Great British Road Journeys - Essex - Harlow to Basildon Ep.5
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- Опубликовано: 24 фев 2024
- #driving #infrastructure #cars #roadtrip #essex
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This week we move on from Suffolk, there wasn't much going on anyway... and in this episode.. .well, where to start, it's got everything.... motorway stuff, road stuff, bunker stuff, car stuff, world record holding churches and plenty more, it's a busy episode so strap in! Or on. I'm not sure.
Using a copy of the 1923 Michelin Guide, I'll be travelling the country to see what remains and what's changed since it's publication. The guide offers suggestions on thing to see and where to stay all with the goal of getting you out there and exploring in your motor vehicle. 
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"The Harlow we all know and tolerate..." It's quips like these that keeps me coming back here.
I remain unconvinced that any truly great journey could end in Basildon, but thank you very much for bringing the possibility to my attention. Have a great week, Jon!
You could always pop round to Beefy's house for a cuppa and a quick rave!
Many a good night has been had in Bas Vegas. 🤔
From one sh1thole to another...
I work in Basildon and that's a far as it goes lol. It pays my mortgage so my road journey there every day does make Basildon good for at least something. Trying to think what else... 🤣
If you pop just down the road you can visit fobbing where the peasants revolt started. Also, you've got watt Tyler country park in pitsea where the peasants gathered.
JOHN - THAT GREEN RS MEXICO USED TO BE MINE!! My eyes nearly popped out of my head when i spotted it. 😃
Prove it
@@samholdsworth420Do one.
@@stevekelly5166 nou
Was it stolen at some point…?
link some photos of it here
I use this channel to take in 'Vitamin UK' - an essential compound for British people who live 'abroad', composed of subtle grumbling, irony and sarcasm. Thank you for your service 🙏
I've been experiencing symptoms of a heavy Vitamin UK deficiency - chiefly homesickness and begrudged adjustment - so here I am. Nice term 💕 🇬🇧
@@Ashystar067 Have a look at the politics channels, you'll soon be cured of your deficiency.
@@Ashystar067 It also helps to have a reliable source of cider and cheese & onion pasties... ☺
I don't always go to John for my dose of 'Vitamin UK' (Jago Hazzard seems to hit the spot much better), but when I do it's very interesting.
Love the concept of a vitamin uk however living on the doorstep of nuneaton means unless its deep fried , placed into a paper bag and served to ford focus with a space saver fitted through a window its not going to be popular around here .
0:29
'Only Joking, he's not gonna turn up' ....
Now look what you've done, I've blurted coffee across my keyboard again ...!
That wooden church is the building equivalent of Trigger’s broom.
As a resident of Harlow I feel the the derogatory way that you spoke of my birth place and the people of the greater area of Essex to be truly spot on , keep up the good work,
hehehe :D Stereotypes are fun, thanks for watching
As a Southend resident, I’m very satisfied with the time of day you didn’t give it 😂
The only man who can make the arse end of the UK truly interesting , that is a special talent indeed 😁👍
😂 can't wait til he goes to Millom
Too right, it's strangle adicitive with Jon's sarcastic humour.
"It's said Harlow has some of the most extensive cycleways in the country - but I don't care". That made me LOL
Brilliant Statement - indeed, who cares about cycling???
What like this one?? wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/September2007.htm
Yes, that was Harlow!!
@@RedKnight-fn6jrif you drive you should, it means they’re much less likely to be in front of you on the road
@@a1white I'm mostly driving on motorways, so no cyclists to worry about! The more motorways, the better!
Ahhh, North Weald.
Back in the day when I was a teenager, on very rainy night, my girlfriend and I were...enjoying the night air...so to speak, in the front of my MK1 transit van, which, handily, had a full width bench front seat, it also had sliding doors which leaked horribly.
As we were engrossed in stuff, my girlfriend noticed a torch light reflecting in the wing mirror, we were parked off the road in a farm track.
As the light got closer we gathered ourselves together, just in time for the lamp to shine in through the drivers door window.
It was a very wet, very pissed off police constable.
I slid my door open with a cheerful, "Evening constable", he shone his torch about the cab and at my girlfriend.
He asked, in a very bored voice, "What are you two doing here?", I started to mumble a reply when he then said, "I know what you're doing here, but whyy...are you doing it here ?", I again mumbled a poor excuse about nice countryside and views..
