Great British Road Journeys - Kent - Dartford to Sheerness Ep. 18

[@pheasantplucker]

"The year 1080p" made me laugh way more than it should have!

[@Wardsite]

me to!

[@RampageObidos]

Snap

[@GazzaJAnimal]

Yeah, me too!

[@AntneeUK]

It was a year of high definition

[@hairyairey]

The year Newcastle upon Tyne was founded, apart from the p

[@LewisCollard]

"it must have worked, because we won" - lines like this keep me coming back!

[@nitehawk86]

I find absolutely no flaws with this logic.

[@2001davebowman]

I snorted embarrassingly loud at that! 😂

[@terrynixon2758]

1080p was a high quality year. Far more defining than most

[@toypaj]

People were far more resolute

[@brucegoatly]

And definitely a Memorable Year.

[@RichardWatt]

I wonder what it'll be like in 4k?

[@BromideBride]

@@RichardWatt you probably won't know until 4090

[@douglasboyle6544]

Some might even say "Highly Defining"

[@its_matt_long]

The casual avoidance of Chatham and Gillingham, probably for the best....

[@dellawrence4323]

I worked as a doorman in Chatham about 15 years ago and I could not agree with you more.

[@markoarkaina8656]

Love how he puts down every place he visits.

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

Dartford to sheppy, hard work to not.

[@lolzlarkin3059]

Easy when you just go to shit places

[@YetAnotherGeorgeth]

Yeah, Kent isn’t exactly the best place these days, and I don’t even live in Kent!

[@01Naaman]

@@lolzlarkin3059 and Chatham would have been too easy

[@DustyCustard]

I don't,. It's done to death by other channels with no wit or imagination. The year 1080p is much better.

[@andypandy9013]

Interesting fact about the Kingsferry Bridge: I used to work for Southeastern Railway. The third rail power supply over the bridge does not include that part of the bridge that is lifted when a ship needs to pass through. This necessitates trains having to "coast" over that section before picking up the power again. Do trains ever fail to do that and get stuck? Oh YES!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@grahamcook9289]

You visited Gravesend and managed not to mention the Black Death or Pocahontas. Amazing.

[@mattd2129]

no black death connection so would have been a bit pointless, kudos no poch0 tho.

[@grahamcook9289]

@@mattd2129 Graves End has no Black Death connection? You're kiddin' right?🤣

[@ballsinspector]

​@@grahamcook9289it has nothing to do with graves, surprisingly.

[@stephenyates962]

Some nice little gems in this one; "Today, it looks likes a field, because it is", and "The year 1080p". Nice one Jon, your wit and humour makes these videos fun to watch

[@gregvideo07]

The Gravesend to Tilbury ferry unfortunately stopped running on 30th March 2024. A sad note to add to your excellent video.

[@mdpenny42]

Somehow, "Ferry Cross The Thames" doesn't have *quite* the right ring to it...

[@hublanderuk]

Shame he does not mention the fact the Ferry stopped running due to Thurrock Council being Broke. Then when they got the money together the Ferry owner decided they had enough so the ferry stopped. We shall see what happens in the future. But then when I had a trip on the Waverley paddle steamer from London we did stop there before going to Southend Pier.

[@SashaGrace94]

Ahh Rochester, the city that forgot to be city. If you don’t know what I mean, in 1998 during a local government reshuffle Rochester had to appoint charter trustees to maintain its city status and they didn’t so the city status was lost. Nobody noticed until 2002 and now that status can never be reclaimed.

[@Jasper-Holland]

More like Nocitychester

[@jonbaldwin]

Well city status could be granted again, but two monarchs and seven prime ministers simply couldn't be bothered.

[@iansteel5569]

The council didn't forget to put the parking charges up but also forgot to fix the potholes.

[@SashaGrace94]

@@jonbaldwinI may be wrong but my understanding in this case is that they can’t, because there is no local government authority for Rochester in the same way as there was at the point of the first government reshuffle in the 70’s. Medway has applied to be a city and failed so far but Rochester the history city can’t do it. Tom Scott (inevitably) explains it better.

