In a move that may surprise many people, culture minister Ed Vaizey has awarded Grade II listed building status to the Pennine Tower found on the north-bound carriageway of the M6 between junctions 32 and 33. The landmark tower once served as a 120 seat restaurant at the former Forton (now Lancaster) services and attracted drivers from far and wide in the 1960s.
The Pennine Tower at Lancaster Services
The 72 feet- high concrete structure, resembling an air traffic control tower, is one of 13 automotive properties, including petrol stations and car showrooms, granted listed status to mark English Heritage’s celebration of the age of motoring. The awards were made on the recommendation of the organization.
Chief executive of English Heritage, Simon Thurley said; “The motor car, like the railways before it, changed the world in which we live.
“Now, in an age when it is common to blame cars for blighting our environment, it is time to recognise the positive contribution they have made to England’s heritage.”
The buildings selected for listing status all have a story to contribute to the history of motoring in England. The oldest of these is the ‘motor stables’ built to house the cars of Sir David Salomons in 1900. The buildings, in Broomhill Kent, remain almost exactly as Sir David left them.
Others include a former Morris garage in Oxford and the offices of the Continental Tyre and Rubber Co on London’s Brompton Road. Three 1920s petrol stations, among the oldest in the country, have also been listed.
The Pennine Tower, opened in 1965, was included on the list for ‘imbuing glamour’ to the golden age of motoring when car ownership became accessible to the masses and driving felt like an adventure.
Although it may be difficult to believe today, motorway service stations were once considered to be attractions worthy of a day or evening out.The American style restaurant boasted waiter service and an open ‘sun’ terrace providing visitors with an elevated view of the M6. It is said that the Beatles regularly drove from Liverpool to enjoy its futuristic, cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Another 1960s building making the list is the Tower Garage at Alderley Edge in Cheshire. Built in 1962, its space age aesthetic is enhanced by a flying saucer-shaped roof. It now houses a car showroom and a diner.
The 13 listings were announced in conjunction with the publication of a book on the influence of the motor car on the English landscape and architecture. The publication is the result of extensive research by English Heritage.
Mr Thurley said; “We expect that over the next few years it will improve our ability to protect early motoring structures in England.”
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