He simply said, "Not in my patrol area, zip up your pants, and you, (referring to my girlfriend who by now had gone very red), straighten you clothes and both of you F~~k off"
He splooshed his way back to his Panda car and drove off.
I doubt he used the word 'pants'.
and as the total gentleman that you are you have not mentioned her name, well done..
@@downundarob at a guess Sharon? Maybe Tracy?
So what was you doing ? 😂
@@Dan23_7 His partner was a seamstress & he was showing her some of the repair work that he needed doing on his trousers. The constable, no doubt wearing old and crusty police uniform, was likely rather peeved off he was getting free tailoring and clothing advice from someone specialised in the field.
Her clothing was about the place a bit as she was showing this fine gentleman the work she'd carried out on her clothes.
The original Ford EV looked wicked, sweet, awesome.
Hilarious! John has the sarcasm dial turned up to nuke in this video! With comments like, "the Harlow we know today and tolerate....", and "after the small disagreement of 1939 to 1945...." Wicked good video, John!
I visited one of the Nuclear bunkers before it was decommissioned.
100% agree about small family cars rather than SUV as EV.
So that means you were a secret agent perhaps 002 or something?🙂
..
Well If the bunker wasn't decommissioned when you visited it must have been active....?
There’s one near Preston, at a place called Goosnargh.
@@Dan23_7no way. I go past there quite often. Is it accessible to nosy little gits?😂 Looks like it's on the main road as well. Not quite as glamorous, but I live on an abandoned ww2 oil depot. It's a housing dev, not just me and my pikey mates
@@Dan23_7 There's another near me here in Cheshire called Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker (clearly signposted to maintain its secrecy). Not far from Nantwich. Twenty years it was £3.30 to visit. I went again about five years ago and it had increased to over £15. I laughed in their faces of course and walked away.
@@pigeonpoo1823 Yes you can see through the fence. It’s on Whittingham lane.
Auto Shenanigans, rapidly becoming the 21st century's version of Pevsner! Awesome.
A vintage episode! Brilliantly sardonic and sarcastic today.
"the stunning Harlow" 😂😂😂
"My name is Garbo.The T is silent as is the T in Harlow." sigh...One of my favourite put down lines..Greta Garbo to Jean Harlow..
Tolerate lol
8:59 - I can tell you exactly why we miss Little Chef, John... it's because the Olympic Breakfasts were undeniably fucking awesome! I've lived in The Colonies for over 20 years, but I still lovingly recall hoeing into one of those proper full English extravaganzas... Man, I really miss Little Chef...❤...😂👍🇦🇺
My husband tells me of a job interview that he had in Basildon about 30 years ago. Being a northerner and having all sort of negative ideas about Basildon and it's people, he wasn't too keen on going there. However, once there, he said he found the people some of the friendliest and nicest people he could want to meet. He still regrets not getting the job!
The best thing out of Basildon is Depeche Mode.
Terry Marsh 👊
I was gonna say this!
Beat me to it...😭
Err second best. Yahoo were better!
I think you'll find the best thing in Basildon is the way out.
@@david_harveyWas that the band after Yazoo folded………..🤪
I didn’t expect to see my house on RUclips today, but I did!
I have to admit, my first instinct was the Epping Ongar Railway sign.
Description of Essex was spot on 😂
"He's not going to turn up." 🤣🤣
That SECRET NUCLEAR BUNKER is one of my most favorite things ever.
Thanks for covering home in such a sensitive and engaging way John....
I commuted from Stansted to Brentwood. Once leaving Chipping Ongar the bottom water hose detached from my car and I had to pull into the bunker entrance. The AA call centre didn’t believe me when I said I was located at the entrance of the Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker 😂. The on road mechanic did.
John,your sarcasm is top tier!
Great British Road Journeys would be a interesting RUclips playlist to put on repeat
10:15 Loving the reference to the ST220 for obvious reasons 😁
I fear I've missed something here...
As a south Essex man originally, this is all great stuff. Cheers John, looking forward to the rest of the series. Oh yeah and at school we used to use the word "Warley" (mental hospital) as an insult - as in "Don't be an idiot, you effin Warley!"
I’m only five minutes into this exciting episode, and I get the distinct impression John might have been having a bit of a crappy day making this video.
Fun fact the vast majority of New Holland tractors are assembled in Basildon with New Holland veing a company that used to be run by Ford which is probably why the assembly plant is in a similar area to the Ford site.