[@jonbaldwin]

@@SashaGrace94 The good people of Rochester could set up a parish council to sit under the Medway unitary authority. But I think you're right - unless they did that it would be the whole of Medway. :)

[@adamjolley8552]

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

[@shootmcrunfast]

If only there was a button specifically for liking comments.

[@ninjathedeadguy2655]

@@shootmcrunfastthere is

[@FairyLiquid69]

​@@ninjathedeadguy2655 No way! 😯

[@iancharlton678]

Stunning Jon 🥳 An area I was compelled to deliver the cheapest shoddy furniture in Christendom, early to mid 1980’s…….. much of the Medway towns has a veneer of shit…… although the Dickens festival in Rochester is always worthwhile…… Chatham Docks is worth a visit, there’s also a rusting Cold War Russian Submarine (following a failed attempt at a night club or venue) tied up in the Medway…….. plus the unexploded remains of the SS Richard Montgomery - some 440 feet of US Liberty Ship, grounded and sunk during the second small disagreement. It still contains some 1500 tons of exploding murder death kill stuff……. sitting in the Thames Estuary near the mouth of the River Medway. The masts can be seen from as far away as the Pier in Southend on Sea. If it were to detonate, windows and property might be destroyed in London, Canvey Island and the Isles of Sheppey and Grain could be washed away. There may also be negative effects. Do please carry on Jon, you are doing important work 🇬🇧 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@garycollard1981]

Chatham Dockyard is indeed worth a visit, I was there yesterday. Will now be looking for pics of that Russian sub, didn't know about that.

[@iancharlton678]

@@garycollard1981 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_U-475_Black_Widow 🙂

[@garycollard1981]

@@iancharlton678 Cool. Thanks.

[@illegalopinions4082]

"There may also be negative effects" 😂😂😂 I went to Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppy for work last week. Interesting to see it on the channel. It's really a little dreary over there.

[@iancharlton678]

@@illegalopinions4082 …… extra fingers, webbed feet…… and the distant sound of a badly thumbed banjo 😳

[@DavidJCane]

Interesting fact about Rochester: It used to be a city but is now just a town. As it has a cathedral. it was, by tradition, a city, but when the Kent boroughs of Rochester and Gillingham merged in 1998 to form the unitary authority of Medway separate from Kent County Council, the leaders of the council forgot to properly protect Rochester's city status and it lost it. They have been campaigning to get it back; so far without success.

[@mikdavies5027]

@DavidJCane. Interestingly, you managed to leave out Chatham, which is much older than both Rochester and Gillingham!!

[@hairyairey]

Having a cathedral doesn't make you a city (Southwark for example). It's totally up to the Monarch. But you're right it lost its city status.

[@norfolkngood8960]

@@hairyairey Anglo-Saxon cathedral, of North Elmham is a good example lol population of 1400 these days and ok its more a ruin than a cathedral but it did have one and up until recently was sign posted as on, they've been changed to say chapel now for some reason

[@kramer26]

The incompetence of Medway Council, whether red or blue, never ceases to amaze me. Actually, I'm being facetious, I'm never surprised at their astronomic levels of incompetence.

[@hairyairey]

@@norfolkngood8960 I had a look at this on the English Heritage site - it seems it was a cathedral until 1071. Or 1080p-9 to people on this site. So yes, I guess it was downgraded. Bit like poor Pluto.

[@McRocket]

6:35 - 'Get a fry up, go karting and throw up' 🤣 ☮

[@Jer_Ch]

This lines have me as well 🤣

[@michaelhaywood8262]

I lived near Gravesend for 2 years as a child [1966-68, age 8-10]. I remember the railway that went to the pier, it ran just behind our house. It had no passenger service at the time, just one freight train in each direction a day. This stopped in the spring of 1968, but a few weeks before it saw its first passenger train for many years as part of a railtour of Kent. I was lucky enough to see this from our garden. I have verified the dates, so not just relying on memory. Sheerness was one possible day out by the sea we would have in the summer whilst we were there. We went if my father did not want to drive all the way to the main Kent coast resorts of Whitstable, Herne Bay or Thanet. We could do it for an afternoon trip, whist Thanet required a full day.

