Secrets of The Motorway - M40

[@BuzbyWuzby]

The insect was merely trying to bring to your attention the fact that this section of tarmac was now a bee road

[@AutoShenanigans]

Very good!

[@chickenpopper]

Buzz off with your puns, you're bugging me

[@Eevee13-xo]

Thanks for that one, genuinely spit my tea out.

[@johnmiller4973]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ERTB]

And now, Honey Bear.

[@trancemadmaz]

The king of motorways. England's unofficial autobahn

[@tims9434]

Those were the days

[@Zecstar23]

@@tims9434 it still is. No cameras on any of it… yet

[@ViscountAlbany]

M40 J7 has the slip roads taken out of use on the north side because when the motorway was extended towards Birmingham, it branched off the existing Oxford route just north of J7. That meant the new merge/diverge at J8 was too close to J7 for safety as traffic would be swerving in and out of the inside lane. As J7 isn't serving a major route, J8 was prioritised; the old north slips were converted into an emergency access route and the access to the Highways Agency facility, respectively. It is still easy to access/leave the M40 to the north at this point simply by driving the short distance along the A40 to J8A.

[@stanslad7868]

Spent loads of weekends metal detecting & fossil hunting when the Ardley junction 10 section area was being built, loads of great finds.

[@trevornelmes9331]

Kineton is not Ki-NEE-TON but Kine as in Line. The curious arrangement at J13/14/15 was a cost saving last minute decision. Before the M40 there was a Kenilworth/Leamington/Warwick bypass. Originally, it was planned that the M40 would junction at the Stratford exit of the bypass (now J15), and also at the terminus of the bypass (now at the end of the long slip road off J14, at the Grays Mallory roundabout. At that roundabout the road in to Leamington was supposed to go south to meet the A429 to the south of Barford (to provide Barford with an Eastern bypass), and continue on over the River Avon just West of Charlecote and just to the East of Alveston and to continue all the way around Stratford to meet up with the Western bypass, thus giving Stratford upon Avon a ring road. Bits of the road are being built even to this day (if you drive down the Evesham Road out of Stratford they are building a new roundabout and road there right now). Bits are still missing. In the end, Barford got a bypass to the west and south instead. Anyhow, the KLW bypass lost itself after the Stratford turn and that became the M40 and the bypass River bridge was used as the Southbound M40 carriageway bridge. That forced J14 closer to J15 to where it is now, also moved to there to allow a sand quarry to the south side of that junction to supply sand and concrete to the whole project (look on the satellite map and you will see it). All for nought. It was (and still is) traffic chaos everyday, such that the original plan to separate the KLW bypass road to Stratford from J15 had to be undertaken as a hugely expensive retro project. J13 was redesigned as a consequence of the moving of J14, because otherwise traffic exiting Southbound would overwhelm local roads, so Southbound traffic has to come off at J14. Utter and total mess of a design. J13 at Gaydon had to be totally re-built also. And now, proposals are afoot to re-instate that last leg of the KLW bypass, as non-motorway traffic has no other means to go around Warwick. D'oh.

[@trevornelmes9331]

Oh, how do I know this? My family have (had) a farm right there. Still own and live in the farmhouse. So, we get invited to meetings.

[@PrincePawn]

This channel is a true gem.. how does he not have more subs?!

[@AutoShenanigans]

It's still growing, that's alright for me :) Thanks for watching

[@stephencopps1561]

Also how doesn't he have more bites and stings?😂

[@YelpBullhorn]

You missed the most remarkable thing about the M40: the majestic red kites soaring above the Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire section.

[@GodlessGrandpa]

Found this channel via Jago Hazard and I'm glad I did. Always entertaining. Born and raised in England but moved to Canada 18 years ago. This is a welcome taste of home. Kept doing what you are doing. 👍

[@ADJLfanatic52]

I'm a fan a Jago Hazzard plus I've always watched a lot of American roadway videos. I think that's how this was recommended to me.

[@BarriesChannel]

Drove past that water tower today and I wondered what it was. I thought to myself 'John will have mentioned this on his secrets of the motorway series'. YEP.

[@dave1the1deer1hunter]

I never imagined I'd enjoy watching videos about roads I will never use so much.

[@Mr_Jimbo]

Prodrive, V bombers and a Fast show reference, where has this channel been all my life?! You mentioned the former RAF tower remaining at JLR Gaydon, when you go on track as a visitor/first timer you have to report to the Obs Tower as it is now known, which makes it feel very exciting (experienced users just go straight on the test track so it’s slightly less glamourous). The tower also serves as a meeting room/break room facilities in case anyone was interested.

