Secrets of The Motorway - M90

#scotland #driving #cars #infrastructure #motorway
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The M90 is bit of a peach. It's a motorway.. yes, but it has such wonderful features spanning a few decades, and in some cases, centuries. Today, We'll be exploring the M90 motorway which runs from the West of Edinburgh to Perth.
This episode is full of amazing sights such as coal mines... and sliproads. There's also a rather famous bridge, and then another rather famous bridge. And another. No Forth though. See what I did there.
In this series I aim to explore what our motorway network is hiding. As we drive along at 70mph..ish...we simply just wouldn't be aware of what we're missing. This series will uncover some of the hidden secrets our motorways have to offer.
Outro Music - Ben Treeby - Guitarist
• 500 miles The Proclaim...

[@AutoShenanigans]

11 million vehicles a day is a bit of a stretch isn't it. I think I meant to say per year :D either way.. a lot of vehicles.

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

100K Subs 👍

[@AdamGoodman4U]

keep that up, and yer soon have 11 MILLION subscribers.

[@vibingwithvinyl]

Over 127 vehicles per second would be quite a sight to see.

[@AndrewG1989]

Was thinking if the M90 that goes from Junction 10 to Junction 12 could be renumbered as the M901 or A9(M) Perth Western Spur motorway. And congratulations on reaching 100k subscribers. 😁

[@Gaspode_]

We'll have to accept your first answer, I'm afraid.

[@TheSulzer27]

The early stretches of the M90 featured concrete carriageways. I think they are all gone now, but were a feature for many years.

[@ruaraidhmcdonald-walker9524]

Absolutely spot on about chargeable green spaces built on green spaces. 👏👏👏

[@stevecarter8810]

Yeah, was not expecting such deep satire in the middle of this. great.

[@ruaraidhmcdonald-walker9524]

@@stevecarter8810 Jon always has epic dry humour.

[@SWR112]

Yeah turning a space people use to get away from it all into a tourist destination and having £5 parking charges ( don’t be silly it couldn’t be free).

[@Blaa_Boi]

For any train fans, it's the LMS Jubilee Class 5690 Leander going over the Forth. Huge congrats on 100K subs

[@NikiDinsey]

What an absolute banger of a motorway, cheers Jon. Congrats on 100K!

[@ronniel5941]

Most of the motorway curve at Craigend is 694m in radius, the same as at Balmanno Hill, but part of it at the southern end reduces, for only about 200m, to 520 m., probably the tightest anywhere in the UK. The gradient uphill to Broxden is almost 5%, and downhill almost 6%, the steepest in the UK. It was a very challenging place to construct a complex interchange. I did the layout design - 150 pages of co-ordinate geometry calculations- no computers back then (1968-69). Other colleagues designed the seven bridges.

[@James-gf9jl]

Nice one. Presumably the original railway alignment took a different route to avoid these gradients. I actually travelled on this line on the way to Dundee, as a lad, back in the 60's.

[@ronniel5941]

@@James-gf9jl The railway from Glenfarg would have entered Perth via the still in use Moncreiffe Tunnel, below the interchange, without gradient issues, I imagine. Coming down from Glenfarg to Strathearn the gradient appears to have been 1 in 75.

[@ifmclaren]

My dad worked for Tarmac at the time, and helped "test" the new road by going down it in an artic lorry (they actually went north down the southbound carriageway as the n/b one wasn't finished). At one point the tractor unit was in a different lane from the trailer, so after that they decided to install the "HGVs engage low gear" signs up. Or so his story goes!

[@ifmclaren]

@@James-gf9jl Yes, it does, and the route of it is still there along with some towers of an old bridge outside Bridge of Earn that was demolished as part of the motorway construction.

[@jammysmears4077]

​@@ronniel5941were you guys already working in metric back then or did you convert to meters for us in your post?

[@graememckay9972]

My friend was a surveyor on the Queensferry crossing while the pylons were being constructed. She had to work night shift because she was at the top of the towers and was afraid of heights.

[@AndyTaylorLloyd]

Little Stephen hurts himself 🤣 Classic

[@barrieshepherd7694]

Good one - script really Fast & Furious! I think the segment on "Wellness Centres" should go out as a short

[@chriswalford4161]

Yes, an absolutely brilliant spot-on bit of sarcasm. Where do I send the bill for this endorsement, by the way?

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

I mean, to quote Austin Powers, "yay, capitalism..."

[@robertturner4955]

Yay, capitalism. Especially when the reclamation of the land after the mining was probably paid for with public funds, and now it will probably be sold to the wellness wankers for less than the cost of the reclamation. If two capitalists profit, does that make this an example of the trickle down effect?

