Britain’s first motorway, the Preston Bypass, was opened on December 5th 1958 by the then Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan; four hours after the opening ceremony, Harold Bradshaw earned a place in UK motoring history when he became the first recorded motorway casualty after falling from a bridge above the road.

Hot on the heels of the Preston Bypass came the M1, the first section , just over 61 miles long was opened in 1959 - this was the start of the 'backbone' that would bridge the great North/South divide; unintentionally, it also provided a test track for high-performance sports cars!