Honestly this epsiode had me in stitches.. ‘here you’ll find Severn view services, along with a view of the Severn’ 🤣👌🏼 just hilarious dry humour it’s too good
I was a teenager when the old Severn bridge was built and it was a huge deal back then. So much so my mum and I took a coach trip to view it from South London. Yep a coach day out trip to view a bridge. We travelled over the bridge, turned round at the next junction and returned back over it and stopped at the services on the English side. The cafe had a huge viewing area to see the bridge and to be totally honest, it was a hell of a sight back then. Of course as I got older and was driving, the bloody bridge was shut every time there was a strong breeze!! The last time I went to Wales I went down the M48 and stopped at the sadly rather run down services for old times sake. It’s still a good looking design of the 60’s. Thanks for your videos who knew I cared about Motorways? But it seems I do. I watch all your videos thank you.
Before the advent of the original Severn Bridge, one had two choices to travel by car from the South West to South Wales or vice versa - either taking a very long loop via Chepstow or waiting one's turn for the rather diminutive ferry.
Shout out to the wasp for its admirable work ethic, still contributing to TH-cam videos when all of its mates have buggered off on holiday or whatever wasps do in winter....
If the subtle intro of the playdays theme that often stopped at the “Why” bird stop while talking about the river “Wye” bridge was on purpose, then you have truly excelled yourself.
Around 15 years ago I did a lot of work in South Wales (I live in London). I always used the M48. You get a much better view from the bridge and the traffic levels are tiny compared with the M4. Even during the day I would find myself on an empty road, so foot to the floor. It's also nice driving on an old-style motorway.
Jon, there isn't a single video you've made that I haven't enjoyed. The amount of interesting facts and detail you cram in at such a rate along with the excellent humour is fantastic. Seriously hoping you blast past 100k subscribers - this channel is one of the best out there! Cheers. Si.
Can I just pause to say how much I appreciate your music choices. I can't think of anyone else on TH-cam that would end a video on an obscure motorway with a hauntingly beautiful piano cover of the theme from Home and Away.
TV Theme Tunes I recognise on the Secrets of the M48 motorway are Playdays and Woof! plus the piano instrumental version of the theme tune from Home & Away.
I'm actually very fond of the M48 and use it fairly regularly. It feels like a portal back to an earlier era of the motorway - two lanes, low traffic volumes, and of course the original 1966 Severn Bridge, which is still a thing of elegant beauty. Also occasionally visit the viewpoint you show at 2:08. It now has a melancholy atmosphere of being forgotten and neglected, but back in the 1960s the bridge was one of the world's engineering marvels and that viewpoint was once a destination in its own right.
@@AutoShenanigans With your obvious fascination with the topic I can't imagine that you don't have a copy of Joe Moran's excellent book 'On roads' (2009) but, if not, then I'd wholly recommend. A brilliant cultural history of our relationship with the motorway.
There was a time when you could see the Severn from the actual Severn View Services. The great big glass building on site used to house the services and I can well remember it. But then someone must have realised it could make more money as a commercial space and the services were removed to the brick built sheds they are today - a great shame. I love your videos and your humour especially the 'throw away' lines. Brilliant.
When the Second Severn Crossing (now the Prince of Wales Bridge) opened, traffic along the M48 dropped substantially, and so did footfall to the services. There was no longer enough traffic to support the large building.
Does anyone else enjoy their Sunday Night notifications, letting us know that we all have another informative, educational but comically and entertaining post to watch ? When I was young, the 'Antique Roadshow' triggered fear and denial of incomplete homework or assignments that were overdue at school / college. Sundays now are about John giving us a 'feel good' post, and we all know that life in the World is good, with his content and presentation style. We know things are a little crazy in the World right now, but this man has given us all a unique and honest way to remind ourselves of the things we like and enjoy, and we shouldn't feel bad about it. Oh Bugger, I have just remembered that I have a presentation to write before 8am........ Arghhhhhhh See you all next week 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Great video, John. I'm afraid that I did laugh when you were spotted by that wasp. The bad tempered stripy bastards always go for me, too. I was at work once, and was surprised to see a biggish wasp grabbing spiders from their webs and flying off with them. That's a wasp I am not going to argue with.
Two genius pieces of commentary that sums up why I watch your videos: 1. 2:04 - "... and it's here that you'll find Severn View Services. Not only is there a services, there's also a view of the Severn". 2. 2:13 - "... at the time it cost £8m to build, which in todays money is more". 🤣😂
-floodplain field is part time lake *housing developer* Yes this seems like the perfect place to put a random, disconnected neighborhood with no surrounding jobs or highstreet.
