The services originally opened in August 1974 with two sites, one each side of the motorway (the traditional layout of a British service station). The two distinctive conical-roofed buildings, one of which has since been demolished, were designed by the architect Patrick Gwynne. However, in 2008 the westbound side was closed, and traffic wishing to use the services now must use the opposite side, accessed from the roundabout. The former westbound site is now owned by a developer. in the mid-1980s bands travelling between Manchester and Liverpool often stopped at the services and the site became an autograph hunters’ hub. Tears for Fears and Yazoo stopped regularly.
Around June 1988, it was renamed Welcome Break.
Alfred McAlpine was given the £374,716 contract in early September 1972. Forte were always going to have the site. It was planned by the Motorways Group of Trust Houses Forte Catering Limited, headquartered at Newport Pagnell; it was hoped to open in early 1974, but by July 1974, it was planned to open in mid-August 1974. The site first planned by Fortes Service Areas Ltd.
It was built on part of the 13 mile South Lancashire Motorway section of M62 from Tar bock to Risley – the 100 acre Croft Interchange. The 27 month £15,920,634 contract had started in September 1971, by Leonard Fairclough and Alfred McAlpine. Thousands of tonnes of peat had to be excavated from Risley Mosslands, and deep stone dams were built. Earthmoving machines had to work on timber rafts, over the peat; the motorway section opened 30 November 1973.
In August 2011 it was rated as two stars by quality assessors at Visit England. The 2019 Motorway Services User Survey found that Burtonwood was in the bottom five motorway services in the UK for customer satisfaction
The Westbound site was bought by Marshalls and is being redeveloped for commercial use. The development is to be known as Gemini 8. Tenants so far include a Travelodge motel and a Starbucks Coffee Outlet. Furthermore, a Harvester restaurant has opened. From July 2014 a new pub/restaurant operated by the Marston’s Inns and Taverns chain called the Skymaster has opened. The development is accessed from Junction 8 and is located adjacent to Gemini Retail Park.
the westbound site also hides some of its past lurking behind the hotel and a very nice 1970’s abandoned underpass….which i just had to explore
if you would like to buy me a coffee here is the link
https://buymeacoffee.com/g2emediag
all money goes back into the channel and of course on hot drinks…cheers
#liverpool #urbex #warrington
41 Comments
George you find some hidden off grid / out of use … subterranean Cool places .
Mine was old "Rella "(knotty ash ) ..in 80s …….
as a kid we thought purple ake was prowling lol 🤣..had to be on our Guard 😮 lol
You are the Obi-Wan Kanobi of subways in Liverpool 👍🏻
Alright George, I've got an absolute belter for you to check out and explore, so much history, the cameras are gone, it's quite sketchy now I've actually not been in but want to before it either falls down or it's eventually refurbished. If you manage to sneak in you'll get some golden content! Huge huge Victorian building with 3 floors plus a loft . Don't want to post it on here though as it's been wrecked enough it's a gem ha ha
Indian George and the temple of the subway. Great video, "George. Just how you find these places amazes me. Brilliant peace of detective work, How much more can you find ? Just off the subject but ? How are the old toilets in Liverpool City centre blocked off ? The underground ones by Dale street i think ? Any great video more please 🙏 😊
Great video George.
What a fascinating , unmolested time capsule.
The Policeman topped it off,arriving with the period 70s Tache. Brilliant!,
Great work George… another pair of tracky bottoms bite the dust 😉
Glad the officer was 😎, and suggested a few new spots 👌
Another great video George! You just don’t know what you’re driving over these days. You should go to the abandoned Mossley Manor Care Home on North Mossley Hill Road by me. 👌
I love your enthusiasm for local history even the humble subway!
Great video George how you find these places? l don't know 👍
This subway featured in the book ‘Cocky, the Rise and Fall of Curtis Warren’. Curtis Warren aka Cocky reportedly managed to evade undercover Police who were surveilling him, via the subway. The book, from memory, had photos of Warren et al at the services. Nice video George.
Another great video! Thank you George
Dunno why they bothered to tile it. I’ve never seen a subway that wasn’t plastered with graffiti lol
At 17:10 you are at the junction of two roads leading to the M62 out of the services. One was for the services and the other was from the petrol station
Great vid. It's amazing how mother nature slowly reclaims the land.
It's not private land, so there shouldn't be a problem if people see you.
Hope it doesn't get wrecked now.
I’m curious, did the policeman turn up because of you exploring or was it just coincidental? Either way good video but I am now itching to explore inside the police station
Enjoyed this one George. Great find that mate 👏
Great video George I remember when it was open on both sides. I still get on and off there every day back and to to Liverpool. Keep up with your interesting stuff. Great work 😊
Another interesting mooch around George, love looking at these old abandoned places.
I love your exploring videos. While filming, you worry about being seen – do you never worry about someone reporting you after the fact? Your videos are publicly accessible on YouTube after all. I love how that officer was cool with you, it's easy to imagine that some would be dead officious though
I thought I recognize where you are. did the Travel lodge 2014. (at 3.40). For the big science site a drive away. Open Saturday. Daresbury. Got a photo of that old sign I think out the window or similar on the closed road. Now see what it was. Old services. Just at 4 minutes. Writing this a bit early. annoying, Was there 2014 but a bit early for sniffing out exploring, Just did one thing by then. So near, yet so far 10 years ago.
The STFC Daresbury Laboratory is a national scientific research laboratory located in Daresbury, England. It is operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and is part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) network.
Brilliant ❤❤❤
Hey George i wonder if the medieval gates and gateway are still standing at old bold hall next to the m62 take the path up to old bold hall farm from warrington rd oppsite the griffin pub in bold heath and they
might still be there ❤
Nice video. George enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. Take care
That explains that then. I've noticed the concrete of the bridge before and had a look on google maps, but assumed it was a culvert. Another query ticked off the list, cheers mate! 👍😂
That was our meeting point for the illegal raves in the 80s and early 90s 🤫🤫🤫🤫😐
2:35 You’re walking up the old exit slip, which was modified when the second bridge was built to form J8. After J8 opened, and before the services closed, exit traffic had to go up to the roundabout and rejoin the motorway westbound from there. Likewise eastbound services entry slip is now off the motorway entry slip from the roundabout.
Awesome thanks for sharing
Small world I caught that bus from widnes to Burtonwood and it was costly.
I actually thought the subway was bricked up
@g2emedia1977 , Hi I sent you a e-mail on the 27/Nov, I dont know if you got it,,, Thanks
GREAT vidio George , remember both sides well , still use the coach bays in my current job.. the old police station was the old motorway police station , most service stations in the uk had their own police station , now known as motorway policing officers , but based at local stations now.. very interesting m8 , well done 👍
Yet another great video 👍🏻
You got a like from me for the brambles 🙂 Interesting video – cheers for the effort.
Drove through that in an escort in 76.
Very interesting…why i dont know as i dont normally watch these kinds of video. Very good tho, drew me in…
Afternoon cuntstable 😂
Oi, you. Yeah, you.
Strangely interesting 🧐
I drive past this every day and wondered what that was for
Hi I have tried contacting you regarding a tunnel I know of but the email keeps bouncing back. Can you put email on here please