Island Harbour / Forton Services

[sgr143]

Driving back home from Scotland yesterday, and passing Forton (Lancaster) services on the M6, I was struck by the similarity between their "space station" tower (once a restaurant, now unused) and the lock control tower at Island Harbour, IoW. Looking around the web didn't bring up any info as to whether they were by the same architect or might otherwise be related. Does anyone out there in YBW-land know?

 

[girlofwight]

I don’t know about Forton services but there were a number of similar buildings on Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight Heritage Group

 

[CM74]

I go through there (forton) on my way to work - that building is like something from another world!
As you say, the tower bit is closed off which is a real shame, but inside the services there's loads of pictures on the walls showing it in its heyday.

IIRC the tower was a form of advertising, when the services weren't allowed to have signs on the motorway as it might distract drivers (tell that to whoever signed off the huge electronic ones near Birmingham...)

I'm a real fan of 50s/60s buildings like this they have a sense of efficiency and above all optimism that is sadly missing these days.

 

[Davy_S]

 

[Motor_Sailor]

I think it's a bit of a stretch to think they have the same architect - one looks quite elegant and the other . . .

Then one is an octagon and the other a hexagon.

 

[Giblets]

IIRC the tower was a form of advertising, when the services weren't allowed to have signs on the motorway as it might distract drivers (tell that to whoever signed off the huge electronic ones near Birmingham...)

Similar principle to the mast at Membury on the M4 (unless there is low cloud as on Christmas Eve!)