Other Services On this Motorway:

Burton In Kendal
Charnock Richard
Corley
Hilton Park
Keele
Killington Lake
Lymm Truckstop
Knutsford
Lancaster (Forton)
Norton Canes
Sandbach
Southwaite
Stafford
J38 Truckstop
Tebay East
Tebay West

Other Pages:
Home

Opened: 1965 Original owner: Toprank Current Owner: Moto Location: M6 J32/33

Then:
Opened as Forton, now known as Lancaster (Forton)

Trivia:
Very distinctive from the road- features a round tower that resembles a Air Traffic Control Tower, which originally was a restaurant, currently in use as offices. The tower is called The Pennine Tower.

An employee of Forton said that the Pennine Tower closed after complaints that it looked like an UFO when lit up at night and was distracting- (Sounds like an urban myth, but its a great tale, It is more likely that the services became too busy to handle the number of visitors- can anyone shed any light on this). Also we are curious to know when it closed?

Update: Eddy Rhead writes: "The tower is closed for that modern malaise Health and Safety! Apparently you need two alternative exits in case of a fire and with just one lift and one staircase coupled with a kitchen the risk is just too high."
We should have guessed it would be health and safety....

Eddy adds: " I have always said that come the end of the world and the human race has to start again, the early travellers will come across Forton tower in the middle of Lancashire and wonder at its meaning - in Planet of the Apes type thingy. Probably! "

The southbound services was one of the first in the country to have self serve vending operation it was very advanced and stylish but only stayed open for 12 months it had huge problems.

The Second Motorway Services to open on the M6

Britain's worst motorway crash on record happened near the site in 1985. 13 people were killed and many others injured after a coach and ten other vehicles collided.

A large MSA, with 6930m2 of space on the northbound side and 4960m2 on the Southbound side.

Houses a Police Station

Another urban myth - That the tower was built as a rotating restaurant but was never used due to the fuel crisis. Nope not true, but a nice idea!

Of all the sites listed on this site, this one is viewed the most.

Memories:
Deano recalls the Pennine Tower Restaurant:

"As far as I can remember, you could take the stairs or the lift and it was self service and then paid at the till once you had chosen what you wanted to eat. There was also a juke box in the restaurant. I was only a child, but I always enjoyed listening to Billy Hayley's Rock around the Clock."

James Snodgrass recalls dining in the tower as recently as 1987

Deirdre, who used to work at Forton, writes:
"I worked for many years at Forton starting when it was Top Rank, you could only get to the Tower by 2 lifts no staircase was ever used by the general public but it had a rear staircase and was used to take the rubbish down as using the lifts was not allowed!
"The tower closed for a couple of reasons 1 was that at its closure it was in fact being used as a transport cafe and the drivers stopped using it (due to the prices) so it became to costly to run that was the real reason it was easier to put the few remaining drivers in with the rest in the main cafe with the other users and give them transport prices than keep the tower open,
Just before I transferred over from Granada to Granada Healthcare it was in use by the Regional ops Director Mr Lotts and his p.a. the views are stunning in fact several of us watched the last lunar eclipse from the roof amazing is the only word to describe it
I have fond memories of Forton Services I worked with great people and met some amazing people over the years
We lived locally and I can remember the wood that was cleared to build the services we used to walk our dog and watch the motorway and services being built, my mother in fact was one of the original staff when it was opened "

Photos:
The Tower, in 1972, when it was still in use as a restaurant, named "The Pennine Tower Restuarant"


Outside view (northbound):



Thanks:
Deano - for the Memory, and the UFO story!
Eddy Rhead - For the details about the closure, and the Planet of the Apes thought!
James Snodgrass

