Secrets of The Motorway - M3

[@zaphod4245]

Another thing you missed, between J3 and 4 the carriageways part with a mound in between them. This is actually because of the Bisley Rifle ranges which face towards the motorway, theres a big danger area between the ranges and the motorway, and the motorway is safe, but just in case a stray shot flies beyond the danger area, there is a mound to shield the southbound carriageway to the south west, but this wouldn't cover the northbound side without it being much taller, so there is a second mound between the two carriageways to protect it.

[@AutoShenanigans]

ahhh... i had no idea, that's a brilliant bit of info.

[@StoutProper]

Somebody got hit for them to build that

[@redboyjan]

@@StoutProper yeah a road builder getting a pop shot at them lol

[@1960dave1960]

An interesting point you have made, I measured the mean distance from the nearest ranges to the M3, it is 4km, if there was a stray bullet that could ricochet from Bisley it may hit someone in Lightwater first….(by the way I come from that area….)…

[@lprc7196]

I don’t think this is right. Interesting none the less

[@dawhandle]

Yes, I liked the old Spitfire Bridge as well. However, I'm the one that designed the 'monstrosity' that replaced it! I spent a lot of time going through various options to try and save the old bridge, but it just wasn't possible to get the N/B carriageway alignment through it. I also wanted to build a larger arch bridge to replace it, but the geometry of the existing road and earthworks made it very difficult to do. That's why I came up with something that would span across the motorway and adjacent link road in one go. As a bridge engineer (retired) I'm used to the general antipathy towards modern concrete structures, but it does hurt somewhat when my work is described as a monstrosity. How about about a bit on the dull side instead...

[@longjonwhite]

@dawhandle. You are very modest sir. Don’t settle for any less a descriptor than “iconic”.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Well you don't expect to hear from the designer when making such comments ;-) Thanks for commenting and offering some insight.

[@chriscohlmeyer4735]

From a family of architects so I have gotten used to 1) conceptual design, 2) actual planning with changes and adjustments to 3) the actual final plan when reality hits. You went through much the same process of 1) save it (that won't work), 2) similar style (to look right the lorries in the outer lanes would get clipped), 3) practicalities prevailed. I am sure you have some very interesting designs out there where it just fits right.

[@darreng745]

It is a good bridge for it is designed to do which is carry the Alresford road over Spitfire link and the main M3, next time I pass under it I'll look and think yep the guy who designed that took the time to speak on it

[@LesW100]

The reason there are two options for Southampton at J14 is because J13 is too close and it was deemed necessary to separate the traffic before J13 for safety so people weren't jumping across lanes at the last minute. As a result, traffic joining from Eastleigh at J13 going south, could only go westbound on the M27 (It was decided if they wanted to go east they could join the M27 at the other side of Eastleigh). Putting in a slip road up to the A33 allowed them to go into Southampton as well, and as a result there is a Southampton option on both slip roads (eastbound and westbound)

[@DomEvans]

People still change their minds last minute very dangerously. I'm glad the Eastleigh traffic doesn't jump across 2 lanes too 👍😁

[@LesW100]

@@DomEvans I went to the public exhibition when it was still at the planning stage and they were very concerned about the two junctions being so close that traffic would conflict, so their solution was to split the motorway back before j13 which is what we have now. If the Eastleigh traffic had to jump across three lanes at the same time as all the westbound traffic was trying to get into the two left lanes I am certain there would be major accidents there almost every day. At least their solution seems to work, although giving the strange set up where you get a slip road to the A33 from both splits of the motorway. I guess the designers actually did know what they were doing...

[@chinnyvision]

@@DomEvans Yep, you really need to watch out for this as you approach.

[@BMWMike]

The wasp incident is the best piece of action ever captured on video.

[@ChrisGuarraia]

I don’t live in England and haven’t even visited (yet), but I am completely fascinated by Secrets of the Motorway. I’m experiencing English motorways (and the landscape and hidden gems) vicariously through these videos.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thrilled to have you.. in which wonderful corner of the earth are you located?

[@StoutProper]

Watch the film Locke. Evokes the atmosphere of nighttime U.K. motorway driving wonderfully.

[@SortOfPurple]

I don’t know why I watch these, I don’t even drive a car. Says something about how entertaining this series is. I smiled when the ridge racer 4 intro music started.

