Tim: Well researched!Also if you visit the Chiswick Forum and enter CHISWICK FLYOVER in the "search box" you will find several earlier messages on the subject.In November 2004, I responded to Ann Allridge as follows:oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooAnn: You are ...as Michael Winner would say...historic!Fancy being there in Sept 1959 when the first part opened..(just the Flyover not the M4 motorway.) Wasn't the Transport Minister Ernest Marples there too?You will recall that the area was developed in stages. There used to be a smallish roundabout..with no route south. Traffic from the Great West Road and Gunnersbury Avenue...and from the Kew Bridge Road..would just pour down Chiswick High Road. (Royalty and all on their way to and from Windsor)Cedars Road and Ellesmere Road existed. But the extension westwards (arterial dual carriageway) passing Sutton Lane, Harvard Road and Harvard Hill area was abandoned (in the 40's?). Only the southside carrageway was open to the occasional traffic. The northside carriageway was littered with granite kerbstone blocks and large timber logs.(it was a playarea) The bridge over the Gunnersbury railway existed..but the road then just dropped down onto a Wellesley Road junction.Then I recall houses and roads were demolished (Stonehill Road and Chertsey Road)..and a new road pushed through to the Chiswick Roundabout. So in about 1957? the big bridge was built over the Chiswick Roundabout, but the road the dropped down on the Great West Road...within 200 metres on the Petrol Station...and in front of what was then called the HENLY CLOCK TOWER. Ann do you remember that local feature? So that part was completed in 1959..I believe...and opened as you say by Jane..big bosomed..Mansfield.Then work started on the first stretch of the M4...building a road on top of those T T T T concrete structures. The sensational part was the positioning of the huge metal viaduct over Boston Manor Road...quite a task!!. Just look at its size. Its near the near Glaxo Head Office.So that part was finished in 1964..when one could whizz along the new M4 to Heathrow J3 like the clappers. Not many speed limits then...or drink drive laws....or MOT's for worn out tyres|!! Chiswick then started to become a placename to be featured on the radio. Previously it seemed only to be mentioned Boat Race days...or Windsor to Chiswick Poly marathon race..or Wilfred Pickles the broadcaster interviewing housewives along Thames Road for his "Down Your Way" programme.So in 1959, we had pounds ,shillings and pence in our pockets. Mylos and Goodbans were busy in the CHR...as was Shears the Barber,and Joe Lyons the tea shop.The Beatles hadn't arrived on the scene but we had plenty to sing and dance about. Bill Haley, (Elvis if you preferred) Chris Barber Jazz Band...and many more.September 1959?...Whilst Jane Mansfield was cutting the ribbon at Chiswick Flyover...JL was with others had been withdrawn from Chiswick to do left right left right National Service.
Jim Lawes ● 6894d