Motoring Oddities EP4 - England's Steepest Road & The Easter Egg Roll Race - Vale Street Bristol

#Bristol #Easter #steepest
Bristol is lovely city full of artistic graffiti but we're not interested in any of that. Today we look at England's steepest road - Vale Street. It's may not be the longest but for sure, with a 21 degree incline, it's rather steep indeed.
The local residents use this to their advantage and every year host an eater egg rolling race. Because that's what you do... right!?

[@burgersnchips]

I only found the channel recently and I'm enjoying the dry humour. "Well shit" is exactly what I would have said

[@DJ-Brownie-UK]

just like his content

[@AhsokaTanoTheWhite]

I was going to say the exact same, I love it because its the humour I have too.

[@christophernewman5027]

Ironic that the man who introduced the race to England's steepest street came from Europe's flattest country...

[@BibtheBoulder]

Probably why he moved there....

[@hermanmunster3358]

It was probably a lifelong dream of his, to live in a country with steep streets. He probably got bored as a kid, rolling eggs down a makeshift ramp from the family sofa to the floor, so moving to Bristol must've been a dream come true.

[@MirkoC407]

Except he was not - The Netherlands' highest "mountain" is about twice the elevation of that in Denmark...

[@christophernewman5027]

@@MirkoC407 Yes? You learn something every day.

[@MirkoC407]

@@christophernewman5027 Indeed - inside Denmark it is somewhat complicated where exactly to go... kzbin.info/www/bejne/e36bqoiBrLWdraM

[@jangoofy]

it is almost as if a egg was designed to not roll away from the nest :-)

[@douglasgriffin694]

I see you with the Tim Traveler reference 😂

[@vkdrk]

At first I thought I was watching Tim 😅

[@PiousMoltar]

Haha this channel has always kinda reminded me of the Tim Traveler.

[@derekmarshall6332]

What is that music ?

[@harveycn]

Tim Traveller referenced the TV show "Wish you were here...?". Derek - It's "Gordon Giltrap - The Carnival" courtesy of Shazam.

[@andrewfinch2009]

I’m probably the 94th person to say that this was a runaway success. On more boring level, you proved the effectiveness of camber in a road. Several Drainage Engineers probably cheered at that moment. Enjoying the series

[@minimaxi802]

Very dangerous in winter with snow and ice. I've tested my bike uphill here, but would never go downhill and wear the brakes out.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I can imagine... it's a nightmare.. my clutch did not appreciate the 3 point turn I did off camera.

[@nathanw9770]

Cycling down there looks like suicide

[@craig9299]

@@AutoShenanigans Why do you keep opening your hands while talking ? You look to be trying to mimic TV presenters in a very exaggerated way. Its weird.

[@PiousMoltar]

Being from the rather flat county of Norfolk (it's not all fens, those are mostly in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, but I do believe Norfolk is the overall flattest county regardless), I for one cannot begin to fathom how anyone rides a bike up hill. I swear it's impossible. Also, I can't fathom why anyone does, since it's much easier to just walk. Well I guess it's good exercise.

[@jamescraighead9965]

@@PiousMoltar I too am from Norfolk and just the slope up a driveway is too much

[@vikkiruss]

My aunt lived one street over, good views from the gardens over Bristol but these houses and roads were close to the destruction of streets and homes very close, lower down that were bulldozed for a traffic system that was never built. Ps never heard of colston buns thingys and I’m Bristol Born and bred, strong in the arms, thick in the head

[@nidh1109]

Perhaps showing the typical waste of money, especially re traffic systems in Bristol. P S Plus the incompetence of any roadworks taking ten times as long As needed, to get done.

[@smiffysmokelife]

Yer, what are Colston Buns? Have I been missing something for 43 years?

[@MikeWooshy]

Your "dissing" of star wars has me subscribed alone. The fact your channel is to do with roads (a hobby of mine) is a bonus. Cheers.

