Sutton Bank, Steepest?

[waynedl]

Quinny:
Two steep ones spring to mind…

1st,is the A174 at Saltburn near Redcar,where there is a double hairpin,which,on the downward trek,means your nearly on the beach.I can’t remember how steep it is,but I’m sure either Rikki or Lucy may be able to enlighten us.Coming up,you have to use all of the hairpins to get the angle of the dangle right,otherwise you have to,if forced,stop and set off again.No mean feat if you’re quite heavy.

The other one,is on the B6278 Stanhope to Barnard Castle road.From the A689,you cross through the ford,in Stanhope village,if your brave enough,and head on up the pass,as they say.You can see the hairpin at the top of the hill as you enter the ford,and,bearing in mind your wheels will be wet or damp,you tend to get wheelspin if you don’t go up in the correct gear.The other way to maybe avoid wheelspin,is to take the chicken route over the ford,about 100 yards up stream.Again,I’m unsure what the steepness is,but I’m sure someone will know.

However,I’m sure the steepest climb in the UK,is the very small road on Bealach Na Ba in Scotland.(Link below.) I seem to remember reading about this as a kid in my old mans AA book of the road.

Ken.

Bealach Na Ba Link

Used to do that 1 quite a lot with a container on, we used to load at Corus round the corner from there, great place as you had to drop your trailer on the door then go park up near the train track / cliff to enjoy the view for 3 - 4 hrs whilst they loaded it. 20’ IIRC??

But then you had to head back, think the box went to F/Liner Leeds or Manchester, but it could’ve gone straight to Seaforth, can’t remember. But I remember the loading and that road VERY well

One of the best jobs I’ve ever had and would do it everyday if I could.

[quinny]

The ford crossing in Stanhope is now closed to traffic due to people taking too many risks, so the only way round, is via the old chicken route.

Ken.

ps. Talk about thread revival!!!

[quinny]

Just realised where Bealach Na Ba is, as I was watching a programme on Sky the other night about guys gritting the mountain pass in Scotland at Applecross, which is the same road. There was a guy from Manchesterrrrr, who had lived there for 8 years, doing the gritting.

Ken.

[retired_old_fart]

The A388 leaving Launceston toward Holsworthy takes a bit of courage. Took me three bites at it before I succeeded with a full load of coal on a B-series ERF artic with 265 Rolls.

[stevebarnsleytrucker]

eric the judge:
Although any thing bigger than a car is banned Hardknott Pass is a great drive.At times your car is leaning 2 ways at once up or down plus sideways as you go round the steepest bits. At 1 in 3 in places it has a few stopping places but you need a good handbrake

I have to agree there fella.it’s like a bobsleigh track on some of the bends

[matizerscaniar480]

[waynedl]

eric the judge:
Although any thing bigger than a car is banned Hardknott Pass is a great drive.At times your car is leaning 2 ways at once up or down plus sideways as you go round the steepest bits. At 1 in 3 in places it has a few stopping places but you need a good handbrake

You mean this bugger?
Taken when I was driving over it in a DHL van before I got my HGV licence

[haddy]

Qhunter:
Somewhere in the southern Dales there is a 1in3 signposted. Its years since I went to the area but recall it being somewhere around the Grassington/Kettlewell area, and no, I never tackled it in anything bigger than a car.

Anyone know where I’m on about?

Buttertubs pass springs to mind, I can’t remember exactly where it is but went up it many years ago in a Dodge camper-van. With the wife and three kids on board, I got " a little bit concerned " and wasn’t sorry to reach the top. Cheers Haddy.

[8wheels]

I did Hardknott Pass in a brand new car, getting to it down narrow lanes passing other cars with millimetres to spare and stone walls was bad and although I’d been looking forward to it, I didn’t enjoy it all.

I also found a 1 in 4 hill at Cudham near Biggin Hill last year whilst trying to deliver a crusher to a farm. I thought it was steep and windy at the time, got to the top and saw the 25% sign.

[bertiebus]

used to run over buttertubs 3 times a week in a b10.
was great fun !

Hardknott is great fun. took transits up there loads of times.

worst experience up hardknott twas taking a wrecker up pun recover a muppet from London who had burnt out his clutch! on a brand new hire car!

used to hate going swaledale up to tanhill in the old wreaker,
that was 1/3. worse coming back down!

[cattle_wagon_man]

haddy:

Qhunter:
Somewhere in the southern Dales there is a 1in3 signposted. Its years since I went to the area but recall it being somewhere around the Grassington/Kettlewell area, and no, I never tackled it in anything bigger than a car.

Anyone know where I’m on about?

Buttertubs pass springs to mind, I can’t remember exactly where it is but went up it many years ago in a Dodge camper-van. With the wife and three kids on board, I got " a little bit concerned " and wasn’t sorry to reach the top. Cheers Haddy.

Hi “Haddy” ,
The Buttertubs Pass is the hilly road between Hawes ( A 684 ) and Muker ( B 6270 ) , both in North Yorkshire .
The name Buttertubs refers to the natural limestone shaft holes near the summit ( 526 metres above sea level ).
Quite a hard road , but not as challenging as Sutton Bank in a HGV.

Hope this is of help to you .

Cheers , cattle wagon man.

[haddy]

Hiya CWM, I once had a drop at a builder’s/funeral director’s yard at the approach to Sutton Bank with timber for making coffins. I seem to remember standing on the side of the main road to tip ( handball ) then turning round to head back towards Thirsk. I was glad I didn’t have to negotiate Sutton Bank, I had heard some horror stories about it all those years ago, but the old Foden I had at the time would probably have coped. No hills worth mentioning here in Norfolk though!
Cheers Haddy.

