I followed this sign in the picture to get from Shaftesbury to Poole. This was the second black lorry sign clearly directing lorries along this road rather to carry on along the A350.
I got a few miles down the road and thought nah this can’t be right. Seemed to be getting narrower, with lower trees, more tight bends, trailer on other side of road on bends, locals in cars looking at me as I was squeezing past them shaking their heads at me. I was sure I’d missed another sign but carried on as I had no where to turn around, but then it opened out again and at the next cross road was another black lorry sign so I knew I was right. For those locals shaking their heads I take it even though this was the signed lorry route they don’t approve of if? Or just don’t get much hgv traffic along there.
But what bit of the A350 is THAT bad that sending lorries down there is apparently the better option?
Know the route well. The diversion is supposed to alleviate congestion by lorries not having to give way to one another on the tighter segments. But the signed route is a pita. So I tend to ignore it (rightly or wrongly)and plan well ahead to allow for best traffic flow on the 350.
Chunkzilla:
Know the route well. The diversion is supposed to alleviate congestion by lorries not having to give way to one another on the tighter segments. But the signed route is a pita. So I tend to ignore it (rightly or wrongly)and plan well ahead to allow for best traffic flow on the 350.
I can’t imagine it’s a regular route I’ll need to take but if I do happen to need to go from that area to Poole again I think I may do the same! What a stupid road to send lorries down! I mean once you get up the 16% incline it opens out and it’s fine, but the bit before that really isn’t that suitable I don’t think
Chunkzilla:
Know the route well. The diversion is supposed to alleviate congestion by lorries not having to give way to one another on the tighter segments. But the signed route is a pita. So I tend to ignore it (rightly or wrongly)and plan well ahead to allow for best traffic flow on the 350.
I know it too but don’t use it if I’m going to Poole we go via Taunton, Dorchester on the A35. As you mentioned they like you to use the A350 only if you’re going North.
The A350 (the boulevard of broken mirrors) is a trunk road, but has so many tight bends and narrow places, that it is over its length, actually worse than the Melbury Abbas route. Those in the know have been using the Melbury Abbas route (in both directions ) for years. Because they new the score, they took extra care coming through the narrow bits around the village (and knew when not to try, when it rained… ), avoiding all the current chaos.
There is a way around the village, via Ashmore.
ND I first used the Melbury route back in the late 80’s after a tip off from a place I went to sometimes in Blandford and like you said it’s only the village section which is a pita but I have never used the Ashmore route is it ok for artics ?
bald bloke:
ND I first used the Melbury route back in the late 80’s after a tip off from a place I went to sometimes in Blandford and like you said it’s only the village section which is a pita but I have never used the Ashmore route is it ok for artics ?
Yes, I used to do it with artic milk tankers.
I also used to come down zig-zag hill… but only with the trailers with steering rear axles
bald bloke:
ND I first used the Melbury route back in the late 80’s… snip
I did the A350 first in 1993. I drove a Ford cargo day cab with topsleeper, pulling one of our ‘bespoke’ trailers carrying tin plate. This was of course before they created the East Knoyle ‘bypass’… remember that little slope?
The Shaftesbury to Poole lgv diversion route is terrible, going South .
There is the narrow bit with traffic lights, and a house on the bend that has anti lorry propaganda signs, with statistics of all the shenanigans of how many get stuck .
Once past the lights, you start to climb up the steep hill, there is no room for a car and a lorry to pass.
If two lorries or a bus meet there, and there is a backlog of now stationary traffic that can not reverse back.
The view is stunning on top of the hill by the airfield .
toby1234abc:
The Shaftesbury to Poole lgv diversion route is terrible, going South .
There is the narrow bit with traffic lights, and a house on the bend that has anti lorry propaganda signs, with statistics of all the shenanigans of how many get stuck .
Once past the lights, you start to climb up the steep hill, there is no room for a car and a lorry to pass.
If two lorries or a bus meet there, and there is a backlog of now stationary traffic that can not reverse back.
The view is stunning on top of the hill by the airfield .
Yes, once you get to the top the view is stunning and you can breathe a sigh of relief when your on there for the first time because it all opens out into a totally suitable road again. When your down at the bottom and you’ve got locals shaking their heads your thinking they must know something I don’t, ie something round the next corner will get me stuck!
bald bloke:
ND I first used the Melbury route back in the late 80’s… snip
I did the A350 first in 1993. I drove a Ford cargo day cab with topsleeper, pulling one of our ‘bespoke’ trailers carrying tin plate. This was of course before they created the East Knoyle ‘bypass’… remember that little slope?
bald bloke:
ND I first used the Melbury route back in the late 80’s… snip
I did the A350 first in 1993. I drove a Ford cargo day cab with topsleeper, pulling one of our ‘bespoke’ trailers carrying tin plate. This was of course before they created the East Knoyle ‘bypass’… remember that little slope?