[@pacificostudios]

For North American engineers: 21.81 degrees is 40.02% grade. That is much steeper than what is customarily called the steepest street in the U.S., the 31% grade on Lombard Street in San Francisco.

[@nathanw9770]

Bruh why does the US have to be so different? 💀

[@pacificostudios]

@@nathanw9770 - The States and the rest of the world aren't different on this point; civil engineers don't use degrees of a circle to design vertical gradients. Rather than use degrees of a circle, civil engineers use either percent of grade or "1 in X feet", or "rate of rise" exclusively. It makes life much easier for the surveyor: Measure out 100 feet ahead, and then raise or lower the elevation according to the percent of grade. Thus a 2.2% grade rises 2.2 feet in every 100 feet. Incidentally, in the U.S., surveyors use range poles marked in 1/10 and 1/100 of a foot, not inches. So going metric isn't any easier. If we used degrees of a circle, we would need trigonometry to lay out a grade -- and before the electronic calculator, the surveyor would have needed a SLIDE RULE or trig table. Neither is fun to use in the field, and there's a good chance of making an expensive mistake.

[@vkdrk]

Thanks for the conversion! Not just for North Americans, Europeans don't use degrees for this. It's only UK that's special...

[@pacificostudios]

@@vkdrk - I don't even think UK uses degrees for road gradients. I know that British railroads use the "1 in ___" method that I mentioned. As I explained, if you were using degrees, you would be using trigonometry while laying out the road, and until the electronic calculator was invented, that wasn't practical. Just imagine trying to find the difference between 1 degree and 1.5 degrees on a protractor; you would have to use trig. I really think the Bristol tourism people or whomever is involved tell people 21.81 degrees because most people are not civil engineers. It's probably a simple 40% grade or 1 in 2-1/2.

[@vkdrk]

@@pacificostudios that's what I meant, UK is the only one that doesn't use degrees, the rest of Europe does

[@ranulfdoswell]

I think the egg should have had the pointy end to the left so that it didn't keep trying to steer itself into the kerb due to the camber.

[@Deepscore]

Despite the significant longitudinal gradient, the accompanying transverse fall or crossfall stuffed you royal! 😁

[@clnre]

Good luck with finding a Colston bun. I was born in Bristol and have lived here for over 60 years, but I have never heard of it!

[@smeeruk]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colston_bun

[@245thegreat]

Wish you were here theme tune at the end brings back childhood nostalgia 😭😭

[@ink3988]

I can't tell if the 'Wish You Were Here' bit is a reference to the show or The Tim Traveller but either way I'm here for it

[@nielsreyngoud2870]

Love the Tim Traveller reference at the end 🤣.

[@Ravelinn]

been binge watching about 15 episodes now. So funny and very informative. thank you

[@christyfur1162]

I'm Bristolian and never heard of the Colston bun!!

[@carolynclitheroe3588]

I threw them all in the harbour a while back

[@micbsounds]

I just returned from Bristol and now wish I'd gone to that road.

[@AutoShenanigans]

It's not bad is Brizzle. Nightmare to drive around though

[@taliesinbourne7484]

'The Time Traveller' reference got me there 😂

[@DanRTS]

Keep the humour coming, it makes your show. Well done, informative and entertaining.

[@alanbrown8296]

I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of watching your channel, it just keeps getting better. Thanks.

[@harrycarr8291]

"Meanwhile in starving Africa", .... That cracked me up 😂

[@PandaJ]

Not just Africa that are starving.. cream egg is a luxury many can't afford in the UK but just think the more chocolate you buy and more Coco beans are required and more demand will be likely to out weigh the demand for coca plants. That will be keeping the poor in other countries in jobs and food etc.

[@MrFunkia]

I'm a Bristolian, and have never heard of Colston buns. My mum used to work with Darth Vader's mum at the Odeon cinema in Bristol.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Great video as always mate. I have driven up and down Scotland's second steepest street in Edinburgh which is on the channel but this trumps that!

