my local motorway services has gone up in smoke!

[Shude]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3176744.stm

Fire destroys M62 services

A motorway service station has been destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
The fire at the Moto Birch services on the westbound carriageway of the M62 between Junctions 18 and 19 in Greater Manchester has caused millions of pounds in damage.

The fire started at about 0130 BST on Thursday and more than 70 firefighters were tackling the blaze at its height.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent.

The men are aged 23, 29 and 30 years old and two of them are from Blackpool. They will be questioned later.

The shopping and restaurant areas of the services were completely destroyed in the fire.

No-one was injured, but the Travelodge next to the services was evacuated as a precautionary measure.

"Lumps of metal"

Whilst the fire was burning, cars were also moved from nearby car parks and all of the petrol pumps at the service station were shut off.

Moto spokesman Andrew Leetham said: "All that's left are piles of charred, twisted, lumps of metal."

He added temporary services would be put in place within the next few weeks and said millions of pounds of damage had been caused.

Two members of staff escaped from the fire. It is thought the staff members and the men who have been arrested were the only people in the station at the time.

A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said: "The services are now closed in both directions although the motorway itself is unaffected.

"Drivers should consider that the services are currently unavailable and make alternative arrangements for refuelling cars and having travel breaks."

nowhere is safe anymore!

 

[Steve_Perry]

Crazy news, what with the recent spate of gun crime too.

I don't know if those services are anywhere near that farmstead that is quaintly stuck directly between the east and west bound carriageways of the M62, heh maybe he could set up a sandwich service I guess that farmer stuck to his guns and refused to be evicted forced out when they built the M62. I've done some work for a dairy in Holmfirth, hence, travelled along the M62 a couple of times before I found a better route.

S.

 

[Ian B Walker]

No Steve its a bit further west than that down the big hill towards Manchester

 

[Shude]

Originally posted by Steve_Perry
I don't know if those services are anywhere near that farmstead that is quaintly stuck directly between the east and west bound carriageways of the M62, heh maybe he could set up a sandwich service I guess that farmer stuck to his guns and refused to be evicted forced out when they built the M62.

Hehe, apparently that's an urban myth Steve . According to a show I saw a while ago about the M62, the hill is just shaped such that the road had to be split there. Of course they could be lying to save face! Right about that point is the highest place of any motorway in England .

 

[Steve_Perry]

Another landmark that I remember along that stretch of the M62 is a massive comms tower visible to the south. I don't know what it transmits but it looks damn impressive (tall) in the distance.

Ahh hehe thanks for the info Ian & Nick Just seems odd to see a property nestled slap bang in the middle of a motorway. I hope he got his triple glazing/sound proofing paid for.

S.

 

[Shude]

Originally posted by Steve_Perry
Ahh hehe thanks for the info Ian & Nick Just seems odd to see a property nestled slap bang in the middle of a motorway. I hope he got his triple glazing/sound proofing paid for.

He even has a groovy tunnel under the motorway to herd his sheep though . Even though it's practically in Yorkshire there it's still not clever to have the sheep wandering about the motorway

 

[mbz 6]

The tower you can see is Emley moor mast the tallest free standing structure in europe. It transmits TV pictures to the north of England. You can also see it from the M1 just north of sheffield a fine site after working all week in London. It means almost home.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Thanks mbz6 I see that the farm that I was doing some installation and commissioning work for was based in your 'neck of the woods'.

S.

 

[mbz 6]

Steve
I live about 3 or 4 miles from Holmfirth. Did you enjoy the bendy moorland roads, I do in the Brabus. There are some great driving roads all around Huddersfield and no speed cameras once you get off the main roads.
Top gear have tested cars on the roads near me quite a few times.

 

[Shude]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3179860.stm

Pair accused over motorway fire

Two men have been charged over a suspected arson attack which destroyed a motorway service station.
The fire at the Moto Birch services on the westbound carriageway of the M62 between Junctions 18 and 19 in Greater Manchester has caused millions of pounds in damage.

The fire started at about 0130 BST on Thursday and more than 70 firefighters tackled the blaze at its height.

Jason New, 30, of Foxdale Avenue in Blackpool and Craig Arnold, 29, of no fixed abode are to appear at Rochdale Magistrates Court.

A 23-year-old man, also from Blackpool, who was being questioned has been released without charge.

The shopping and restaurant areas of the services on the westbound side were completely destroyed in the fire.

No-one was injured, but the Travelodge next to the services was evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Cars were also moved from nearby car parks and all of the petrol pumps at the service station were shut off.

An Australian tourist, who was staying at the Travelodge, said guests were confronted by thick smoke as they were led to safety.

She told the BBC: "We heard people yelling outside 'fire'.

"I looked out the window and saw very thick smoke.

"So we came out and it was very thick, we couldn't see, it was getting in your eyes and in your throat and it had a toxic smell and feel to it."

Moto spokesman Andrew Leetham said: "All that's left are piles of charred, twisted, lumps of metal."

He added temporary services would be put in place within the next few weeks and said millions of pounds of damage had been caused.

Two members of staff escaped from the fire.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Originally posted by mbz 6
Steve
I live about 3 or 4 miles from Holmfirth. Did you enjoy the bendy moorland roads, I do in the Brabus. There are some great driving roads all around Huddersfield and no speed cameras once you get off the main roads.
Top gear have tested cars on the roads near me quite a few times.

The roads were great I was doing work for Jim Dickinson on Longley Farm. Trouble is I couldn't take my own car (not that'd I want to in my line of work) so I was always travelling in Fiesta's, Astra's etc, I think the best car I had was a Peugeot 406. I used to stay in the Holme Castle Guest House (not really a castle) just outside Holmfirth, very nice

S.

 

[S500L]

Farm

The real reason the farm is in the middle of the motorway is because the farmer is a tenant.
He didn't have any say over the matter.

The landlord wouldn't accept the offer made by the Dept. of Transport when the motorway was being built.

They could have compulsory purchased the land but the landlord was prepared to go to court to appeal the order. This would have cost the DOT money and would have delayed the construction anything up to 2 yrs, so they just built around the farm.

 

[fuzzer]

Originally posted by mbz 6
The tower you can see is Emley moor mast the tallest free standing structure in europe. It transmits TV pictures to the north of England. You can also see it from the M1 just north of sheffield a fine site after working all week in London. It means almost home.

Being sad , i decided to look it up on the internet

http://tx.mb21.co.uk/emley/emley.asp

 

[Dieselman]

Now I've had a not too good breakfast at Birch in the past but this is really going too far!