[@davidmalin5491]

The M40 was used when filming the Italian Job. Before the section around junction 14 /15 was opened that was where they filmed the cars being driven into the back of the coach.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I didnt know that, great bit of info.

[@philt4346]

Some kind of re-enactment is called for shurely

[@marksreeves8729]

Surely it must have been filmed south of Oxford somewhere. North of Oxford is too recent

[@marcusmcdowell2236]

​@@marksreeves8729Yes, the section north of Oxford didn't open until 1991 I believe. Before that, what is now J8 for the A40 and Oxford was the terminus of the motorway. Another interesting nuggets to add to the public inquiry into the M40 extension is that the original plans were for only two lanes in each direction, but the public inquiry forced them into making it 3 lanes. Otherwise, we could have had a rubbishy extension like the M3 between the A303 and A34 junctions. I don't know why they were so rubbish at planning for the future in that period. They'd already had to widen other motorways like the M1 and M4 to three lanes when it became obvious they couldn't cope with traffic. Very short-sighted planning in those days.

[@AlanPope]

I absolutely love this series of videos. You've got the balance of humour and facts right, and the duration is spot on. Keep up the good work.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Awesome thanks for watching mate!

[@emsik185]

Hi thanks for such a great video and I love a bit about buying a small plot of land and dividing it by 3.500 times!!! to stop building the road where locals didnt want it! Yes that was a clever move! Love it! :)

[@hyperfluff_folf]

Genious isnt it

[@checkflaps]

They’ve done it at Heathrow too.

[@acciid]

It's a sensible tactic. As long as there's a sensible alternative. That road was always going to get built and it would have been the taxpayer picking up the bill for the red tape.

[@RoyCousins]

The most annoying part of the M40 is Junction 4, Handy Cross (for High Wycombe). The motorway goes from 3 lanes to 2 lanes than back to 3 lanes again, as the construction was never built for a 3 lane motorway. As a result, the motorway is frequently jammed for miles, as traffic fails to filter down to pass under the roundabout, which itself fails to cope with the A404 traffic.

[@1960dave1960]

I won’t hear a bad thing said about J4, at Handycross, not a single bad thing…..good that’s settled then….remember not a single bad word…..it’s a lovely junction….😀😄😅😂🤣🥲…..I

[@suejames3208]

@@1960dave1960 I would haveto agree and I ddohope you didn't have your tongue in your cheek! Did the drive from jct10 to 4 every week for 4 years to provide two days grandchild care in Maidenhead. A wonderful filter lane and easy roundabout to navigate to the A404.

[@Ps1l0c]

I'd always wonder what the hell that tower was but by the time I'd reached my destination and could use my phone I'd forgotten all about it. I must have repeated that cycle a thousand times. Thanks for the info!

[@IDeltic]

Junctions 13 and 14 are effectively the same junction, just with the sliproads separated by a couple of miles, and the roundabout that serves both of them is about halfway between on the eastern side. The reasons they are missing sliproads is that they would never get used. For example, if you were heading northbound you would not drive past the junction 13 exit, to take the junction 14 exit, only to turn back on yourself to head towards the roundabout. Another random tidbit about that location is the road going over junction 14 is called "Flat Rabbit Road". One can only assume how it got its name...

[@andytownsend9163]

I dont think the official name is "Flat Rabbit Road" its only named Flat Rabbit Rd on Google Maps, Its also known as Dead Bunny Mile or Barford Rd. I do like Flat Rabbit Road though👍

[@jonh6585]

During the construction of the m40 "flat rabbit road" had a Big Dip in it for about a year as you drove through the construction and back up the other side

[@johnoblein4592]

Very enjoyable video, thank you. As a young boy, I was taken by a family friend with his two sons from High Wycombe, Handy Cross, on the then new M40 to the other end at Stokenchurch and back again, just for the hell of it. It was years before the eastern end leapt the Wycombe Marsh valley towards Denham, or west to Oxford, always as a two lane roadway. The expansion to three lanes meant years of roadworks to endure.

[@Jimmed]

I just discovered this series today -- thankyou for filling my Sunday with interesting content (and Gran Turismo menu music!)

[@AutoShenanigans]

Welcome along!

[@caravaningincarathevan467]

I love the M40 I live 10 miles away from the Oxford services. If I'm on the M40 it usually means I'm going racing somewhere around the country. Another great vlog well done 👏

[@dog-ez2nu]

Love these videos but couldn't stop myself laughing at the transition from 'we've seen some of the highest temperatures in history' to a motorway full of petrol/diesel cars.