Did that Cargo belong to a certain Mr Thomas ND?
I doubt anybody else would have ran a contraption like that…
Ah, Melbury or to give it the proper monicker, Dinah’s Hollow. All good fun.
Anyway the general idea (apparently) is for northbound to use the lower road and southbound the upper.
There’s a recent pic in the local rag of a blue lighted ambulance jammed for 30 mins against a truck - in theory this shouldn’t happen because of a traffic light system which holds northbound traffic at the bottom of the hill whilst waiting for larger southbound stuff to pass them.
Obviously didn’t work the other week when Mr. Tipper Driver ripped out the entire side of euro-blokes curtains (it’s on youTube somewhere). Looks like at the bottom of the hill where the houses are on both sides.
Once there was a complete jam at “rush hour” where it was literally locked - nobody could move and more vehicles arriving all the time, so I got out and managed to get the cars behind me to back up enough to allow me to reverse my 18t on the wrong side of the road and join the queue further back - this allowed the truck I’d met who had a slightly wide load on it to move forwards.
I can clearly remember the very large signs that said the road was unsuitable for large vehicles - doesn’t seem that long ago.
bald bloke:
ND I first used the Melbury route back in the late 80’s… snip
I did the A350 first in 1993. I drove a Ford cargo day cab with topsleeper, pulling one of our ‘bespoke’ trailers carrying tin plate. This was of course before they created the East Knoyle ‘bypass’… remember that little slope?
Did that Cargo belong to a certain Mr Thomas ND?
I doubt anybody else would have ran a contraption like that…
Mr ND I have to take my hat off to you for admitting that, me personally would rather be seen getting out of a sheep than that “contraption”
Ah the c13 route, one of the stupidest roads known to mankind i should know i live at the end of it.
It used to be shut completely except for access due to a landslip at dinahs hollow hence the concrete reinforcement. Quite frankly both the A350 and the c13 are too narrow for large vehicles really it needs a complete new road capable of such traffic should be built but cost etc would be astronomical.
Ah the c13 route, one of the stupidest roads known to mankind i should know i live at the end of it.
It used to be shut completely except for access due to a landslip at dinahs hollow hence the concrete reinforcement. Quite frankly both the A350 and the c13 are too narrow for large vehicles really it needs a complete new road capable of such traffic should be built but cost etc would be astronomical.
I am pleased to have read this thread because a good while back I picked up a load from Crewe and took it to Poole.
Having studied my road map I decided to go M6, M42, M40, A34 etc. as although it looked further it was more straightforward than the A350 alternative. I actually got a bollocking for going “my” way because the traffic planner had apparently costed the job for the A350 route. I have still never used the 350.
axletramp:
I am pleased to have read this thread because a good while back I picked up a load from Crewe and took it to Poole.
Having studied my road map I decided to go M6, M42, M40, A34 etc. as although it looked further it was more straightforward than the A350 alternative. I actually got a bollocking for going “my” way because the traffic planner had apparently costed the job for the A350 route. I have still never used the 350.
Give it a go next time it’s ok but remember you’re average speed will be barely 30 mph, sometimes you need to challenge yourself!!
axletramp:
I am pleased to have read this thread because a good while back I picked up a load from Crewe and took it to Poole.
Having studied my road map I decided to go M6, M42, M40, A34 etc. as although it looked further it was more straightforward than the A350 alternative. I actually got a bollocking for going “my” way because the traffic planner had apparently costed the job for the A350 route. I have still never used the 350.
Give it a go next time it’s ok but remember you’re average speed will be barely 30 mph, sometimes you need to challenge yourself!!
I’m always up for a challenge but I’m afraid this one won’t happen because I retired in March!
axletramp:
I am pleased to have read this thread because a good while back I picked up a load from Crewe and took it to Poole.
Having studied my road map I decided to go M6, M42, M40, A34 etc. as although it looked further it was more straightforward than the A350 alternative. I actually got a bollocking for going “my” way because the traffic planner had apparently costed the job for the A350 route. I have still never used the 350.
Give it a go next time it’s ok but remember you’re average speed will be barely 30 mph, sometimes you need to challenge yourself!!
I’m always up for a challenge but I’m afraid this one won’t happen because I retired in March!
), avoiding all the current chaos.
against a truck - in theory this shouldn’t happen because of a traffic light system which holds northbound traffic at the bottom of the hill whilst waiting for larger southbound stuff to pass them.
