Great British Road Journeys - Surrey - Weybridge to Farnham Ep. 32

[@scotbotvideos]

Only Auto Shenanigans can make what would otherwise be a rather boring vlog about some boring commuter belt towns around London into a somewhat interesting vlog about boring commuter belt towns around London.

[@nickdawson9270]

You’ve nailed it. Always excellent production values.

[@scotbotvideos]

@@nickdawson9270 It's Jon's super dry delivery that gets me hooked.

[@andymerrett]

Lesser channels would've struggled to maintain an audience after the brick story. :)

[@antonycharnock2993]

Don't tell Phil Carr. We know what he thinks about Surrey.

[@markarnold8160]

But only somewhat? 😮

[@monotonehell]

I swear everything old I see in videos about England is either converted into luxury flats or a Wetherspoons.

[@RidgwayBrandon]

*or a Tesco Express

[@Dan23_7]

@@RidgwayBrandonOr charity shop, or Turkish barbers 😂

[@an04ker]

Or mosque

[@chriswalford4161]

Oh yes, we’re proud of out heritage but it has to earn its keep in these days of asset-strippers.

[@jay-rk1ve]

​@an04ker no they are new builds not old buildings

[@nickdawson9270]

That guide book has turned out to be a brilliant investment. Thanks John

[@boohaka]

Fantastic! I love your videos. ❤

[@David_Crayford]

I wonder how much original copies are worth in 2024.

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

Jon's storytelling, fluffs and bloopers get better with every episode!

[@robinwells8879]

He has a true gift for this. Like the Top Gear gents and despite his obvious talent, he’s big enough to laugh at himself which is a very endearing trait.

[@timwilks666]

Had to go to Dunsfold for a work meeting back in 1987. Flew there in the company aircraft, had the meeting, had an excellent lunch in the executive canteen, toured the hangars, spent a couple of hours flying the Harrier simulator, flew home again, and got paid overtime. Every subsequent day at work since has been Not As Good, strangely.

[@gtametro]

Random fact about Dunsfold, I used to work for Ringway ( a highways company) and at the time (2005-09) they had a depot on the aerodrome. somebody figured out that part of the depot was always visible when they filmed laps, so they put a 40ft yellow artic trailer with "RINGWAY" on it by the fence so that it was prominently visible in nearly every lap footage on top gear for a while. until they got told to remove it 🤣🤣

[@David_Crayford]

Genius!

[@Car10121-s]

The Renault F1 lap springs to mind. I seem to recall people peeping over the fence in one shot.

[@streuthmonkey1]

I am so thankful that you preface your videos with the fact it will be exciting. This means I do not get overwhelmed by the extreme excitement within.

[@AutoShenanigans]

If anything there should be a warning/disclaimer at the start, I wouldn't want to cause serious injury indirectly through over excitement.

[@chriswalford4161]

@@AutoShenanigans: it’s reassuring to see you take due diligence so seriously 🙂

[@streuthmonkey1]

@@AutoShenanigans Absolutely. The 'Hello' at the beginning is rather animated so best to put it before that in my opinion.

[@Assimilator1]

🤣

[@ihathtelekinesis]

I lived near Woking for many years. The best thing about it was the station, with so many trains to take you direct to loads of places that weren’t Woking.

[@Blartman]

I've lived in Woking for 9 years and love the £2bn council debt, Fugly high-rise buildings that turn the town centre into a Formula 1 wind-test-tunnel, closing town businesses, and total lack of local policing. But Hey! You can park all day for £4.50 now

[@kelvinhill9874]

As an Australian, I found this video more interesting than most, simply because Guildford was my father’s home town. He lived there from the age of 4 until 14, when his widowed mum packed up the family and emigrated to Australia. I went there in 2022 and took photos of places he knew, like the school and the house he lived in. I walked right past the original Dennis factory and had no idea what it was.

[@Saint_Dan132]

and he does his own stunts what a guy

[@UnbelievableEricthegiraffe]

Dennis, the former lorry manufacturer, is part of the Canadian-owned Alexander Dennis, the bus manufacturer based in Falkirk, Scotland.

