Great British Road Journeys - Essex - Chelmsford to Colchester Ep.6

#driving #infrastructure #colchester #chelmsford #cars #roadtrip #essex
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Essssiiiixxxxx.... Yep we're back in Essex for another journey that will take us from Chelmsford to Colchester. A fairly straight forward route compared to the usual but that doesn't mean along the way there's nothing exciting and interesting for us to see. In this episode, wooden bridges, tyres and a mansion are but a few of the things we'll be stopping to look at on the way .
Using a copy of the 1923 Michelin Guide, I'll be travelling the country to see what remains and what's changed since it's publication. The guide offers suggestions on thing to see and where to stay all with the goal of getting you out there and exploring in your motor vehicle.

[@steveellis779]

Wit-ham

[@alanlittle4589]

Sooo many people make that mistake. I only live a couple of hundred metres from the level crossing - for now.

[@duncanreed2391]

Funny how you never realise that probably the rest of population would mispronounced witham

[@Eurobazz]

That's what I thought. It's pronounced WITTERM. I do love these videos. The cheeky young man brightens up my Sundays especially when he includes a hint of ferroequinology as he did today when referencing the old railway line to Maldon.

[@hublanderuk]

4:38 the town is called Wit Ham as the man above says maybe you need to talk to people about the next video so you get the town names right. You was right the first Time Hat Field Pev ver all 😀

[@Dirt-Diggler]

Pedantic mode Thank you for pronouncing Boreham correctly ( silent H ) 😁👍

[@marksterling8286]

Sunday afternoons wouldn’t be Sunday afternoons without these videos. I can now start my Sunday lunch.

[@aleksei5172]

Sunday roads!

[@ethzero]

I hope you saluted the King before having lunch! 😂

[@JohnnyH1992]

These have replaced Antiques Roadshow as my Sunday essential viewing to end the weekend.

[@godozo]

Agreed, although as a yank it's Breakfast that these videos precede.

[@nickolasreeks4743]

@@JohnnyH1992 My Sunday essential viewing to end the weekend is Retropower Cars. Try it and you will be amazed at some of their retro mods.

[@ptonpc]

Let's all appreciate the background work to make these videos.

[@ForburyLion]

For any foreign viewers, a Tea junction is a place where roads converge and everyone stops for a cup of tea. These still exist to this day which is why you often find traffic congestion at these points.

[@EdgyNumber1]

Haha! John, its 'Pev-er-al' and the small town is pronounced 'Wit-am' I hope your alloy wheels survived the brutal moon cratered roads between Chelmsford and Colchester. Trust me, driving on the moon is smoother! 😆 🤣 😂

[@mistywolf312]

I'd have gone with Wit-um as we pretty much drop both the h and the a :)

[@Rolandpgbrooks]

I think you'll find the T doesn't of air time round their either. I'm going with "Wium"@@mistywolf312

[@alloydog613]

It's Wit 'am! No H. Kel - vE - don. And the pub next to the Balkern Gate is called The Hole in the Wall.

[@shaunmorrissey7313]

No, you just don't pronounce words correctly.

[@alanhat5252]

​@@shaunmorrissey7313Alloydog's pronunciation tallies with mine which was given to me by my parents.

[@Dirt-Diggler]

​​@shaunmorrissey7313 no he's correct, must be an Essex thing cos Boreham also has a silent H 👍

[@haggielady]

Local people always have their own way of talking. So I just ask them how they pronounce their towns name. Amazing how much the name changes from street to street.

[@jamesmiller7712]

​@shaunmorrissey7313 mate I lived there it's Wit'am like Shit'am

[@prodiver7]

The horse racecourse was the Marks Tey (pron. Tay) point-to-point and steeplechase races on the Easthorpe Hall land originally owned by the famous Nat Sherwood.

[@haggielady]

Thank you.

[@iamaparanoidandroid1]

Came here to say this. It used to be quite a big event when I lived in Essex (2011-2016), but from what I can tell it was last run in 2014/5 due to a couple of years when the ground was too dry and they couldn't run the races which dwindled their reserves. Shame really. As it was a good event.

[@rockypupoxo]

They used to do moto x around that area to back in the 90's .

[@bettyswallocks6411]

Nat who?

