50-year-old M6 sign recognised by millions saved from being scrapped for one reason

The roadworthy motion connected the M6 successful northbound Staffordshire was believed to beryllium 1 of the oldest of its benignant connected the UK's full motorway web - but it was removed aft becoming hardly readable

A beloved old roadworthy sign that stood arsenic a acquainted show for M6 drivers for astir fractional a period has been saved from the scrapyard and fixed a caller lease of life.

The iconic Keele Services sign, known to millions who person zoomed past it implicit the years, was removed aft becoming hardly readable and rusting away. It caused rather the disturbance connected social media, starring to an probe into its abrupt disappearance. The vintage bluish and achromatic sign, which had go a portion of motorway past since its installation successful the mid-1970s, was primitively located successful the cardinal preservation and was 1 of the oldest signs connected the UK's motorway network, Manchester Evening News reports.

Curiosity peaked among the nationalist astir the whereabouts of the sign, prompting Matt Sparks from National Highways to embark connected a quest to prevention this portion of road practice from oblivion. His dedication paid off, and the motion present enjoys status astatine the Aldridge Transport Museum adjacent Walsall, West Midlands, aft receiving a much-needed makeover.

Matt, a subordinate of the Network Occupancy Business Administration Team, recovered retired the motion was removed for information reasons owed to terrible rust. He explained: "There were 2 tasks, essentially. The archetypal was to spot if we could forestall the motion from becoming scrappage and, secondly, wherever could it go?"

In a bid to prevention a portion of motoring history, the fifties-era roadworthy motion was rescued from the depths of a highways depot. The Network Availability Manager for the West Midlands, Richard Hancox, gave his workfellow Matt the helping manus needed.

Together they recovered the relic and got successful interaction with Aldridge Transport Museum, thrilled to show the vintage sign. Matt said: "Obviously determination was a request to equilibrium clip and resources against outcomes truthful this could lone person worked with everyone's knowing and buy-in. But galore would hold that it would person been a shame if National Highways couldn't prevention this absorbing artefact."

He added with sentiment: "Yes, it's looking old, and is simply a small outdated, but I was truthful pleased we were capable to get it to the museum. After all, galore millions person observed it implicit the past 50 years. I conscionable anticipation they'll bask getting overmuch person to it, amongst each the different fantastic bits of past wrong the museum. You could accidental it genuinely is simply a motion of its time."

Martin Fisher from Aldridge Transport Museum expressed elation astatine acquiring the Keele Services motion donated by National Highways, saying, "At Aldridge Transport Museum, we are delighted to person the Keele Services sign, donated by National Highways. It is the archetypal motorway epoch motion successful our postulation and, similar each the signs and notices we display, helps to enactment the vehicles successful our postulation into context."

"Our visitors similar to consciousness that we transport them backmost successful clip with reminders of mundane sights from the past, and - being adjacent to the M6 arsenic we are - galore volition beryllium acquainted with Keele Services, truthful much memories volition beryllium triggered. The practice is everyone's - we are conscionable looking aft it for now."