[@ecotix]

I thought the same, but it's actually little insights into our culture and history for little "non-important" sites and I love that

[@Pixel_Runner]

When you reach the end of the motorway, you actually go left for Bournemouth and right for Portsmouth (which is a bit counter-intuitive). After the split, they then cross each other and go in the opposing direction.

[@thomascharnock]

That bridge you're stood on at the end of the video...I run over that most days when I'm out for a jog. Now it is immortalised by Auto Shenanigans! 😂 Also a bit gutted I didn't happen to be running there when you were filming so I could accost you like a random nutter/fan

[@AutoShenanigans]

You wouldn't be the first :D Thanks for watching mate!

[@the90sfattyfromtakethat]

I think I saw someone running in the distance

[@paulknight5018]

@@the90sfattyfromtakethat probably a thief I'm allowed to say that I live in Southampton lol 🤣

[@grahamclifton1483]

In 1975, during the M3 Sunbury construction, I nearly drove off the unfinished flyover one night, losing my way in the temporary road alignments… Love this channel…

[@warringtonminge4167]

The underpass 1:03 looks like what we'd call a sheep creep and if it had more headroom we'd call it a cattle creep, allowing livestock to freely pass from one side of a farm to the other after some inconsiderate sod put a damn great motorway through the middle of the farm. I've needed to use them a few times over the years to cross from one side of a motorway or major road to the other while doing highway surveys or inspections.

[@jamessawyer479]

I grew up in Lightwater in the 80s, so I knew all the woods around the M3 J3 Bagshot. The machine used to lay the tarmac (through Bagshot section, at least) was imported specially from the Soviet Union. I was told numerous times that during construction, a Scammell Tipper broke down under the J3 Bagshot bridge just before the tarmac laying machine came through. Once moving, the Tarmac machine could not be stopped economically. There was no time to get the tipper going again so they buried it in the ground under the carriageway. At the Longcross site near J3 there is also a tunnel linking the two sides as well as the bridge. This is because they were testing vehicles which were too heavy for a bridge. Rumour has it the tunnel is very tall inside because they were testing mobile icbm vehicles there in the 60s and 70s. Many thanks for a cool and fascinating vid. Wasps. Classic!!!

[@AutoShenanigans]

The tunnel sounds interesting indeed, i can't find any evidence of it's where abouts though. Perhaps removed/filled in in later years?

[@petetrundell5454]

I worked for and on the design of two of the M3 construction contracts. The two lane section north of Winchester was regarded as inadequate for the volume of traffic when constructed, let alone now. When the then Department of Transport put the scheme out to tender the requirement was for three lanes but every contractor said it was impossible within the projected cost so the Department, rather than spend the extra, ordered 2 lanes. The divided slip roads at Hockley are because of the topography. The hillside and adjacent river Itchen prevent a single conventional intersection. That contract is etched in history as the Twyford Down road scheme which attracted a great deal of anti-road protestors and press coverage. What is rarely told is that the road that preceeded it was an environmental disaster that had to be rectified. It was removed and covered with local earth and indigenous seedlings (rather than generic specimens) that had been cultivated at Sparsholt College to perfectly disguise the route. This had never been done before.

[@David-ci1vn]

Wasn't it THREE SSSIs that got covered in concrete, if they can do that to the highest level of environmentally sensetive site, they'll do it anywhere.

[@petetrundell5454]

@@David-ci1vn Yes, there was environmental damage, that has been established many times over. My point was that there was also significant environmental recovery of an area that was badly scarred and polluted and that fact is never put across when the story of Twyford Down is told.

[@RobsHampshirePubWalks]

The environmental damage to the world renowned River Itchen from the old Winchester by pass was awful but its a shame more money was not spent to provide a tunnel under Twyford Down.

[@AurumUsagi]

Trivia: Fleet Services was once one of only two motorway service stations in the UK where two rival burger chains and KFC co-existed. This was because of Welcome Break's then-parent company Trusthouse Forte wanting to counter Pavilion's introduction of Burger King by introducing McDonald's. When Forte was taken over by Granada (nowadays Moto), after taking over Pavilion before, they switched to Burger King for expansion, but kept the McDonald's in Fleet and added Burger King. When Welcome Break was sold off following an investigation into Granada's stranglehold on motorway services, KFC was added. Sadly, both McDonald's and Burger King shut down 2 years ago, with the only locations left being Winchester (Moto) and (where it transitions into the M27) at Rownhams (RoadChef), which are Burger King and McDonald's locations, respectively.