[@AutoShenanigans]

I shall check that out. I believe the steepest road across the UK is in Wales so there's a Wales and Scotland episode due at some point I think.

[@IlSqueak]

I am not Scottish, nor a car enthusiast, nor a shenaniganator, but Scotlands Second Steepest Street? Yeah, I'm up for that!

[@andrewjones-productions]

@@AutoShenanigans Yes, it is in Harlech, Gwynedd. It took the 'Guinness Book of Records' accolade from a New Zealand town for 'steepest street in the world' for a few months until the New Zealanders proved that their street was in actual fact steeper. Doesn't matter, Harlech still has its UNESCO world heritage site castle and Welsh Lamb is still the best in the world.

[@nigel9843]

Thanks for another great video Jon you always cheer me up.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Fantastic to hear, thanks for watching!

[@DaveLowe28]

The Wish You Were Here music was spot on!

[@alankordzikowski7670]

Stumbled on this channel yesterday and absolutely love it. As for the hill…more suited for a soapbox derby race. Egg rolling doesn’t really sound that exciting. Keep up the great work

[@MrGreatplum]

I was knackered just looking at the gradient of that road! Great video and excellent humour!

[@joelcarterramadge183]

I think this is my favourite video of yours, love all the references in this one.

[@LostInArtMagic]

It’s the UKs steepest street but not steepest road. You could do a video on Porlock Hill, the UKs steepest A road (25%).

[@EdVonPelt]

This is 21.81°, which is a lot steeper than 25%.

[@mattslip179]

@@EdVonPelt I've been to both, Porlock is a first gear hill in a small car. You never want to stop on it as you fear you won't get going again Vale Street isn't worth driving up at all. Scary enough coming down. It's insane how steep it is, video doesn't do it justice. However, Porlock climbs for what feels like a mile, Vale Streets steepest segment is only a few meters long

[@Logan-ip6su]

I went up a 43% angle in scotland

[@beeble2003]

@@EdVonPelt Or did he just say "degrees" when he meant "percent"? Nobody measures the gradient of roads in degrees. Ever.

[@gingerkiwidev]

The Easter Egg roll race reminds me of Baldwin Street (35% grade) in Dunedin, New Zealand's annual "Jaffa roll in July" (Jaffa's are a round lolly/candy). Love this video and the Cream Egg stand in.

[@wordreet]

This is brilliant! I'll have to remember to check it out next time I visit my bro. He doesn't live in Bristol, but I go by on my way.

[@VectraVX]

I absolutely love your dry humour and sarcasm, always gets me laughing

[@666maiden5]

Very good fella needed a laugh great vid 🤘🇮🇪

[@CyclicscoobyFlyer]

Only found you a week ago and have loved all your engrossing vids about boring road's 😂❤ I'm a HGV driver so get to see alot of what you're talking about.. x Subbed

[@Logan-ip6su]

I've went up a 43%angel in Scotland

[@theoneandonlybenjamin]

Pretty sure Primrose Valley in St. Ives (Cornwall) is steeper and is just wide enough for one car . What makes it also really difficult is that at the top of Primrose Valley you are at the steepest part and arrive at a busy T junction on a bend. Let me tell you " CLUTCH CONTROL EXPERT LEVEL REQUIRED " ☺

[@PlayWatchViewKayden]

isnt that steep. its 19 degrees and not 21

[@Dean256]

I think you will find that Station Road in Robin Hood bay, North Yorkshire is a 30 degrease hill. Although as it’s no longer a road you are allowed to drive down without a permit I don’t know if it’s still counts…

[@McRocket]

This was the funniest video of yours - to me - so far. ☮

[@TheThejpmshow]

Nice bit of Bill Bailey there 😁

[@Daz_Stap]

Another great video, I was waiting for the scraping of your front bumper as you came to the bottom of the hill!

