Back in 1963 I worked on George Wimpey's Lutterworth section of the London-Yorkshire M1 Motorway driving a Terex earth remover. Sometimes, whilst loading, the machines skidded and had to be given a hefty shove by a Caterpillar D8 bulldozer. My time with Wimpey was a fascinating experience. "We Import More Paddys Every Year!"
I worked for Wimpey construction as a trainee estimator in 1971, left them 2 years later, then went back there in 1992. The estimating department was a complete joke, living 50 years in the past. Stayed for 3 months and wrote them off. In 1995 were gone, traded to Tarmac for a pound and formed Carillion who went bust.
what a truly stunning piece of history this film is . the sad reminder of cars and commercial vehicles of days gone by . the hillman minx and husky , mk1 cortina super , ford corsair and 105e anglia . morris oxford and austin cambridge . excellent footage of a mickey mouse cabbed foden wagon , in brooke bond tea livery . other wagons such as AEC , dodge, albion , and bedford tk , and ford d series also feature . thankyou for putting this on (-;
Thanks for your very kind comments. Planning in the UK has always been chaotic, not much different than the USA no doubt. In 1957 at the start of building the M! was projected to reach capacity of 80,000 vehicles per day by 1980. It reached 120,000 per day by 1961!!! Roads just generate traffic. Need I say more
I remember going down the M1 in Northern Ireland a week after it opened and never saw another car. Then I was told there was a terrible accident on the first day and nobody would go on it. Eventually I'll get round to uploaduing M! footage 1960 when the first bit was brand new.
My sentiments entirely. M1 was to carry 80,000 a day by 1980 - it reached 120,000 in 1961. Roads generate traffic!!! Thanks for viewing and your kind comments.
totally cool video, I remember when they tore up the forest in leicester forest east to build this monster they called a motorway. One day we were climbing trees and picking damsens, the next day watching earth movers and cranes :(
Thanks for the kind comments. Nice to have a response from somebody who knows his subject. Did you notice that the in-car shots in Baker Street were from a MkI Cortina????
No speed limit ,no traffic jams, but no crash barriers - loads of crossover crashes and littered with busted fan belts and boiling radiators. The cars weren't built for sustained high speed, cross ply tyres, no ABS. Those were the days???!!!
Thanks for your comments. Two years ago I had to drag my caravan from Galway to Rosslare in a hurry --- you do need those motorways. But they tend to be the victims of their own success. Exciting days when they were building the M1 and the rest -- they were going to solve all our problems!?!
Nice 'mickey mouse' Foden at 1,31..just before the continental makes started taking over and effectively closed down the antiquated British truck building industry.
I grew up in the UK, so the M roads have always had a soft spot in my heart. I can remember stopping for snacks or lunch at various M6 Services throughout the Midlands. There is little point for that these days unless you need to relieve yourself! It's much the same in the USA of course. Only a few of the interstates even have proper "Services" (the toll roads like the New Jersey Turnpike come to mind). Yes the interstates handle far more traffic today than originally planned for!
Excellent video! There is an interesting article on the motorway turning 50 this month in Top Gear magazine - a must read if you are a car buff! UK motorways had a utopian feel about them when they first opened - nowadays they are generally loathed. It's the same here in the USA with the Interstate system, unless you are driving in rural areas.
Not much I could of done it was the Yr I was born but I love the old trucks and cars and most if not all made in the great Britain I'll take every one of those mk1 cortinas and minis I'd be rich
Oscar Wilde's remark that when the Gods want to punish us they give us what we want , applies here. I've found in life that it's often from the things we don't want that we most benefit.
@Paspiedreamcast Yes, I know... I remember when thye first opened it (I think the Dartford Tunnel was open long beferoe the M25 was open all the way.) OI also remember when they built the Queen E II bridge.
