Anyone aged over 30 who grew up in Bristol will remember it - and how could you not? The Redcliffe Flyover was a narrow single-lane curved bridge which felt more like a rollercoaster than a road to the young boy or girl in the back seat of a car.
The structure, built in 1967, was only ever intended to be temporary. Its purpose was to relieve congestion in the area (nothing has changed there) - and it ended up in place until 1998 when it was pulled down, unscrupulously some may say.
The road took vehicles up from Temple Gate and over the busy junction outside the Grosvenor Hotel before landing them safely onto Redcliffe Way. It was a strange old structure - and one some classed as an eyesore, but others will look back fondly.
Since posting the story on Bristol World Facebook, several readers wrote responses, including Ivan Rowe who said ‘I loved driving on this’, and Karen Tavener who referred to ‘the good ole days’.
Here are seven pictures documenting its 31-year history:
1. Construction
In the 1967 work started on the flyover at Temple Meads, which was initially intended to be only a temporary structure - but, as we know, stayed up for more than three decades. It was built by contractors Cleveland Bridge company.
2. The bones of the structure
To test its strength, three lorries with combined weight of 70 tons were sent over the bridge - before Gervas Walker, then chairman of the council’s planning committee, went over in his car to officially open it in September 1967. The structure was made up of 16 columns.
3. Made famous
The flyover even made it on the cinema screen, as seen in this still from the 1979 film Radio On which also featured the Grosvenor Hotel. The film followed a road journey from London to Bristol.
4. Come rain or shine
In the winter of 1970, just three years after it was built, the curving exit of the flyover can be seen here with St Mary Redcliffe Church in the background. The bridge carried around 50,000 vehicles a day.