[@cheekychappy1234]

Ah such a lovely Sunday. A trip to the tip/recycling and reuse centre and then settle down with a cuppa to "Secrets of the Motorway".

[@charlesachurch7265]

I adore your enthusiasm for these hellish constructions.

[@Rob2]

Interesting to see that disused roads are just left in place over there... here in the Netherlands the asphalt would be removed and recycled, and the area returned "to nature" (i.e. be a grass field)

[@Hirovard]

well, our government is nothing if not wasteful and inefficient

[@Jimmy_Jones]

@@Hirovard Well it's more efficient to not dig it up and pay the taxes for it. Shame they don't put money saving ideas like that into most other things.

[@suamme1]

Hearing my favorite MIDI track from SimCity 2000 at 5:43 really brought me back to building my own highways.

[@DrRusty5]

Since you missed Junction 15 - in recent years a new fly over added that take the A46 traffic across the motorway bypasing the main junction roundabout. The only problems in the west side they added another roundabout at the junction of the B4463 which is too small and seems to defeat the benefit of the bypass flyover entirely.

[@ScottPC]

I drive the whole M40 nearly every weekend. You haven't missed a thing! Great video!

[@upstagedbyadog]

In 1985 the BBC broadcast their 6-part adaptation of Tom Sharpe's "Blott on the Landscape" about a landowner MP trying to get a motorway built in his constituency, despite objections. Some of the location filming was near Banbury, at Adderbury and Deddington. Then in 1988 the section of M40 around Banbury started being built.

[@mrdainase]

Arguably the best motorway in the UK, if only for the ability to drive rather quicker than plod allows. Mind you, if there ever is an accident it does tend to be pretty major. In more recent years the stretch between J9-J10 has got much busier (thankfully there's a nifty route round it if you're going South to the A34) but nothing like the horrorfest that is the M6 or M25.

[@McRocket]

4:05 - what a wonderful story. This video was chock full of little, interesting stories. Thank you (and your friend) for creating it. ☮

[@steve5x565]

Wow, subscribers gone nuts in the last couple of weeks! Great stuff, congratulations 👏 🥳

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

Loved the outro music using the "Keeping Up Appearences" series theme!

[@carolthomas8429]

John, just found this channel and really love it!

Great video John i find this kinda stuff intriguing and im glad i came across your channel

[@markstarmer3677]

Interesting video. I use the M40 quite a bit between Jct 10 and Jct 6. Best thing is that it’s not a ‘smart’ motorway.

[@ForgottenMan2009]

On the left between Banbury and Gaydon and on top of the ridge above Kineton baracks is Edge Hill. Some of the Barracks encompasses land that was the stage for the Battle of Edge Hill (an earlier King Charles and Cromwell's lot) and on the top is ex-RAF Edge Hill. The main runway of which was used as hardcore for the construction of the M40 and... was the site of most of the early testing of the Gloster E.28/39, one of the first few jets to fly in 1941.

[@The_Stronzo]

And just round the corner you’ve got camp lane and its little layby overlooking the M40. Lovely bit of countryside to walk along.

[@felixbristow155]

I think the J13 slip roads are just in place to accommodate the large volume of JLR employees going to and from work; if they are diverted onto the M40 it keeps them from clogging up the road through Lighthorne Heath (at least this is what I've heard) hence only two slip roads are required. Apparently before major road improvements to the area, traffic used to build up to a standstill in Lane 1 of the M40 at rush hour due to everyone trying to get to work at Gaydon.

[@GeorgieWing]

JLR wasn't there then. It was Rover Factory.

[@eddsirr]

The lack of sliproads at J16 is to stop people ‘cutting the corner’ of the M42/M40 during heavy traffic and clogging up the local roads.

[@adrianrutterford762]

Thanks for another video. Concerned about your selection of headgear in the warm weather. Take care

[@AutoShenanigans]

It is because I'm an idiot. It also hides my sweat laced stringy hair. Thanks for watching!

[@georgef822]

Massive fan of your channel and keep up the good work. Used to travel daily on the M40. Surprised you didn't mention the 'Stokenchurch Gap' or 'Aston Rowant Cutting' between junctions 5 & 6, which is a chalk cutting and historically significant geological site. It is also in the opening scene of The Vicar of Dibley, for some reason. Junction 4 'The Handy Cross' is also an interesting junction and was an accident hotspot.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks for watching mate!

