MT 118/251

Hogarth (Feathers) Roundabout permanent scheme :proposal to take the Great West Road over Hogarth Roundabout by a permanent flyover; study by consulting engineers (3 parts)

Date range	1965-1967
Location	National Archives (see all files stored here)
Catalogue	See entry
File base	Series MT, subseries MT 118

This file is truly delightful. It is likely to bring a smile to your face, probably because it contains the sort of thing that makes trawling through dusty archive documents worthwhile. The thing in this file that makes your day might actually have nothing to do with its subject matter.

Context

In the mid 1960s the Ministry of Transport was responsible for the M4 and section of A4 between the M4's London terminus and Hammersmith. This file contains the various activities of the Ministry in planning to make this route free-flowing and motorway standard. Almost nothing shown in this file actually came to happen.

The main point of interest is the work carried out by a firm of consultants to grade-separate the Hogarth Roundabout. Their report contained a series of key proposals, which were added over time. The later ones were not called for in the Ministry's brief and it's very hard to see why they were included. They were rapidly dismissed by the civil servants reviewing the engineers' findings.

All the schemes described below (except where noted) are lavishly illustrated and planned out in full.

Contents of note

• Proposals for two temporary flyovers at the Hogarth Roundabout, one exactly as built (and still in existence) and another to the east, with a trumpet loop south of the A4, providing a GSJ for the northern approach of the A316 and thus removing local movements from the roundabout itself.

• Evidence that a flyover was proposed at Sutton Court Road (on the A4 between M4 and the Hogarth Roundabout), though no diagrams or plans.

• Scheme for compact permanent GSJ at this location, with a flyover and constrained roundabout below.

• Scheme for larger GSJ with greater demolition of property and longer flyover.

• Scheme for elevated motorway - a continuation of the existing M4 elevated section - along the A4 to the east side of the Hogarth Roundabout.

• Scheme for elevated motorway as above, continuing past Hammersmith on the south side of the existing flyover, to reach Earl's Court.

• Scheme for "centre slot" elevated motorway, on the line above, which involved reversed carriageways and sliproads ascending and descending through the central reservation.

• Scheme to continue the centre slot elevated motorway from the Chiswick Flyover along the A4 corridor, through Central London via Shaftesbury Avenue and Holborn, and out to terminate near the Ripple Road flyover on the A13.

Links to other files

MT 139/212 Temporary flyover at Great West Road extension, Hogarth roundabout: construction of permanent flyover; liaison with local council (1964-1967)

People with camera copies

Chris Marshall has an (almost) complete copy, excluding duplicated items.