[@wilfstor3078]

Alexander Dennis is Canadian owned now? Did New Flyer by them out?

[@Gordanovich02]

The original Dennis company may be gone but the name lives on as part of Alexander Dennis buses, and also separately as Dennis Eagle bin lorries.

[@stefanchilcott7488]

Missed the best fact that Guildford Cathedral also features in 'The Omen' - Brought ip in Farnham and Frensham so lots of nostalgia in this vid!

[@fluffymitten]

I came here to say that 😊

[@marieascot]

I'm sure he deliberately missed this out to create extra engagement in the comments. It is a glaring omission.

[@PanzerFalcon2232]

Tonight: Jon visits a racetrack, some traffic drives past, and a bystander wears a funny hat

[@adrianrutterford762]

Sunday lunchtime viewing sorted

[@antonycharnock2993]

Post Sunday lunchtime viewing...burp

[@razzle1964]

@@antonycharnock2993Post Sunday lunchtime down the pub viewing … hic!

[@Dan23_7]

@@razzle1964Drinking a San Miguel as I watched this. Cheers 🍻

[@razzle1964]

@@Dan23_7 A fine choice of beverage, sir.✌️

[@dooleys1972]

relaxing sunday evening viewing, with a boddingtons , soon to be chased down with another 🙂🙂

[@StephyonYoutube]

Sad that they could get rid of the TopGear test track, hopefully they’ll name some of the roads after it like “Gambon street” and “Hammerhead Road”

[@andrewhaines3259]

Stig Street, Clarkson Close, May Mount and Hammond Drive(s until he crashes)?

[@samuelgarrod8327]

The track is being kept, most of the rest of the land is being built on though.

[@2760ade]

Follow-Through Avenue!

[@vintagetortoise2022]

“Gambon Corner” would be more fitting.

[@j.i.bennett9934]

Good Sunday morning from Alabama. Add this to fill the petrol tank for the next adventure. Looking forward to seeing where you go next.

[@sddsddean]

I worked in Woking for a year or so in 1982. Much excitement in the town as a new multi storey car park was to be opened. There was a spiral ramp to exit the car park...then the penny dropped. There was no spiral ramp to enter. Much head scratching and a few delays until finally it opened!

[@frombrum]

there are now two spiral exits

[@garybrindle6715]

Derby baths Blackpool had a delayed opening as the main entrance only gave acess to the ladies changing rooms.

[@Transsomething]

Wait until you hear about the rooftop carpark in Farnborough with no access at all

[@larkhill2119]

Park a few EVs that will fix it.

[@Alan_Stinchcombe]

I particularly liked what I heard as "King Henry VIII's disillusion of the monasteries".

[@jeremywilliams5107]

From "1066 and all that"?

[@Alan_Stinchcombe]

​@@jeremywilliams5107Ah yes! 😊

[@nickleics]

That ending… priceless. 👌

[@mrtickleuk]

Agreed, an actual LOL here!

[@roderickmain9697]

Thanks Jon. The Brooklands museum is, indeed, a place worth visiting. They have an original bouncing bomb there (disarmed I'm sure) but its an all round fascinating place.

[@10thdoctor15]

It is also home to Concorde

[@marieascot]

@@10thdoctor15 There is one at Duxford too.

[@Batters56]

And multiple cockpits to sit in of other aircraft, F1 cars, old clubhouse, the track, a flack gun emplacement, an atmospheric chamber and whole bus museum!

[@sabinebogensperger1928]

Yay! Surrey! My neck of the woods, and what a fabulous first video of this beautiful county. Brooklands Museum really is worth a visit, especially Concorde Delta Golf, thank you for mentioning it.

[@dw7920]

Lovely to see my neck of the woods get The Treatment. One extra fact about Godalming is that it was the first place in the world to get public electric lighting - powered by a water-powered generator at one of the mills sat across the aforementioned River Wey. Bit ahead of its time though so didn't last too long and the town went back to gas lighting until the tech caught up a few years later. Right - local historian mode off. Thanks for another great video Jon. :)

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks very much, appreciate that!