[@AutoShenanigans]

Scraped it several times but I didn't film it :D

[@Bob-rn5ho]

That’s cheered me up, watching eggs roll. What else to do on a Saturday morning?!!! Cheers Bob

[@Scrubworks]

Colston buns are hotcross buns, but with an extra sprinkling of slavery. Good for yeeting into rivers.

[@AutoShenanigans]

They do taste better than a hot cross bun so that explains it.

[@RichieRouge206]

That was way funnier than it should have been 🤣🤣 love your sense of humour, just like mine 🤣

[@benday1218]

Dave Prowse came to my primary school once, as the Green Cross code man.

[@jimjamz.]

Firstly, John, I must say, you absolute bastard. I'm at risk of losing an entire weekend to this wonderful comedy gold. I'm trying not to binge watch, but you are making it difficult.

[@danielmarshall4587]

Lovely vid cheers

[@750triton]

Did the road down to Lynmouth in a MKI Metro. All 4 drum brakes were fading by half way down. Dropping down from 2nd to first helped

[@ala0284]

That egg segment (pun not intended) really did make me laugh. Underrated channel

[@beeble2003]

Eggs don't have segments. That's oranges.

[@context_required]

did it crack you up?

[@danvitesse]

Interesting video love the humour too but the wish you were here theme at the end killed me. I want to book a 90s package holiday to Fuji now 🤣

[@PrinceBarin77]

“A two night stay in Bristol, flying with Thomas Cook costs just…”. From the golden age of British domestic television 😂

[@danvitesse]

@@PrinceBarin77 Yup and failing that there was always teletext holidays haha

[@vinniesuperstar8923]

2:00 that actually looks like it takes quite a lot of effort!

[@MrJohnQCitizen]

It's only the bottom part of the street that is particularly steep

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

When I told my seven year old nephew that his mum and I went to the same school as Darth Vader, all of a sudden he actually heard and acted on everything she asked him to do. When I told him that it was also linked to Fry's where the Creme Egg was invented and that every Spring my friend who worked there would bring us boxes of reject eggs (too thick a chocolate shell, too much creme &c.) he was in fits of jealousy. Too much creme, ha, you can never have too much creme!

[@nidh1109]

Lived in Bristol since 82 and have never seen or heard of the Colston bun! Since anything Colston is being erased in Bristol, you can bet that's not what it's called now. Try a bit harder to find fascinating facts, of which there are scores about Bristol.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I typed in "Facts about Bristol" into google... what more can you do.

[@smeeruk]

@@AutoShenanigans en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colston_bun

[@philhawley1219]

Never mind Colston. Bristol University has the Coldrick astronomical telescope donated to this great seat of learning by my paedophilic ex headmaster!

[@darshitcumdeepgupta6998]

You're so funny. Thanks for the video

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks for watching! :-)

[@bar10dr]

Wow that sounds great, I already booked a flight to the uk.

[@BristolPeterUK]

If you want an auto link to Vale Street, Douglas Motorcycles used to test their racing motorbikes here - any by the way Cadbury's and Frys are the same animal!

[@wordreet]

No, I think you'll find that a fried egg wont roll down Vale St at all!

[@rosemarielee7775]

Not surprised its in Bristol!

[@b00ts4ndc4ts]

In eccleshill , Bradford West Yorkshire there is park road which has a 33% gradient

[@cheesefruit200]

Try the road in harlech wales that's 37 percent. Steepest road in the world (according to some). Been down it it's pretty wild!

[@PiousMoltar]

This is like 40% though... Btw I once stayed in Harlech on a family holiday, lovely place.

[@miaugato93]

I hate driving, parking, and overall existing in streets like that. Almost burned a clutch trying to reverse parallel park in one, and i get out of breath climbing them.

[@thepvporg]

You need to check out Nottingham City and surrounding areas as we have loads of steep hills here. One is locally known as Donkey hill because you need a donkey to get up it. Its St Bartholomew's road in St Anns, then another before it is Southampton Street. You will find a few around the porchester road area and in Gedling. So maybe you need to do one about places with the most steep hills in the area...