[@sdavidb5620]

On my first visit to Scotland. While crossing the queens ferry bridge. The rail bridge was pointed out to me. Being in the haze of 10 hours of flight time. Including what seemed an unreasonable small plane with propellers from Dublin. I thought that thing can not be real. Looks like some kinda steampunk fairytale bridge. A couple days latter I was able to ride across it. Being a railroader from the states. It was simply amazing to see it and ride across it. I have worked on and rode across many rail bridges here in that states and nothing compares.

[@johnmg88]

It never fails to surprise me how few bridges there are like that one. I live 15mins away and I think that very few people that use it regularly really appreciate how unique it is. You should see what was nearly built instead, it was fate that we got this one in the end.

[@James-gf9jl]

Sinead O'Conner wrote a song about it.

[@aw34565]

Always thought of the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City as railroad mega-engineering as art.

[@allymac1314]

Scotland's Eiffel Tower.

[@LOrealHardly]

All the railway bridges in the UK have a number except this one. It's simply referred to as "The Bridge".

[@wallaceshackleton1889]

Three bridges over the Forth, each built in a different century and each an engineering marvel in their day. The Wellness Park was originally designed by landscape artist Charles Jenks. Unfortunately Scottish Coal went bust and the project was never fully completed. The village of lassoddie disappeared when the open cast was opened.

[@gazzaman28]

Opening 2104, the fourth Forth crossing, maybe some sort of high speed rail link!

[@flitsertheo]

The engineering marvel of 1964 (the first road bridge) didn't stand the test of time however, as it is already falling apart.

[@tallicarule1991]

Fun fact about junction 12, it sign posts every Scottish city, local road to Perth, A9N to Inverness, M90 for Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, and A9S to Stirling and Glasgow.

[@bobbyclark6116]

Nope. Dunfermline.

[@GaryB007]

You just hit 100K subscribers. Congratulations.

[@Shmoozo55]

That train coming over the railroad bridge is being pulled by the LMS Jubilee Class 5690 Leander (BR No. 45690). 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Jubilee_Class_5690_Leander Cool! 😎

[@aaronhall5796]

Great video. Grandparents live Queensferry. Perfect timing with the steam train. Btw the new bridge is called the Queensferry Crossing not Queensferry Bridge. Interesting fact, it’s the only location in the world where there is a bridge from the last three centuries are side by side.

[@BonBonB]

Missing coal mine location: Pause the video at 6:02 Directly under the "o" in the caption for Netherbeath Road, just north of the railway, there is a small scar, which appears to be a former open quarry, and is linked to the abandoned road by a track up the western side of the tree line.

[@arandonmusicvenue9431]

The open cast mine was big occupying a number of fields. Fife council had excellent track record of making former opencast sites returned to agricultural and forestry.

[@martinthain1170]

The road renumbering that you mentioned was done so that the 90 number linked Scotland's second third & fourth largest cities (Edinburgh - Dundee - Aberdeen) using Motorways and dual carriageways. Before that the road was a mishmash of numbers. When driving from Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen the Motorway makes sense.

[@tomarse99]

99.9k.. come on peeps this channel deserves 100k

[@GaryB007]

100K just ticked up.

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Another outstanding video which demonstrates why 100K subscribers is well justified. Here’s to the next milestone. Well done Jon. 👏👏👍😀

[@mikesetc406]

One of the best channels on youtube hands down, keep up the magnificent work!!

[@wattster71]

Congratulations on 100K! Have some funny money!

[@WagnerGimenes]

100K subscribers. Well done, Jon. Happy for you.

[@tweaker1968]

I live in South Florida but I was on the M90 this time last week on vacation with the wife..... Such a beautiful country.... CONGRATULATIONS ON 100K Jon!

[@belltond1527]

Thank you 🇬🇧

[@130rapid]

2:58 What a LUCK! :D

[@danreeves162]

Awesome video mate. How junctions 4 and 5 of the M90 are laid out, is pretty much how every freeway junction is built here in Perth, Western Australia. Maybe the original designers were inspired by the motorway built to Perth, Scotland.

[@frostyhugo5542]

Jon you are really close to 100k. I think this week might be the week

[@GaryB007]

It just happened.

