Old M1 J2

Introduction

When the M1 was first opened in 1959, it ran from Aldenham (just north of the current J5) to Crick (J18), with the M10 and M45 spurs. However, these ends were temporary, and the M1 was to be extended to Yorkshire in the north, and into London from the southern end.

Its first lunge southwards occurred in 1966, when the motorway was extended to Brockley (J4) parallel with the A41. This enabled traffic to and from London to avoid using the three-lane stretch of A41 from Brockley to Aldenham, but it still had to trundle through the outskirts of Edgware and through Hendon. This was improved in 1967, when the motorway was extended southwards to a location just north of the current J2, which is where these pictures are from.

This junction layout did not last long, however, as the M1 was extended to Staples Corner on the North Circular in the 1970s (everything was finished in 1977). It was planned to go farther in, to Ringway 1, parallel to the Midland main railway line, but that extension never materialised.

Details

The old junction is still visible on Ordnance Survey maps today. Compare with what the junction looked like on the map on David D Miller's website.

The southbound slip is still intact, although not used by traffic. The northbound slip forms part of an access road to an industrial estate.

Pictures

	Looking NW from the A1 over the former southbound slip road. The road is single-lane, and is not in very good condition, but it has not been used much for over twenty-five years. The M1 is in the hazy distance, not really discernible from the picture.
	About halfway along the slip road towards the motorway, this sign is hiding in the bushes. It is warning of the sharp bend round to join the A1, with an advisory maximum speed limit of 30 miles per hour. The sign is fairly modern, so must date from the last time this slip road was used, after an IRA bomb resulted in the closure of Staples Corner, in 1993.
	Here's the view from the location of that bend sign towards the A1 bridge. To the right is the car park for Homebase.
	Here's the view towards the M1 at the end (beginning) of the slip road. It's no longer possible to access the road because of the barrier visible. If you want to see the entrance to the old slip road, it's just after a "No hard shoulder for x yards" sign, after the half-mile sign for J2.
	And here's the view the other way, towards the A1. Note the bend sign skulking in the bushes!
	On the slip road, walking south towards the merge with the A1 (and out of side of the graffiti artists!). It's perfectly possible to walk along it as there is no traffic, and very low barriers (I accessed it from Bunns Lane, the road which is also bridged by the A1). Whether it's technically allowed is uncertain. Weeds are pushing their way up through cracks in the road.
	Looking backwards from the same point. The road has curved round from the underpass under the A1.
	This was the merge onto the southbound carriageway of the A1. The merge markings are still visible, but a concrete barrier blocks the way (presumably to stop people dumping burnt-out cars down here).
	View of the merge from the overbridge that still carries the footway over the old slip road. At the extreme right of the picture can be seen the blue fork sign for the current M1 J2. Update 31/08/03: the metal gate across the road has been closed here, so access is no longer possible from this end
	One last look back down the slip road from the same overbridge.
	I think this was the old on-slip. Those lampposts look suspiciously heavy-duty for a retail park, and the line of it looks about right on the map. Presumably traffic would have gone straight on where the right hand bend is now. Note the retail development is called "Pentavia", a cod-Latinisation of Fiveways Corner, the A1/A41 junction name!
	Looking north along the M1 from a nearby footbridge. The sign on the right is the last sign for M1 J2. The old off-slip came off just beyond that gantry visible ahead.
	Looking south from the same overbridge towards the modern J2. The slips to and from the A1 are elevated, and curve round, behind the Nissan building, flying over Fiveways Corner to meet the A1.