[@TrickyTree84]

Nice vide. I grew up in Kineton. It's pronounced kynton 👍🏻👍🏻 Missing junction 13 north and 14 south is just about not driving Leamington traffic through Bishops Tachbrook ( I also lived there). If south Leamington traffic wants to go north they need to go down the main trunk routes to jct 14 down Europa way rather than going through the village of Bishops Tachbrook. Problem now is JLR traffic tries to avoid JCT 12 and goes all the way up the A452 to jct 14 Junction 16 missing slip roads is about Hockey traffic. If you could exit at 16 north, you would get a lot of Solihull and Brum traffic going through Hockey to avoid the M42. Likewise if you could enter south. So they are forcing you to 4 on the M42

[@mrwhite2930]

Kineton chippy best kebab i ever had 😂

[@TrickyTree84]

@@mrwhite2930 really 😬 It was closed down by health and safety more times than I can remember. We used to drive to Wellesboune

[@kimjongbingbongtingtong4430]

With many restricted access junctions such as the one at 7:30 this is often done to control traffic flow through villages in the proximity which would be negatively impacted on if they became a 'rat-run'. Close to me is M69 J2, which has no westbound access towards Coventry, and no eastbound exit for Hinckley, as the road you join on leaving the M69 passes through already congested and narrow villages. If it were fully opened up it would potentially cause major traffic issues in Sapcote with morning rush-hour Coventry bound traffic attempting to negotiate the super-tight village centre, and evening traffic coming home from Coventry (dodging the other bloody awful route using J3 and the A5) would just add to the already horrendously congested route into south Hinckley.

[@antm2296]

I use the M6 a lot while trucking. I think that motorway should be complete by the time the sun burns out completely.

[@alankordzikowski7670]

I find former RAF bases very interesting. My grandfather flew out of England during the war. I got a chance to explore some of them a decade ago. But more and more are disappearing everyday. The time to explore them was in the 60’s and 70’s.

[@EuropaSman]

Just off the south bound M42 slip road to the M40 at Junction 3A you can see a Sepecat Jaguar fighter sitting in the woods. It's part of Delta Force Paintball Birmingham.

[@triggerking135]

Love watching how quickly this channel's sub count is blowing up 😊

[@defender1006]

Thanks for some interesting facts about the M40, my most local Motorway, the slip roads just before Junction 4 were for the 'Abbey Barn' services, still highly visible and get resurfaced whenever the carriageway is done! I remember driving from Oxford northbound a week after that section opened and it was so quiet you could have played on the carriageway's, a very different story from today!

[@danielpeat1336]

There is also an abandoned stretch of road that used to be called the daventry road which is located just north of where prodrive used to be before it moved to its current site, it is now occupied by Banbury gateway retail park

[@nathanw9770]

I wouldn't be surprised if the reason they didn't include northbound slip roads on some of the junctions is because they don't want anyone to go to the horror that is Birmingham. 🤣

[@angelsone-five7912]

Trust me - you only go there if you HAVE to.

[@royfearn4345]

@@angelsone-five7912 hey! Just watch it, orl roight?

[@angelsone-five7912]

@@royfearn4345 Wrong accent, they are almost extinct now.

[@112chapters3]

What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison? You can’t wash your hands in a buffalo

[@CORNERofTECH]

No. They’re just discriminating against Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

[@northernbloke4356]

A few more bits of M40 trivia. Many people in the UK will be familiar with the section of the M40 between Lewknor and Stokenchurch (J6 - J5) where the M40 runs through chalk cutting; as an overhead shot of the motorway is used for the opening credits to the BBC comedy "The Vicar of Dibley" Junction 15 which provides access to the Warwick bypass (A46) was modified about ten years ago. A new bridge was built north of the junction bypassing the roundabout interchange, to allow traffic that wants to use the A46 to head to Warwick, and don't require access to the M40 and J15 itself. This junction was a horrific bottleneck when everything was forced onto the roundabout. Finally, an early section of of the M40 around High Wycombe was given the place holder name A40(M) but the number was never actually used, and was given to the former elevated Westway in London.

[@ruggedscot69]

it was signed as the A40(M) for a while.

[@danimayb]

Ah yes Stokenchurch cutting aka chicken shite canyon lol I've worked on the M40 and heard the story of chicken poop being used to stabilise the walls of that cutting during construction.

[@bobingram6912]

The highlight of the M40 - craning your neck to see if there were any Scobedoos' in Prodrive!!! Wish the journey was as quick as your video!!!!👍👍👍

[@Zeebad_1st]

Prodrive back in the late 80's was a big shed further north where the retail park is now.

[@frankupton5821]

The reason for the lack of south-facing slip roads at Junction 16 is probably to reduce traffic on the A34 through Hockley Heath, particularly on those occasions when the M42 around Junction 4 turns into a car park.