[@Vtarngpb]

Apparently Sheerness was the birthplace of some guy by the name of “Richard Beeching” What a Kent

[@borderlands6606]

A Man of complete Kent or complete and utter Kentish Man?

[@barneypaws4883]

See you next Tuesday people used to mutter to him as he passed

[@bingbong7316]

Inbreeding is still rife.

[@brianartillery]

"Sheerness. What a treat..." Jon, your sarcasm and comic timing are spot on. I have been to Sheerness once, and once only. It appeared to be closed.

[@emmajacobs5575]

You were lucky, I had to go lots of times for my job 😕

[@Toby_the_Glen]

Exploring Dartford to Sheerness by boat is even more fascinating. It really is a very interesting piece of the coast.

[@soyebaswat5382]

Factory factory factory, council estate factory factory warehouse...

[@fatman3785]

@@soyebaswat5382 Lots of marshes and Napoleonic forts too.

[@marcoose777]

@@fatman3785 and a former Royal Navy Dockyard.. The HMS Victory was built there.

[@davewhitehead8601]

As someone born in Chatham (although very nearly in Sheerness!), I wholly applaud John's putting down of the area (although Rochester IS actually quite nice).

[@marcoose777]

Spot on comment about Sittingbourne traffic, as the town expanded the local government there (KCC/Swale Borough Council) didn't bother much with infrastructure planning. Best avoided.

[@AlanReynoldsBucklandJunction]

Hey let me show you how Glorious DOVER is. Like Jerusalem !! Seven hills and seven Vallie's. It has a crap town centre and Council. But the scenery is dramatic and beautiful. I am a proud Man of Kent :o) And DOVER XXX

[@Hornedbear]

Your enthusiasm for your destinations this week was just oozing out of you John. Be well.

[@iandavis8725]

“Must have worked, as we won”, genius.

[@MisterTea74]

That pier is the remains of the old Gravesend pier station. The Thames Way road follows the old track alignment and uses an old railway tunnel. As you pass through you can see the arches within the tunnel for pway workers to shelter in when trains passed. The floor has been dig out to allow better clearance and the arches are half way up the walls

[@jimmycburfield5997]

Brilliantly produced, written, researched, edited and delivered. What an awesome channel! You should be immensely proud

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

18 weeks of pure joy. Long may this road trip continue. 👏👏👍😀

[@chrisrand5185]

You are correct that people from Gravesend don't want to go to Tilbury, but people from Tilbury want to go to Gravesend, then they have to get back again. When I was a child in the 1960s a family day out would be a visit to Coalhouse Fort followed by a trip on the Tilbury Ferry.

[@evilutionltd]

I grew up in these areas. Even watching the video of you driving through Dartford and Gravesend, I was reaching to lock my imaginary car door.

[@johnclements6614]

Well I have lived in nine places along that route. When I lived briefly in Gravesend in the late 80s the ferry was in operation. I used it to visit the fort on the north side of the river but did not see much else of note. The Kingsferry bridge was resurfaced at about the same time. They had a slight problem because the bridge would not come down again completely with all the reduced weight after the nights work. Fortunately it was low enough that they could drive loaded trucks onto to provide weight but nobody could drive on or off the island that day. Surprised that there was no mention of the ship off Sheerness left over from the second disagreement.

[@jillp1840]

Yes, I remember as a child taking the ferry from Gravesend over to Tilbury to visit the fort. It was a highlight of the year! 🙂

[@highpath4776]

Had ancestors in Gravesend (oddly Two of similar names that appear to be distant cousins who independently moved to london then independently married the ancestors of my parents.

[@MrGreatplum]

Loved it, John! Kent is a county of contrasts, there’s juxtapositions of nice towns and countryside next to utter dumps!

[@ARBC2024]

Ahh Dartford. I grew up there, and that's why I drank a lot. I moved away, a long way, and now I am teetotal. It wasn't just the place to blame though, it was the people too.

