961. The one in the PDF is 6th edition, so......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Engineer 614 Posted January 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 Thank you. I was minded to check when the temporary Dunkirk flyover (up ramp, flat top, down ramp) was built and see that was around 1968/9. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stuart.C 491 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 Clifton Bridge opened to traffic 5 June 1958, (in some reports but as early as March in others) so the link from Abbey st / Beeston road must have been built and also come into use on the same day. https://www.macearchive.org/films/midlands-news-05061958-princess-alexandra-opens-clifton-bridge-nottingham Burrows was probably out of date when it was published , late 50's, maybe. And that was around the time bodies were allegedly being buried under new roads under construction around the country. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,465 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Stuart.C said: Clifton Bridge opened to traffic 5 June 1958, (in some reports but as early as March in others) so the link from Abbey st / Beeston road must have been built and also come into use on the same day. The link to Dunkirk didn't come until later. When Clifton Bridge was first opened in 1958, the part of Clifton Boulevard down to Dunkirk didn't exist; it was not built until several years later. Until then all traffic coming off Clifton Bridge turned onto Queens Drive going past the front of Wilford Power Station....or went down the old Lenton Lane to come out near the White Hart at Lenton. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 3 hours ago, The Engineer said: Thank you. I was minded to check when the temporary Dunkirk flyover (up ramp, flat top, down ramp) was built and see that was around 1968/9. Yes, that's right. I had a pal lived off Beeston Rd and used to cycle there regularly. I'd say construction actually started late '67. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 TBI, I can remember driving a Daimler fleetline over the traffic island in '65, so what were the flyover I went on? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 You're cracking me up, BK. Not in '65 I don't think though. Perhaps a special Daimler fleetline powered by a Flux Capacitor doing a literal 'flyover' ?. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,465 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 Lenton Times have photos of the history of both flyovers. According to their dates, the first one was built in 1968-69 and the second in 1989. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 I must live in a twilight world then, cos' I finished with the Corpo' at early 1967. The last time I drove the 53 from Clifton, Southchurch drive to valley road. When approaching that area I had to brake for traffic. The air brake failed and the little warning arm came next to the gear lever, so I had no brakes. I pulled on the hand brake and coasted down to the traffic island and coasted onto the start of university boulevard, instead of going over to the bus stop. (Is that bit Clifton boulevard, where queens med.is , before western boulevard?). Passengers were moaning I'd gone the wrong way, until my conductor explained I'd got no brakes. Or have I got it confused with driving over it in a car. I bow to your superior knowledge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Engineer 614 Posted January 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 Yes, ring road going north and east, Clifton Boulevard as far as Derby Road then Middleton Boulevard up to Ilkeston Road, Western Boulevard after that round to Radford Road then Valley Road to meet Mansfield Road. So, back to dating, Clifton Bridge opened 1958 and is there on the 6th Edition. Cliff Ton's 7th Edition is dated 1961. That narrows it down sufficiently to 1959/60 for 6th Edition. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,465 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 Beekay...your story about the brakeless bus makes sense to me. You would've travelled along the ring-road from Clifton towards Dunkirk; if it was pre-1967 there was no flyover so all traffic would've approached the junction/roundabout at ground level. NCT buses on normal services have never gone over any of the flyovers...always round them at ground level. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 Like I said, I bow to your superior knowledge. What does an old fart like me, who has been in exile for over 32 years, know about Nottingham. When I first started on the buses, the 53 service terminated at Dunkirk island. It used to come down Clifton blvd.and u-turned round Dunkirk island to a layby bus stop, ready for our return journey to Valley rd./Mansfield rd. I was still a conductor when it was extended to Clifton, so that must have been before November 1964, (when I went into the driving school at Carter gate). Forgive the confusion. Grey cell matter gerrin' old. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deepdene Boy 642 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 My Dad tells the story of doing a "paddy" with one of the 501-522 series Leyland Atlanteans and going over the flyover at around 40 mph, and wondering if he'd need a change of underwear once he reach ground level. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 Wonder if that were Mike O'Brien, out of Bilborough depot. That's the sort of thing he would do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,872 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 The original Dunkirk flyover was quite crude, look as though it was in 3 sections, quite narrow too. When we ran light back from Clifton I sometimes used the flyover at Clifton bridge, saved going round the roundabout. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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