[@prodiver7]

@@bettyswallocks6411Nat Sherwood

[@richardparker679]

Yet another pronunciation comment! Oh how they laughed at us when my family moved to Essex in 1969 and we said "With ham" and not "Wit ham". Great British Road Journeys; really enjoying them.

[@sabinebogensperger1928]

I really am enjoying this new series, love the idea, and the varied mix of history, scenery, and of course your sense of humour. 👍

[@pureblood1980x]

Genuinely want to buy this guy a pint. Great videos. Good job getting onto the dangerous areas of roads.

[@jammiedodger629]

I drove past him when he did his item on the former Battle of Britain Airfield at Martlesham, he was then packing up the drone and getting into his Saab.

[@tobyjackman3212]

I believe there to be a button specifically for that purpose

[@pureblood1980x]

@@tobyjackman3212 that'll be hwickedsweetawesome

[@MrGadgetgav]

Love the trestle bridge detour!

[@59patrickw]

pissing down with rain come on John that's English liquid sunshine

[@darren25061965]

Believe it or not, for the first 60 days of this year we have only had 7 dry days.

[@BeatboxNorwich]

"Marconi plays the Mamba, listen to the radio!" Love all that history bollocks

[@TheFunkadelicFan]

Starship!

[@jammiedodger629]

I always thought it was Marconi plays "La Bamba" - I was wrong. Hell of a tune though.

[@SashaGrace94]

I sang that out loud when I watched the video and I’m not ashamed

[@jammiedodger629]

@@SashaGrace94I've had it as an earworm all day lol.

[@BeatboxNorwich]

You just had me questioning myself for a second! 😁 Definitely a tune!

[@DanEverest1343]

He called them towns! Get the pitchforks!

[@Xaid0nTT]

Gotta forgive John on the pronunciation of Witham. If you aren't from the area, you will say it how you see it. I've pronounced place names wrong in Suffolk and Cornwall because I don't know until a local has corrected me. Keep up the great work, and thanks for visiting my hometown of Colchester 👍

[@jammiedodger629]

Hello Colchester from Ipswich 👋👋👋👋

[@andymoss]

I spent three awesome years in Colchester from 1993-1996.

[@markgodson7204]

Great video (full disclosure - I'm a Chelmsford resident!). You mention the three A12s/bypasses in C'ford. In fact, as the Roman road from London approaches from the SW, the original 'A12' was Moulsham Street. Then, in Victorian times the 'New London Road' (now the B1007) was built as a 'bypass' of Moulsham St. Then came Princes Road (now the A1114, but was the A12) leading down to Army & Navy rbt. Then in the 90s all three 'old A12s' were bypassed by the current A12.

[@alloydog613]

And don't forget in 123 AD, the Romans built the Pass-by...

[@1_5RCBiker]

I can confirm your suspicions about the Horse track. Used to be railed like horse tracks usually are. Unkown when it was abandoned but was still in use in the early 2000s.

[@keirynmoffitt4027]

Was it where the Marks Tay Race meets were held? I remember going to that - quite drunk to be honest… about 2000-2002

[@B3tanTyronne]

The flyover in Chelmsford had one further wonderful thing about it, due to it only being single lane, at certain times of the day you could go one way and at other times you could go the other way...can you guess what kept happening on a regular occasion? Yeap, countless times there were road accidents on it where two cars from both directions would meet in the middle with much smashing of bonnets. Thankfully I have not had to use the roads in Chelmsford in some time but when I lived there over 10 years ago, to say the roads were bloody awful would be an understatement and from what I have heard, they have not got much better.

[@Dirt-Diggler]

Yup and should you be fortunate enough to enter the bridge just as the gantry sign swapped to " no entry" you then had a lovely 20/30 seconds of shitting yourself driving over the bridge expecting a head on crash at any moment till you crested the top 🤯

[@jamesdoe1479]

Folklore has it that two cars managed to pass on that one-way flyover

[@oneman2001]

Due to its lego like constructuion, if you went fast enough, you could actually launch yourself and jump over any cars coming the other way. Many a boy racer has tried this though its unknown how many successed.

[@frankhooper7871]

Ooh - I didn't know the Army & Navy pub was gone, nor the flyover - shows how long it's been since I drove through Chelmsford. Ouch at pronunciation of Witham.

