Strange thing in Lewisham
 

http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&...01352,0.002494
From the aerial photo, it looks like two roads (Undercliff Road and
Halesworth Road) come out on Loampit Hill next to each other, with a 6-8
foot wall between them. I'm not aware of a feature like this anywhere else,
and can't help wondering why it was done here. It would be more normal to
run the side roads into each other so that there was only one junction on
Loampit Hill, and the land saved could be built on or beautified.

Strange thing in Lewisham
 

In ,
John Rowland typed:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&...01352,0.002494
From the aerial photo, it looks like two roads (Undercliff Road and
Halesworth Road) come out on Loampit Hill next to each other, with a
6-8 foot wall between them. I'm not aware of a feature like this
anywhere else, and can't help wondering why it was done here. It
would be more normal to run the side roads into each other so that
there was only one junction on Loampit Hill, and the land saved could
be built on or beautified.

Is there are difference in the altitude of the two roads as they
approach the junction? The possibility of this is suggested in the name
'Undercliff' and seems to be confirmed by the views of the rear gardens
of the properties in Undercliff Road and Shell Road (off Haleswaorth
Road). If the two roads approach the main road from different
altitudes, perhaps there was not enough room to join them before they
joined the main road.


--
Bob

Strange thing in Lewisham
 

"John Rowland" wrote in message
...

http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&...01352,0.002494
From the aerial photo, it looks like two roads (Undercliff Road and
Halesworth Road) come out on Loampit Hill next to each other, with a 6-8
foot wall between them. I'm not aware of a feature like this anywhere
else, and can't help wondering why it was done here. It would be more
normal to run the side roads into each other so that there was only one
junction on Loampit Hill, and the land saved could be built on or
beautified.


Just had a look at an old (pre WW 1) map and then Halesworth Road ran
straight into Underhill Road on its alignment parallel to the main road.
Shell Road has been inserted so I suppose they thought they could squeeze
more houses in that way.

MaxB

Strange thing in Lewisham
 

"Is there are difference in the altitude of the two roads as they
approach the junction?"

Yes, there is. Undercliff Road heads downhill, and Halesworth Road
climbs quite steeply upwards.

Strange thing in Lewisham
 

"SamB" wrote in message
oups.com...

"Is there are difference in the altitude of the
two roads as they approach the junction?"

Yes, there is. Undercliff Road heads downhill,
and Halesworth Road climbs quite steeply upwards.

Thanks, it should have been obvious, because the other place I can think of
where two roads run needlessly parallel (when viewed on a map) is in Erith,
and altitude is certainly the reason there.
http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&... 1351,0.002494

Strange thing in Lewisham
 

MaxB wrote:

"John Rowland" wrote in message
...

http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&...01352,0.002494
From the aerial photo, it looks like two roads (Undercliff Road and
Halesworth Road) come out on Loampit Hill next to each other, with a 6-8
foot wall between them. I'm not aware of a feature like this anywhere
else, and can't help wondering why it was done here. It would be more
normal to run the side roads into each other so that there was only one
junction on Loampit Hill, and the land saved could be built on or
beautified.


Just had a look at an old (pre WW 1) map and then Halesworth Road ran
straight into Underhill Road on its alignment parallel to the main road.
Shell Road has been inserted so I suppose they thought they could squeeze
more houses in that way.

MaxB

However, the housing on the alignment is of a similar age to the other
houses on Halesworth Road, and those built as part of the same
development in Loampit Vale (built during the 1870s, IIRC). Before the
houses were built, the area was extensively quarried for clay for
bricks and tiles, leaving behind some steep and uneven hills.

Strange thing in Lewisham
 

John Rowland:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&...01352,0.002494
From the aerial photo, it looks like two roads (Undercliff Road and
Halesworth Road) come out on Loampit Hill next to each other, with
a 6-8 foot wall between them. I'm not aware of a feature like
this anywhere else...

In Toronto we have a location where two main streets, of 4 and 6 lanes
(Fleet Street and Lakeshore Boulevard) run side by side for about
1000 feet with nothing between them but a sidewalk (footpath) the
width of a traffic lane or less. Both have two-way traffic and Fleet
also has streetcars (trams).

Here's their intersection with Bathurst Street, where Fleet ends:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?hl=en&f=q&...01352,0.002494

Bathurst has streetcar tracks in both directions, with a double-track
triangular junction in the intersection. The tracks straight along
Bathurst are not used in regular service; The two routes serving the
area (509 and 511) both run along Fleet, turning opposite ways to/from
Bathurst. On both streets the streetcars share their lanes with road
traffic, but Streetcars are the only vehicles permitted to turn right
from Fleet onto Bathurst or left from Bathurst onto Fleet. Here's a
picture of one of them doing it, although it doesn't clearly show the
layout of the intersection:

http://transit.toronto.on.ca/images/...ar-4007-18.jpg
--
Mark Brader "It's okay for us to love our country,
Toronto but we ought to spend most of our time
making our country lovable." -- Andy Rooney

My text in this article is in the public domain.