[@a11oge]

i was going to mentiomn that - surprised that AutoS didn't - he lost a point there.

[@phileagle8432]

Thx for adding the map of the aircraft factory - one of the most graceful airliners every made (the VC-10) was produced here 😃

[@JohnSmithShields]

A lovely bit of kit, and the engine arrangement looked straight out of Thunderbirds.

[@Goldenoldie49]

One of the safest aircraft ever built.

[@phileagle8432]

@@JohnSmithShields Yes!! I’ve never thought of it like that before!

[@paulqueripel3493]

There's a video of one taking off from Brooklands, they were worried the runway wasn't long enough so it was extended. It looks like it used half of it before it took off.

[@phileagle8432]

@@paulqueripel3493 oh wow - I’ll have to try and find that!

[@MarcusWalton]

Used to work at Dunsfold until Feb this year when they closed our Data Centre there. We were the building right next to where top gear filmed and next to the start/finish line. Was always intresting to watch what they were doing out of the window. Security used to be annoying when Disney used it for filming Star Wars.

[@billywindsock9597]

It’s the off script stuff that adds a lovely sauce to a solid, dependable meal of knowledge. Or something.

[@JRLNeal]

These videos are getting better. Interesting video / audio edits, more varied talks to camera shots, and inter dispersed with drone footage, topped off with a more even paced delivery (ie slower) and spiced with witty snide comments to keep us well amused on the way. On top of that a hell of a lot of research and travelling and editing. Excellent!

[@stuartbridger5177]

Nice visit to my home county. Schooled in Guildford and did my apprenticeship at Brooklands. Lunchtimes were spent walking around the remains of the circuit. Nice to see the coverage of the pillboxes at Waverley. I also believe that Guildford has the steepest High Street in the country.

[@endabutler7232]

Why are these videos so compelling! It doesn't make sense on paper yet id never miss one. There you go. Me , a bloke in Ireland, has been all over England with you. Love them all. Keep em coming 👍

[@NashvilleUK]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Shepherd and Flock roundabout in Farnham which I think is the largest in the UK? It has a pub and houses on it! Frensham Pond and Bourne Wood are also interesting local sights as they have represented lots of different locales in famous movies such as the Nile in The Mummy and the forests of Gaul in Gladiator.

[@jonh6585]

I keep hearing sheperd and flock is biggest roundabout, and it is pretty big with a pub and couple of terrace housing rows, but I am sure I have seen bigger roundabouts on the motorway network.

[@andy1514-g1q]

to help fund the completion of Guildford cathedral there was a "sponsor a brick" campaign in the early 50s, so somewhere in the cathedral there's a brick with my Dad's name on it.

[@a11oge]

there is also a brick with my name on it - somewhere there.

[@6thdayblue59]

A gift towards the UK’s essential ‘Christmas Present Guide’ that we all look forward too as we travel across the country, 14 weeks from now……. Your Service Stations🤣 advice helps us all 🤣🤣 (Mr & Mrs 6thDayBlue) x

[@HowlingMouse999]

The reason the Wetherspoons is called Rodboro Buildings is because after Dennis moved out the building was used by the Rodboro Shoe and Boot Co. as their factory. The 3 storey high atrium over the main bar in the pub was originally a lift shaft - the Dennis cars were manufactured on all three floors and moved between floors in the lift. The building was due to be demolished to make way for road widening ( the pavement was originally outside the building round the curved corner) but was saved at the last minute by a spot listing . Guildford Council then bought the building and smashed out the ground floor facade to make space for the footpath that is now inset under the upper floors, meaning the road widening could still go ahead. How do I know all this? Well, I designed the building refurbishment and Wetherspoons conversation back in the late 1990s, in the process bringing a very dilapidated and failing eyesore back into use.

[@simonsaville9962]

A281 - a great 'middle of the night' driving road, i.e. when it's empty.