I grew up some 40 miles from this area (on the Welsh side of the Severn Estuary, near Bridgend) and had no idea the military stored so much ammunition in the Caerwent zone, nor that this was involved in the Gulf wars. I've lived in Oxford for around 25 years and it's only now, thanks to your videos, that I'm learning about things that used to be 'on my doorstep', so to speak. Many thanks!
So theres the Forth Bridge and the Severn Bridge... still looking for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th Bridges... At least there is also an Exe and Wye bridge...
I love driving down this quiet motorway compared to the new M4 - Especially as they didn't take the opportunity to go three lanes when making all that new section so it often gets very busy. As a local resident it's also been very convenient since the toll booths were taken out, making trips into Wales more of a 'thing' rather than really having to consider it for the exorbitant tolls previously.
When I was a puppy I was an avid Blue Peter watcher, and they featured the building of the Severn Bridge, so you can imagine how grown up me got rather excited about crossing the bridge for the first time! Despite having crossed the bridge a millionty times, in a professional capacity, I still get a buzz from visiting engineering marvels featured on Blue Peter, and I've travelled the world to do this, including walking up to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!
The original Aust services were much bigger and quite 'posh' when launched. As teenagers, we used to drive to the Aust services from Cardiff in the evenings as it was about the only place open :-) They are now an office complex, with smaller, meaner services built nearby.
Severn View services... the services you can't actually see the Severn from, where as the office building that you see when standing at the viewpoint used to be the old services building.. and was called Aust Services
My mate asked me why I was watching a bloke half yelling facts about roads. The next day, he subscribed and said the word bollocks isn't used enough but it'll do.
Great video and extremely accurate details. I was an Army Apprentice at Beachley 1963-66 when it was the Army Apprentices College Chepstow. I watched the Severn and Wye Bridges and the viaduct constructed, having arrived as the underground work reached ground level. It was fascinating to get such a close up view of these incredible structures. As I was being trained as an Ammunition Technician, an Army explosive expert we visited Caerwent and watched the Royal Navy propellants and nitroglycerin being manufactured. I went back to Beachley 1973-76, and again 82-86 as a member of the staff. The area has been a great part of my life. It is so deserving of its Grade 1 listing - mention of which was your the only omission.
As a Dutch guy and no more knowledge about the UK other then a fortnight London, I can't wait for the next vid. It baffled me to see that hardly any motorway looks the same (junctions - fly overs and such). But your quirky way of telling, and then the little things, hardly known to those that live nearby, yep, perfect. Keep on being yourself, I love it.. 👍👍👍
the M48 is also home to one of the UK's few non-motorway Special Roads - the footpath next to the main bridge, which allows pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders to cross the Severn
The other thing worth noting is that the Severn Bridge section is now limited to one lane for HGVs and buses, if you look at the signs in both directions - 7.5 tonne limit on the second lane.
Well this presses a few buttons. As a kid in the 60s I remember crossing the Severn on the Aust ferry with my grandparents and watching the bridge being built. Fast forward to the 90s, I work in TV and was the sound guy for a documentary about the building of the new bridge. You mention the army training area and its use as an Airsoft site? Well that is Dragon Valley Airsoft. And guess who is a Marshal there.
Ah, Happy memories of when it used to be the M4, a 55 minute journey, riding my Triumph Bonneville from Cardiff to Oldbury Power Station through winter snow- just thinking about it makes me shiver!
I lived in Hemel and went round the roundabout on a bus four times a day getting to school, from 1971 to 1974. They did several experiments on layout, including a spiral, where you went to the centre and then began moving out two junctions before your exit. It was like a race track as one tended to accelerate going through it. Lots of squealing tyres. The first day of the “magic roundabout” scheme was indeed chaos, with queues running miles. I was late for school (in the next town, so the only one affected) and the office did not believe my story until the headmaster also turned up late and told the same story.
The M48 is one of the few motorways that has an organised half marathon on it crossing the Second Severn Bridge. (The Great North Run is the other one I know of as you briefly go along the entire length of the tiny A167(M)). The group that organises this half marathon also does night runs along the Second Severn Bridge starting in the graffiti'ed tunnel you were standing in front of.
Parkrun too - every Saturday morning starting just north of Aust bridge and crossing into Gloucestershire then Avon, then back to finish in that graffiti’d tunnel.
My grandad worked on the 2nd Severn Bridge - I got to to go a third of the way across whilst it was being built... it took me until 2019 to cross the rest of the way. (This comment would probably make more sense on one of the M4 videos, but you know algothrim etc)
I use this stretch from Almondsbury to Aust almost everyday. It’s a wonderful stretch of motorway to traverse. Thank you for doing this video, I always love watching your content.