[@davidnarbett]

Yup - was just going to say that - built that way so that ‘locals in the know’ would not use it as a short cut to skip the M42/M40 junction - (both directions!! - mean motorway planners!)

[@Ongomar]

Ok, you've turned what would otherwise be a really boring subject into a quite interesting video. Bravo!

[@AutoShenanigans]

That seems to be our thing :D

[@cuddlepaws4423]

Loved the Jazz Club... 'Niiiiice' from the Fast Show. Used to love that because it was blatantly obvious that he thought it was shit. He'd do all that intro, the band started playing... allegedly, and the camera would pan back and show him grimacing in pain, but as soon as she noticed the camera he would smile as though he's just farted and followed through and say, 'Mmmm, Niicce,' or 'Mmmm, Superb'. Ah, brings back very fond memories. Thanks, Jon 👍 Oh, and say, 'hello to your little friend' sitting on your t-shirt. That is a very well-trained Dwarf Hamster, and it sleeps through anything!!! We particularly liked your thoughts on Stop Oil dickheads who are just bored retired pensioners, housewives and students who feel the need to piss everyone off 'For the Environment.' Quite funny really given all their clothing, those banners and their phones are all products of the petrochemical industry. Guess they have a blind spot the size of a supertanker there, huh??

[@taiwarby9086]

Not very often I comment on α video, but I love your stuff! Always αn intriguing watch whenever I see α new video pop up on my feed! Keep up the great stuff mate!

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@stug45]

I passed my test in 2007 and have been driving past umberslade tower on a very regular basis since then....it wasn't until this exact day you filmed this that I actually spotted it!

[@boundsgreenboy8354]

Nice one mate, interesting and enjoyable and some great knowledge from others too , thanks.

[@UAIED]

Thanks for doing the M40, I was going to request it! 😊

[@smyler701]

Really good video. Just found you guys just watched the service station videos. Really enjoying them, just about watch the M25.

[@tommarshall3365]

Just discovered these motorway films....absolutely fascinating, love it!

[@davidjewood]

I’m loving your vlogs. They resinate with my inner geek! 👍🏻

[@Swindon-wj8ud]

About 2 miles south of J9 is a fairly unremarkable looking lake between the motorway and the River Ray called the Merton Borrow Pit. It was from here that much if the hardcore for this part of the motorway was extracted and it's a couple of hundred feet deep.

[@Zerofightervi]

I like the M40, gives me access to J15 & the Fosse way. A nice way back to Swindon for me in the early hours.

[@UKAlanR]

That road used to be great fun in the days before speed cameras - I used to commute from Solihull to Salisbury using the Fosse Way!

[@Zerofightervi]

@@UKAlanR There's only 2 cameras on the whole thing, always got to watch out for the mobile vans obviously but it's not bad.

[@paulrobinson3528]

If your on there at night, just watch for dear just north of the Wellesbourne/Compton Verney roundabout. They love jump out of the woods just there. Many a dead dear to be seen and wrecked cars to!!

[@Zerofightervi]

@@paulrobinson3528 I'm in an HGV so they'll definitely come off worse. Thanks for the heads up though.

[@b0rme]

I live in Reading and went to uni in Coventry so I’ve seen the length and breadth of this motorway many times. Thanks for making the video

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks for watching mate!

[@alexnicolaou3579]

i like the M40, the water tower and Prodrive are definitely landmarks to look out for. taking trips form Oxford to Birmingham and back quite often, it is definitely one of the motorways i am personally most familiar with

[@neilfitz7186]

Great video as ever John. Addictive! Keep up the good work - always look forward to your next one. Thank you

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks for watching. Next episode due shortly !

[@ajuk1]

The missing slips at 13 are missing for the same reason why they're missing at 14, it's because that section was built on the alignment of the existing Warwick bypass.

[@SiVlog1989]

While the southern part of the M40 was under construction in 1966, a film crew of none other than Gerry and Sylvia Anderson assembled for a stunt between what's today junctions 4 & 5 for a stunt to be used in their the upcoming film, Thunderbird 6. With the motorway being shown as the M104 in the scene in question, the stunt involved a 1920's Tiger Moth biplane strapped with dummies to the wings, the front cockpit and the undercarriage supposedly struggling to land. The local police informed them that the aircraft could only taxi under the bridge they were using for the shot. However, as the pilot was approaching, they got on the radio to say they won't be able to land. The director, David Lane, told them to carry on if they feel it's safe enough, saying that he could make it look more dramatic if needed (possibly by speeding up the footage). This the pilot did, they came round and without touching the ground, flew under the bridge. While David Lane and the film crew were delighted, the local police were less than impressed, and despite the pilot saying that the drag from the dummies made it dangerous to land in that circumstance, the police took them to court. Long story short, luckily for them, the judge, who was a huge fan of the Thunderbirds TV series, dismissed the case and Special Effects Director, Derek Meddings gave him a model of Thunderbird 1 as a thank you gesture. Sadly, although the trial brought some publicity, the film itself, when it was finally released in 1968, flopped at the Box Office