[@David_Crayford]

I was born in Surrey and my brother owes his life to the talented NHS staff at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford. At 17 riding his motorbike home he was hit by a grey mini van near Newlands corner. He later went on to get an Aeronautical degree at Brunel and was on the team that designed and tested the Nose Landing Gear for the Boeing 787. The woodlands of Surrey are very familiar to me and Guildford Cathedral is definitely one of the churches my mother dragged me along to as a teen on one of our numerous days out.

[@Noel_Jaco8]

Just in time for the final Grand Tour episode next week! Thanks Jon

[@rogeroneill1539]

I went for a school trip to the BAC factory at Brooklands in 1978. They were kitting out the cockpit to the final Concorde which was tiny, even to my schoolboy sized body.

[@anthonylloyd6094]

No one would have believed John would visit Woking..... The chances were a million to one.....

[@2760ade]

But still he came?

[@JohnMcGann90]

Your videos really make me miss the history of the UK, Canada just doesn't have the same, at least not where I am. Also I love the fact you leave in some of the errors or disruptions, it makes everything seem more real and watchable not over edited like some TV shows are.

[@catfootball592]

Always think of the film "The Omen" when I see Guildford Cathedral.

[@twocvbloke]

Some say, if you drive round Dunsfold enough times, it causes you to punch a producer... :P

[@roberthindle5146]

Jon produces his own videos, though 😮

[@robertwilloughby8050]

Self-hatred ahoy!😅

[@MrGreatplum]

Great stuff, Jon. Guildford cathedral is a lot nicer on the inside than the outside - great acoustics too! I note you are getting closer to where I live!

[@edwardfry5502]

The acoustics were terrible when it was first finished, hence the massive series of vertical acoustic panels hanging either side of the main arched vault

[@craigsibley8161]

I've had a great week Jon, thanks for asking 👍 Hope you had a good one too...

[@radeakins]

Got a little story. My Aunt lives in Woking but used to go shopping in Guildford. It was the nearest Sainsbury's. My Granddad gave her his old car, a 76 Cortina. She went shopping with my two baby cousins at the time, came back out to find the Cortina on fire. It would have been tragic because she usually left my cousins in the car if they were asleep. This was 92. Its been 30 years and she still find bits of the Cortina that had melted into the tarmac of Guildford Sainsbury's.

[@paulsengupta971]

I started work in Guildford in 1992.

[@mb-3faze]

4:35 - "Absolutely Satisfactory" - no more British than that!

[@MaybeJohn]

I truly love these videos. The humour and general grumpiness are utterly divine.

[@ALMELMUSIC]

Genius again John. Especially the 'No one would believe' lead up to the War Of The Worlds' section along with that 'Guildford Cathedral' section.

[@AFCManUk]

My name's Dave, and I've been watching AutoShenanigans and I'll see you next time :)

[@PlodTRDMotorsports]

My late father was a fireman at Dunsfold Aerodrome. I also have a connection as Marconi had a outbase there where upgrades on the last Sea Harrier (FA2/FRS2) took place. I was in the RN and responsible for a time for the parts that went there escorted as they were highly classified.

[@sandwichbar8226]

Hello Jon, how the devil are you, have you had a good week?

[@stuartmcconnachie]

5:20 Guildford Cathedral - “The Omen” was filmed there in 1976.

[@getreal7964]

Guildford and Exciting in the same sentence - Epic ! (Tuned in for Railways, got Churches - oh well...). I also got 'disillusioned' with the Monasteries. Priceless vid again Jon 👍

[@paulreynolds1510]

The Top Gear test track was also featured in the James Bond film Casino Royale. I’ve been there a few times as I’ve had the joy of working with the Top Gear crew.and I’ve driven round the Top Gear test track and fifth gear actually used it as well

[@tspcrowther]

Dunsfold was also used as a film set for Casino Royale. The 747 that featured in one or two Top Gear episodes was made to look like the Skyfleet S570, hence the silly B52 style engine pods and I think there was another scene also filmed there. One day after making a delivery in my lorry to one of the hangers used as a furniture warehouse, the only way out for HGV was at the gate on the opposite side of the runway. They were practicing for filming of the Top Gear episode involving an Apache helicopter. It was hovering over the runway, but had its nose pointing right at me as I drove around the perimeter road/ taxiway! An unforgettable site that I had forgotten about until now.

