Just after getting back from the grand tour I’m off again. A favourite, but aged and incapacitated cousin has mercifully been released and I have a funeral to go to in Rochdale next Wednesday the 7th. First I have to go to the Funeral Directors’ in Oldham and as I will be overnighting in Nottingham beforehand my first instinct is Woodhead but I remember from my regular trips over there in the late 90s it could be a bit of a nightmare.
Is it still the same, better, or worse?
I suppose I could go via Holmfirth and Saddleworth.
Don’t you just hate it when people can’t make up their minds? I delayed booking the ferry for 24 hours while my stepmother in London decided whether to come or not and in that time the price had risen on Norfolk Line from £25 to £85.
Eventually got on P&O for £44.
Still I will be in Chez Jo at Hautvillers for repas Monday evening if anyone is passing.
Depends on the time of day. Obviously, avoid rush hours - thats when it is at it’s worst. At other times of day, I generally find it OK and you can get straight through with no hold ups.
I live not far from there. It’s thelast stretch up Mottram Moor that’s the worse bit for starting the hold-ups. If you avoid rush-hour and keep your fingers crossed that there’s been no accidents you should be OK. A by-pass is supposed to be on the way, but after years of needing it some of the locals are now trying to stop it
Personally I think they should put in a motorway from Sheffield M1 right over to the M60, but that’s not going to happen
coming up from Nottingham, theres always the option of going via chesterfield and across to stockport.
I haven`t been across the woodhead for ages, as I find running from Doncaster, its easier to run up the A1 across the M62 to wherever. its only 12mins longer that way, but a lot less gear changes involved, and theres less chance of load movement as there would be stopping/starting up Mottram hill
Thanks Killsville, leaving Nottingham at around 9am should be ok then I’ll be up that way late morning and miss the worst of it.
Thedeckking, thanks also, yes I think you mean the pull up the hill towards the traffic lights. I’ll be in the right hand lane up there which sometimes moves faster (which is why it’s a favourite with queue jumpers ). Again shouldn’t be too bad that time of day.
You too Pierre(sp? ). I think I’ll pass on Stockport thanks. Although I know the rat run through to where I want to go it can still be a bit of a pain. The M62 is a nono too, I hate motorways and if Sally Traffic tells me Woodhead is blocked I’ll take the Holmfirth/Saddleworth route. I used to do it with the wagon and drag just for a change sometimes so should be a doddle in the car.
Now must remember to have 2 fingers ready for the hornblowers at the Dartford pipe as I walk around the car to pay, this isn’t a walk-across Magnum.
If I,m going to Oldham .I would do the Holmfirth Saddleworth route.Into Greenfield through Grasscroft and onto Lees Rd it get busy but moves freer than Tintwhistle.
thedeckking:
Personally I think they should put in a motorway from Sheffield M1 right over to the M60, but that’s not going to happen
I think they call it the M62
I live in Hyde (East of Manchester off the M67) and used to have family on the West side of Sheffield. In a straight line it’s only about 20 miles and via the Snake Pass you can do it in 30 miles. To go via the M62 which goes no-where near Sheffield (you’d have to use the M1-M62-M60 which is hardly a direct route) is a 60 miles+ route.
I was thinking more of the plan back in the 60’s where the M67 (3 junctions of motorway from Denton to Hattersley was originaly going to start from the Mancunian way (A57M) and run across the hills right to the M1. Some people may remember the signs off the M1 for the woodhead used to say M67
The M62’s great for Bradford, Leeds, Hull, Doncaster, etc. to Manchester but for Sheffield it’s a long way round.