[@gareth204]

Chertsey resident here, who lives on St Ann’s Hill. The Armour you mention is Chobham, not Cobham. Chobham is the village next to Lyne and Longcross where the tank factory once stood intersected by the M3. Cobham is a village about 13 miles to the East next to the A3/M25 junction. Many mix them up, but they are two very separate Surrey villages.

[@richardmiles3892]

AHH I remember the train in Thorpe park. It used to go from one corner of the park, then along behind one of the lakes, I vaguely remember there was like a petting zoo or similar at the far end of the line. I knew I wasn't going crazy!

[@grahamclifton1483]

In the 1980s, when we all had CB radios, there was a nice guy with a base station near the Spitfire Bridge, all the drivers would call him up and he would relay road traffic information… Loving your work!

[@AutoShenanigans]

CB is a little before my time but I love the idea of being able to get traffic info from a guy in a shed.

[@grahamclifton1483]

@@AutoShenanigans Picture yourself, 1983, leaving Preston on M6, 1800h, 200 miles to home, snow coming in, key the mic, say "One Nine, One Nine, any driver give me a Ten Thirteen (road report) on the Mike Six south to Birmingham? Gunmetal One standing by." Back comes a Devon accent, over a loud lorry engine, "Gunmetal One, this is Happy Wanderer. You're clear south to Birmingham." "Thanks Happy Wanderer, nothing heard north of Preston, safe journey.." "Thanks Gunmetal One ... becomes distant...Ten ten, Happy Wanderer standing by.."

[@StoutProper]

@@grahamclifton1483 the internet before the internet

[@philiptownsend4026]

@@grahamclifton1483 Those were the days ;-))

[@jimmycburfield5997]

Fascinating, there’s something evocative about an abandoned theme park.

[@priscillaroberts7945]

My son was working at fleet services and once when left to cope on his own it got a bit busy so he turned up the extractor over the burger grill to get rid of the smoke and the accumulation of fat up there caught fire. The whole place burnt down. He was about 17 . They tried to get him to say the filters were regularly cleaned and changed but he wouldn't. He was" let go" as they say.

[@chinnyvision]

He needs an award for services to grim motorway services redevelopment. It was awful in there. Much better now!

[@captaindun]

And they rebuilt it… of wood!!

[@priscillaroberts7945]

@@captaindun and plastic. I wonder if anybody misses Wendys kitchen. He did get to see a lot of media stars. Eastender types and suchlike.

[@davidfalconer8913]

As a student holiday job , I helped build the M3 ( during 1972 ) ..... ( Lightwater to Sunbury section ) working for a subsidery of Bovis , called [ Larry Webb ] this was great fun and VERY VERY well paid ! ...The mining trucks took over 300 gallons of red diesel per day and had their engine oil changed every 3 DAYS ! ... their gearbox / back axle's oil changed every 14 days ! .. ( normal motorists take note ! ! .... Ha - Ha .........

[@AutoShenanigans]

I tend to do engine oil every 3 months.. but every 3 days!!?

[@mtickner]

Geographically yes, left to Portsmouth and Right to Bournemouth, but you need to be in the left lanes to go right and the right lanes to go left. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@techgeekout]

Does my head in because I'm quite geographically switched on, and have to manually remind myself that the lanes go in the opposite direction to their destination ffs

[@jimherbert007]

This, the number of people I’ve seen nearly crash over the years 😳

[@JasonGardnerUK]

I drive this often, and I'm always saying my best Mike Reid voice "Run around nah", as myopic drivers make their final decisions,

[@paulsengupta971]

@@techgeekout Like the M40 joining the M42.