[@quiggles]

I was told by Nan who lived in Oatlands that her mother was a maid at Oatlands Palace for the Duke of Newcastle. Apparently even then the grotto was well past it's best. Lived in Woking all my life and played on Horsell common as a kid. The drone shot as you say you moved on to Guildford is still Woking!

[@tradeplatetravels]

The passenger jets you saw at Dunsfold landed there after being taken out of service, and have since been used for filming purposes. They recorded the James Bond Miami airport scenes in Casino Royale at Dunsfold for example! But the jets could never take off again - whilst the runway was long enough to land, it wasn't long enough for them to take off. By the way, Guildford Cathedral has a really nice atmosphere on the inside, really clean and light and welcoming, not what you would expect from the exterior. Really enjoyed this video Jon. Great to see you explore my neck of the woods. Thanks!

[@mdhazeldine]

I grew up near Weybridge and live there now. Also lived in Godalming for 8 years. Nice to see you visit places I've been so many times. Learned a few things too! Oh, and my grandad used to work for Vickers at Brooklands and got blown off a plane wing by a German bomb and survived to tell the tale!

[@scottselby7655]

My dad would recount when we went past Guildford cathedral visiting family how he laid one of the bricks when he was at school.

[@nking2146]

John, enjoy the rest of your week, whatever it is you get up to...

[@23hublock1]

So many new homes going into Dunsfold, can't wait to hear about the traffic chaos.

[@DrivenWithLiam]

7:26, those two cars on the runway are a McLaren F1 and a Mclaren P1, two incredibly rare and valuable cars. Yes i'm fun at parties.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Ah yes.. .well... me and few other fun party types have worked out that you are correct indeed and they were shooting the cars as part of the W1 promo videos.

[@andymcvean9631]

Excellent content and execution, thanks John for putting a smile on my face.

[@Hix-Design]

Missed a trick with Shalford. Gordon Murray are based there. Not quite as flash a building as MTC, but it is the home of the successor to the F1, the T.50. Surely worth some extra shenanigans points?

[@Adrian-j3q3n]

What a fantastic run around the area I grew up. You even passed through Elstead where some of the training for the D Day landings was carried out at the Atlantic Wall. Many thanks for the time taken to create this video.

[@luckysmiler]

I worked at Fox's of Guildford that used to be part of the Dennis factory ,they moved to Slyfield industrial estate ,then recently moved from there

[@stevewilson8467]

NIce segue from McLaren's HQ to Dennis vehicles! Outstanding episode, cheers Jon 👍

[@andymerrett]

Was Ron Dennis related to the Dennis Vehicles family?

[@antonycharnock2993]

I used to love the Dennis Dominator buses that were in use for nearly 30 years in the Sheffield area. I wondered why I hadn't seen anything Dennis for a while. Did they go bust or taken over? Also a local link to McLaren now. There's the factory that makes carbon fibre tubs for the cars here.

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

6:08 Interestingly too, there's a lack of reverence shown here 6:12 where the carpark tarmac goes right up to the cathedral's walls. This is only beaten by the placing of the few accessible/disabled parking, wider car park slots being nigh on two dozen standard places away from the clunky after thought Eastern entrance's chair hoist, for no reason.

[@camenbert5837]

Ace shout out for Bargate. Odd fact about bargate is that it tended to come in lumps, so part of quarrying it was getting a long metal pole under it and having a lot of blokes jumping on said pole to shift it. You wouldn't know it now, but there were about 5 working bargate quarries in Godalming at one stage

[@spitfire1962]

I worked for a certain Scandinavian telecoms company who were based in Guildford (now moved to Reading) and have worked in or around most of those places on your route Jon. Lovely countryside with lots of interesting things. But like you, somewhere I could never afford to live.