[@EngineerLewis]

I was born in Dartford but left when I could just about walk so that's why it ran down hill afterwards! My Dad worked on the paper mill mills as well. So thanks for popping in there! 🤣

[@fenpikey]

Nells Cafe in Gravesend, came into existence when the A2 was a dirt road 😀

[@michaeledwards427]

Great video as always. I'm a lorry driver, I've heard other drivers complaining about driving over Thelwall on the M6 as it can be a bit hairy in bad weather. Which i don't doubt, but its not as bad as going over Dartford QE2 bridge, which in turn isn't as bad as the Sheppey bridge. Its virtually always windy going to Sheppey, but when its really bad the older bridge is a very thankful site, although I've only had to use the older bridge a couple of times. People pay alot of money at the fairgrounds for thrill seeking rides, I'm not desperate enough to get it for free!!!!

[@grahamcook9289]

Should have gone to Queenborough. You might also have mentioned that the new Sheppey Bridge hosted the UK's worst pile-up in 2013 with 130 vehicles, but amazingly no fatalities.

[@PhillipParr]

I like that they've done nothing to the bridge to mitigate something like that happening again.

[@grahamcook9289]

@@PhillipParr They had a 50 speed limit for a while. The problem was the fog, which is not unknown for that area. Perhaps red lights to close the bridge in similar conditions?

[@fatman3785]

@@PhillipParr You cant fix stupid. Weather doesn't cause a 130 car pilleup on its own.

[@PhillipParr]

@@fatman3785 indeed, but you can mitigate stupid with various techniques

[@josephturner7569]

Thank you for asking. Just had an excellent Sunday lunch.

[@theenglishman6425]

I’m crying 😂😂, being from Kent, this is absolutely spot on and I hope you have a few Kent videos in stock 🤣🤣 love the videos fella

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching!

[@Deepthought-42]

2:50 As a kid I remember getting the Royal Daffodil steam boat from on day trips along the river 😂😂from Gravesend to Southend. It had a “sister” ship the Royal Sovereign.

[@jillp1840]

Dartford. My birthplace, a long, long time ago. I barely recognise the place now, although I was ridiculously pleased to kind of see (as in, "Ooh, it's about there, somewhere") my childhood home (literally born at home) on the map with the roman villa. But we had a different roman villa discovered 'just up the road' which also was covered back up as it was 'insignificant' and housing built over it. Thank you for a trip down memory lane, and a shout out to my husband's cousin who runs a tea shop in Rochester!

[@KaitlynnUK]

I lived in Sheerness between the ages of 7 and 17, whereupon my parents relocated us to Bristol (from one of John's most favourite places to another!). I'm sure they did this to give us kids (I was the eldest) better job opportunities.

[@robinwells8879]

Sheerness is, shall we say, a shadow of its former glory! I used to have to visit the docks regularly for work. I can say that there are some Georgian architectural gems on the dock site but behind security. There was a wonderful food trailer just over the bridge onto the island. Awesome bacon and egg in a salt and pepper tiger baguette! Just what you need having suffered the Dartford crossing.

[@SquirreliciousMe]

Love these videos. The combo of info and snark are excellent. Keep up the good work.

[@robinoconnor1203]

A little known fact about Sheerness. Circa 1950 an industrialist, called Wadia Murad started the Murad Car company. Sadly a number of problems, including Government intervention, apparently they wanted him to move his companies to Wales! Things halted before serious production began. One example still exists.

[@Colin_Pole]

I'm pleased that you didn't mispronounce Kent Countryside.

[@stevegray5263]

Like Trevor McDonald's famous Spoonerism on News at 10 one time ;)

[@rickconstant6106]

There's one part of that journey you can't make any more - the A226 between Swanscombe and Northfleet collapsed last year at Galley Hill, when the narrow chalk ridge it was built on gave way in a landslip. It has remained closed ever since, while the water company and the council argue about whether the burst water main caused the landslip, or the landslip broke the water main, and who should pay for repairs, which would be a major engineering project.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Something I learned all about on the day of filming, oops! Video on the collapsed road coming soon!