[@RobsHampshirePubWalks]

We locals call it Fukawi junction because of the confused veering and abrupt Lane changes (Think about it 😁)

[@NigelJones]

Oh, memories of hockey traffic lights. I remember before that section was opened (lived in Chandler's Ford for years, though moved away in 2020)

[@machinist5828]

I share your non love for wasps. I spent 22 wonderful months in East Anglia with the USAF at RAF Bentwaters. I absolutely loved all the narrow back roads and lanes. I was not so thrilled with the motorways though. You just missed too much. Perhaps some day I can return and explore some more. Until then....... Cheers Terry from South Carolina USA

[@AutoShenanigans]

They're awful things. Thanks for watching mate... You can't beat an English back road for fun! I hope you enjoyed your stay with Bentwaters.

[@machinist5828]

@@AutoShenanigans I was there to the end. Last person in maintenance to leave. Saddest day in my life other than my dad dying. I had nightmares for years afterwards. Yes I totally enjoyed my stay. Cheers Terry

[@StoutProper]

@@machinist5828 if you enjoyed it that much you really should pay us a visit

[@machinist5828]

@@StoutProper if I could I would. Take the train right to Woodbridge. However I live in South Carolina USA. Cheers Terry

[@darreng745]

The reason for the double slip road at Junction 14 is that traffic from Eastleigh at Junction 13 cannot access the main body of the carriageway heading up the hill towards M27 East which is the exit slip road for Southampton for the main carriageway, so you head for M27 West and take the slip road off to rejoin that sliproad before the roundabout at the start on Basset Avenue.

[@Mark-BS-YT-name]

I regularly go up St Anne's hill & down Monk's walk (Thorpe Park train). Now famous and deserves a geo location to forever immortalise this video. 👍🏻

[@RobertRyder-r8k]

That extra slip road at J13 is the original sliproad from the A33. It was realigned (made less sharp corner) when the A33 was changed to the M3

[@peter5486]

Unexpected rather large section on Thorpe Park very much satisfying my main interests whilst watching this. Nice!

[@marcwaller3657]

The abandoned Thorpe park train still gets used every year as part of their fright night events. It doesn't move but it's part of an interactive experience where some (student) actors act out various interactive ghost stories involving a train crash. The train is usually partly illuminated and some "spooky" smoke/mist is added.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I didnt know that. I'd get a ticket but.. kids.. nope.

[@uries15]

Fleet Services. Where the coach stopped so we could chuck up on the way to and from school trips to London.

[@leefpm]

Its CHOBHAM lane ,not Cobham, and its Chobham Armour that was developed at MVEE [its pronounced Mevee ] the main site has its own bridge over the M3 to access the track. you could do a lot on the test track like you did on the TRL site at Crowthorne. Bovington Tank Museum has a lot of photos and videos of MVEE[ and other the names it was known as FVRDE/RARDE/DERA/DRA/DSTL/QinetiQ in their archives .

[@j.b.w.]

It's amazing that this channel had 1,000 subscribers not long ago but some of the videos you were making at the time were of a much higher standard than that. It's great the channel is becoming popular, the videos are great entertainment.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Yeah Im not sure how it all took off but it has a bit! Thanks for watching

[@TheChipmunk2008]

You need to do the northward journey from the M27 (eastern end) thru junctions 13, 12,. and 11, for the utter horror that it is... and the utter difference to the southbound journey

[@tdyerwestfield]

You make these videos about relatively innocuous and usually dull subjects really entertaining and interesting. They're really enjoyable to watch.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Pleased to hear!! Thanks for watching

[@pauldonatantonio7785]

@@AutoShenanigans In truth, it's probably only nerds like us that find this sort of thing REALLY entertaining and interesting.

[@paulcollyer801]

2:21 Good few yrs back now was my 1st trip to Thorpe Park & I remember both the railway & loggers leap. Fanx for makin me feel old!

[@370DatsunZed]

The abandoned Thorpe park stuff was awesome!!! Loving your work!!!

[@MichaelYatKitChung]

So glad you mentioned the Scott Mills bridge!

[@jamesclark380]

Loving the Ridge Racer Type 4 theme at the end! Takes me right back to the good old days :D

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one.. what a game that was!

[@jillp1840]

Lived here 30 years. Never heard Minley pronounced as Mine-ly! I remember the hoo-hah about the Twyford Down cutting around Winchester, but boy has it saved time getting down to the coast!

[@AutoShenanigans]

I ignored the Twyford thing simply as I wouldn't be able to pronounce it correctly.

