The Men and Machines that Built the Motorways

IAT member Dennis Parkinson MSc, MCIHT, MIAT, MICT has published The Men and Machines that Built the Motorways: The Motorway Era 1960–1990. The 93-page book tells how much of Britain's motorway network was built, seen mainly through the eyes of Sir Alfred McAlpine & Son, where Dennis spent many years.

Dennis collated and wrote the book with help from many former colleagues, who raided their memories, records, houses and photo albums for stories and images. Between them, the contributors bring more than 500 years of direct experience in motorway construction.

First and foremost, though, this is a book about people. It celebrates the men who operated the giant machines that moved the earth and won the rock and aggregates for the asphalt plants and the iconic "concrete train". Photographs and first-hand accounts capture their long hours, in all weathers and difficult terrain.

Dennis also draws comparisons with the navvies who built the canals and railways before them. All were men of their time who shared hard work, pride in the job and real satisfaction at the end of each contract. The story closes in 1990 with the record-breaking final section of the M40, where every bridge was built by Leonard Fairclough.

It is a short, engaging read and not too technical, which makes it easy to pick up and hard to put down. Ian Walsh called it "an excellent production", and former McAlpine employees have left warm comments on a company Facebook page.

One post stands out. It showed a 92-year-old man, thought to have been a machine driver, absorbed in the book in his armchair. His granddaughter wrote: "Ever since I gave him that fab book, he hasn't put it down."

How to get a copy

The book is available from Nantwich Bookshop on 01270 611665, priced at around £14.99 plus postage and packing. Dennis funded the project entirely himself and it is not for profit, so any income from sales goes towards the next print run.

For anyone who worked on the motorways, or who simply wants to know how they were built, it is well worth a read.