[@davidbarrass]

I think the M90 is the UK's most beautiful motorway. From the Stunning Queensferry crossing with the views to the other bridges, approaching and crossing it is amazing. Then you've got the Lomondhills and Loch Leven. The Valley with Glenfarg, is beautiful (pity it's got a motherway in it), leading to views over the Earn valley and the first glimpse of the highlands. Even the friarton bridge offers a stunning view of Kinnoul hill, it looks like you're driving into a vast green tree wall as you come to the bridge from the south. Yes, the motorway is underspecified and confusing, but it has so much going for it

[@andrewb555]

100k subscribers! 🍾Whoop whoop!! When you first stated you wanted to get to 100k I admired your ambition but doubted it would actually happen, but here we are! 🙂

[@rossmathieson9636]

Nice to see the abandoned Pottiehill tunnels get a mention. Well worth a walk-through.

[@michaelleiper7609]

did he though? I think he was feart.

[@Shuttlefield]

Good viaducts at both ends of the walk through the tunnels - and a pop in to the Beinn Inn at the end - just down the road from me in Newburgh

[@Namiko1273]

Congratulations on 100k John, you totally deserve it. And today's video was fun to watch, thank you :)

[@Zeebad_1st]

11 million vehicles a day and by 2006 had doubled? Crikey!

[@samholdsworth420]

He lied

[@EvilGav]

Congrats on the 100k subs. I think the collection of junction 1B, 1C, and 2 must be the highest concentration of junctions anywhere on the motorway network - 3 junctions in ~1 mile, slightly higher than the at least 1.5 miles apart that they are meant to be.

[@Stuartdouglas19]

And the northbound gap between 1c entry and 2 exit must surely be the smallest gap between entry and exit on the motorway network.

[@davidtraynor8075]

I never knew about that quarry! I think too many folk are more concerned with the Jobby factory over the road and it's smell. The Kelty turn off slip roads are awful, many an accident and you practically pull onto to the crossing road to see anything. Cheers again John for amazing info of a road I use daily! ❤

[@Vtarngpb]

3:05 Omgomgomg!!! 😭🥹😭🥹😭🥹

[@roderickmain9697]

Sometimes you just think road-planners should be taken away and given a good slappin for the complete mish-mash and nonsense they have perpetrated on us. Scotland seems to have not just taken one biscuit, but several packets in this regard. (shakes head). Great video Jon. Hope you are enjoying your time in Scotland.

[@jamieokane989]

Are you aware of; changing volumes, budgets and other infrastructure demands?

[@roderickmain9697]

@@jamieokane989 Yes. But having not even half-finished schemes, renumbering making navigating confusing, doesnt benefit anybody. Scotland isnt alone in this. Just seems to have a lot that got left on the table.

[@6yjjk]

My local motorway for many years, I grew up watching traffic on the Broxden roundabout (and the odd lorry falling over). I particularly remember the horrible section around Kinross made of pink grooved slabs, made a hell of a noise.

[@rossmathieson9636]

Oh yes indeed, the old concrete carriageway! Another aspect of making the M90 as cheaply as possible because they thought it wouldn't be carrying much traffic anyway. That repetitive thunk-thunk-thunk was strangely hypnotic. I remember being driven into a trance-like state by that one time long ago. I became aware i had no concept of which road I was on, or where I was driving to, and had to wait several miles to the next junction to remember I was on the M90 and heading to Perth. It remains one of the strangest experiences I've ever had on the roads.

[@dominanthornet]

5:43 you crack me up John. I dont know why this bit had me in stitches 😂

[@02shredder]

You are very talented are putting together a slick dialogue with the change in locations of the video.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Nice one, thanks for watching!

[@zx85]

This motorway will take some beating for scenery and remarkableness - you captured it beautifully! Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers - I'm proud to say I've been here since (quite close to) the beginning 😁

[@davecalvert6803]

"Enjoy your week whatever it is you get up to". Well Jon, funny you should say that as I'll be traveling the length of the M90 up to Pitlochry for the week.

[@nst1981]

silver play button incoming. Congratulations, Jon

[@InTheBeginningTheUniverseWas]

What was that funny conga line of oddly shaped lorries crossing the railway bridge?! The front one seemed to be on fire! Crazy... anyway, back to the motorway :)

[@Mike-tv9rk]

First the Drain Addict and now this. What have I become ? I love this😅

[@rachelwalker7091]

Congratulations on 100K subs

[@millstonebarn]

Bigger, longer, wider, stronger... Excellent! 😃

[@millstonebarn]

Also packed with interesting content. Who knew the M90 had so much to offer?!

[@robertkeddie]

Well done for calling the new bridge "The Queensferry Bridge", not its official title, "The Queensferry Crossing". It was chosen by the public from three options, only one of which had the word "bridge" in it, as I recall. It's almost as if they'd decided which was the correct name, and wanted us to pick that one.

