MT 95/924 - Revision history

Chris5156: Add category Mixed Signals

2015-02-22T13:36:45Z

Add category Mixed Signals

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:36, 22 February 2015
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	[[Category:Subseries MT 95]]		[[Category:Subseries MT 95]][[Category:Mixed Signals]]
	{{Header		{{Header
	\| title = Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence and ministerial brief		\| title = Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence and ministerial brief

Chris5156: New header

2011-01-21T03:20:46Z

New header

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:20, 21 January 2011
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	[[Category:Subseries MT 95]]		[[Category:Subseries MT 95]]
	{\|		{{Header
	~~\|'''Location'''~~		\| title = Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence and ministerial brief
	~~\|[[National Archives]]~~		\| daterange = 1965-1971
	\|-		\| nacatref = 4014844
	~~\|'''Title'''~~		\| series = MT
	\|Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence and ministerial brief		\| subseries = 95
	\|-		}}
	~~\|'''Date range'''~~
	\|1965-1971
	\|-
	\|~~'''Catalogue'''~~
	\|~~[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN~~=~~6&CATID=4014844 See entry]~~
	\|}

	==Context==		==Context==
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	==People with camera copies==		==People with camera copies==
	[[User:Chris5156\|Chris Marshall]] has a partial camera copy.		[[User:Chris5156\|Chris Marshall]] has a partial camera copy.
	~~__NOTOC__~~

Chris5156: New page: Category:Subseries MT 95 {| |'''Location''' |National Archives |- |'''Title''' |Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence ...

2008-12-28T20:44:08Z

New page: Category:Subseries MT 95 {| |'''Location''' |National Archives |- |'''Title''' |Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence ...

New page

[[Category:Subseries MT 95]]
{|
|'''Location'''
|[[National Archives]]
|-
|'''Title'''
|Development of emergency signalling (emergency fog and speed limit signs etc.); 1965 correspondence and ministerial brief
|-
|'''Date range'''
|1965-1971
|-
|'''Catalogue'''
|[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=4014844 See entry]
|}

==Context==
This is the main file on the "Motorwarn" system - the emergency signals introduced on motorways in the late 1960s as a panic interim measure following a number of high-profile accidents in fog. The other outcome of this panic policy was the National Speed Limit, which shared a press release with the Motorwarn launch.

What this file makes clear is the extent to which Motorwarn was a complete bodge-job that was rolled out in a frantic rush. The units appear to have been two commercially bought amber lamps mounted on a rectangle of plywood, which in turn was mounted on a plank of 2x2 wood. This was painted black and planted in the verge alongside a metal box (painted yellow with the hand-written letters "MOT") which had a switch on top and a car battery inside. The wiring ran down the back of the post and the whole assembly was then painted black.

Before long it became common knowledge that the boxes had car batteries in them, and they started going missing very rapidly. In the middle of the file are a couple of padlock catalogues. Most of the file is actually discussion of what to do after the scheme had been running for a couple of years and the batteries were starting to lose their ability to hold charge.

==Contents of note==

* Press release outlining Motorwarn and the new National Speed Limit, both then temporary and experimental measures.

* Padlock brochure circa 1968 with model 550 circled.

* Excellent publicity photo of one of the Motorwarn installations, making clear just what a back-of-the-fag-packet design it was.

==Links to other files==

:'''[[MT 95/668]]''' Traffic signals: emergency warning signs and signals (1962-1964)

==People with camera copies==
[[User:Chris5156|Chris Marshall]] has a partial camera copy.
__NOTOC__