Secrets of The Motorway - M69

#infrastructure #motorway #m69

This week our journey takes us from Coventry to Leicester along the rather short M69 motorway. We've several items of interest to take in along the way from old airfields to gas storage sites. It sounds dull but it isn't.

In this series we aim to explore what our motorway network is hiding. As we drive along at the 70mph..ish...we simply just wouldn't be aware of what we're missing. This series aims to uncover some of the hidden secrets our motorways have to offer.

Find us on:
Twitter - @JonShenanigans
Facebook - Auto Shenanigans

Many thanks to:

[gavindavies]

4:02 bottom right of screen on the southbound side is where I nearly died. I was on my motorbike, cruising down the inside lane at 60ish late one night when a presumably sleeping driver behind me drifted onto the hard shoulder. Waking up before hitting the barrier he swerved back onto the inside land, straight into my left side. Seeing them out of the corner of my eye I just had time to think "impatient bugger" assuming he was undertaking me. Well, having been smashed along the motorway a hundred yards or so (from one bridge to the next), I came to in the middle lane on my side. First thought was to turn off the bike, but then I realised I'm in the middle lane at night. I could see that after me he'd smashed into two other cars, lying all over the road just past me. So I went full on Railway Children, running back down the hard shoulder waving my arms trying to stop the oncoming traffic. It worked. Well, except for one, a transit connect, that went by at 70ish. In the middle lane. Where my bike was lying. The police told me later they had trouble finding said bike. Eventually it was discovered inside the bonnet of the transit, some 200 yards further on 😂 Any way, I survived with bump and bruises. Which really puzzled the hospital, who were convinced I must have some sort of hidden injury somewhere after being hit by a car on a motorway.

[Sarge]

As an old RAF airfield enthusiast I'm ashamed to say I didn't realise Ansty was once an airfield, and I knew nothing about the other one, which I went past a couple of days ago!

[plxton]

I love how you manage to make what would otherwise be a rather hundrum topic, something that appeals to a much wider audience by adding in sheer daft antics that really nail the show.

I find it strange that I sit waiting for your video each week just the same as I find it strange that I wait for dashcam videos on a Sunday, but I love all of these videos!

[fae_a]

For the three people interested, the tonalite mentioned at 8:05 got Croft Quarry SSSI designation as they documented the growth of continential crust beneath England - they're a fragment of the Caledonian mountain chain which once spanned a fair portion of the UK

[johnreynolds]

Drama, .passion, love, it's all there in 'Secrets of the motorway - M69. Add in a dash of weirdness, two disused airfields, a massive viaduct and a happy lunatic waving gleefully at a drone, and it seems you have my favourite mix of entertainment, information and history. How's the help group coming along? I think I need it!

[Dribbleondo]

M69: Giggles in my head
Gamecock Barracks: _Laughs uncontrollably_

[ritchiehenshaw]

"And over there you can see the M69, " which totally justifies putting this impressive quarry in the video. Love the work.

[rus]

0:39 Seems appropriate to have two junctions on the M69

[rover_animates]

The M69 is quite possibly one of, if not, my favourite motorway I have been on so far (though I have only been on 8 atm tbh, which include M1, M5, M6, M42, M55, M56, M65 and M69). In spite of it being one of the closest motorways to me, it's been fast every time I've been on the M69, though at the moment this marks one of the 5 motorways we use to get to Cornwall.
So it was good to learn a bit more about the area. Thanks for providing us with a bit more insight about the M69!

[MRINIT]

One of my local motorways 10 mins from my house. Always noticed the additional bits of road that looked unused and this video has cleared that up perfectly.

[thomaswykes]

My dad used to attend airshows at RAF Gamecock in the 1950's. The art deco control tower is still there and is used as a bar and sports changing rooms

[TransportGeekery]

You missed the weirdest bit of oddity: if you join the M69 from the M6 northbound or A4600 out of Coventry, you actually have to drive on a small section of B road (B4065 - which used to be the A46 in fact) to get onto the M69. So the signs are white and black instead of the more familiar blue and white, which I’m sure catches people out.

[mell_gif]

30 seconds in and I've laughed out loud twice already 😂 😂

[johnmehaffey]

The outro shot, Now that’s a bridge, no crappy concrete there, nice post

[TheSickyNicky]

In 1976-7 we lived in Thurlaston near the route the M69 was going to take. We used to walk down to watch the workmen building the new motorway. Quite exciting for an 8-year old. Of course, there was no junction anywhere near us, so it wasn't much use - still had to use the A47 or A46 to get anywhere. I remember that petrol was 69p per gallon. Those were the days!

[barryhall]

I've always wondered what that weird bit was for at the Leicester end. Another great video 👍🏼

[pljpmas]

Great video. Can concur that the A5460, A563 and the whole of M1 Jct 21 is a complete road planning disaster.

[RocketCat]

Hello From United States, Florida. Great channel and video keep up the great work

[Ozbert]

It looks like your sign-off piece was done on the former Great Central Railway at Whetstone viaduct. Nice drone shot at the end there, thanks.

[danielmarshall]

Splendid, another video from Auto Shenanigans.