Spaghetti Junction IgersbirminghamUK

With the famous spaghetti junction turning 50, the event has led to a flurry of media and photographic interest.  A rollercoaster of activity. Such a landmark event has already led to Heinz releasing a limited edition yellow-themed tin of Spaghetti pasta celebrating the anniversary  

I, also, found myself getting caught up in this rollercoaster of a celebration of the motorway junction.   Following on from my recent visit to the junction, IgersbirminghamUK organised a photographic meeting for the week of the celebrations.  Just under 40 photographers arrived on a Sunday morning to be briefed on the planned photographic walk under the M6.  The group photograph was a popular picture and was even featured by the national IgersUK Instagram page.  All the photographs taken during the walk may be found under the Instagram hashtag #igbuk_meet_spagjunction.   There are some very good pictures that show the relatively unseen world underneath the Spaghetti Junction.

Spaghetti Junction IgersbirminghamUK
IgersbirminghamUK participants
Spaghetti Junction IgersbirminghamUK
The quietness of the canal with the Junction in the distance (selected for the BBC England’s Big Picture).
Spaghetti Junction IgersbirminghamUK
A view of the columns holding up the Motorway.
Spaghetti Junction IgersbirminghamUK
Nature is reclaiming the area underneath the Spaghetti Junction.

The events of the meeting were recorded by the BBC and the report by reporter Laura Mcmullan featured interviews with me and other photographers.  Following the publication of the BBC news item, I was invited by the University of Birmingham to write an article on what lies below the Spaghetti Junction from a photographic viewpoint.

Although I was busy with the organisation of the meeting, I did have time to take a few pictures myself as featured in this blog.  I wonder what the place will be like in another 50 years.  Meanwhile, I know that I will be passing over the Junction in the future as I hurtle in and out of Birmingham.

Further links
BBC Midlands Today provides an account of the IgersbirminghamUK meeting
What’s underneath the Spaghetti Junction, Damien Walmsley, University of Birmingham.
My previous blog on Spaghetti Junction (50 years on) with more pictures.
Englands Big Picture 22nd May to the 29th May (my picture of the Spaghetti Junction)

Spaghetti Junction IgersbirminghamUK
The flyovers tower above you.