[@johncamp2567]

John: Your videos are fun, quirky, and informative! Always entertaining….with wasps or without. 👍

[@AutoShenanigans]

Cheers mate, appreciate you watching!

[@defender1006]

Thank you, I love these 'secrets' or possibly 'forgotten facts?'. I love the now unused viaduct at Winchester, a long held ambition is to ride over it. Please keep these/this series coming, just loving the content, footage and presentation etc!

[@tmb8807]

First time I've heard of a viaduct built to link a railway with a wasp!

[@lycian123]

I remember years ago coming up to Eastleigh and traffic lights. The M3 used to end in traffic lights. It was then extended and they were no longer needed. It was a bit of a maze of slip roads back then..

[@WardyLion]

Footage of abandoned theme park rides with a piano rendition of “Be Prepared” from The Lion King? Awesome!

[@AutoShenanigans]

Yes it is :D

[@WardyLion]

@@AutoShenanigans It's that kinda awesome that keeps me coming back for more!

[@SgtSlapmaster]

I enjoyed this too

[@jlcgaming8178]

Im a sucker for abandoned theme parks stuff!

[@newforestpixie5297]

As you go ‘ through’ Basingstoke or before the A303 headed SW are Slip Rds either side of a road bridge. You may well get to this in a bit ! Only last month I tried to figure out what had happened to Spitfire Bridge when Ally mentioned how as kids coming from Watford to visit relatives on the coast this bridge was a huge landmark. I’ve studied GE & maps trying to work out where the viaduct and traffic lights were in relation to the old dual carriageway I have at least managed to work out how the old A33 route is now a car park amongst industry .This is great - Thanks to you and everyones’ efforts in bringing it to us all . 👍😁 from near the sea

[@doctornick666]

It's worth visiting for a walk if you're nearby. The old railway route still has bits if old infrastructure, and you can tell the area near the viaduct used to be a road. Five bridges road is also interesting to walk on as it's being slowly reclaimed by nature but you can still see cats eyes, road paint and bollards from when it was open to traffic

[@RampageObidos]

You got a like from me for the wasp incident.

[@Jason-io5bu]

I do like you dron film I put that rallyway sign post up about 9 years ago reversed lorry back and lift up with PM crain that was a good Friday work

[@matthewwilliams4569]

Looking forward to the massive motorway that is the M4. Loads to cover there I reckon. Loving this series thus far!

[@paulknight5018]

That the M5 and M6 must be two or three parts each

[@AutoShenanigans]

Yes... M4 and M6 are probably 2 episodes a piece!

[@RobsHampshirePubWalks]

Great video. The abandoned sections of slip Rd at Eastleigh's J13 are in fact the old slip roads for the A33 Chandlers Ford by pass..

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching and confirming

[@elelegidosf9707]

This is a fantastically geeky channel for road geeks! Love it! Don't worry about coming across as a flailing-armed Nancy boy regarding the wasps 😃 - I can understand this as I am allergic to them. If I get stung, the affected body part blows up like a balloon. Anyway, keep up the good work.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Wacky waving arm flailing nancy boy. It is what it is :D

[@BeansOnToast_YT]

The way you handled that wasp, you're one of the bravest KZbinrs ever, hope you're able to carry on making more vids and put that incident behind you 😂

[@johnlladron735]

Great video, thanks very much. Some good trivia, punchy delivery and really interesting stuff too.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching

[@JackosJingles]

Back in the mid 1990s I lived in Southampton and worked in Winchester so I used to drive up and down there almost every day. The only car we had at the time was my Ex's Fiat Cinquecento. I used to have to join the Motorway at the "Southampton international airport" junction which is on an incline always entertaining to try and get to motorway speed whilst joining (spoiler it used to max out at under 60mph). I seem to remember there were always lots of accidents at junction 3.

[@Robbo1966]

Great video, but did you know the Hockley interchange (Winchester) was famous for the Hockley traffic lights, it was said that you could drive all the way from Scotland and encounter traffic lights for the first time at the Hockley lights. It was during the 1990s, that the M3 was extended south from Basingstoke, cutting through the Twyford Down with much public protest, thus making the Hockley lights and the old A33 around St Catherines Hill redundant. Thanks

[@TheManFrayBentos]

Is Swampy still underground, chained to a tree root?