[@alloydog613]

Yeah, had quite a few meals at the Army and Navy.

[@adlam97531]

yes we are getting a 'Hamburger' junction there instead

[@NonFatMead]

It's Sunday lunch. I'm here for another road trip.

[@Sarge084]

Auto shenanigans, it's what Sunday was made for!

[@vincemerrell3993]

I really miss the single-lane flyover at the Army and Navy. Probably the only piece of road built in recent history where you stood a reasonable chance of having a head-on collision. The signs at either end would occasionally malfunction sending traffic from both directions across the flyover. Then you also had some folks who would ignore the signs and attempt to use it in the wrong direction. 100% spot-on about the junction being a mess for many decades. And, while the flyover was cheap-as-chips and intended to be temporary, the future plans for 'fixing' the junction look like they'll also be cheap-as-chips too.

[@federicomarintuc]

8:46 "sort of built a pub on it" BRITAIN!!! FUCK YEAH!!!

[@Phuc_Yhou]

The Army and Navy temporary single lane flyover used to change directions during the day/night 😳

[@phoenixfridge1495]

Yep . Plenty of head on collisions in its time

[@ukar69]

Also near the route is the remains of Rivenhall airfield which was a testing site for Marconi. Used to fly near it on the way back to Andrewsfield and twice while flying over it the aircraft shook. Used to fly over Abberton reservoir as well when I had a new passenger, to recreate a bombing run over the causeway at the western end.

[@Everglade2291]

As a Colchesterite, I can really appreciate this!! Tiptree, Witham, Chelmsford, all towns I regularly visit! I also, spend half my life on that bloody A12😂

[@phoenixfridge1495]

Served my apprenticeship mainly in the Jam Factory in the early 80s Good times

[@Everglade2291]

@@phoenixfridge1495 Very cool! Some of my family had worked at Tiptree Book Services too!

[@juzma94]

I love horses, they're my friends!

[@andywright1634]

Findus loved them too. Tasty!

[@W2APS]

That gave me a good laugh too. 😁 Proper throw back to Chris Moyles on Radio One that was for me. I think it got played for producer Rachel. 🤣

[@inthemicz]

Came here to say this.

[@PenryMMJ]

British weather, it's the best in the world. Never get's extreme, just a slow steady drizzle interrupted by periods of heavier rain, that gradually seeps it's way into your soul until you start to forget that there ever was a sun. But then, on those increasing rare days when the sun does appear in the sky, it's just amazing. Imagine living somewhere that was sunny all the time? You'd never appreciate it. 😁

[@mecx7322]

However 2022 summer was quite warm 😀

[@elelegidosf9707]

True, dat. I used to live in California, where it is the same weather - Every. Single. Day. It does get boring and monotonous. Then I moved back to the UK and everyone was complaining about the spring, autumn and winters. But I like the changes. In winter it's cool and crisp - just put a jacket on. And the rain makes everything green. And there's nothing like an English summer, anywhere I've been. I think it's great being back home.

[@ben.taylor]

Essex resident here. It's WIT-am. Not with-am.

[@davidcronan4072]

The River of the same name in Lincolnshire is pronounced with-am. But, as you said, the Essex town is wit-ham.

[@alloydog613]

and he got Kel-ve-don wrong! :'D

[@alanhat5252]

Wi'am was the one that stood out for me, it took a while figuring out where he meant.

[@Dirt-Diggler]

Same with Boreham, has a silent H, must be an Essex thing, twas part of danelaw so names would be pronounced differently to the rest of the country 🤔

[@stuart23969]

Same with Wisbech near Peterborough, I say wis-bek and it's pronounced wis-beach

[@brett-m]

Sunday dose of Auto Shenanigans to get you through the week 😍

[@paulbarber1960]

This is just in from my mother-in-law.. Resident of Witham for 60 years.. It was really lovely seeing places and hearing names that are familiar. The chap pointed out a field on the A12 that he thought had something to do with horses. He was correct it used to be a point to point horse racing course that we visited with the children many many times.

[@nickbarber2080]

Witham pronounced "Wittum"...Carry on that man...keep up the good work!

[@gaijintendo]

That RC Racing track is like a dream come true for Powerwash Sim fans wishing to get out of the house and not meet anyone.

