The A666(M) - the Devilish Motorway that SHOULDN'T EXIST?

[@QuantumPulsar]

The A666(M) number makes sense as a number for the spur towards Bolton, like e.g. the A38(M) or A66(M), although the tangle of sliproads at the Worsley Braided Interchange does make it confusing

[@ukroadsandtransport]

I like secret motorways, awesome stuff Bryn

[@tomwinch9107]

I believe it was on this short stretch of motorway slip road collection that the springs in my 1976 Austin Allegro broke, leaving me looking like a Chad trying to see the road. Thankfully this was in 89/90, so long before someone thought that hard shoulders were a luxury, so I could stop and use a bungee cord to fix it!

[@ZakTDuck]

I recall back before the M62 and M63 got renumbered to M60 it used to be signposted as (A666). It's an odd road, but nowhere near as odd as either the A635(M) or the Walton Summit Motorway.

[@manomaylr]

Bryn666 on the A666. How exciting!

[@LadybugTVRollercoastervideos]

Joining the A666(M) from Kearlsey Interchange it is signposted as part of the M61

[@marthaanderson2656]

US Hwy 491/666 sounds like a great drive. I just read the description. I was thinking about a road trip next April and this region is worthy of exploring, for sure. It holds far more wild interest than your Slipway Collection. I imagine the 666 road signs are hot collectors items for thoughtless people

[@samonthebus]

I can understand why the A666(M) doesn't show its number, the Worsley Braided Interchanges are a absolute mess that puts the M6/A38(M) Spaghetti Junction to shame. The 1960's highway planners must have been high on something the day they planned it out. How it's ended up on Google Maps I have no idea... As you said, It's part of the M61 as far as the law is concerned, all its signage says M61, (M60) or (A666) and no Driver Location Signs or anything to give away a secret number. The only places I've seen the A666(M) referenced is on an old, now offline Lancs County Council page, the Pathetic Motorways site which cites the aforementioned Lancs C.C. page and the Sabre Wiki site that cites Pathetic Motorways. "Motorway induced headache" is an apt description for this whole thing. Speaking of maintenance; what the flip is going on with the overhead sign gantries on both the A666(M) and the former M63 parts of the M60? The blue sign back looks like its peeling away and leaving bare aluminium exposed.

[@nigelh4617]

That looks like a substantial stash of OS maps behind you, Bryn.

[@BrynBuck]

Just a small number yes 🤭

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

I reported a faulty Matrix the other day & they replied there’s no matrix at that point. It was on the official M61 from the A580. I gave the marker post DLS number so they must have been looking under the tunnels on the A666 brackets M not the official M61.

[@BrynBuck]

I had no end of bother reporting the damage to the retaining wall at the St Peter's Way end. I quoted the M61 asset numbers painted on the wall and was told it was the A666(M) by a very confused NH call centre 👀

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

@@BrynBuck suppose it’s who you speak to. You would think they had an idea of the asset numbers etc. I ended up sending a picture off Streetview to them

[@Craigevansagain]

those matrix signals and gantries will be ancient now as they constructed with this stretch of the M61 during 1969/1970.

[@BrynBuck]

@@Craigevansagain the grey metal ones, yes, but the concrete ones were installed in the 1990s and so were the matrix signals. They originally just had blue arrows in the crossbeams.

[@philcoogan7369]

Used to travel this road fairly regularly visiting a friend (a vicar as it happens). I agree it's nothing special just a little spur and to use doesn't really need a number of it's own, so yes probably just for the reasons you say.

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Bryn, the last time i was on that road It was signed as the A666 on blue signs as it is still motorway regulated not stated as the A666(M) It must have been about 6 years ago I was taking some one from Wrexham to Bolton. It's just this section is motorway till the next junction were motorway regulations end. good video take care

[@sunsetexplorer63936]

I used the M61 the other day and it was still signed as the A666.

[@Rail_Focus]

Devilishly good video as always. I'll get my coat......

[@spenstrangward5126]

Great little video bryn.. i travel this road quite abit.. it feels like there loads of roads missing going north bound towards bolton.. some big bridges with tiny roads underneath.. whats going on there??.

[@BrynBuck]

There's unfinished plans around Bolton and St Peter's Way itself was designed to be three lanes both ways.

[@spenstrangward5126]

@@BrynBuck yes i went to an industrial estate off raikes lane today and when i went to get back on the A666 to Bolton the bridge i drove under was really wide .. take it another carriageway was missing.. cheers bryn..

[@alstorer]

given what's happening with the numbers, could the lack of synchronisation and the missing indicators just be an artefact of the shutter speed/frame rate? it often is with LEDs.

[@BrynBuck]

No, the amber lights were out of sync - the refresh rate in the numerals is a camera problem though.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Is that where the A666 and M61 meet close to Farnworth and Walkden in Greater Manchester and before & after the M61/M60 turnoff near Salford can get very confusing and drivers don’t know which lane to choose. Even Simister interchange where the M60, M62 and M66 meet is also confusing and there should have been a slip road built for traffic on the M60 clockwise to avoid the congested roundabout at Simister.

[@sunsetexplorer63936]

I was up there the other day, and I nearly ended up on that road not knowing the M61 was TOTSO.

[@MrMWRMWR]

​@@sunsetexplorer63936 ...and now I've learned about TOTSOs😅

[@craigwilliams9110]

Drive on it 4/5 times a week. As it becomes motorway heading away from Bolton many drivers continue at 50mph causing chaos

[@danieltoth-nagy5097]

I do care because that's the road which bring us home if we travel by car.

[@MrGreatplum]

Love this - why not just call it the a666(m) publicly? Doesn’t seem to make much sense to hide the name

[@pmberry]

The actual A666 leaves just before motorway regulations kick in (travelling southbound from Bolton) so it wouldn't make sense to number it as A666(M).

[@MrMWRMWR]

Not hidden on Google maps

[@rogerswift1983]

do you care? people who don't won't be watching videos like this will they? they'll be watching that ball kicky thing