I was left thinking "What?! No tractor plant? Also think he drove right past the old Ford offices in Warley too - if you know, you know!
Motorists should be the biggest proponents for proper, viable, segregated foot paths and cycle ways (along with affordable and usable public transport) - many, many people would love a viable alternative to car use, and if they had it, there would be less traffic on the roads, so people that do need to use cars and vans etc. would have a better time doing so... it's not really that complicated.
I'm all for well-designed and (crucially) well-maintained segregated footpaths and cycleways. But how much of our infrastructure could actually be said to fulfil those criteria? A bit of green paint and some blocks for you to trip over ain't it. NCN Route 75 runs past my house but bits of it are in abysmal condition these days, especially the section south of Blackridge railway station which is effectively abandoned.
@@Gordanovich02 that's my point though, paint isn't infrastructure!
We need to do what people like the Dutch did, and completely redesign our roads! We can do it for round abouts and motorways, so we can do it for active travel and public transport.
All that's required is some political will, and the discipline to spend tax money appropriately, rather than funnelling it in to their mates pockets through dodgy contracts etc...
I think that if a cycleway has been provided, cyclists should be made to use them by law. Why should tax paying motorists have to share the road with doddering muppets on bikes if they have their own lanes?
@@johnbuyers8095 Absolutely not. The roads are for all users, plus the taxes associated with motoring don't even come close to covering the costs of road building and repairs - the majority of that is paid through council tax and general taxation that is born by everybody, whether they drive a car or not.
There were 4 or 5 ‘Garys & Daves’ in our boozer, I recall … Gary the scar, Gazza, Gary the Gas & Black Gary … Dave chef, Dave the gardener, (Dave) Rosie & a golden retriever, called Dave.
7:37-8:12 The County Lunatic Asylum has always been housing. You just needed to be crazy to live there.
One of its famous residents is russell brands mum, and occasionally he himself. Always thought that was very apt for both of them!!
Ah Harlow New Town, of which Genesis reference in the song "Get Em Out By Friday". Also the road in the middle of the roundabout at Junction 7 of the M11, was for many years a Police / Council Weighbridge. For many years upon entering Harlow, you would be met with a green sign stating how Harlow was a Nuclear Free Zone... which was amusing when the Army's Nuclear convoy would park on that weighbridge over night ha ha ha ha.
Love these, the highlight of my week
I always lolz at the “small disagreement of 1939-1945”.
Riding that route on a 1949 RT is one of my life pleasures.
BTW that's an old bus, not some kind of classic motorbike, if people didn't know.
He is a fact I was told years ago, no idea if it’s true. The bridge at the bottom of Ongar high street was built slightly wider to accommodate the crossing of communication cables for the secret nuclear bunker over the river.
Thanks mate, really enjoying reliving the journeys of my youth, from the comfort of my settee. Best wishes, Rob
Congrats on the MOT pass for the Saab
Hi Jon I love your Auto Shenanigans podcasts this latest series is fab. Thanks
Soz Jon but Canvey never had an oil refinery it got stopped from being built on safety grounds. It did however havd somethjnv famous about the part built refinery, Fred Dibnar was hired by Safeway Supermarkets to blow up the chimney, which on his first attempt failed!
Aso did you not notice the mire interesting road sign error in Ongar? Above secret nuclear bunker it says Industrail Estate instead of Industrial Estate!
A bit like the Nicholas Valeting Centre between the A128 and Dunton junctions on the A127, where it reads Nicholas Valentine Centre!😂
Condolences for beginning in Harlow and ending in Basildon
Thank you John. I enjoyed the program. And learned a lot. Please do more like this. -a loyal viewer in America
Like Iggy Pop sang in The Passenger:
I see the stars come out tonight
Yeah they're bright in the Harlow sky
For anyone interested in architecture story behind the "new towns" like Harlow, Welyn, Letchworth etc I highly recommend the book "Concretopia"!
9:56 Based John, too bloody right, we don't need big SUVs we need smaller and more practical cars.
'Get rid of those SUV's.' Wise words. Wise words indeed!
Brilliant as usual. Looking forward to you coming to Yorkshire.
Best intro yet, made me snort tea through my nose. Keep up the good work.