[@thebestspork]

Also the rail bridge is just called the 'Forth Bridge'. So it goes: Forth Bridge Forth Road Bridge Queensferry Crossing

[@S.ASmith]

I lived in Scotland during the Queensferry Bridge construction. I used to regularly get the Aberdeen to London train back to my home town and watched them go from river bed foundations to what we see today. I moved back down sooth before i saw it open though.

[@Anmeteor9663]

YESSSSS 100000 SUBS. Well done Dave!

[@neilburns8869]

Indeed, the Forth Road Bridge is still in use but only really for buses and taxis and maybe even Emergency Service vehicles such as an ambulance on a blue-light call.

[@stevendavidson391]

I grew up near Bridge Of Earn and i remember when they built the stretch north of Glenfarg. I remember seeing the rock getting blasted away from the end of Balmanno Hill

[@seanrodgers1839]

This is the one I was looking for. The place names are familiar. In Canada, the exit numbers are numbered by the km number, so there's none of that A, B, C to worry about. This is the only theme music that I don't fast forward through, I can't get enough of it.

[@sjedouglas]

Enjoyed that and I'm glad you agree about the M85. Given the A85 still runs to Dundee, the road never really changed number, just stuck another over the top so it can remain M85. About a decade ago, that viewing point was still open and it was a comically depressing walk, completely enclosed in a metal cage and covered in barbed wire. Glenfarg is the most interesting part of the M90s history as they really didn't need to axe the railway. I made a video about the Glenfarg tunnels about 9 years ago and there's lots of history unique to those tunnels. It's difficult to spot due to the trees but there's a second viaduct just along from the north tunnel as well, just before you reach the unclassified road.

[@grahamtruckel]

Was the Forth Road Bridge really designed for traffic levels of eleven million vehicles per day? Struth!

[@Mr_Spliffy]

Haha. Spotted

[@hamgammonable]

As usual secrets of the motorway has been really interesting and educational and as the M90 is in my neck of the woods I have been waiting for this one. Chuffed you got to the Glenfarg tunnels, I was hoping that would be a secret you would uncover!

[@daz3745]

My grandad worked on the forth road bridge when it was built. My auld man has actually been on the very top of one of the main supports. I'm surprised you didn't mention the MOD radio building that has been converted in to a home.

[@nitehawk86]

"f knows how they managed that", is probably the best description of the Forth Bridge that I can think of.

[@williamgeorgefraser]

40 years ago I worked for the marina that used the old railway jetty in North Queensferry. What an amazing place to work, set between the two bridges. Pity the people I worked with were total morons and that's why I left. As a railway enthusiast, I hated that they took over part of the line to build the motorway. Dunfermline was a junction for trains to Stirling and Cowdenbeath where there was the junction towards Perth and Thornton. Only the Thornton line still exists. However, in spite of this, I"m glad that the Glenfarg viaduct and tunnels still exist and can be visited.

[@ronniel5941]

I was involved in traffic surveys etc. for the proposed M90 at Kinross. In 1970 we discovered that only six people per day were regularly commuting by rail from there to Edinburgh.

[@FinnDeacon]

Another great fascinating episode Jon. …… and a huge congratulations in the 100k Club! 🎉🍻🎉🎊👍

[@OkenWS]

I've crossed over the Friarton Bridge a couple of times and one of them was southbound, in a Cupra, with a... 'spirited' driver behind the wheel. In a blizzard/freezing rain. Unfortunately it collects a lot of standing water, usually partially frozen, and I kid you not, there were four Merc/BMW/Audi things presumably all rear-wheel drive, planted facewards separately in the central reservation. I presume they caught a gust of wind in the blizzard and didn't correct properly, or couldn't, because of their driving style and chosen configuration. Fortunately my spirited driver had a bit more right foot discretion and 4WD so we made it to our date at Edinburgh Napier alive, by which time of course, it was sunny... Side note - why does anyone in Scotland drive RWD? It's well known back in the Welsh Valleys that when it snows, all the BMW drivers go out seeking the nearest tree to crash into within 5 minutes of leaving home.

[@ifmclaren]

My dad helped construct the Glenfarg section of the M90 in the 1970s. They used to use the old railway tunnels as a shortcut from their site offices at Bridge of Earn to the site itself. It's also often asked why there's no exit at Glenfarg. The answer is that the villagers were asked if they wanted one, and they didn't. So there isn't.

[@barneypaws4883]

100K......Congrats! I never knew Scotland has so many Motorways.