Unfortunately the construction of the motorways spelt the death knell for the railways in general...and have never really recovered back to what it was.Very interesting piece of travel history,many thanks for posting. But back then all that empty road ahead...go on the motorways now and you literally take your life in your hands?
I take your point about service areas - you need to take out a second mortgage to eat there these days and I can compare with your Interstates having toured the whole of Florida five years ago. The European model is better in some coountries - no enormous expensive gin palace service areas many miles apart. In France and Benelux they have stopping "Aires" every 10km with fuel stops every 20 - 40KM. In Belgium if you buy gas they have to give you free coffee by law.
Do you know the reason why that short little spretch of the M25 isn't motorway around Dartford? It's so legally, ANY motor vehicle can cross the Thames at that point, which is why a lot of obviously motorway-standard roads in Ireland are still signed "N" instead of "M" - as parts of these roads used the old road as a single carriageway and the old road literally doesn't exist any more.
True; but few shall ever exchange the private, warm, and now entertaining space of car transport, waiting for you on the driveway , for crowded metal carriages, to which you have to travel just to reach, ( often in a car ), un-airconditioned , sweaty-or-cold,dirty carriages, shared with often rude , always thoughtless people , bellowing misery, gossip, tedium, filthy-language into mobile 'phones, departing , ( if it does at all ), when IT wants , not when the traveller wants , only to leave you at a place near to , but not at , where you want to be ; from which you have to travel again : by road.
Why do so many film and early video tapes from this era, sound like they were made in 1930? even the BBC official stuff sounds/looks like it's been in the sea.
It's due to the Boomers going on strike all the time in the 1970s. The millennials dont go on strike as they're not a bunch of leftie lay-abouts like the boomers were.
The motorway killed the railways with the axing of some of it branchlines and the Great Central Railways thanks to Beeching and Marble, look at the states of our motorways today chocker block and now the UK Goverment spending billions to reinstate some of axes Railways lines. Big mistake.
Back in 1963 I worked on George Wimpey's Lutterworth section of the London-Yorkshire M1 Motorway driving a Terex earth remover. Sometimes, whilst loading, the machines skidded and had to be given a hefty shove by a Caterpillar D8 bulldozer. My time with Wimpey was a fascinating experience. "We Import More Paddys Every Year!"
Great story Peter!!!!
Always love their benders. The burgers were good too.
I worked for Wimpey construction as a trainee estimator in 1971, left them 2 years later, then went back there in 1992. The estimating department was a complete joke, living 50 years in the past. Stayed for 3 months and wrote them off. In 1995 were gone, traded to Tarmac for a pound and formed Carillion who went bust.
FAME AT LAST, COULD BE ME DRIVING THE red "FLYNN " 6 wheeler 64/65, we were based Manchester . HAPPY DAYS
Great to hear from you, you are the second worker to have commented. You're right, those WERE the days.
My wife's travelling to London this weekend. I hope it's as quiet as this
what a truly stunning piece of history this film is . the sad reminder of cars and commercial vehicles of days gone by . the hillman minx and husky , mk1 cortina super , ford corsair and 105e anglia . morris oxford and austin cambridge . excellent footage of a mickey mouse cabbed foden wagon , in brooke bond tea livery . other wagons such as AEC , dodge, albion , and bedford tk , and ford d series also feature . thankyou for putting this on (-;
Thanks for the comment, nice to know it's appreciated.
So much of the musical backing reminds me of the "Carry On" films.
Thanks for your very kind comments. Planning in the UK has always been chaotic, not much different than the USA no doubt. In 1957 at the start of building the M! was projected to reach capacity of 80,000 vehicles per day by 1980. It reached 120,000 per day by 1961!!! Roads just generate traffic. Need I say more
It is nice to see some motorway history, well done!
Some very nice classic cars and lorries amongst that lot... Oh ! how I wished the motorways were that tranquil today... :-)
Great Video. 5*
These days they are filled with bad drivers, e.g. people sat in lane 2 doing 50 mph.