The maintenance road was similar to that on the SSC that allowed people who couldn’t pay the toll to be turned around. What’s often forgotten about the original crossing was it used to have tolls on both sides prior to the second opening, at that point they reverted it to just entering wales. Severn view services was amongst the busiest in the country back in the day and a fine services at that. It literally died on its arse overnight when the SSC opened which was a shame and the original building sold off. I still have my certificate for walking across the SSC the day before it opened, something you can’t do unlike the original which you can still walk/cycle across. Roll on the M49 and ‘that’ junction fiasco
Another titbit of information to those who are interested, including the author (massive fan btw) - the first Severn bridge (M48) as depicted in your video, has access hatches along the walkway (they look like submarine hatches, its the easiest way I can explain them) upon which the engineers can inspect the deck and cables. I did a job about two decades ago for Laing O'Rourke, who at the time were in charge of the maintenance of the bridge, no idea if they still are, upon which I had to upgrade the firmware and config on a Cisco router housed within the bridge. I got escorted along the walkway via one of their cars (standard car but it had an amber flashing light they stuck on the roof) It was very odd driving along the walkway, and even more odd to actually go underneath the road section of the bridge. Think cramped dark hole with 70MPH traffic going past above and a massive drop below you, with only the bottom of the bridge to keep you safe. It was an ADSL connection to that router with the exchange being miles away, which meant the signal losses were big, again no idea of the situation nowadays. It was used so the engineers could remotely monitor the integrity of the bridge, cables and whatnot. Anyway, that might explain the access you question at 2:39 as their vehicles needed access along the footpath both east and westbound, and there are specific sections for them to turnaround.
New manholes were installed in the deck boxes to assist access for the strengthening work and for future inspection and maintenance. When the bridge was originally built, it was intended that the box girder deck would be sealed and kept dry with silica gel. For this reason the original access manholes were very small. Hence it is rumoured that a one-time Chief Highway Engineer of generous proportions was unable to visit the inside of the bridge deck. Prior to strengthening, there was only a thin layer of road surfacing on the steel deck units. A thicker layer was desirable but had to be rejected because of the effect of the extra weight on the cables.
Another of my preferred routes into Wales, especially when the toll was removed! 😅 The Welsh and Roman names caught you out again - Roj eeee et (Rogiet) and Ki er went (Caewent). Caerwent is a special Roman settlement with lots of remains to see.
I can’t not watch this every week. I don’t know why, I’m just drawn in. I found myself today talking bollocks to my nephew about Lancaster services and I know exactly where I learnt it.
I used to live near the Aust junction and go to uni in Newport, so I got to know the M48 very well. It was glorious at about 7:45am, rarely another car in sight, it made it REALLY easy to do exactly the speed limit and never drive any faster. Cheers for this, this is as close as this series will get to "home turf" for me so I really enjoyed it
The humour implied in your comment about adhering to the speed limit was delightful in its subtlety. A word of warning about speed restrictions. The powers that be have recently tightened everything up. I've just got done for doing 34 in a 30. There's a handy govt. website, think it's the you've been a naughty boy and got a penalty these are your options site. It says in not so many words that 70mph goes up to 80 or so (and not the 86 or so from before) before they fine you. The penalty for the 30mph limit has dropped from 36 to 32 and so on. Not content with this, speed cameras can be sited right at the speed limit sign so no extra few metres before they act. This is how I got got. They've finally woken up to the warnings on Satnavs showing the position of the signs. Unless those are changed to pre-warn some distance before, they are now useless and practically guarantee donations by drivers to the Exchequer. The era of civilised treatment of vehicle owners is ending.
If you are feeling a little adventurous, you can cross the rail way bridge you crossed and have snoop around the RAF Caerwent site, lots of abandoned buildings to poke around, I have been told. It's quiet there on Sundays and you won't bump into anyone, I have been told.
Caerwent (pronounced (c-eye-r went) is right on my doorstep. It has also been used as filming for Doctor Who and Torchwood, and also briefly in the first Captain America movie in 2011. Caerwent also backs directly onto Wentwood, the most ancient woodland in Wales. Also Chepstow, the biggest town on the motorway, has what's considered the oldest stone castle in Country, with the oldest part constructed in 1067. And Rogiet is pronounced rog (like log) -et!
One thing you missed John. At the Severn View Services is also an office block housing a company called Brightside Insurance who operate illegal practices in their sale of insurance products.
@@AutoShenanigans The company were advertising as broker who search the market, but in reality only every put business through to an insurance company that they themselves owned. This left customer thinking someone had searched for the best price while actually they could have saved money. They were also loading on extra products that customers did not need like key cover and claiming commissions for doing so without again telling customers.
Brightside occupies the original services building, where the view is; it was sold and the present nondescript buildings put up as a downgrade associated with the second crossing.