[@rochellehewston9367]

Just always chuckle at the “small disagreement” Another great video thank you, informative and enjoyable, I love your presentation skills

[@wedgesofficial]

the deadpan sarcastic comedy is what keeps me coming back

[@AutoShenanigans]

Glad you like it :D

[@MorrisPV]

"Like a block of hideous flats." Love it... 😎

[@davidrobertson5996]

More quality content - thanks for visiting these places so I don't have to 🙂 Keep up the great work Jon!

[@teejayy2130]

The disguise on the watch tower must of worked because we won😊😂 Classic auto John😊

[@Deepthought-42]

It’s sarcasm and what makes the channel attractive.

[@ianhelps3749]

Gravesend used to have an airport to the east of the town. Opening on 1932 it was a fighter base in the Second Small Disagreement. It closed in 1956 and a council estate was built on the site.

[@raynarnslr1966]

Thanks Jon, safe travels.

[@stefencooke]

Hello Jon How the devil are you have you had a good week and also I liked the video and used the button specifically for that

[@ZiPPra6]

Never a dull moment here Jon.

I used to know Sheppey well, as had friends at Warden Point. Minster was quite interesting and Leysdown on Sea was a classic piece of crappy British seaside.

[@alexe1563]

The love that went into this video 😍

[@HSTHoward]

Firstly, great video as always. Secondly, as a Kentish lad I’m sorry about you having to visit both Dartford & Sheppy.

[@dodgydruid]

My childhood stamping grounds, lived on an estate built on the old RAF Gravesham with the old airport turned into Thong Lane sports centre now called Cascades, wasn't the worst place to grow up if one had a trusty Raleigh Chopper and enjoyable activities like winding up the Cobham hermit to learn brand new swear words. My late father in the 70's worked every signalbox in the area, he was quite well known in railway circles as a bit of a signally god just a shame in home circles he was a proper tit to brother and I. Still, it never got old when calling out to the girls to admire ones purple chopper :P

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Another fantastic and informative episode Jon.

[@clivestevenson8589]

Excellent - I think an updated guide book would only have one page - it would say AVOID. North Kent was never going to be beautiful (excepting little bits of Rochester) Even Dickens set some of his grimmest stories here! (love the Saab - class!)

[@glenjones6980]

I've moved a few thousand cars into and out of Sheerness over the years. It's expanded a bit after the railhead was closed which is a bit odd given one train has the capacity of 25 trucks. Go back 20-25 years and pretty much all the kit that arrived in Gefco in Corby had come through Sheerness with the exception of the Pug 206 which were built in Coventry.

[@portlandfester7510]

Absolutely wonderful

[@davidking9707]

I love Rochester.

[@PaddyWV]

My Grandparents lived in three different houses around Gravesend's Windmill Hill. They used to rent the oddest garage I'd seen. Somewhere near the river was an indoor car park, but each parking space was like a lock up cage. Not seen anything like it since.

[@johnbellamy6449]

i like the speed of your delivery and the interesting information you give . i am a fan .

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching!

[@skylarius3757]

Rochester used to be a city for over 800 years until 1998 and is now part of the borough of Medway.

[@russrh]

Always love the latest Auto Shenanigans video, I look forward to it and the history info and humor

[@willtricks9432]

You paint a fine picture of this county. Cheers

[@roderickmain9697]

Back in the early 90's Sheerness was where I took the ferry to Vlissingen in the Netherlands (the Brits called it Flushing as they couldnt get their head around fliss-ing-ge). I had a GF in Sutton and working in Hamburg so it was a handy overnight crossing (only a 4 hour drive on the other side). I guess the railway may have handled any foot passengers. Sadly, no longer a ferry port. The new bridge may have just been in time to see the ferry stop.

[@johnclements6614]

When the ferry terminal was being built they accidentally buried a large excavator, they were pumping in sand to reclaim the beach and it was too expensive to stop. Cost a fortune to dig it out again a few months latter.

[@sunnybartender1]

Love watching these videos. Keep it up mate.

[@xgford94]

9:22 WE WON🎉

[@AutoShenanigans]

You heard it hear first...

[@spitfire1962]

The reason the guide book mentions visiting St George’s church in Gravesend, is because that is where Pocahontas is buried Jon.