[@philpaxton2078]

I'm amazed that the Colston Bun hasn't been described as racist. I'm sure they'll get around to it.

[@Lamthesavender]

absolutely love all the retro tv music. cannot for the life of me place some of it though XD

[@claywalsh6817]

The best postal round that every postman wants

[@DerbJd]

the way the muzak stops at 4:24 hehe

[@edwardlees4585]

I reckon they use crash barriers for the egg race which helps keep them going in a straight line. And damaging the city, particularly after what Jeremy Clarkson did!

[@rosethorne9076]

I live in Bristol and I know where this street is. I used to live near there. Image if Dave Prowse spoke in Star Wars. "May the force be with you . . . me luvver "

[@carolynclitheroe3588]

Lives in Bristol almost all my life and never heard of a Colston Bun!

[@garyfallows1123]

I went up a street in San Francisco like that, the pavement on both sides was steps all the way up and the cars parked sideways

[@PhilMakesThings]

I’ve lived in Bristol for 25 years and have never heard of a Colston Bun… 🤣

[@user-wt5tr5gx5f]

I once ate 48 creme eggs in one working day when I worked at Cadbury's. Cost 99p. Would've happily spent another 99p to send 48 down Vale street. Imagine the chocolate carnage. Well shit.

[@JRLNeal]

Here in Nuneaton every shrove Tuesday we roll sausages down Tuttle Hill. Mind you they have to be straight sausages if you use the bent ones tend to roll back up again.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Send me an invite for the next one!

[@JRLNeal]

@@AutoShenanigans Its a black tie and woolly hat affair. You'd fit in well.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Top of the road I grew up on is over 30*. Same town as Old wyche road you mentioned.

[@mrdando]

O:55 the actor you said about that Played Darth Vader was actually previously the green cross code man before Kevin Keegan to showed children at safely cross the road

[@bagofnails6692]

I'm surprised that you didn't mention the Banksy that was briefly on Vale Street just a year or two before you visited. You even filmed a bit of your video in front of where it was.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I did actually script a bit about that very artwork... I cut the scene out as I discovered it had been painted over and was someones house!

[@bagofnails6692]

@@AutoShenanigans Thanks for the reply. It wasn't painted over, I think. They cut out the artwork and sold it as far as I recall. I have some freinds who live on that street and I saw the artwork during the lockdown when I was delivering beer to them one afternoon. (My electric bike failed to get up the hill.)

[@theorangeisspeaking6286]

I love the Tim Traveler music at the end.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Its The Carnival by Gordon Giltrap. Tim does a very nice piano version of it to be fair.

[@theorangeisspeaking6286]

@@AutoShenanigans ah it is a Good outro song

[@jgharston]

Pah! On Blake Street in Sheffield we have an annual cycle race *UP*hill!

[@andy70d35]

Agree with you 100% about Star Wars total crap, never understood the fascination with them. Vale street is nuts, how steep it is. not even possible to roll an egg down there. wouldn't like to be the one pushing the wheelbarrow up that hill when they built houses back in the day.

[@BibtheBoulder]

Same with that ET shite, and Titanic. Any wonder people are watching KZbin instead...

[@vincentyerkess7230]

Great content 👌 However, the steepest road in the UK is in Harlech, its actually tge steepest Road in the world. Impressive castle too

[@Infinity9_]

this is the steepest road in england, harlech is in wales :)

[@XcOM9871]

My dad always told me the steepest road was Chimney Bank which is just down from where he grew up and was nicknamed chain-breaker by cyclists

[@AutoShenanigans]

That's certainly true. I believe, when you average out the gradient across the length of the road, Vale street comes out on top, however I read in places you'll see 33% gradient on chimney bank!!

[@Dantowey3266s]

@@AutoShenanigans having cycled up both, Vale St is steepest at its steepest bit but as an average it probably is Chimney Bank. Vale St a lot easier to go up just due to the length!