[@johnlewan1114]

That trestle looks just like Goat Canyon, they could be twins! Thanks for another great Sunday morning road trip.

[@jammiedodger629]

Genuine LOL mate, yep, no expense spared on that massive wooden viaduct!

[@highpath4776]

@@jammiedodger629 I thought Brunel did some wooden viaducts on the GWR and Similar ( isnt Meldon Viaduct Wooden) - though part metal and of a different "Y" supports type

[@alkalinekats8300]

I have no idea how I am still watching every single one of your videos, I don't even live in this country, i just one day saw secrets of the motorways, and because I was already watching geoff marshall and the railways stuff, this became the new hyperfixation.

[@scalecrawlnl]

Awesome Jon, thank you very much. Impressive research and relay of interesting facts & stats! With great views of the local roads, buildings and nature. Thank you, a top notch episode 😊👍

[@pauldevenish]

Woohoo, you've mentioned my hometown of Maldon!! 🎉

[@parmattsson7784]

10:28 ... I really like the phrase "the second small disagreement"

[@tomsurrey2252]

Hahaha... flippin' sweet amazing!

[@DanDavisHistory]

The traffic around Chelmsford and Colchester is appalling and only ever gets worse. And the A12 is truly terrible. I used to live right next to the maltings in Witham - the smell was occasionally very powerful. Great video!

[@trentr9762]

slap a bike on the train and its happy days, youll be zooming past!

[@MickHurst65]

Loving this series.

[@moonshinepz]

Sunday Shenanagins.👍

[@Dan23_7]

I often stay at Colchester-Freering travel lodge on the A12. It’s a bungalow set up, rooms 31-38 are the quietest, at the back, away from the A12. Cheers Jon have a Fwicked week. See you on Wednesday 👍🏼

[@jeremybuck1818]

Feering not Freering...

[@elitesennabubble]

I drove into chelmsford every day for a year and I think I hold the guiness world record for escaping from rectory lane west car park to the A1114. I know all the little traffic patterns and the oddities people do like leaving certain lanes empty. Some say I am the Chelmsford Stig.

[@adamjolley8552]

I like this video so I’ve pressed the button specifically for that 👉🏻

[@ulazygit]

Just gone 4am here, back again for a nostalgic video of the motherland!

[@richardcope3850]

John, Another superbly informative and humorous video. You do make my day! I’ve eagerly watched this recent series as an Essex resident and I’m currently parked up at Colchester zoo having just driven up the A12!!! I might just return home on the ‘old’ road.

[@MisterTea74]

Cheers Jon, enjoyed that as a Colchester bloke who now lives in Chelmsford. Although despite travelling through Boreham interchange and lots of the A12 most days I’ve still eluded another of your videos! Other things to note is that the A12 is about to move again between Witham and Marks Tey to increase capacity and the abandoned / consumed road in the reservoir was itself a replacement for the one that predated the reservoir.

[@ColchesterPT]

Loving the video. Didn't know about the dambusters.

[@zeberto1986]

Loving this series. Its crazy to see what has changed and what has stayed the same over the last 100 years.

[@TonyLing]

Your vidz always put a smile on my face Jon.

[@officialmcdeath]

I'll miss the Army & Navy and that temporary flyover - used to go there on tour with bands \m/

[@tobyjackman3212]

This is the best video I've ever seen about anything

[@ianhudson2193]

Another saunday evening of attaching significance to the previously thought insignificant.... Love it.....😊

[@gaillaffer7579]

Thanks John. Always a good when you post.

[@sapiotone]

Awwww. Was really hoping for some Michael Forshaw at the end because "I like horses"! Throughly entertaining as ever, John!

[@aaronk534]

Been waitin! Finally. Love it

[@southcalder]

Wooden trestle and similar bridges are notoriously difficult and expensive to maintain, which is why many of them haven’t survived. One of the longest was the viaduct across the Solway Firth from near Port Carlisle in Cumbria to near Annan in Dumfries-shire. They used to maintain it while trains ran, and would push the boundaries about how many support beams could be removed before trains would turn into boats. It didn’t survive when the Solway failed to take off as a viable port (probably because it’s very shallow and very silty), and its purpose as an avoiding route for Carlisle was nullified as old hatchets were buried. The branch on the northern side survived long enough to help in the building of Chapelcross Power Station, a main supplier of the fuel for “Portable Sunshine”.