[@theplanner]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJrHqqCIqsyejrM from 1hr 18mins onwards

[@EngineerLewis]

I bow to your amazing research John behind your videos and the drone video content is wonderful. Also that story of a driverless car test track at the RAF Oakley airfield is great news for car nuts like me 🤣 and Prodrive, Gaydon test track and JLR buildings are some of my landmarks too!

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one mate. Thanks for tuning in.

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

I’ve been on this channel since you had about 100 subs. Quite rightly John, you’ve now got the subs and views you deserve. Nice one mate 👍

[@south-facer9562]

There was a fascinating film which documents the construction of Oxford - Birmingham section called Winners and Losers: it has lots of time-lapse sequences along with the effects of construction on one farm nr Banbury. As a Geography teacher during the 90s the school I worked at had a vhs copy of the film as it provided excellent visuals as well as providing different viewpoints to consider. I have since tried to find a copy on the internet but have not been successful. A huge thank you for the amount of research, detail and mass of information you have compiled in these videos.

[@barryporter7555]

TRY VIEWPOINT 88 on KZbin its a documentary about the effects on the villages and people the motorway build would adversly effect

[@mikehindson-evans159]

I believe that the filming was carried out by the University of Birmingham Film Unit. Like you, I would love to obtain a copy (having spent a large proportion of my life since 1992 using - and enjoying the avoidance of the tight little villages - the space of the M40).

[@mittfh]

Near the motorway in the Warwick / Leamington area is the Chesterton Windmill - a stone windmill on stilts in what is now the middle of a field.

[@StolenOxygen]

Brilliant video! I know you’d mentioned that the algorithm doesn’t pick up longer videos, but I can’t wait for the day that you can post slightly longer videos. So much effort was put into travelling this that some parts feel rushed over, like the water tower. It would be great if the video could be stretched out over a longer timeframe. Anyway, I know this is quite out of your hands…thanks another exciting upload!

[@AutoShenanigans]

It would be great to explore everything in great detail but it's not possible to film a single episode in a day when we do that. That and most people switch off after 4 mins :D

[@UKSCIENCEORG]

I used the M40 the week after it opened - travelling North from West London. I did 130 MPH in my Rover SD1 most of the way until it became the M42.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Impressive and it didn't break down?

[@lsc9983]

The reason for the J13 and J14 not having certain slips is due to Warwick Castle, and the design means it eases traffic into the town creating an almost loop, not sure how much it’s really needed anymore, but that’s why it was designed as such. 👍

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, that makes sense.

[@frankupton5821]

That's just the sort of future-proofing one doesn't think about when deciding where to build a castle.

[@trueriver1950]

@@frankupton5821 in Manchester there's a Roman fort built under a railway bridge. Never seemed to me to be easy to defend: why didn't the ancient Brits just abseil in?

[@dblyth5098]

Disappointingly, the absolutely spectacular Stokenchurch Gap was missed out of this Video.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Sorry mate, I did have it down as part of the original episode plan but it was cut out I'm afraid. It's lovely to drive through though isnt it!

[@stephenweston1807]

I understood that when they extended the M40 from J8 to Birmingham they wanted to avoid it being used for short journeys - ie on at one junction and straight off at the next. So that's why the distances between junctions are relatively large. It might also explain why certain slip roads were not constructed. Other noteworthy items:- Beaconsfield Services at J2 has a fully operational pub (well, a Weatherspoons anyway!) The sweeping curves and views from J2 down past J3 and up to J4 The Stokenchurch cutting (Aston Rowant Cutting) between J5 and J6 (as featured in the titles for The Vicar of Dibley) taking a 6-lane motorway down nearly 100 metres of the Chiltern Escarpment which the old A40 had to do in a series of winding bends.

[@01jvb]

Yes, Stephen, I also remember reading that the motorway was designed so that it wouldn't be used for short journeys.

[@simonhill2820]

When i was involved in road haulage many years ago the Stokenchurch cutting was referred to as The Canyon!

[@duncanbeaumont7121]

It's Wetherspoons, not Weatherspoons. The pub is off the motorway, not on it. Apart from that, you're right.

