M62 Construction

edgey2001 · Post by **edgey2001** » Tue 11 Mar, 2008 7:18 pm

Just in the border of Leeds, but does anyone have any memories or pics in the construction of the M62, especially around Morley, There are some great pics on Leodis.org and also www.cbrd.co.uk but I would love to see any from around Bradford Rd/Dewsbury Rd area, or even any memories of anyone who worked on this section back in the late 60's. I was just a tad too young to remember what it used to look like before it was constructed. The attached pic is taken on Rein Rd in 1968 where I lived in the 70's, looking north towards Bradford Road (A650) bridge,they had to demolish several houses in order for the motorway to pass through here.

electricaldave · Post by **electricaldave** » Tue 11 Mar, 2008 7:28 pm

try this site ,http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62master.h ... /page1.htm

edgey2001 · Post by **edgey2001** » Tue 11 Mar, 2008 7:43 pm

Thanks, I've seen that one aswell, all fascinating stuff, I know they used to keep some of the construction vehicles at the bottom of Rein Road after they had finished it, they were still there in the early 80's rotting away.

Bramley4woods · Post by **Bramley4woods** » Tue 11 Mar, 2008 10:53 pm

edgey2001 wrote: Just in the border of Leeds, but does anyone have any memories or pics in the construction of the M62, especially around Morley, There are some great pics on Leodis.org and also www.cbrd.co.uk but I would love to see any from around Bradford Rd/Dewsbury Rd area, or even any memories of anyone who worked on this section back in the late 60's. I was just a tad too young to remember what it used to look like before it was constructed. The attached pic is taken on Rein Rd in 1968 where I lived in the 70's, looking north towards Bradford Road (A650) bridge,they had to demolish several houses in order for the motorway to pass through here. If I'm not mistaken there is a picture on the "Rhubarb Triangle" thread of workers picking rhubarb, with a large yellow JCB in the foreground making what looks like the very first cuts in the contruction of the Tingley interchange, against the backdrop of Tingley Gasworks.It would make for a more memorable expensive colour photo than bods picking rhubarb at Tingley, lets be honest.Original posted by edgey2001 on the 18th January.

Bramley4woods · Post by **Bramley4woods** » Tue 11 Mar, 2008 10:58 pm

edgey2001 wrote: Thanks, I've seen that one aswell, all fascinating stuff, I know they used to keep some of the construction vehicles at the bottom of Rein Road after they had finished it, they were still there in the early 80's rotting away. Hi edgey, wasn't 'till I posted it I realised it was your original pic after all. 8-)Still, I'm sure that's what it is.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Tue 11 Mar, 2008 10:59 pm

edgey2001 wrote: Thanks, I've seen that one aswell, all fascinating stuff, I know they used to keep some of the construction vehicles at the bottom of Rein Road after they had finished it, they were still there in the early 80's rotting away. No that was Bradley's Sportsground Contractors, some of the rotting machines were Vickers tractors - built by the tank firm in Newcastle and based on the tank undercarriages.The section of motorway between the M1 and Chain Bar was built by Dowsett. Their site offices and workshops were at Tingley. The residents of Rein Road were asked if the wanted to live in two cul-de-sacs or have a bridge - they opted for a bridge I believe today they complain about the traffic! There were quite a number of perfectly good pre war semis demolished to make way for the M62. The A653 link to Leeds was improved at the same time by Dowsett. The M621 from the M62 to Holbeck was built by W C French, they hit old mine workings and encountered flooding at Bruntcliffe and put a claim in for the extra work involved - anyone in Morley could have told them that there were mine workings there!

edgey2001 · Post by **edgey2001** » Wed 12 Mar, 2008 9:42 am

Yes Trojan, I remember my Dad going on about the fact that they could have had a footbridge instead of a through road, they regretted it later on when articulated lorrys started making they way up Rein Rd as a shortcut . Here is another pic from July 1969 courtesy of Leodis.org, Armitage Brickworks can be seen in the background.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Wed 12 Mar, 2008 9:50 pm

edgey2001 wrote: Yes Trojan, I remember my Dad going on about the fact that they could have had a footbridge instead of a through road, they regretted it later on when articulated lorrys started making they way up Rein Rd as a shortcut . Here is another pic from July 1969 courtesy of Leodis.org, Armitage Brickworks can be seen in the background. The dozer in the picture is a Track Marshall 55. They were built by Marshalls of Gainsborough - and parts of them were made by Fowlers in Hunslet. Fowlers and Marshall amalgamated. The machines were originally designed as agricutural crawlers for marshy land, but with a bulldozer blade attached were useful for the batters (sloping sides) on motorway construction. No I'm not an anorack - it's the business I'm in