[@paulqueripel3493]

I remember the traffic jams there. Every time we went to visit my relatives in Southampton, had to queue at the end of the M3.

[@benjones1917]

Marvellous stuff, keep em coming 😃

[@AutoShenanigans]

Cheers... we will :D

[@justinadcock4536]

I was expecting you to mention the protests at Twyford Down cutting protest. Might be an interesting series, documenting major protests during construction of motorways.

[@AndreiTupolev]

This answers a few things I'd often wondered about; the ghost junction and the ghost viaduct. And why the section over the Hampshire Downs is only two lane

[@thetelephoneprankster4254]

Part of me really wants to cycle along that stretch now. John you should join me

[@W92Baj]

Don't want to be that guy but it's CHobham, not Cobham, which is further down the road. The research centre, where my mother worked in the 1960s, is surrounded by Chobham Common. Also, those Thorpe Park trains! TP used to be vast with a petting zoo on the other side of the quarry lakes with a long rail loop taking you there and back. In the summer in the early 80s I'd get dropped off outside the gate with some friends and spend the day there.

[@buckerooney2247]

Crazy what mixed stuff we find on KZbin. I actually enjoyed this, considering I've driven the m3 daily for the last god knows how many years.

[@nickbannister775]

Chobham Armour not Cobham, Plus they built the M3 right through our school cross country course at Bagshot, myself and mates also got caught jaywalking when the M3 first opened. Fun was had watching the Army drive vehicles to destruction on Bagshot Heath.

[@HDScorpio]

The abandoned rides are super interesting, great video!

[@AutoShenanigans]

A totally unscripted moment that we had to improvise on, I wasn't expecting to see anything like that!

[@futureboyohyeah2991]

Your videos are brilliant. I wish they were padded out with more detail and were longer. They are good enough for mainstream tv. Cant wait for the next one. Many thanks👍

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks a lot. If it gets onto a real TV station then we'd pad it out to a 30 min episode easy :D

[@pauldonatantonio7785]

@@AutoShenanigans Whilst in-depth videos would be great, I'd end-up not watching many. So the ASBOLUTE DB IDEAL would be sub 10 minute teaser videos (exactly as you make now) with the option to watch longer ones when the topics are of particular interest. But that's clearly more work for you.

[@its_matt_long]

John, these juse keep getting better! In a final episode, please do one dedicated to the unknown facts that you've since solved thanks to the help of your viewers!

[@AutoShenanigans]

Great idea!

[@Creative_Devise]

Thank you for including a little bit about Thorpe Park! The whole abandoned area is planned to be demolished for the UKs tallest coaster.

[@AutoShenanigans]

At one time the loggers leap was the tallest ride of it's type in the UK. To be replaced with the tallest coaster!

[@Creative_Devise]

@@AutoShenanigans Indeed it was! It is what got me into Thorpe!

[@Assimilator1]

I can't believe Thorpe Park just abandoned those rides! I finally know what those dead end slips roads between J6-7 were meant for! Re that old Spitfire bridge, 1 concrete monstrosity swapped for another, no real loss there!😂 (ok the old concrete one did have some style I suppose). Great wasp moment! 🤣

[@oliverstemp9132]

I really like the drone footage here. Good usage

[@myonlydemandisbacktowork8759]

Scumbury ❤ lovely ❤😂

[@rogerthomas368]

The disused road at J13 with Leigh Road comes from the older A33 junction at that location. The A33 at this point was installed as the Chandlers Ford Bypass, but was in many ways just the M3 'in-waiting'. When upgraded to the M3 the slips on the eastern side had to be realigned. The result is the current gated 'short' slip that still joins the southbound carriageway at a near-right angle and the isolated part of the road that was part of the southbound off-ramp.

[@JMH7506]

Another great video buddy. You’re reigniting my interest in all sorts of old roads in around my area. Thank you.

[@AutoShenanigans]

That's what its all about, nice one!

[@TravellingTechie]

It should be noted between J10 and J11 was a landmark protest in the building of the cutting through Twyford down. It cut through a SSI, ancient monuments and landscape, replacing the notorious Hockley traffic lights and the old narrow road (I remember it well as I was on it most weekends seeing grandparents in Southampton!). I seem to recall engineers wanted to build a tunnel to reduce environmental impact but were overruled due to the cost. The protests caught national attention and sparked a movement for more direct action (as has been seen in more recent times with the protest of the building of HS2) against large infrastructure projects. Oh and I remember the old log flume riders dropping down as we came up the M3 towards Sunbury of an evening in the summer time!

