The Outer No-Ring Road

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 14 Mar, 2010 3:56 pm

Everyone knows it as the Leeds Outer Ring Road, but it doesn't actually meet up to form a ring, does it?According to Wikipedia, it goes from Colton (following the redesignation of the A63 to the A6120) all the way round to Belle Isle, or vice versa, if you prefer. Can anyone shed any light on why it doesn't meet up? I guess it was meant to when it was first planned, but that it has just never happened (what did someone say on another thread about Leeds not doing things by halves, just by two-thirds?).

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Sun 14 Mar, 2010 4:23 pm

Money? Who knows.Its more of a 6 than a O anyway. The old Ring Road bus 8/9 services used to go via Selby Road, Swillington Lane, Neville Grove, Church Lane, A642, A654 through Rothwell, Copley Lane, Sharp Lane to old Middleton Garage.Later the route through Rothwell was changed to take in Holmsley Lane. Now that certainly cannot be classed as a Ring Road!

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 14 Mar, 2010 5:03 pm

Seems common to many places. Norwich is one example with the 'inner' ring road which does more or less join together but the outer ring is ¾ but, is technically joined by the A47 bypass so you could say the same for Leeds if you included a stretch of motorway! Not quite in the probably intended spirit though.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Sun 14 Mar, 2010 5:49 pm

chameleon wrote: Seems common to many places. Norwich is one example with the 'inner' ring road which does more or less join together but the outer ring is ¾ but, is technically joined by the A47 bypass so you could say the same for Leeds if you included a stretch of motorway! Not quite in the probably intended spirit though. I am told that, in the days when it was truly popular, "circle city" was the designated place of residence of a Leodensian on CB radio. Buffallo Skinner reflects my version of the complete ring. In my younger/fitter days I used to cycle the ringroad from home, which in those days was Beeston. The White Rose Roundabout to Sainsbury's at Colton is easily reconisable. I linked the two via A63 to the GarforthMotel, down through Swillington and Woodlesford to Oulton, along the side of springhead park through Rothwell, up Leadwell Lane to Robin Hood, sharp Lane to Middleton Ringroad and down past the Water Tower and Tommy Wass to Beeston

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Sun 14 Mar, 2010 10:57 pm

tyke bhoy wrote: chameleon wrote: Seems common to many places. Norwich is one example with the 'inner' ring road which does more or less join together but the outer ring is ¾ but, is technically joined by the A47 bypass so you could say the same for Leeds if you included a stretch of motorway! Not quite in the probably intended spirit though. I am told that, in the days when it was truly popular, "circle city" was the designated place of residence of a Leodensian on CB radio. Buffallo Skinner reflects my version of the complete ring. In my younger/fitter days I used to cycle the ringroad from home, which in those days was Beeston. The White Rose Roundabout to Sainsbury's at Colton is easily reconisable. I linked the two via A63 to the GarforthMotel, down through Swillington and Woodlesford to Oulton, along the side of springhead park through Rothwell, up Leadwell Lane to Robin Hood, sharp Lane to Middleton Ringroad and down past the Water Tower and Tommy Wass to Beeston I remember when I drove this route out of Bramley garage, When it went through Rothwell. Some one challenged another driver to guess the number of roundabouts on the route.I think it came out at 24!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 10:19 am

My very first One Man Operated journey out of Headingley Depot was on "The Ring Road" on a Saturday lunchtime. In those days it ran as number 9 in both directions from Whitkirk (Skyliner) to Middleton garage. I was very nervous of this maiden voyage and waited anxiously at Lawnswood School at 1134 am. The bus came and one of the most grumpy of the "Ring Road" senior drivers got out, looked at me as if to say "Huh, another young 'un with no idea", and disappeared for his meal.I did my best and arrived at Middleton late, but in time to depart punctually at 1230 after filling in the reams of large yellow waybills (a seperate one for the "Ker Ching" multi journey tickets). Full of mature confidence now I arrived at the Skyliner in good time at 1346 and left "on the dot" at 1405, arriving at Lawnswood School with a flourish on time at 1434.Another grumpy mature senior fellow stepped on and muttered "I 'ope y'uv filled it up at Middleton !!""Filled it up ??" I queried, puzzled."Aye , filled it up at Middleton - don't you lot know 'ow to read a bloody runnin' board ??"Thrusting the board under my nose in full view and hearing of the passengers he snarled "Read that !!"In the right hand margin for special instructions was clearly marked " A - REFUEL AT MIDDLETON GARAGE AT 1221."Totally deflated, I slunk away down Otley Road for my meal, and considered leaving the Country. Oh, message for Stutterdog - the Bramley ReUnion is Thursday 15th April at the Band Club off Town Street as usual - I remember you asked me to let you know.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 10:36 am

Great recollections Blakey. I especially like the bit about the Kerching ticket. I thought they were great You used a new kerching ticket as a a template, Drew round another piece of similar thickness card, Simply cut it out and place in said machine.KERCHING, Just the ticket lol

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 11:50 am

Phill_dvsn wrote: Great recollections Blakey. I especially like the bit about the Kerching ticket. I thought they were great You used a new kerching ticket as a a template, Drew round another piece of similar thickness card, Simply cut it out and place in said machine.KERCHING, Just the ticket lol Ah yes Phil - it was a widespread "cottage industry" at the time, and I'm impressed that you still remember the "modus operandi" so well Some of the finest examples were manufactured by the pupils of a certain very reputable secondary school on the 56 route, and I've caught many a little bounder with a red face when he was trying to get one of their occasional sub standard ones to work - Happy days indeed

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 1:06 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Phill_dvsn wrote: Great recollections Blakey. I especially like the bit about the Kerching ticket. I thought they were great You used a new kerching ticket as a a template, Drew round another piece of similar thickness card, Simply cut it out and place in said machine.KERCHING, Just the ticket lol Ah yes Phil - it was a widespread "cottage industry" at the time, and I'm impressed that you still remember the "modus operandi" so well Some of the finest examples were manufactured by the pupils of a certain very reputable secondary school on the 56 route, and I've caught many a little bounder with a red face when he was trying to get one of their occasional sub standard ones to work - Happy days indeed haha. I guess the moral of the story was... They shouldn't have done away with conductors, and ticket inspectors lol I bet those Kerching machines were full of blank bits of card when they emptied them Nice one Blakey!

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 1:13 pm

P.s we used to travel all over on the trains on those great bargain tickets they did in the 1980's.*The 6 penny All over rover* we called them, they were of course the good old platform ticket, they worked a treat...Just keep an eye out for the guard gripping, then detrain at the next station and reboard in the coaches he'd been Failing that...the luggage racks in the compartments were always a good second place to hide. The scratch off day riders were also another great fiddle for a skint travelling school boy in those days