I’ve had some fascinating images sent in to the blog by regular reader Robert Sault, taken at the turn of the millennium as the M6 Toll motorway was being built trough our area.
These are a remarkable selection from what Robert describes as a much larger collection, and are notable for the fact that these must have been aerial images from an aircraft, as drone photography wasn’t around twenty years ago.
Robert Sault said:
Hi Bob
While having a tidy up I came across a disc containing photographs of various stages of construction of the M6 Toll.
There are dated aerial shots referenced to their section and random structures, holes in ground, watercourses etc.
Obviously some are on our local patch and I’ve included a few for you to gander.
Best wishes,
Rob
I’d be fascinated to see more and I’ll certainly be in touch with Robert about this collection in the near future – Considering that by this stage I had a digital camera, I took next to no photos of this construction at all and I really have no idea as to why not. A lot of it seems to have passed me by at the time, which is something I’ll always regret.
From comments he’s posted in the past, I believe Robert worked on the construction of the motorway which was not without controversy and I’ve covered before here several times.
Image generously supplied by Robert Sault. Click for a large version.
The image above shows the southern shore of Chasewater from the west looking towards Hammerwich. The route of the motorway can clearly be seen bisecting Hendnesford Road, Pool Lane and Wharf Lane. Note the lost Pear Tree Cottage pub bottom centre left, and the totally different road layout pithing Chasewater Park.
Image generously supplied by Robert Sault. Click for a large version.
The construction cuts Wharf Lane in two in this aerial shot of the Anglesey Branch, and a temporary bridge is installed for heavy construction traffic. Construction of the canal flyover is well underway.
The old motocross track in the former quarry has been destroyed.
Image generously supplied by Robert Sault. Click for a large version.
This one took me a while. This is the Chase Road flyover and new motorway construction again from the west, looking northeast. The Triangle is top left and the outlines of the future intersection and islands can bee seen. The stub of Green Lane, lined with tall trees, would remain truncated.
Image generously supplied by Robert Sault. Click for a large version.
That’s clearly Hammerwich Church in the background to the shot of concrete being poured; I’d say this is on the region of the flyover in the previous image on Chase Road, but I could be wrong.
Image generously supplied by Robert Sault. Click for a large version.
I’m n ot sure if this is the flyover above of not; it’s datestamped earlier, March rather than April 2002 and yet the guard rails in the preceding picture are temporary scaffold.
My thanks to Robert for sharing these remarkable images – this is most generous and will help to fill a gap only so far really covered by the wonderful Wendy Jones in her set from the period, which remains very popular – you can see that one here.
Anything to add, or memories you’ve resisted? Comment here, mail me open BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com or hit me up on social media. Lets see what we can recall!