[@AutoShenanigans]

@@Dantowey3266s I had chimney bank down at around 14% av gradient, however in places 30%! No doubt it's stupidly steep. I feel we need to find the definitive answer as Wales might be holder of the record!

[@paulwilks6129]

Absolutley love your egg work there. Although I'm a little baffled as to the scientific reasoning behind the experiment that led you to take a bite of of the egg. Could it be greed by any chance? Hmmm? (That 'Hmm' works best in a master Yoda voice)

[@bwcwxx]

I been up that hill on back of a motorbike, scared the life out of me.

[@philipellis7039]

Ooh gosh those buns might need a rename. Didn’t know about this street and the race, interesting. Happy Easter 🐣

[@pacificostudios]

A golf ball roll of Vale Street would be much more entertaining, don't you think? Those houses at the bottom of the hill would need some protection for their window, I'd expect.

[@dereksmith6126]

There are a couple of streets in Dartmouth, Devon while not as outright steep, are much longer. Vale Street, it really is only the bottom few metres that is really steep.

[@bigcrants2493]

Think you should look at Peggy's bank in stoke-on-trent for steepest Road

[@derektaylor6713]

The 30% sign at the top of the road going down into Robin Hood's Bay.

[@pgmasterson1163]

Oh yeah, i did that last year, walking from Ravenscar to Robin Hood Bay, enjoyed a pint in the bay, but had to walk up that damn hill to get a taxi back to Ravenscar. Was a steep leg killing walk up that hill. The only reason i guess its somewhat overlooked is that the road is kind of restricted to cars for businesses and residents only. Everyone else has to park top of the hill.

[@-M0LE]

Having grew up in Bristol never heard of a colston bun

[@dturbo306]

you definitely need to chekc out Greenbank Road in little chell; stoke on trent. may not be as harsh an angle but its twice as long and fun on a bike.

[@pgmasterson1163]

My Parents first home was on Greenbank Road, where my mum had to walk up the road to High lane every weekday to catch a bus into Hanley to work back in the 70's

[@dturbo306]

@@pgmasterson1163 I grew up in Norton and have done smallthorne bank on push bike many times. Hate stoke being built on hills haha

[@SundaeExpress]

I'm sure there's a road off of Chatham Hill that beats this. This Bristol one's only steep for about 20 metres, then more or less levels out.

[@fowlmouth824]

Both Eastbourne and Aberystwyth have 25% road sign warnings I've driven on. Neither have houses on though, so is this the difference?

[@markhobson1777]

I maybe wrong but I thought England steepest road is Rosedale Chimney bank in North Yorkshire, at its steepest it’s 1in2 in old English.

[@SJHughes]

You prefer Cadburys chocolate, Bristol also had a Cadburys factory in keynsham .

[@andykilvington1651]

You get funnier by each vid. Excellent! By the way, Longley Lane in Almondbury, Huddersfield is 1:7. Is that worth a mention?

[@AutoShenanigans]

Shall have a look. what's 1:7 as a percentage.

[@andykilvington1651]

@@AutoShenanigans About 13%

[@gerbuk]

Porlock Hill near Minehead on the a39 is 1:4 and the hardkott pass near boot in the lakes is even steeper but not residential. Both worth a look

[@shanefeather-lopez5935]

Your outro music is the theme and backing tune from Wish You Were Here (from the 90's) isn't it?

[@lynzel6334]

😂 great video

[@TuttyFruttynuts]

I suspect a branch road on the Polsethow estate in Penryn, Cornwall is steeper though I've never seen any mention of this road in any records, if you're in the area may be worth a look.

[@heritagejonery3879]

Churh Lane (The Donkey Road) in Whitby is 50% and cobbled

[@eddjcaine]

Feel like I know this street already thanks to the numerous videos by GCN trying to climb it on various bikes

[@lesallan3181]

I imagine marbles were not the game of choice back in the day

[@iancoulson9775]

Sutton bank in Yorkshire is only 0.6% less than this put I would say it's more dangerous like you should do and episode on it lol