Received votes so far and a sample of comments: People who prefer this MSA 68 People happy to visit 22 People who avoid this MSA 12 Selection of comments received It was crappy, chompy, muddy, angry and it smelt like a Golden Retrievers pancreas but good chips though. 09/04/2005 20:18:51 Wish that tower could be used again as a restaurant - couldnt external stairs be added? 07/06/2005 23:27:55 I think theres a speed trap on the M6 just below the footbridge at Forton...but I love Forton anyway... 02/08/2005 20:49:21 sinde the early eighties when i first started driving and going to the lakes or scotland,my friends and i have nicknamed forton services marineville as in the gerry anderson show stingray. .can anyone else see the resemblance.. paul.lancs. 14/09/2005 17:29:20 an absoloutly amazing msa, best in the world 05/12/2005 18:10:44 its a good stop for trucks also 4 1/2 hrs drive (56mph) in a truck from forth road bridge 27/01/2006 12:31:11 It had the friendliest staff at the Little Chef when we regularly visited our son at university between 2001 and 2004. 12/03/2006 20:23:56 24/03/2006 15:04:11 i always like to stop here om the way up to scotland, good restaurants and shops 30/03/2006 15:57:58 Bet there are a few more cars parked there nowadays :) 28/04/2006 00:55:43 good burgerking 30/04/2006 21:17:51 Glorious. Building should be listed. 29/05/2006 22:42:43 I think the tower *is* a listed building. Apparently designed to look like a air traffic control tower, because package holidays were just starting to get fashionable. 30/06/2006 11:35:50 Slow service, needs refurbishment, out of date. 02/07/2006 12:37:43 Free parking but dirty cutlery in the restaraunt. 09/07/2006 21:16:43 Im a local and still visit these services good stop just before getting home, think Tower is an asset thats being missed out on, if could and given opportunity would reopen it myself !!!!!!! 19/07/2006 15:27:03 They have female staff cleaning in the mens toilets. Polishing mirrors while we are all stood there at the urinals! Bet they dont have male staff in female toilets! 29/09/2006 11:07:15 Not a nice place. Shows its age 29/09/2006 12:37:47 best ive seen,fondest memories. 03/10/2006 18:01:32 I think it was a fabulous statement about this countries commitment to road transport, back in the 60s. How different things turned out now that the motorist is used like a cash cow. 07/10/2006 01:52:49 Great memories of childhood holidays. I seem to remember that the restaurant was upstairs on the southbound side, with radio control boats in a pool outside. Anyone else remember these? 13/11/2006 12:29:02 We love Forton! Long may you rule supreme in your mushroomlike wonderosity! 18/11/2006 21:41:22 Love this history of the tower! 05/01/2007 20:42:48 A true brittish motorway icon. Quite the most interesting thing on the M6 by a mile! Always stop off here just to look at the mushroom. Kind of brave new world vrs star trek. If I had a few million I would gladly chuck it all at refurbishment. 16/01/2007 16:24:20 The Forton tower is regarded by the company as a listed building. It cant be reopened due to worries of asbestos and it is regarded as being too expensive to repair. Currently it stands empty. 21/01/2007 15:44:09 Brilliant place, well remember Deirdre from my days as a Bobbie working motorway network in Lancashire 23/01/2007 19:51:28 wasnt the tower closed due to the threat of terrorism? 21/02/2007 01:48:41 The Burger King staff were a pleasure 11/03/2007 22:29:13 Amazing structure...I took a photo of it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11515091@N00/245565486/ 20/03/2007 23:20:22 road acces from southbound to northbound side of the site 24/03/2007 17:38:22 Such a shame the Tower is not open! Love the site 18/04/2007 14:01:16 Excellent tower building, nicknamed Space Station by many people I know. Shame it needs work inside. 22/04/2007 00:17:39 absolutley love forton services...always stopped as a child and loved the mway bridge and always wanted to go up the tower....why close it????? 15/05/2007 10:42:50 Worked there as a catering assistant from Easter 1975 to New Year 1977. First job was in The Tower; it was a fab place. Staff used the service stairs down the centre of the tower. there was also a service lift, but it only took a service trolley. 23/05/2007 21:18:44 The last time I stopped at Forton the tower was still open. Its so frustrating seeing it there empty. When Im PM Ill force it to reopen as a national monument ; ) 27/05/2007 22:37:22 Why is it the only service station besides Hilton Park with a tower? Even the older stations built round about its time dont have one either... 04/06/2007 19:35:39 I took quite a fun photo of Forton this morning. I love the place! http://www.flickr.com/photos/twentyhertz/1313676152/ 03/09/2007 19:16:40 The car parking (on the northbound side at least) is almost impossible. Queues to get in, queues to get out. 25/09/2007 15:41:14 Costly it may be, but the tower must be re-opened, passers-by have really taken it to their hearts. 25/09/2007 15:51:43 Fond memories of this unique place 25/11/2007 23:04:19 Superb building. Always know Im nearly home (Cumbria) when I see it. 11/12/2007 23:49:36 Imread an article in one of the architecture journals a fe w years back which stated, inter alia, that the Beatles used to drive the 50 or so miles from Liverpool due to the novelty factor. 25/12/2007 02:52:38 First MSA I remember visiting. My dad liked the tower so much that he made a light fitting for back room that resembled it. 03/02/2008 22:52:58 One coment on here says The Forton ServicesTower is regarded by the company as a listed building and that it cant be re opened due to worries of asbestos,and that its regarded as being too expensive to repair have you any proof of this 01/03/2008 00:36:17 If I make it as a pop star Ill feature the Pennine Tower on my first video, hopefully this will generate enough interest to get it reopened, what do you think? 19/03/2008 22:33:22

 

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