[renaultman]

Quinny:
Two steep ones spring to mind…

1st,is the A174 at Saltburn near Redcar,where there is a double hairpin,which,on the downward trek,means your nearly on the beach.I can’t remember how steep it is,but I’m sure either Rikki or Lucy may be able to enlighten us.Coming up,you have to use all of the hairpins to get the angle of the dangle right,otherwise you have to,if forced,stop and set off again.No mean feat if you’re quite heavy.

The other one,is on the B6278 Stanhope to Barnard Castle road.From the A689,you cross through the ford,in Stanhope village,if your brave enough,and head on up the pass,as they say.You can see the hairpin at the top of the hill as you enter the ford,and,bearing in mind your wheels will be wet or damp,you tend to get wheelspin if you don’t go up in the correct gear.The other way to maybe avoid wheelspin,is to take the chicken route over the ford,about 100 yards up stream.Again,I’m unsure what the steepness is,but I’m sure someone will know.

However,I’m sure the steepest climb in the UK,is the very small road on Bealach Na Ba in Scotland.(Link below.) I seem to remember reading about this as a kid in my old mans AA book of the road.

Used to do that regularly with a fully freighted 17tonner out of bluse circle. I always found crawleyside going up the other side of the valley steeper. Sutton bank probably isn’t the steepest but that corner doesn’t half take it out of an artic and it’s easy to get around.
Used to pull out of Boulby with Potash too. Went out just about every way blue bank and over the tops toward Pickering probably being the hardest. Always fully freighted and often under powered. You learn a lot about getting in the right gear, smoothly and weight distribution on them roads.

Ken.

Bealach Na Ba Link

[kemperink]

j_turner023:
I have just come across this thread whilst searching the 'net for Sutton Bank HGV. We are going to Duncombe Park later in the year with our 1964 8 Wheel Foden (with double drive) and 30ft living van in tow. We have 3ton over the rear axles and a total weight of around 10t and the living van is about 5ton all on air brakes. How bad is it? Is it a case of select the right gear at the bottom and all will be well, or is it worth finding an alternative route? If so can anyone recommend one?

Thanks!

Jon

no living van/ caravans are allowed up

[j_turner023]

kemperink:

j_turner023:
I have just come across this thread whilst searching the 'net for Sutton Bank HGV. We are going to Duncombe Park later in the year with our 1964 8 Wheel Foden (with double drive) and 30ft living van in tow. We have 3ton over the rear axles and a total weight of around 10t and the living van is about 5ton all on air brakes. How bad is it? Is it a case of select the right gear at the bottom and all will be well, or is it worth finding an alternative route? If so can anyone recommend one?

Thanks!

Jon

no living van/ caravans are allowed up

Yes very annoying. I assume no caravans are allowed up as it assumes they are being pulled by a car, probably front wheel drive at that, rather than a double drive lorry with a super low 12 speed box.

[grahamzx6r]

steepest driveable road in the uk is chimney bank on the hutton-le-hole road just south of rosedale abbey in north Yorkshire, it is a 3:1 gradient… fantastic getting out n about up there on the bike

[renaultman]

j_turner023:

kemperink:

j_turner023:
I have just come across this thread whilst searching the 'net for Sutton Bank HGV. We are going to Duncombe Park later in the year with our 1964 8 Wheel Foden (with double drive) and 30ft living van in tow. We have 3ton over the rear axles and a total weight of around 10t and the living van is about 5ton all on air brakes. How bad is it? Is it a case of select the right gear at the bottom and all will be well, or is it worth finding an alternative route? If so can anyone recommend one?

Thanks!

Jon

no living van/ caravans are allowed up

Yes very annoying. I assume no caravans are allowed up as it assumes they are being pulled by a car, probably front wheel drive at that, rather than a double drive lorry with a super low 12 speed box.

TBH The 'caravan route is perfectly ok. Have been up it at 44t with all sorts including 85 CFs with no mid lift. I have been told if it goes wrong you will be prosecuted It’s a MMTM but he could have been right.

[kemperink]

j_turner023:

kemperink:

j_turner023:
I have just come across this thread whilst searching the 'net for Sutton Bank HGV. We are going to Duncombe Park later in the year with our 1964 8 Wheel Foden (with double drive) and 30ft living van in tow. We have 3ton over the rear axles and a total weight of around 10t and the living van is about 5ton all on air brakes. How bad is it? Is it a case of select the right gear at the bottom and all will be well, or is it worth finding an alternative route? If so can anyone recommend one?

Thanks!

Jon

no living van/ caravans are allowed up

Yes very annoying. I assume no caravans are allowed up as it assumes they are being pulled by a car, probably front wheel drive at that, rather than a double drive lorry with a super low 12 speed box.

i guess your going to the steam fair? on the sunday last year i was parked in the top carpark, the police were giving out tickets like confetti

[markthemod]

Chimney bank in the York moors is a pretty steep one at 1:3 drove up it in a car a couple years ago

[rikki-uk]

Serious advice-
Theres a number of alternatives to Helmsley depending on which area your coming from, Sutton Bank in an older vehicle is always going to be a struggle, hell one of the alternative routes is via Chop Hat I wouldn’t like to attempt that in a classic HGV. If you want to go up Sutton Bank just to say you have, then that’s up to you- but if you want to ensure you get there with the minimum of fuss and annoyance to other road users then via York way and the caravan diversion is a better option- its tight in places but I have been though there with a low loader, with a bit of care it OK- there is also a little known B road from Guiseborough that’s fairly ok if a little narrow in places