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Content:
Strensham
MSO Home - Services List - Strensham
RoadChef/McDonalds & Costa services, M5 between J7 and J8
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Road: M6
Junction: Between J7 and J8
Operator: RoadChef (signposted as McDonalds and Costa)
Location: Worcestershire WR8 0BZ
Telephone: 01684 293004 (northbound) 01984 290577 (southbound)
Signed from the motorway? Yes
Previous operators: Take-a-Break
Previous names: none
Services type: Two sites located between junctions, with no public connection between them.
Official website: Visit RoadChef's official website
Strensham is a popular and modern service station, especially the southbound side. The southbound side holds a whole new list of brands including WH Smith and McDonalds as part of a trial which will soon be rolled out at all RoadChef services.
Choose a section: Main Page | Location, Map & Directions
Facilities:
Key: northbound only | southbound only
General: Cash Machine, Game On, Pay Phones, BT Openzone
Food/Drink: Soho Coffee Company, Hot Food Company, McDonalds, RestBite, Wimpy, Costa Coffee, Pizza Hut Express
Shopping: WH Smith, Fonebitz, Cotton Traders
Fuel: Texaco (pump types unknown), BP (pump types unknown)
Motel: Premier Inn
Photos:
Click on a photo to view the full size. If you have one to add, contact me. It's never too late to get your name in the limelight.
 | The services, looking all shiny and new. Photo taken whilst travelling southbound in 2007 by Steve Fareham. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | The Texaco filling station. Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2007 by Steve Fareham. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | The northbound services's 'secret exit', when there was an Air Ambulance Open Day on. It looks like RoadChef have recently brought in measures to stop people misusing the road. Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2005 by Bob Embleton. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | The motorway running near to the services was completley cut off in two locations during the July 2007 floods. One of those locations was here - right outside the services. The services themselves weren't hit by the water, but anyone who was hoping to "nip to the loo" would have faced quite a long wait! Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2007 by Maggie. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | In 1965 motorway services were exciting and Kenning, like all the operators at the time, released postcards advertising them. The building on the right of the top-right photo shows the old southbound service area (see trivia below) complete with the bridge that used to connect the two. On the back Kenning describe themselves as "Britain's largest Motoring Service", carefully hiding the fact that they only had two service stations at the time. The M5 here has since been widened to three lanes. |
Trivia:
The two sides of the services are a good mile apart. Originally the services were built just like any other, if a little close to M5 J8. During the early 90s the M5 here was widened and J8 improved, bringing it closer to the services. This was used as a chance to move the northbound site further north, and the old northbound site became a works depot, and the southbound site's exit was been changed so that traffic leaving the services is thrown onto J8, rather than trying to merge onto a motorway which is full of traffic trying to leave. There is an extra lane between J8 and the northbound services, giving us a very rare scenario where there is a lane drop into a service area.
The northbound site has an air ambulance base, and when RoadChef grasped hold of the services in the late 90s they bulldozed the southbound site and replaced it with something much more modern. Today this is the operator's busiest and most profitable service area, with Norton Canes coming a close second.
During the floods of July 2007 the M5 here was completley unusable, and just about every building in the services was used as a depot for stranded motorists. The manager at the time, Quintin Speers, was hailed a hero for working almost non-stop over several days to make sure that people stuck both in the water and the resulting queues were well-informed and safe.
As part of the refurbishment, the signs for the southbound services now read 'McDonalds Costa' rather than the usual 'RoadChef Costa Coffee'.
Survey results:
I am not aware of any surveys which these services have featured in. If you know better, let me know!
Parking Prices:
Vehicle: | For up to 2 hours: | For 2 hours to 24 hours: |
| Cars: | FREE | unknown |
| HGVs & Carvans: | FREE | unknown |
| Coaches: | FREE | unknown |
The above prices are intended to be a guide only. Tickets must be renewed after 24 hours, and can be obtained from the 'Pay & Display' meters located in each car park. | ||
Alternatives:
- Stafford (South) RoadChef services on the M6 southbound, 63 miles to the north.
- Frankley Moto services on the M5, 29 miles to the north.
- Hopwood Park Welcome Break services on the M42, 31 miles to the north.
- Michaelwood Welcome Break services on the M5, 32 miles to the south.
- Sedgemoor (South) RoadChef services on the M5 southbound, 69 miles to the south.
- Oldbury local services on the M5, 25 miles to the south.
- Ross Spur local services on the M50, 22 miles to the south.
Main Page | Location, Map & Directions
With thanks to the user 'grizzle' for the information used on this page.