[@adriankmarsden]

He could have also gone down the old road which is still mostly there. Being the cycle route into Winchester.

[@LucaZone]

Yes I too remember well the queues to pass through Hockley traffic lights heading south to grandparents on summer weekends!

[@davidlockwood9192]

@@LucaZone yes remember that well, used to live in Poole when younger and had cousins who lived first in Harrow and then Folkestone and during the 80's and early 90's remember those traffic lights and routing past the viaduct

[@jasonmartin3685]

great opening shot,nice framing

[@Aidanb94]

The duplicated slip roads at southbound junction 14 to access Southampton on the A33 are needed for traffic joining from junction 13 at Eastleigh. I always wondered this when I lived in Southampton!

[@MC-ee1ey]

I found this channel by accident and absolutely love the content. If you are looking for a candidate for the least used motorway, then check out the M45. I do not condone breaking speed limit but the few people that use the M45 seem to fill their boots.

[@AutoShenanigans]

M45 coming up ;-)

[@jamesweatherley9215]

Ha ha! My personal best may have been set on the M45... It's the motorway that time forgot!

[@iano6944]

Surprisingly enjoyable.. keep up the videos.

[@ixxSMiF]

Ridge racer into music has made me go find the clip and listen to it again. Takes me back

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thems were the days

[@colindavis1466]

You never mentioned the dreaded Hockley lights. Zooming down the M3 and you were confronted by a horrific set of traffic lights. Easily added an hour to my commute

[@AutoShenanigans]

A seemless journey for us but we got lucky I suspect.

[@keithposter5543]

@@AutoShenanigans Probably because it's not 1992 😉

[@legobatman8353]

Really enjoyed this and glad I stumbled across this. I drive this bastard piece of road nearly everyday and never knew about some of these hidden gems.

[@longjonwhite]

Just nodding off , then the wasp attack ! Literally laughed out loud mate, great decision to leave it in.

[@AutoShenanigans]

We've something for everyone!

[@Jayneswoolandbuttons]

We lived near the M3 before it was built, my Dad and I used to walk along the foundations of the new road.

[@AutoShenanigans]

I imagine quite an experience back then!

[@Jayneswoolandbuttons]

We lived in Frimley, Surrey back then.

[@autoeclectic8808]

Great shots of the left behind.I pass this regularly. Great to have some context.

[@BMC_182]

Love the footage of the abandoned rides!

[@AutoShenanigans]

It certainly made the day out more interesting!

[@swededude1992]

Wasps hurts to get stung by. The best way to save your self from being stung is to stay calm when a wasp is around you. The more you swing your body around the scarier you are to the wasp and the more the the wasp want to sting you. Wasps workes this way: As long as you are calm, the wasp will be calm. If your'e bissy being silly, the wasp will be scared and sting you.

[@milesg5556]

Brilliant videos. I'm always interested in old roads and abandoned places etc. I remember well the construction of the M3 past Winchester through Twyford Down and the uproar it caused

[@ianpegge9967]

Only to the tree hugging brigade. Most people were in favour at the time

[@priscillaroberts7945]

@@ianpegge9967 i wasn't, a flyover at the juction would have done fine at less expense and uproar.

[@petetrundell5454]

@@priscillaroberts7945 that was impossible to construct within the constraints of the sensitive local environment. Access to maintain traffic flow and separate construction vehicles would have tripled the width of construction. See my separate comments as to the successful efforts to return the site of the old road to natural landscape that is now enjoyed by thousands.

[@IndigoJo]

You missed out the old slip road under the M3 just south of the A303 fork. That took traffic from the A33 from Basingstoke under the M3 to stay on the A33. Now, it's Popham Court Lane, an access to a side road into Popham village. It's a good two-lane road with lane markings and cat's eyes as far as where the old slip road ends, then becomes a fairly average one-and-a-half-lane country road, then just after a property access on the right, becomes a single-track road.