The best TV programme not on TV. In Jon’s immortal words “wicked, sweet, awesome”. 👏👏👍😀
Now I have the urge to visit the Secret Nuclear Bunker 🤫
Basildon's claim to fame is the hometown of band Depeche Mode 😊❤
Actually, Basildon was inhabited before the new town, though it may not have been called that. The whole area or Laindon/Basildon/Pitsea consisted of what we now call 'Plotlands' - farmland sold off in little plots after the 1st world war for people to build their own houses on. The plots were mostly bought by working class Londoners as there was a housing shortage in East London. The houses ranged from shacks and old railway carriages up to pretty standard bungalows. The roads weren't paved and there wasn't much in the way of drainage or sewarage.... The middle classes utterly hated the idea of working class people doing things for themselves! The plots were almost all bought up and redeveloped into Basildon New Town in the 60s. There are one or two odd houses from that area left on the fringes - you actually passed the Plotlands trail near Dunton, which is an area of plotlands that is preserved with one remaining bungalow as a museum. I find it the spookiest place I've ever visited!!!
2:29 “and i don’t care” this is one of the quips that made me a subscriber as soon as i saw a short randomly some time ago 😂😂😂
Nice one, thanks for watching!
Thanks
Great to see you put South Essex on the map!!
....I don't care......... can't be bothered......... sums Harlow up really 😂
A fair few "Secret Nuclear Bunkers" across the country, when I first saw your thumbnail I initially thought you were in the Cheshire/Nantwich area.
The real trick is to make some of them actually contain a really secret area because who would believe that it would be right under the nose of a tourist attraction?
The secret is to get the real bunker, you really turn right.
Went to one at Withernsea near hull, the entrance looks exactly the same.
I still think old churches are fascinating. I'm not religious at all but I love the history and the architecture.
Just love the flat sarcasm. The very British way of explaining why things are so crap. You remind me of Jack Dee.
Most good road journeys begin by exiting Basildon.
Although if the other end is going to be Harlow, I don't envy the choices you had to make!
Greetings from the new town of Redditch. Or 'Ditch' as we residents lovingly refer to it.
You have the best intros and best outros ever
Similar story I read about old roundabouts on the A12 through London. These were build slightly oval to force traffic to slow down as they entered and a straighter exit to enable a faster exit. Again the design was taken directly from the continent which resulted in faster entry and slower exit. They realised this error when there were more accidents than on circular roundabouts. 🤔
Kelvedon Hatch is my favourite place in the world! Fascinating place!
2:24 😂😂 spat my tea out haha
Brilliant start with about half a dozen put downs of Essex stereotypes ending in Harlow ‘stupid choice because it’s Harlow’. Excellent
I enjoy touring the UK on my motorbike. Like others I have spotted Secret Nuclear Bunker signs in several different locations and always wondered; Had Russia rained nuclear weapons down on the UK and all the senior military personnel , politicians and civil servants survived the onslaught safe in their secret nuclear bunkers. Just who exactly were they expecting to govern once they emerged? Loving the series... even Harlow and Basildon.
Just wanna say that my temper has been an issue for me recently, and your reaction at the end, though not overt, helped remind me that there's also nothing wrong with being frustrated by things, so thank you
I do not the age of your book but the A414 between Harlow and Chelmsford had a completely different route from today. “The original A414 road bypassed Harlow to the north, travelling through High Wych on what is now an unclassified road, and travelling through Sawbridgeworth to meet what is now the A1060 at Hatfield Heath, which it followed through to Chelmsford. In Chelmsford itself, the road numbers have been subject to change several times over the last three or four decades, with the A12, A130 and A414 having been rerouted many times over that period.”
Worlds first Mini Roundabout is located between three pubs near Benfleet station
It's so good to see Highways England are looking after our road signs and keeping them clean even the ones big enough to go to school😊
You never disappoint this old guy in Virginia in the States. Good job!
Totally agree with your view on the likes of big SUV type cars doing 0-60 in 2 seconds as being totally and completely pointless. Funny how nearly any car and road enthusiast feels the same way lol
That little Citroen plastic machine would be ideal if only it wasn't a Citroen..
hay let's not knock Citroen.
They introduced front wheel drive a loooong way back.
And also they built the DS very stylish. let's also not forget the superb hydraulic suspension..
Obviously couldn't care less about the modern stuff...pos...
I like the Dacia Spring. 900kg EV. I'd tax cars based on weight. Then we could have small fun EVs that could genuinely claim to be helping with sustainability!