[@daves2001]

Thanks

[@ForburyLion]

The Brookland museum is well worth a visit, coincidentally, I went there yesterday. The Concorde experience is £7 extra and you have to book a slot, but it's worth it if you've never flown on Concorde and if you have then you're probably rich enough to spare £7 anyway. You also get free entry into the London Bus Museum located on the same site and they do bus trips on a Routemaster. Mercedes-Benz World is right next door, You can see paying customers racing Mercedess cars up and down the old runway and skidding around on the skid pan for free, I think they have a museum too with loads of F1 cars.

[@howardmclean2673]

The quarry you filmed at in Godalming is on Holloway hill, and at the top of the cliff are 3 houses built by my dad in the 1960’s great to see the quarry is still there despite moving out of the area over 50 years ago

[@Mrtallguy76]

I remember landing on the Top Gear test track back in the late 90s when it was still a BAE site.

[@JayBrickell]

Saw @autoshenanigans Jon heading into the church yard in Godalming at approximately 4:20pm on Wednesday 4th September but I wasn't able to park up and say hello unfortunately. Keep up the good work Jon 👍

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Another fantastic and and informative video Jon.

[@Zeebad_1st]

My mother lived in Weybridge during the second disagreement and had an air raid shelter in the garden to hide in when the Germans dropped bombs on said factory. My grandad sold the house to Bernard Cribbins who lived there until he died. Guildford cathedral was part funded by members of the public buying a brick and having their name engraved on it, my mother has one there.

[@JohnBand78]

My grandma also has a brick at Guildford Cathedral. Embarrassingly despite going to high school in Guildford and living there for the best part of a decade I've never actually visited it (the cathedral or the brick!)

[@dasnutnock6408]

Used to see Bernard in Weybridge Waitrose and around town a few years back. Nearly ran me over in his Subaru Forrester. Couldn’t hold it against him, was a lovely bloke

[@Zeebad_1st]

@@dasnutnock6408 I met him in Melbourne when I was 8 back in the early 70s. The last time my aunt visited from Australia she made my brother drive to weybridge and she knocked on his door and he invited them in for afternoon tea.

[@Assimilator1]

Hey, great to see some of my home stomping ground on your video :), I only visited the Abbey myself about a year ago. PS I'm surprised you didn't mention that Guildford cathedral featured in the film Omen. My nan worked there for a while, and I remember her telling me there was a furore over that! lol

[@MikeTheBike2010]

Dunsfold can be spotted in many Film and TV shows (look out for the jumbo jet permanently parked up which always seem to show in the background. I was an extra there for S5 of The Crown and Disney/Marvels Secret Invasion. There are also motoring events where you can book to drive round the track in various sports cars. Enjoy!

[@MrBwian]

Also watching this from Surrey - but my town wasn't featured - Camberley, but there's not a lot to see here

[@southcalder]

Dennis still sort of exists, just not in Guildford. Dennis Eagle builds bin lorrys in Blackpool, and Alexander Dennis builds buses for the UK and export worldwide at Camelon in central Scotland. I learned to drive a bus in a First Bristol Dennis Lance, which had a chassis built in Guildford. The body being Plaxton and assembled in Scarborough.

[@sir-chat-a-lot]

Thanks!

[@Beatlefan67]

Well done John - another interesting trip. Regards JP

[@dontuno]

I remember the 1960s when my primary school took us kids to Guildford Cathedral to "christen" some kneeling pads we had apparently made. Went back there last year and wondered whether the pads were still there but frankly all those years later my original opinion of the building still held true, it should be knocked down at the earliest opportunity and something with at least a degree of architectural merit built in its place!

[@MervynPartin]

Excellent travelogue as usual. I'm really enjoying your colourful descriptions of things that I would never bother to visit, so I am subscribing. Whilst you are in the South of England, you might want to consider a tour of Sussex minor roads to experience the adventure of the potholes and collapsing road edges, all the time meeting vehicles coming the other way in the single track lanes- I've just returned from a week there. Never again.