[@markarnold8160]

Sorry Jon, it's pronounced Wit-hum unlike the Lincolnshire River Witham which is with-um.

[@archstanton6102]

Was not expecting to get the I Love Horses song on this video. Legend.

[@chrisskelhorn5727]

Brilliant! All of it! Thank you Jon! 😀

[@jeremywilliams5107]

That flyover- many memories. Also Marconi, GEC and the rest of the places I worked around there.

[@90vanman]

Don' forget Ransome Hoffman and Pollard suppliers of excellent ball and roller bearings

[@mrmando69]

Splendid Video , thank you John. Always good when its areas you know.

[@jonathanpatterson2798]

Brilliant as always

[@craigjolly4928]

The Race track by the side of the A12 near Marks Tey was a Point to Point horse racing track back in the 70s, would have meeting a few times each year.

[@LesD9]

Now I remember it. Thanks for jogging my memory.

[@davidking9707]

Another great video, I love Essex and Colchester is an interesting place. Old roads fascinate me.

[@erichill5908]

Colchester recently had another major earthquake. This was a massive 6.2 rated and caused at least 10 million pounds worth of improvements.

[@andyrbush]

love these stories.

[@markb4071]

have done this drive so many times, main roads, back roads, up , down and sideways - working in Chelmsford and living in Highwoods in the mid 90s

[@bradlane5058]

Another great episode loving this new series

[@brantnuttall]

love these. really really love these!

[@jonathonbrett-qn1ic]

Fantastic History thank you Jon Brilliant as always

[@user-lk1lw8bj9g]

Another excellent vlog, thanks.

[@MichaelAbbott-sl2di]

Ty John, very informative as ever ❤

[@frazerguest2864]

Yay !!! I get to wave back this time.

[@ianreynolds9733]

The A12 is one of the worst roads in the south east, a major trunk road that serves the main ports in east anglia but it has roundabouts and single carriageway sections. If ever there was a need for a motorway this is it! Have you considered doing a series about Beeching? I’d love that. Keep up the good work fella!

[@timdench2583]

Another cracking episode. Thanks!

[@mistakay9019]

Sunday funday notification squad!

[@getreal7964]

You do have to wonder if AS is actually the very best you tube channel in existence

[@shaunwest3612]

Great video John, amazing as always 👌👍😀

[@chumpster69]

Jam-packed with information! Great stuff.

[@MrHairydotarse]

My Sunday is now complete, thank you

[@kevm8965]

Interesting and informative as usual, thanks Jon

[@WilliamDavidKirbyUK]

Great stuff as always Jon. Always amusing and informative at the same time.

[@richardjakobek7477]

Marvelous stuff, but you missed a fascinating fact about the Army & Navy pub in Chelmsford. There is a blue plaque at the site of the old pub and the inscription reads: “ARMY & NAVY PUB”. On this site in 1994 653,217.5 people saw Oasis play. The ..5 was Dan who missed half the gig being sick in the loo.” 😀

[@DanielMeakin1]

Fantastic video!

[@argieessex]

Loved this.

[@UK.RoadsCyclingandTransport]

Awesome episode Jon

[@albertperks3476]

Very much enjoying the branch-off your motorway work Jon.

[@minibus9]

Awesome video, love all the info

[@alexrandall3685]

My week has been good.

[@rjds1800]

Wondered about Jumbo and the rest of Colchester. Learned a ton here, cheers Jon!

[@matmiller5256]

Nice one AS,, thanks for taking the time effort to upload.

[@CornishClaireScotland]

Well done Jon

[@FortuneZer0]

2:05 *dancing in the moonlight and off key singing starts playing*

[@tucker9162]

Awesome series John

[@pmacca2967]

I grew up all round there, another great video John 😊

[@sierraalphaalphabravo9705]

8:02 Not just me that remembers the jingle then... Wish I could find that banging remix of it floating about back in the day. 😂

[@jamesdoe1479]

Brilliant episode Jon. Didn’t know about the trestle bridge!

[@RichieRouge206]

A very interesting video as always Jon!