I'm enjoying the new series, Many thanks.😀
Thanks a lot mate, appreciate that!
"The stunning Harlow..." As said by nobody, ever. You're the first, Jon. Revel in that thought for a femtosecond or two. Most prople go through Harlow on the way to somewhere nicer. 🤔 😆😆😆
My Paternal grandparents lived in Chipping Ongar, as did Hattie Jacques off of off've the 'Carry On' movies.
The only thing I can think Basildon is famous for, is being the place from where Depeche Mode came from.
Brilliant. Full marks for avoiding a ‘don’t look back in Ongar’ pun.
Little Chef: We miss the pancakes!
The Olympic Breakfast was always the highlight of the last day of a caravanning holiday, preferably at the start of the journey home.
Stopping to look at what ever the hell I want to look at!
Am aiming for an anorak award here: Canvey no longer has an oil refinery but has an oil storage depot.
As always, great examples in this video of your wicked sense of humour 😂👍🏻 Thanks. Always makes my Sunday 😃
I remember studying Harlow in primary school Geography when we were learning about maps. I think that kicked off my interest in maps.
Thank you. The EV we need is a 2 seat, 100-150 mile range, car that tops out around 85-90 (since most journeys are commuting or popping to the shops, usually solo or with one passenger). We don't need a 3 ton, 400 mile range, 5 seater . . . because the vast majority of the time it's just a waste dragging all that weight around.
As for the SUV-fication. Car makers realised they could charge more for the same materials, if they made it taller - the Ford Puma (new) is a Ford Fiesta underneath, but costs a few thousand more to buy, but no more to make. It's almost like it's a bit of a scam.
I’m so glad your channels success allows you to travel around in a Ferrari 🎉🎉
Kelvedon Hatch is fascinating and disturbing in one go. Apparently, the central line underground to Ongar station closed when the bunker closed as it was the emergency route that civil servants and ministers would have taken so to lead the nation during any nuclear attack. I stand to be corrected if anyone knows better.
There might have been post-nuclear social breakdown as a result of engineering work, industrial action or leaves on the line.
Probably coincidence as the central line is still a fair distance from the bunker - far enough you'd have to drive and then seeing as you're in the car anyway may as well carry on to a better station as that section of track is only single track which means long waits between trains.
LOL Perfect out-take in the outro. Cold wet and miserable as I watch, in keeping with the filming conditions. You never get this realism from Hollywood.
liking this new series, as as for little chef it was the breakfasts or the tea cakes when on a journey or hung over. that's what i miss anyway. it was friendly signage and colour scheme. it was like losing a friend with them all closed, also far superior to the unhappy vomiter chain.
4:45 Fun fact I like to call the Epping and Ongar railway the Brazzers railway instead because some sort of pornographical film was filmed in Ongar station a few years ago. No idea what the plot or premise is but it's a funny little factoid.
Basildon is/was the home of Gilbarco - maker of petrol pumps. (interesting company to work for).
Talking of interesting, the Secret Nuclear Bunker looks virtually identical (above ground anyway) to the one in Fife (which is miles from anywhere of note).
Was. They just repair them now. The old factory was flattened and is now a retail park
The farm bungalows that guard the bunkers were built to a standard design.
Pity I missed you passing the end of my road! As a Brentwood resident of many years I was very surprised to hear about the Nuclear bunker opening to the public. I'd never heard of it before so it really must have been secret
Great one, Jon. Keep up the regional stereotypes 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Brilliant YouTubing!!!!!!!!
Great energy
Very witty/drole, makes me chuckle.
Really informative
Great presentation and editing
Wonderful stuff
Thanks
Nice one mate, thanks for watching!
Ah the A12 between Chelmsford and Ingatestone, 40 years ago as a young lad I always wondered why did this road open up to a 3 lane 2 mile highway before closing down again. My dad used to really put his foot down, it was a local spot to see just how fast your car can go. Now I know the reason why, has to be some prep for the anticipated M12 ! And to this day that stretch of road promises greater things, never achieved, before you slow down on the Ingatestone bypass never to return to such giddy heights before the M25 !
Wow that took me back, the entrance to Warley hospital no less where I did my nurse (and alcoholism) training late 80's
You have just literally done my work commute! From Basildon to Harlow and vice versa! Thank you sir for making it infinitely less dull.
As gloriously irreverent as ever. More power to your elbow sir!
Good watch.