[@lfo2vco]

It’s worth mentioning that Guildford Cathedral featured in the 1976 film The Omen.

[@tobyfletcher6803]

i love the out takes you leave in brilliant

[@dstooke]

Another awesome Shenanigans! ❤

[@robinwells8879]

Another vintage episode. Hurtled contentedly back through that very neck of the woods only last night en route home from a wonderful, if rather muddy, Goodwood Revival weekend. ❤

[@samboss15081]

Great video and great bloopers! Keep ‘em in!

[@maidbloke]

Guildford Cathedral is beautiful! I spent 4 years as a student at Surrey University which you can see in the background of your shots. Not so fun on a Sunday morning when they used to ring the bells. 😂

[@Nick-ye5kk]

Excellent video, could you do the Caterham by-pass, one of the first dual carriageways in the country and by coincidence it also has a reputation for being haunted! For bonus points take a drive up Succombs Hill in a van or truck in rush hour and experience true fear as you climb the "corkscrew" section near the top.

[@TheresaCharlotte-nh5ng]

For sure one of your top uploads yet!

[@vibingwithvinyl]

Go away bot

[@Anonymoususer_8823]

Well apparently Farnham is in Hampshire and is located some 10-12 miles east of Basingstoke on the M3 motorway and I have been to Farnham once and I haven’t been to Weybridge before. Interesting to see how the ground has a slop that used to be a test track before.

[@andrewofford1533]

Hi John, On the 22nd of January 1959, only months into his retirement, world famous racing driver Mike Hawthorn died on the A3 Guildford bypass while driving his comprehensively-modified 1958 Jaguar 3.4-litre saloon.

[@1946Ash]

He was attempting to overtake racing team manager Rob Walker, who was driving a Mercedes 300SL Gull wing.

[@andrewofford1533]

@@1946AshThe accident occurred on a notoriously dangerous section of the road, the scene of 15 serious accidents (two fatal) in the previous two years; the road was also wet at the time. Driving at speed (one witness estimated 80 m.p.h.), Hawthorn overtook a Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'gull-wing' sports car driven by an acquaintance, the motor racing team manager Rob Walker. On entering a right-hand bend shortly after passing the Mercedes, Hawthorn clipped a 'Keep Left' bollard dividing the two carriageways, causing him to lose control. The Jaguar glanced an oncoming Bedford lorry before careering back across the eastbound carriageway sideways into a roadside tree, uprooting it. The impact caused Hawthorn fatal head injuries and propelled him onto the rear seat.

[@tangerinedream7211]

Rumour was that Hawthorn was terminally ill, he absolutely hated Rob Walkers Merc, bloody German cars. There's also a story about the accelerator stuck on as the Jag had some form of early mechanical cruise control fitted .

[@rochellehewston9367]

So informative and entertaining as always John Love the climbing on the wall towards the end of the video Thank you again for all your hard work

[@WagnerGimenes]

Nice to see the magical 150K subs approaching, Jon. Great content as ever.

[@a11oge]

Well done. As someone who lived for nearly 30 years in Godalmimg, you managed to find out facts that I should have known. Also, for a fee, my friend can show you the scorch marks near Woking where the alien landed.

[@ianstewartorr8455]

Wonderful and very humorous as always very enjoyable greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@tonys1636]

My childhood stomping ground, parents had a bungalow in Byfleet 100m from the end of the Vickers Armstrong later BAC runway, once a fortnight a VC10 passing low overhead, a bit louder than the Viscount which preceded their manufacture. The Vanguard ceasing production long before. The VC10 the last complete aircraft built at the Brooklands factory, only parts of aircraft after including Concorde and the ill-fated TSR2. That project scrapped after the prototypes built. The runway too short as couldn't be extended again as the village of Byfleet one end and the Portsmouth and, Southampton mainline the other.

[@tikkathreebarrels]

Nasty cold you've got there Jon. Thanks for documentng Dunsfold before it turns into housing.