[@evawisl]

The M40 an old friend as I travelled between London and the West Midlands. My favourite part was the racing track bend between J9 and J8a 😊. Obviously not a secret of the motorway but a thoroughly fun bit of driving between these two junctions.

[@Neds_Severed_Head]

My brother is in TVP and he says they have a scoreboard for recording their pursuit speeds on that corner 😁

[@Skorpychan]

Neat! I found myself following this one along with google maps on the other screen, so I knew what was going on. Interesting stuff. I'll look out for the water tower and obelisk next time I use it, but I'm usually too focused on the road.

[@TheAnimystro]

yes, I have to say these videos, while interesting, would benefit from some more on screen maps/graphics to help visualise. Even when there is a brief flash of map, it's not for long!

[@simonstevens9577]

Could be wrong, but, as I remember it, the section between Warwick and the M42 opened before Oxford to Warwick. It was very little used until it was fully opened, handy for the vehicle testing I was doing at the time because you could stop without inconveniencing anyone. One Sunday before it opened, I cycled from Umberslade to Warwick, wrong way in the northbound carriageway of course!

[@mrdainase]

You are quite right. I used to drive that way to get from my then place over in Shropshire to Wellesbourne.

[@peterharris3006]

The Northbound entry slip at J7 was in use between 1974 and 1991. At this time the M40 merged straight into the A40 at the point where the original single carriageway A40 became dual carriage way. The single carriage way A40 then became the southbound exit slip for J7. When the motorway was extended, the J7 NB entry slip was too close to the J8 exit slip so it was closed. The A40 was diverted over a single track road to meet the A418 to the east of J8A. The direct SB entry and NB exit slips at 8A were added some years later to coincide with the opening of Oxford Services. I read somewhere that the M40 was intended to meet the M5 at Bromsgrove, but this section was finished before the rest of the extension routing had been finalised and given the M42 moniker. The proposed Strensham to Solihull motorway would have linked the M50 with the present day M42/A42 route to the M1. This would have provided a very useful route between the East Midlands and south Wales. It's a pity it never got built.

[@dukeofaaghisle7324]

The Vickers Valiants ARRIVED at RAF Gaydon in 1955, followed a few years later by Handley Page Victors. V-bombers were still flying from there in the mid-1960s - I remember hearing and seeing them taking off. I thought they had Vulcans too, but I could be wrong. On the opposite side of the Fosse Way from Moreton Paddox, there’s a deep-level bunker that was used for storing the nuclear warheads. It has since been used for the National Film Archive, its constant temperature and humidity being ideal conditions for film.

[@uzijn]

04:38 is probably the best line I've heard in a video ever. Bravo!

[@danielmarshall4587]

8:00 oh your videos bring GREAT JOY as always thank you.

[@UraFlight]

Brilliant! I love this. Your series reminds me Jay Foreman

[@davestopforth]

13 and 14 make more sense when you realise that 12, 13 and 14 are all effectively the same road. You choose your direction when you join that road (B4100 for 12 & 13 and A452 for 14), not when you join the Motorway. It's not the most efficient setup, but it's not a problem.

[@johnwinters4201]

Junctions 13 and 14 are really a single junction, very spread out. The M40 got plonked on top of the old Warwick by-pass and the slip-roads for junction 14 are that old by-pass.

[@darthhideous3623]

Great to see plenty of interest in our motorways for a change. It's usually all about canals, railways etc. They were good for their time, but the motorways are equally superb feats of engineering, with fascinating stories behind them. We all use them, and we'd be in a logistical nightmare without them...Yet pay very little homage to them. Keep the vids coming! 👏

[@AutoShenanigans]

I assume until I came along no one was sad enough to try and make it into a film :D Thanks for watching mate!

[@darthhideous3623]

@@AutoShenanigans No, and it's a great pity. Maybe with age, the mighty M's will develop a charm of their own, and more people will learn to love them. A series like yours can only help 👍

[@PatGilliland]

Gosh! That was exciting! ;) Great series - thanks for sharing.

[@taffy3350]

I have no idea why I liked that so much but by damned I was hooked!

[@marcwaller3657]

Surprised Prodrive moving a few years ago wasn't mentioned. It started out north of the Banbury junction until a few years ago when it was redeveloped and a new hq was built to the south of the junction.

[@JRS-UK]

These videos must cost a lot to make with all the travelling but they are great, thanks for the interesting info!

[@AutoShenanigans]

It's best we skip over that bit :D Thanks for watching!