[@azza0911]

Beautiful bit about my home town Sittingbourne here and of course the Isle of Sheppey which like you said is a treat!!

[@JohnSmith-dt1tw]

You made one good decision in this video, and one very bad one. Leaving Dartford is a good idea, but going to Sheerness is terrible idea.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I do these trips so you dont have to. :D

[@90vanman]

@@AutoShenanigans Brilliant, great rejoinder!!!

[@GeneralThargor]

The unsung hero of the two little disagreements, a weird looking house structure on the Isle of Sheppy.

[@paulhayesmore3754]

My favourite so far.

[@offbeatinstruments]

Since you are in that park of the UK make a trip to Ramsgate to This Museum is (not) Obsolete, I think you’ll find it is right up your street

[@stevenrielly240]

You crack me up. Your sarcasm alone makes for great content. You could be describing a half sucked polo mint and I would be enthralled with your verbosity. Take that as the highest of praise from a Glaswegian (we are slightly sarcastic here)

[@stevecann3394]

Thanks

[@AutoShenanigans]

Cheers mate, appreciate that

[@Eric_L456]

Entertaining as always.

[@ianreynolds9733]

Just off of sheerness is the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery, a “second small disagreement” liberty cargo ship which was full of ammunition and can be seen from there. It still has a lot of ordinance on it which is still capable of exploding. There’s a local radio station called “ship full of bombs”! Nice.

[@pfield39]

Coincidently I flew the length of Kent yesterday to Manston and was struck by the amount of commercial and industrial sites around the area to the south of the estuary. I guess it's better than thousands of acres of dull housing as it contributes to what's left of the country's wealth.

[@BaronFlyingClub]

Really funny mate thanks, Subscribed.

[@FXCartel]

That time of the week again 🎉

[@millstonebarn]

Sorry, I made almost exactly the same comment to you, around 6 minutes later, without looking at the previous comments. I hope that people do not judge me accordingly. I hope you've had a good week.

[@FXCartel]

No worries we're all allowed to agree that's wicked sweet awesome

[@ScotlandsGold]

What an Intriguing hatted man, inspirational channel Jon🫡

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching!

[@kramer26]

Helllooo, and welcome.... to my neck of the woods!! Finally you made it down to Kent and the wonderful areas of Medway and Swale. I was born in Chatham at a hospital that is now a housing estate and I grew up and went to school in Shittingbourne. Hardly inspiring, but there was so much more you could have seen there such as the old brickworks down Creek Road (which is probably now just a caravan site). I hope you managed to get out without contracting anything serious.

[@JohnPurser99]

1080p - brilliant :)

[@MikeAJGriffin]

First recorded instance of someone visiting Gravesend and not mentioning Pocahontas, incredible scenes. And it wasn’t raining, you got lucky here 😂

[@vincentlugthart4618]

Before they built the new bridge there used to be a sign with distances just after you came off the Kingsferry Bridge that said “Sheerness 3, Queenborough 1, Halfway 2”

[@rhys180606]

Absolutely pmsl . Can't wait for a video in sunderland and surrounding area.

[@Woffo]

Worth a coffee!

[@paulkrenz9593]

Very Enjoyable John

[@montypythonish]

Love your commentary. Smile and smile of yucks. I live near here and totally agree that some places are holes. 👍🏼

[@milehighclassics]

Well done rubber pants would love it

[@leegriffin1584]

I didn't have my glasses on when I saw the thumbnail of the pier, and thought it was a really dirty graphics card from some tech channel. Which made me laugh even more at the 1080p gag. Great stuff, as ever.

[@jasongoulden2938]

Love the sarcasm and negativity pointing out the demise of this once great country

[@MrJohnSeager1]

Loving the sarcasm involving around the island of sheppey

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching!

[@MrJohnSeager1]

@@AutoShenanigans no worries as a ex sittingbourne resident thanks for finding the ‘only’ exciting experience in the town

[@denishoulan1491]

Sheppey, the home of Britains first ever aircraft factory.

[@steverose1]

Thanks Jon. You can’t polish a turd!

[@markblackford7271]

Always love your enthusiasm Jon 😂