[@automotivel3501]

My son went to Southampton Uni. (and now lives in Southampton) so we travel the M3 a lot, it seems to be permanently a 50MPH motorway. The Smart section (I join from M25 J13) was first issue, now it is Southampton end. Nice to know some of M3 history love John's videos. Perhaps he could do M11 - I worked on that (well i worked on Cranes that broke down building it) Motorway.

[@marksaxby607]

You're right about the huge 50MPH section, I did see a man leaning on a shovel once, though... I suspect it's just a revenue generation exercise.

[@iangame7234]

I used to use the M3 but with that 50 limit for miles and miles it easier and less busy to go via the A3 north of Portsmouth. Virtually a motorway and avoid the traffic bottleneck around Winchester.

[@LucaZone]

A great video, been loving the whole series, thank you for doing them. Im a great fan of infrastructure evolution so have been following closely in google earth :) The M3 around Winchester was rather light on content for this video though. Not sure what the criteria for inclusion is. There is an abandoned alignment and slip road heading south at 51.059662, -1.294545; an old overpass bridge at 51.051545, -1.302903; a roundabout at 51.051255, -1.304856; the infamous Hockley traffic lights at 51.038473, -1.317739; and an abandoned 1930s railway bridge that crossed the original alignment at 51.028299, -1.325914 before the old and new alignments remerge. I remember sitting in lengthy southbound queues through the area as a kid in the 1980s heading to grandparents on the coast in summer. Then watching the giant cuts into the chalk hill of Twyford Down for the new alignment.

[@Lot76CARS]

Excellent, amazing to think how we take the M3 for granted but it’s only really been finished since the 90s.

[@Skorpychan]

Given that half of it is only two lanes, I'd argue that it's not finished yet.

[@Lot76CARS]

@@Skorpychan brilliant 🤣

[@AutoShenanigans]

It's surprising how long some motorways have taken to "complete"

[@PrograError]

@@AutoShenanigans wait till they got to LA mode....

[@cyberleaderandy1]

The abandoned bit if Thorpe park is similar to parts of Alton Towers where bits of old rides lye in the bushes unloved.

[@JackScooter17]

this was a very exciting video, John

[@ianreynolds9733]

Beeching has a lot to answer for.!

[@marcusrashid]

Love it. My local motorway. Keep up the great work. I learned quite a lot that I didn't know. :)

[@AutoShenanigans]

Excellent!

[@AFCManUk]

"....and it provided a link between the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway with the.... FUCKING WASP!!!" 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@MrGreatplum]

Excellent stuff - I remember loggers leap at Thorpe park, can’t believe they haven’t redeveloped loggers leap and that area - it looks as though it has been abandoned about 25 years ago but I’m sure it only closed about 5 years ago!

[@RFGfotografie]

Genius ending.

[@jammyjewell]

The old unused slips at Eastleigh were part of the old junction arrangement whilst it was still the A33. Gates remainopen for emergency services to use and get to the eastbound/Portsmouth exit. Before the construction of the M3, we used to play with bikes in a small copse Chandler's Ford, now under the off-slip when travelling northbound. I also remember the demolition of the Winchester Road at that junction too.

[@samuelwojciak8037]

I'm loving this channel, I'm a delivery driver and I travel M27 and M3 on a daily basis tho never seen the Eastleigh interchange abandoned sliproads :O will have a look next time :D

[@KevinMilnerFarmingPhotography]

You can not miss the M3 / M27 slip road if your coming off its on your right and going on your see it very well too

[@samuelwojciak8037]

@@KevinMilnerFarmingPhotography I agree tho read my comment once again xD

[@bsdjunkie1805]

Your best video yet Jon, cheers

[@christopherthompson2078]

Once again excellent .really enjoyed that info x

[@callumpetch7903]

Only bit you missed was the M3 Twyford Down Protests before they re routed the M3 At Winchester and the park and ride that's now built on the old M3.

[@AldershotDave]

Old M3?

[@TheCaptScarlett]

1:03 The underpass is a flood relief culvert should the Thames flood. 1:40 1979 was the year we went on our annual schoold day out to the new Thorpe Park - it had a petting zoo, a traditional adventure playground and waterskiing - it was a boring day out 9:27 "Hardcore, You know the score" kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIKyZqybi6-Xl6s