Hands up how many old hands here used to have to use the A5 as a link twixt the M6 and M1 in t’old days.
Where were your favourite stopping places on that road, day or night?
I must confess that even now I’m no longer trucking, I still travel that route when I can for old time’s sake. It isn’t that much slower and it’s a ■■■■ sight more interesting than the M6 link past Coventry. Mind you, the newish by-passes help.
Tone
My favorite places were the 3 sisters at markyate between the ranch and watling st cafes,dordon,copper kettle,remember the farmers wife and hubby in the caravan.Finest hamburgers going.Used to use tubbys as well and georges at crick.places to avoid were the coronation cafe,the ranch,and watling st.
regards dave.
Hiya Dave,guilty as charged I am!! Used to use the A5 from Cannock to Crick M1.My favourite cafe’s were The Hollies,The Aivary just south of Hinckley Knight and then The Jet at Clifton-on Dunsmore.Was up and down that old road twice a week in my early years,the roughest bits,to me,were through Brownhills and again through Tamworth and Two Gates,always “interesting” going past Reliants!We used to use the 3 sisters(or 6 ■■■■ as my mate on Brady’s called it) The last people who had it were Len,can’t re-call his wife’s name,and I think their relative/friend a woman called Lou was involved as well.IIRC Lou got on with a driver from Lancs and got married to him?We also used to walk up into Flamstead village to the Pub ( IIRC I think it was called something to do with crows or jackdaws?)Steered well clear of Markyate,only if we wanted a real early call!! The Ranch was a dump as well but Croppers used it quite a bit although they also used 3 sisters as well.Happy Days,Cheers Dennis.
What about the Jubilee? Used to stop overnight there but only on a sunday night. Big dormitory under the cafe. That was around 1970.
I used to go that way and call in at the Hollies from time to time. I’ve just had a look at that A5 route on the map, and barely recognise it now! “Old age” might have something to do with it, but I think there’s a lot more motorway and dual carriageway there now than in the 80’s 
I remember the old A5 very well,but I also remember the tales my old uncle Harry would tell me about it as well.
He started his driving career as second man on a model T Ford and drove all through the war and could tell you tales of Sentinel steamers and chain drive Scammels.
I remember him telling me of a lady of the road known as the ,“Dordon gobbler”.
Another story he told me was in the early days when he was driving down the stretch past the radio masts at Crick,if you saw another vehicle approaching, you would pull into a farm gateway as the road was not wide enough for two vehicles to pass!
My uncle got me onto Wilds Transport in the early '70’s when I came out of the army,and he died just after I started middle east in '76.
When I asked him if he would fancy doing the m/e,he said that for all the years he’d driven,as long as there were roads in England he hadn’t driven on,why should he be interested in driving to the m/e!