Great - thanks! Wish there was more of this stuff around.
Wow you posted this 12 years ago...Malcolm you Sir are a trend setter.
Thanks, don't forget I made it 55 years ago!!! And I.m still around.
@@diananash1
I can't even begin to imagine how you edited the film...no go-pro or filmora editing suit online 🤔
@@fastasfox Viewer scissors pegboard splicer - isn't that how it's always done ha ha ha?
dont you just love the music
Malcolm, Great footage! Really well done! Its made my day!
Thanks, this was never planned as a film i itsown right but was an afterthought using cuttings from other projects. Pleased you enjoyed.
I remember going down the M1 in Northern Ireland a week after it opened and never saw another car. Then I was told there was a terrible accident on the first day and nobody would go on it. Eventually I'll get round to uploaduing M! footage 1960 when the first bit was brand new.
I did and I'm still around
My sentiments entirely. M1 was to carry 80,000 a day by 1980 - it reached 120,000 in 1961. Roads generate traffic!!! Thanks for viewing and your kind comments.
Reminds me of triang minic motorways with the old vehicles and motorway without crash barriers
totally cool video, I remember when they tore up the forest in leicester forest east to build this monster they called a motorway. One day we were climbing trees and picking damsens, the next day watching earth movers and cranes :(
At least Leicester Forest West is still untouched.
Thanks for the kind comments. Nice to have a response from somebody who knows his subject. Did you notice that the in-car shots in Baker Street were from a MkI Cortina????
No speed limit ,no traffic jams, but no crash barriers - loads of crossover crashes and littered with busted fan belts and boiling radiators. The cars weren't built for sustained high speed, cross ply tyres, no ABS. Those were the days???!!!
Thanks for your comments. Two years ago I had to drag my caravan from Galway to Rosslare in a hurry --- you do need those motorways. But they tend to be the victims of their own success. Exciting days when they were building the M1 and the rest -- they were going to solve all our problems!?!
Nice 'mickey mouse' Foden at 1,31..just before the continental makes started taking over and effectively closed down the antiquated British truck building industry.
It's a shame but the continental trucks were far superior and years ahead of ours at the time
I grew up in the UK, so the M roads have always had a soft spot in my heart. I can remember stopping for snacks or lunch at various M6 Services throughout the Midlands. There is little point for that these days unless you need to relieve yourself!
It's much the same in the USA of course. Only a few of the interstates even have proper "Services" (the toll roads like the New Jersey Turnpike come to mind).
Yes the interstates handle far more traffic today than originally planned for!
Excellent video! There is an interesting article on the motorway turning 50 this month in Top Gear magazine - a must read if you are a car buff!
UK motorways had a utopian feel about them when they first opened - nowadays they are generally loathed. It's the same here in the USA with the Interstate system, unless you are driving in rural areas.
I for sure loathe the endless road works and so-called 'smart motorway' upgrades that take years to finish.
Not much I could of done it was the Yr I was born but I love the old trucks and cars and most if not all made in the great Britain I'll take every one of those mk1 cortinas and minis I'd be rich
Stilll trying to find a solution for traffic in cities especially in london 50 years later
It's coming with autonomous cars. Then the roads will get crowded even with them, and who knows what they'll do.
@@daw162 with them being all-electric, it’ll be easy … just switch them off remotely.
look at the country now, YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELVES TO BLAME
Oscar Wilde's remark that when the Gods want to punish us they give us what we want , applies here. I've found in life that it's often from the things we don't want that we most benefit.
Aye.
The comment about Markyate now being traffic-free (approx 7:30 in) is slightly odd given that it was already bypassed before the M1 opened.
Great video, thanks for posting.
@Paspiedreamcast Yes, I know... I remember when thye first opened it (I think the Dartford Tunnel was open long beferoe the M25 was open all the way.) OI also remember when they built the Queen E II bridge.
Built by Irish men, hard working proper men
Little Irelander.
