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'How Things Work' is our creative, catch-all title for our collection of articles which don't form part of the main database. They attempt to provide some background information about different aspects of motorway services, and a little bit about how they work.
'How Things Work' is our creative, catch-all title for our collection of articles which don't form part of the main database. They attempt to provide some background information about different aspects of motorway services, and a little bit about how they work.
Visitors to this section should also look at [[History]], which pays particular attention to closed, unbuilt and the oldest services.
Visitors to this section should also look at [[History]], which pays particular attention to closed, unbuilt and the oldest service areas.
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==The Basics==
Our first section examines the topics which we get asked about a lot. It's by far the best place to start!<div class="brandleft">
Finding fuel, toilets and some-sort of food on the motorway is easy - for everything else it varies.<br style="clear:both">
* '''The Basics'''[[File:{{#setmainimage:Services exit sign 1.jpg}}|200px|right|link=|A road sign]]{{newline}}Our first section examines the topics which we get asked about a lot. It's by far the best place to start!
*** [[Highways England Information Point|Traffic Information]]
====[[File:List of services.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=How many]][[How many|How Many Services Are There?]]====
There are 97 motorway service areas in the UK - but that's with a few exceptions and explanations. We've got a breakdown of all the figures here.<br style="clear:both">
* '''Information and Guidance'''
====[[File:{{#setmainimage:Cobham interior 2022.jpg}}|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Biggest]][[Biggest|Biggest and Busiest]]====
** [[Parking]][[File:Keele parking sign.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Parking]]{{newline}}A general guide to how parking works at services, answering some of the most common questions.<br style="clear:both" />
Cobham seems to be the obvious candidate for this one - but can we find the busiest day?<br style="clear:both">
** [[Pricing|Why are services so expensive?]][[File:Frankley WHSmith.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Pricing]]{{newline}}A look at the other side of the coin as to why services are so expensive, and a few tips to get the better of them.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[Professional Drivers]][[File:Lymm lorry parking.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Professional Drivers]]{{newline}}Information written specifically for coaches and HGV drivers, listing some of the offers available to them.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[MSA Policy|MSA Policy (Regulations)]][[File:LFE Granada tender proposal cover.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=MSA Policy]]{{newline}}An explanation of how services are regulated and how the policy on them has changed over the years.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[:Category:Road Signs|Road Signs]][[File:Granada services sign.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Category:Road Signs]]{{newline}}A non-technical guide to the different road signs used and who is responsible for them.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[:Category:Terminology|Terminology]][[File:Bartlett perfect MSA.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Category:Terminology]]{{newline}}A collection of pages which explain the meaning of various technical and unofficial terms relating to motorway services.<br style="clear:both" />
====[[File:Old Inns Cafe 2018.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Smallest]][[Smallest|Smallest and Quietest]]====
This is a little more complicated: we've found some really tiny ones that people normally forget about.<br style="clear:both">
* '''Lists and Analysis'''
====[[File:Clacket Lane opening ceremony.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Timeline]][[Timeline|Timeline: Oldest and Newest]]====
** [[MSO:Ratings|Best and Worst]][[File:Visit England three star.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=MSO:Ratings]]{{newline}}Across the site we ask you to rate different service stations, and here you can see how they all stack up alongside each other.<br style="clear:both" />
Find the oldest services, the newest, and everything else in between.<br style="clear:both">
** [[History:Motorway service area|How To Design A Service Station]][[File:Watford Gap design.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=History:Motorway service area]]{{newline}}A look at how service station design has evolved, and what the key factors in new service station design are.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[MOT Numbers]][[File:Map showing Bignell's Corner services.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=MOT Numbers]]{{newline}}A list of the working titles given to the original service stations. Spot the gaps in the pattern!<br style="clear:both" />
====[[File:Granada map sign.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Planning]][[Planning|Miles Apart: How Services Are Located]]====
** [[Mobile Apps]][[File:Moto Deals 2015 App.png|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Mobile Apps]]{{newline}}A look at the different discount and information apps offered to help and persuade motorway users.<br style="clear:both" />
What's the longest motorway journey without any services? Why are motorway services always in awkward places? Which services are closest together? This page has you covered.<br style="clear:both">
** [[:Category:Old Pubs]][[File:Stoney Cross.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Category:Old Pubs]]{{newline}}Many modern A-road services have adopted a building which pre-dates the road network as we would recognise it. This page lists them.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[Postcards]][[File:Farthing Corner postcard.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Postcards]]{{newline}}Motorway services originally sold promotional postcards - find the best of them here.<br style="clear:both" />
====[[File:Severn View Entrance sign 2014.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Names]][[Names|How Services Are Named]]====
** [[Services on TV]][[File:Birch Granada interview 1979.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Services on TV]]{{newline}}A list of services which have played a significant role in a TV show (previously this information was spread out over all the trivia sections).<br style="clear:both" />
What's in a name? Quite a lot of debate and a few controversies.<br style="clear:both">
** [[Fire|Services which have burnt down]][[File:Fleet southbound fire damage.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Fire]]{{newline}}A list of services which have been reported to have caught fire.<br style="clear:both" />
** [[Services which have changed names]][[File:Severn View Entrance sign 2014.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Services which have changed name]]{{newline}}An automatically-generated list of services which have changed names.<br style="clear:both" />
====[[File:Watford Gap fingerpost sign.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Quiz Trivia]][[Quiz Trivia|More Quiz Trivia]]====
** [[Rear Access]][[File:Tebay north rear access.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Rear Access]]{{newline}}A list of all the services with a 'secret exit', as well as information on what these things are and who can use them.
