Does any one know why scotch corner is so called? Also what’s the stoty with the big lay by on the A19 south of middlesboro? The one with the shantytown cafe, are they trying to starve the cafe owners out of business.
And finally is the woodside cafe south also on A19 closed as it never has any trucks outside whenever I have been passing.
The name originates from being the junction where travellers to eastern Scotland (via A1 and/or A68) are separated from travellers to western Scotland (via A66 and M6/ A74(M)/M74).
OK thanks for that answer, thats what my smug wife said it was.
But i still dont see what the corner has to do with anything. and going back to the lay by on the A19 I forgot to say in the post, the lay by has been coned off fot some time.
try this website for answers on road histories…
cbrd.co.uk/
ROADRANGER:
And finally is the woodside cafe south also on A19 closed as it never has any trucks outside whenever I have been passing.
last time i stopped there was 5 years ago and it seemed ok. no good for overnight parking on a slope like that. there was a cracking looking girl working there.
maybe lucy will be abale to spread some light on it as i remember a few conships stopping there.
in relation to your sig… add freightliner to that list aswell.
The Romans were responsible for building the first roads to meet at this point and the site of the original junction is just a few hundred yards away from the modern day intersection. In AD 71 the Romans took control of the North when they defeated the Brigantes, a Northern Celtic tribe at The Battle of Scotch Corner. The location remained significant as a staging post with an inn, subsequently becoming a roadhouse in the early days of motorised travel.
zaax:
The Romans were responsible for building the first roads to meet at this point and the site of the original junction is just a few hundred yards away from the modern day intersection. In AD 71 the Romans took control of the North when they defeated the Brigantes, a Northern Celtic tribe at The Battle of Scotch Corner. The location remained significant as a staging post with an inn, subsequently becoming a roadhouse in the early days of motorised travel.
And a good cafe it used to be with a pub next to it
I remember nearly 50 years ago when I was in the army and stationed at Catterick Camp for a couple of months for my first driving course,we used to use the A1 for our driving practice,but first call every morning was the big transport caff that was on the s/b side if the original crossroads.
Like most transport caffs in those days,it had a huge pot holed parking lot.
ROADRANGER:
Also what’s the stoty with the big lay by on the A19 south of middlesboro? The one with the shantytown cafe, are they trying to starve the cafe owners out of business.
No idea on that one, although it’s a subject of much speculation. We call it “Magrats”, partly because she misspelt her own name on the old sign for it (long gone now), and partly because it is, indeed, full of rats. A bizarre set up,for sure. 
And finally is the woodside cafe south also on A19 closed as it never has any trucks outside whenever I have been passing.
Yep, several months ago. The northbound side got taken over and done up, so everyone started eating there on the way in instead of southbound on the way out, plus the cafes at Exelby north and southbound extended their hours, further increasing the competition. He had a new sign put up to try and compete, but to no avail. Rumour has it that it was the sign that broke him.
Scotch Corner - is there another geographical point in the country which is used as much as a datum, for travelling time and distance except maybe Peterborough?..lol
I mean, when running out of P’boro, i would know where i would be and when - Newark: 1hr, Ferrybridge: 2hrs, Scotch Corner: 3hrs, Penrith: 4hrs…(or the other way was - M6: 1hr, Tewkesbury: 2.5hrs, Bridgwater: 4hrs…)
Good times…