Go away little W⚓
@@paraickelly4494 Touchy little Irelander.
Unfortunately the construction of the motorways spelt the death knell for the railways in general...and have never really recovered back to what it was.Very interesting piece of travel history,many thanks for posting. But back then all that empty road ahead...go on the motorways now and you literally take your life in your hands?
Love the fact that there was no central Armco 🤔🤔
Brilliant, thanks.
It would have been a great time to own a quality metal detector, just think of all the possible treasures that were paved over.
Archaeologists were called out when something was found.
There probably wasn't any archeological digs back then, they probably just ploughed through everything.
As they should do. Archeology should stay in the ground as it only interest’s a few boring people
5:31 Oh look, the now redundant hard shoulder “nah we don’t need a hard shoulder - they won’t notice if turn it into another lane....🙄”
Liverpool to Norwich 7 hrs still no proper link but a nice drive................
I take your point about service areas - you need to take out a second mortgage to eat there these days and I can compare with your Interstates having toured the whole of Florida five years ago.
The European model is better in some coountries - no enormous expensive gin palace service areas many miles apart. In France and Benelux they have stopping "Aires" every 10km with fuel stops every 20 - 40KM. In Belgium if you buy gas they have to give you free coffee by law.
Do you know the reason why that short little spretch of the M25 isn't motorway around Dartford? It's so legally, ANY motor vehicle can cross the Thames at that point, which is why a lot of obviously motorway-standard roads in Ireland are still signed "N" instead of "M" - as parts of these roads used the old road as a single carriageway and the old road literally doesn't exist any more.
wish it was like that no less traffic and best of all ne speed cam's :)
old comment I know but when did the speed cams start to come in... was before my time I would say in all essence.
Mate they think London was clogged with cars then
I WONDER IF ANYTHING WAS EVER FOUND ?(-;
Ironically if this motorway money had been invested back into the railway?
True; but few shall ever exchange the private, warm, and now entertaining space of car transport, waiting for you on the driveway , for crowded metal carriages, to which you have to travel just to reach, ( often in a car ), un-airconditioned , sweaty-or-cold,dirty carriages, shared with often rude , always thoughtless people , bellowing misery, gossip, tedium, filthy-language into mobile 'phones, departing , ( if it does at all ), when IT wants , not when the traveller wants , only to leave you at a place near to , but not at , where you want to be ; from which you have to travel again : by road.
terrible sound quailty, but really good video and very intresting
I wonder if Gynsill Studios was on Gynsill Lane?
No 173
Thank you, that was quick!
Quite often drive down there to get to Anstey.👍
Correct
3>
3.35
Is the same everywhere here in Belgium the infra is also crap. Why ???
Population Increases Generate Traffic !
Why do so many film and early video tapes from this era, sound like they were made in 1930? even the BBC official stuff sounds/looks like it's been in the sea.
And where did it all go wrong. Things have to change the new word needs to be sustainably against the old word growth!!!!
Yeah, and hardly a 'foreigner' in sight, all British made by British workers. How easily we gave up our motoring heritage. Tossers.
Philip Croft how easy we gave up the whole country I'd say
It's due to the Boomers going on strike all the time in the 1970s.
The millennials dont go on strike as they're not a bunch of leftie lay-abouts like the boomers were.
Aye, would rather be speaking German as well.
@@livestock984 Jawohl.
Built by Irish men, ya 🤡
It still is im 64 never owned a car waste of money 2:24
When they closed down the railways and increased road
Transport resulting in more deaths!
Commentary sounds somewhat amateurish in this.
The motorway killed the railways with the axing of some of it branchlines and the Great Central Railways thanks to Beeching and Marble, look at the states of our motorways today chocker block and now the UK Goverment spending billions to reinstate some of axes Railways lines. Big mistake.
Marples who was a major shareholder in one of the civil engineering firms involved in building the M1. Tory sleaze is not confined to the present day.