[@joncrawford3485]

Couldn't have put it better about The Walnut Whips - for "Wellness Centres" read Profits. Damn this country - any place you can chill out for free is being replaced by something made for profit. Congrats on the 100K subs - although it still shows 99.9K onn my screen. Still waiting for you to review the motorways of Norfolk & Suffolk... ;)

[@greg5639]

Chuff ! My life has become really exciting life now. I'm in my early 60s when I see this cannel as my Sunday treat. ! Strangely, John, it's not helping female attraction for me either ! Unless your luck has begun to change in the last few weeks, mind, I still enjoy your channel me duck ! 😂🤣👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@sandwichbar8226]

99.9k subs! We're almost there boys!!

[@GaryB007]

He just hit 100K

[@EportChris]

Congratulations on the milestone! 🎉😊 Well deserved Jon 👌🏻

[@wilderwegrow]

Hi Jon, another informative and entertaining video. ❤

[@jakecopeland8068]

Happy 100k subs Jon

[@MrGreatplum]

Many congratulations on 100k subs! 🎉 great video as alway - love that those old railway tunnels are open

[@sandwichbar8226]

*100k* congratulations 🎉🎉

[@seldom_seen_kid]

Well done on the 100k subscribers Jon. Great content and well deserved. Interested to see where you take the channel from here. 👍🏻

[@nickhaynes3495]

100k subs, excellent work Jon, well deserved

[@indiamelia639]

Great video John and well done on the 100k! 🎉

[@Nastyswimmer]

The railway bridge is just called the Forth Bridge. The new bridge is the Queensferry Crossing.

[@hoggmotorsport]

Congratulations on 100k Jon, well deserved 🎉🎊👍

[@beans197]

great video as always jon, well done on 100K 🎉

[@todayinradcliffe]

Brilliant,fantastic,amazing Love your channel

[@MrTurtlebar]

Congratulations on 100k. A great video to celebrate. Keep up the great content.🎉

[@portlandfester7510]

Wow some great footage there another must watch and congrats on your subscriber number well deserved

[@markbradford8626]

gratz on 100k subs m8y keep it up :)

[@HowellJones75]

Congratulations on the 100K subs!!! Great videos keep up the fantastic work.

[@stewis]

Congratulations on 100k subscribers! Wicked sweet awesome!

[@simocreations]

Congratulations on 100k. Most well deserved ❤

[@surinfarmwest6645]

Impressive bridges! I like the tour of the countryside and the old railways stuff.

[@somnambulist7705]

Congratulations on 100k, well deserved

[@mattauger5510]

Congrats on the 100k subs Jon! You deserve it, every Sunday I look forward to Secrets of the Motorway!

[@pureblood1980x]

Another great video. Well done getting to 100k. Please Keep up the fantastic work.

[@stevolarry420stevenslozz3]

I was just thinking “I hope Jon is gonna do somethin like this but for A roads” 👍😎

[@craigshovlin9756]

Congratulations on the 100k subs Jon, it's wicked sweet awesome and rightfully deserved

[@davecartwright4177]

Continued great work as always! And congratulations on just hitting 100k subs. Totally deserved. 🎉

[@m1geo]

Whey! 100k! Nice one Jon! 👌

[@PRCOM]

Great video John

[@Mr_Spliffy]

Congratulations 🎊 on the 100k. Totally deserved. Bravo

[@mrtickleuk]

Excellent as always, love the comment about little Stephen hurting himself, and of course the Scottish bagpipes version of the theme tune at the start

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks a lot mate!

[@DEAD-DROP]

Congrats on 100K! Very well deserved, appreciate all the top quality content!

[@robinwells8879]

“Dig up all the trees and put em in a tree museum and charge the folks a dollar fifty just to see em”. Best song lyric ever in my humble opinion. Nature in the raw can be a bit bad for the mental health of some townies and so they need it “interpreted” for them to look more urban and therefore familiar. 🙄

[@malkystoddart2562]

It's good to see my childhood haunts in video (an even see my old house in Inverkeithing on a couple of occasions). Lots of happy memories running around that part of the world. I have also walked the Glenfarg railway (or what's left) well worth the bimble.

[@johnstilljohn3181]

Brilliant. Fantastic bridges - and what a stroke of luck with the steam locomotive...

[@kevinwright5129]

Congratulations on 100k subscribers, you deserve it! Looking forward to whatever celebration you got planned!

[@terencesaunders1357]

Your best and humorous video. Very entertaining, thanks.

[@LoveAngelLA]

I never thought I would find anything about motorways interesting till I found your channel, now I look forwards to every episode you make. :)