[@martinross5521]

I worked as a student engineer on the Loudwater Viaduct, in summer 1967 before going to Manchester (UMIST) for a civil engineering degree. No M40 then, it was just the High Wycombe bypass!

[@nickjames4497]

Such a shame that Loudwater train station closed … it would be very useful today.

[@martinross5521]

@@nickjames4497 too right - the branch closed just before the viaduct started. I recall seeing it on the drawings. The worst thing is putting a six lane highway across a steep sided valley - HW has the worst air quality in Bucks as a result. But many lives have been saved from a safer road…

[@johncurrie6277]

I was disappointed the biggest PITA missing slip roads at J3 didn't feature, or I wasn't concentrating

[@EdgyNumber1]

Hi John, that was actually quite interesting. That M40's end goal was to relieve the pressure off the M1 and M6/M45 branches feeding commercial/industrial sites of whole of the West midlands from Dover and Folkestone. It still officially forms part an international 'Euro route,' E5, from Greenock, Scotland to Algeciras in Spain (I can see Brexiters going red, shaking with rage) primarily used by transport and logistics companies. There are a few anomalies I'd like to have seen explored though. There's a rather large incline, leading between, what seems like the rockface sides of a chopped small mountain as you pass through. Someone told me this was someone's field until the DfT literally sliced it in half.... with loads of xplosivs. Not sure if that was true. Then somewhere around halfway up the motorway, there's a sharp bend (by motorway standards) to the right, if heading southbound and vice-versa, and I often wondered why that was necessary. As for that emergency access on to the M42, the services have to stop on the hard shoulder and quickly reverse up the slip way and then make a turn in the road to head in the correct direction.

[@davidnarbett]

The ‘sharp bend’ is the aforementioned alternative route ‘diverting around a nature reserve’ - butterflies I think

[@mrglide7078]

The large incline with chopped sides I think is the Chiltern Hills. And then it's down hill all the way to High Wycombe

[@EdgyNumber1]

@@mrglide7078 That used to be an amazing view at night, whilst driving. It seems to have disappeared from view in recent years. I'm presuming they put up some soundproofing barriers or some kind of fencing to hide the distraction.

[@GM-ii8gs]

For the emergency access off the M42 they just swinging left, seen them do it, no reversing is needed, if you look at Google maps the entrance way is big enough to swing a car round from the hard shoulder with a cutting in west side of the entrance to swing the nose around and the lay-by halfway down the emergency access is designed to do a 3 point turn in, giving access either on to the M40 or back onto the M42.

[@vidsaj]

You missed the other landmark on Banbury, just before J11 ging Northbound, opposite Prodrive: the remnants of National Filling Factory No 9, built in WW1 to fill shells for the front line. Having commuted from Solihull to Heathrow on the M40 I was curious about the abundance of trees on the site and did some research. Perhaps the TNT made a good fertiliser?

[@georgemcclelland5207]

The ghost slips near J4 were also used during the widening works making 3-1a four lanes for the recovery base

[@hughjones4060]

The section of the M40 between Junctions 14 and 15 is unusual as there was an existing single carriage road which was dualled and converted into the motorway. This meant widening the bridge across the river Avon

[@Dave080109]

Hi John, on the M40 video you mentioned J7 northbound slip road not having access to the motorway, well up until the time of the second section of M40 motorway being built between Oxford and Birmingham, you could use that slip road, as the motorway ended a little further down the road and turned into the A40. After the M40 was extended up to Birmingham, J8 serves as a junction for Oxford and the A40, with J8a serving both north and south bound slip road onto the M40

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for posting!

[@andrewkatz3845]

Apparently the bridge over the motorway at the Stockenchurch cut was featured in an early Thunderbirds movie, in which a plane flew under the bridge. The motorway wasn't open at the time (it had only just been built). I believe that the pilot was disciplined for doing this without permission (they may have touched down briefly - I don't remember the detail). THe Stokenchurch Cut itself is affectionately known as chickenshit alley as they sprayed manure on the exposed sides of the cut to try to encourage plant growth. Also, around 15-20 years ago, in the same location, they tried an experimental road surface (porous asphalt) which was marvellous. Driving along that stretch became eerily silent as tyre noise almost completely disappeared, but over the years the pores in the asphalt got clogged and the surface is now back to full volume.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I read about the plane under the bridge. Back in the day when H&S wasnt a thing :D

[@mikehindson-evans159]

If you are referring to Thunderbird Six: that was filmed on the M1, I believe (happy to defer to any other more-knowledgeable Fanderson).

[@mrdainase]

The number of times over the years I would be driving along that stretch and waiting for the tyre noise to just disappear, then return after a while. Never knew why!