Secrets of The Motorway - M5

#infrastructure #motorway #m5

This week we tackle the mighty M5... the motorway that's always broken especially around summer holiday time. Yet, it is a vital link that runs between Birmingham and Exeter. We'll be travelling the length of the M5 motorway and pointing out a few oddities that perhaps you missed last time you drove on the motorway.

In this series we 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 aims to uncover some of the hidden secrets our motorways have to offer.

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

Many thanks to:

[AutoShenanigans]

Hello, How the devil are you!? The M5... finally... there has been a lot of requests for this one. As the M5 is so bloody massive, there's an almost 100% chance I've missed that thing you know about. Filming took two days for this episode, you might notice the sudden change from late afternoon to early morning 😂 Anyway, thanks for watching I hope you enjoyed the video.

[mrc]

The M5 is a convenient place to store holidaymakers from the Midlands during the summer.

[ralphanker]

As someone who likes driving, maps, abandoned infrastructure, aerial views of Britain, obscure historical trivia and presenters with a self-deprecating sense of humour, your content is now one of the highlights of my week. It looks like it's a full-time activity so I hope you're able to turn it into a profitable business. All the best to you, mate.

[RS-btgx]

Cool to see you mentioned the RAC building. Spent 4 years working there, couple of fun facts for you;

1.) the meeting room is rarely used, it moves a hell of a lot in the wind (even has a wind speed gauge)

2.) lovely, spacious building to work in with lots of natural light, also boiling hot in the summer even with the sun shades down, can be cold in the winter unless the heating was on full blast. Also very noisy, not ideal when trying to talk to a customer.

3.) Glass panels have a tendency to fall out on occasion 😅

Still one of the nicer places I’ve worked in.

[AlexanderWright]

Nice. As a regular user and former denizen of Devon, the river Exe is pronounced simply, 'X'.

The site of the horrific fire is often shrouded in thick fog, such that I once had to slow to 30mph. The worrying thing is that apparently the majority of people can see clearly in thick fog and continue to drive at 80mph.

Also worth a mention and possibly visit is the relatively new Glocester Services, between junction 12 & 11a, that features a farm shop and is relatively unique in not being run by one of the large companies.

[shorey]

I could listen to this guy talk about absolutely anything all day. Love it

[sabinebogensperger]

"How old? Well old." - that's how I feel at times! 😄 Thank you for another fab video, sending sunny greetings from South Africa! 👋🇿🇦

[adamgrocco]

Surprised that you didn't mention the split level carriageway between Jct 19 and 20, Always found that a unique part of driving the M5.
I have been stuck in standstill traffic before and the difference in elevation is even more pronounced when you get out the car and look over the barrier.

[richard]

The split level bit from the start of the video is one of my favourite motorway views in the country,

[freekicksvhs]

The start of ‘How the devil are you? Have you had a good week?’ are the most comforting words now known to me.

[polish_train_official]

I have never been to the UK, I didn't know about a lot of these motorways until watching this series, I have lived in Poland for my entire life, and don't even care that much for motorways, why am I enjoying this so much? I don't know, but it's fun!

[PatGilliland]

Road over canal over another canal - chef's kiss.

[jonsnell]

Whoops! Being a local, the river Exe is pronounced Ex, as in the letter X, not Exey. Excellent prezentation as always and very interesting.

[MichaelSnasdell]

Love the Asda petrol station tip. Interesting fact, we stumbled across it purely by accident last weekend while coming home from Birmingham. Decided to pull off to go into town to look for cheaper fuel, and there it was! Hey presto.
Loving the videos, keep them coming.

[MRTransportVideos]

I live pretty close to the wonderful "interchange" you showed at Oldbury, with the Motorway, Railway and BOTH Canals - three centuries of transport history in one place!

[rrialb]

I have no idea why I am following you other than your dry humor and sarcastic entertainment peppered with historical interest. I look forward to it! I am in the USA and will probably never drive these roads in the UK. Love it, crack on!

[anugget]

Considering I am a 16 year old who doesn't have any interest in roads and the secrets they may be hiding this video was oddly entertaining from the content to the comedy, definitely subscribing for more

[underwaterdick]

Another interesting video once again!

This series really is entertaining yet factual.

Thanks for making them.

[bonetiredtoo]

You missed something between J8 and J6. The bridges over the motorway are extra large with a wide grass strip being obvious. This is a legacy of when that part of the M5 was widened from 2 to 3 lanes in the 1980s. They used a technique called "parallel widening" where, in effect, they built a new carriageway alongside the existing ones, moved all the traffic across whilst they then widened the other carriageway. What was left was abandoned and buried ! You can see this at the secret junction you mentioned between J8 and J7 where the bridge is much wider than expected on the northbound side!

[benjaminharris]

I’m not quite sure how I’ve found myself watching secrets of the motorway but that’s the joy of YouTube I guess.

Regardless your videos are brilliant! Really impressed by how informative, concise and entertaining your delivery is, you clearly put in a lot of work.

Keep it up!