If you want the most northern, the most southern, or anything in between - this page should have you covered.
A lot of people tell us they consider a bridge to be the mark of a traditional service station. This is our guide to why they were built, and how they fell out of favour.<br style="clear:both">
====[[File:Rownhams Costa drive thru entry.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Drive thru]][[Drive thru|Drive Thrus]]====
Drive thrus are all over the motorway network - what took them so long?<br style="clear:both">
From fine dining to burgers and a few new ideas here and there.<br style="clear:both">
====<div class="floatleft" style="height:97px">[[File:Severn View motel sign.jpg|100px|class=nophone|link=Hotel]]</div>[[Hotel|Hotels and Lodges]]====
There's no such thing as a motel - according to the people who market them, anyway.<br style="clear:both">
====[[File:Irish services car park sign.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Parking]][[Parking]]====
The biggest argument found in a service station is over something so basic. This is our attempt to lay down the rules of parking.<br style="clear:both">
The little newsagents that became a big supermarket.<br style="clear:both">
====[[File:Heart of Scotland sunflower toilets.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Showers]][[Showers]]====
Even we'll admit this isn't the most exciting page on the website, but lots of people ask about service station showers.<br style="clear:both">
====[[File:Newport Pagnell North Fone Bitz 2018.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Toilets]][[Toilets]]====
It's the only facility everybody is looking for - so why are the toilets always at the back?<br style="clear:both">
====[[File:Birch traffic info.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=National Highways Information Points]][[National Highways Information Points|Traffic Information]]====
Putting traffic alerts on a TV screen doesn't sound revolutionary, but wait until you hear about the first effort.
An explanation of how services are regulated and how the policy on them has changed over the years.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:Watford Gap design.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=History:Motorway service area]][[History:Motorway service area|How To Design A Service Station]]===
A look at how service station design has evolved, and what the key factors in new service station design are.<br style="clear:both">
Information on the different discount and information apps offered to help and persuade motorway users.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:Costa Drive Thru Strensham South 2018.JPG|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Myths]][[Myths|Motorway Myths]]===
In our time online, we frequently see the same motorway myths being repeated time and time again, and we will struggle to keep quiet any longer.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:Frankley WHSmith.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Pricing]][[Pricing|Price Point: Why are services so expensive?]]===
A look at the other side of the coin as to why services are so expensive, and a few tips to get the better of them.<br style="clear:both">
A collection of pages which explain the meaning of various technical and unofficial terms relating to motorway services.<br style="clear:both">
==Lists and Analysis==
===<div class="floatleft" style="height:97px;overflow-y:hidden">[[File:Keele menu publicity film.jpg|100px|class=nophone|link=Keep Track]]</div>[[Keep Track|All The Service Stations]]===
As you might expect, we have a lot of different lists of service areas, and that isn't that remarkable. But some people want to visit every service area in Britain, and we've prepared this page to help them out a bit.<br style="clear:both">
===<div class="floatleft" style="height:97px;overflow-y:hidden">[[File:Visit England three star.jpg|100px|class=nophone|link=MSO:Ratings]]</div>[[MSO:Ratings|Best and Worst]]===
Across the site we ask you to rate different service stations, and here you can see how they all stack up alongside each other.<br style="clear:both">
Many modern A-road services have adopted a building which pre-dates the road network as we would recognise it. This page lists them.<br style="clear:both">
Motorway services originally sold promotional postcards - find the best of them here.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:Tebay north rear access.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Rear Access]][[Rear Access]]===
A list of all the services with a 'secret exit', as well as information on what these things are and who can use them.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:M2 hard shoulder sign.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Smart Motorways]][[Smart Motorways]]===
Smart motorways have been associated with considerable anxiety from motorists, so this website now highlights where service areas are available on them. That list is available here.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:Birch Granada interview 1979.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Services on TV]][[Services on TV]]===
A list of service areas which have played a significant role in a TV show.<br style="clear:both">
===[[File:Little Chef Fenstanton fire.jpg|100px|left|class=nophone|link=Fire]][[Fire|Services which have burnt down]]===
As with any building, service stations can suffer from fire damage, but when it happens it tends to be a big talking point among motorway users. This page lists some of the incidents which have occurred.
[[Category:Contents]][[Category:UK only]]
[[Category:Contents]][[Category:UK only]]
Latest revision as of 09:34, 31 March 2025
'How Things Work' is our creative, catch-all title for our collection of articles which don't form part of the main database. They attempt to provide some background information about different aspects of motorway services, and a little bit about how they work.
Visitors to this section should also look at History, which pays particular attention to closed, unbuilt and the oldest service areas.
The Basics
Our first section examines the topics which we get asked about a lot. It's by far the best place to start!
What's the longest motorway journey without any services? Why are motorway services always in awkward places? Which services are closest together? This page has you covered.
A lot of people tell us they consider a bridge to be the mark of a traditional service station. This is our guide to why they were built, and how they fell out of favour.
As you might expect, we have a lot of different lists of service areas, and that isn't that remarkable. But some people want to visit every service area in Britain, and we've prepared this page to help them out a bit.
Smart motorways have been associated with considerable anxiety from motorists, so this website now highlights where service areas are available on them. That list is available here.
As with any building, service stations can suffer from fire damage, but when it happens it tends to be a big talking point among motorway users. This page lists some of the incidents which have occurred.
Hotels and Lodges