Loved this … nostalgic as I regularly visited this area in the 90s (was courting a young lady from Caldicot) and remember the tolls (both ways, then just one way) … and pretty much all the locations you visited - the stupid ‘bridge’, I recall, was for livestock, and the locals then pronounced it as ‘ro-git’ … used to fill up at a Shell garage along the A48 (running close to the M4 alignment) between Caldicot/Chepstow for 38p ltr for Super!
Fun fact: When crossing from Wales to England, the first sign for J1 (Severn View Services) still has the old junction number of J21 but with the 2 blanked out/removed. You can still see the outline of the 2 though. Also, Aust is pronounced "ost"
Use this motorway every day to get to work, that field is normally flooded for about seven months of the year and has tons of water birds on it. It's very pretty and I always wonder if there's any way they could keep it flooded all year round. And as someone else has stated a few miles further down the line there's a 5' 6" bridge . It's down a lane that runs behind the Wilkinsons distribution depot.
I remember crossing over on what was then the M4 as a kid on summer holidays to wales… I think the Severn view service station is site of the last known sighting of Richey Edwards from the manics.
I'm sure you know this but if the Google Street View image for a particular road has been updated, you can see the older images by clicking the little clock icon at the top-left (desktop only, not on mobile) and choosing an earlier time stamp. Obviously only goes back to about 2007-08 when Street View first started but you can get a decent 15 years' worth of context for some frequently updated locations.
"...in modern money is more..." this is the insightful commentary we are here for.
If your not quick ,you've missed it.
Got me laughing, I like how he puts funny bits in 😎
Honestly this epsiode had me in stitches.. ‘here you’ll find Severn view services, along with a view of the Severn’ 🤣👌🏼 just hilarious dry humour it’s too good
Exactly the comment I was going to leave! Comedy gold!
I laughed when he said that so seriously 🤣
I was a teenager when the old Severn bridge was built and it was a huge deal back then. So much so my mum and I took a coach trip to view it from South London. Yep a coach day out trip to view a bridge. We travelled over the bridge, turned round at the next junction and returned back over it and stopped at the services on the English side. The cafe had a huge viewing area to see the bridge and to be totally honest, it was a hell of a sight back then. Of course as I got older and was driving, the bloody bridge was shut every time there was a strong breeze!! The last time I went to Wales I went down the M48 and stopped at the sadly rather run down services for old times sake. It’s still a good looking design of the 60’s. Thanks for your videos who knew I cared about Motorways? But it seems I do. I watch all your videos thank you.
Weird... who'd drive miles to look at a motorway bridge.... :D Nice one, thanks for watching!
Before the advent of the original Severn Bridge, one had two choices to travel by car from the South West to South Wales or vice versa - either taking a very long loop via Chepstow or waiting one's turn for the rather diminutive ferry.
Shout out to the wasp for its admirable work ethic, still contributing to TH-cam videos when all of its mates have buggered off on holiday or whatever wasps do in winter....
The humour, the quarry and the hidden slip roads. We’re here for it all, love it!
If the subtle intro of the playdays theme that often stopped at the “Why” bird stop while talking about the river “Wye” bridge was on purpose, then you have truly excelled yourself.
"When constructed was £8 million, which is today's money is more." - CLASSIC! I love the granularity of insight!
Around 15 years ago I did a lot of work in South Wales (I live in London). I always used the M48. You get a much better view from the bridge and the traffic levels are tiny compared with the M4. Even during the day I would find myself on an empty road, so foot to the floor.
It's also nice driving on an old-style motorway.
Pressing the appreciation button before I have watched this as I know it's gonna be quality.
After this episode I definitely think you should do a ‘secrets of the railway’ episode 🤣
I'm surprised the "usual lot" haven't done it already! I'd love to see abandoned railway stations, old junctions and infrastructure.
Playdays and Home and Away? You spoil us!
Jon, there isn't a single video you've made that I haven't enjoyed. The amount of interesting facts and detail you cram in at such a rate along with the excellent humour is fantastic. Seriously hoping you blast past 100k subscribers - this channel is one of the best out there! Cheers. Si.
Thanks mate, that's great to hear :)
Can I just pause to say how much I appreciate your music choices. I can't think of anyone else on TH-cam that would end a video on an obscure motorway with a hauntingly beautiful piano cover of the theme from Home and Away.
TV Theme Tunes I recognise on the Secrets of the M48 motorway are Playdays and Woof! plus the piano instrumental version of the theme tune from Home & Away.
Nice Top Gear swipe 👊🏻
Another ace video full of facts and Humour!
The Playdays theme tune and the "Wye Bridge" love that obscure connection.
Genuinely think this is one of the best geeky channels on the u tubes. Thanks, I love it
I'm actually very fond of the M48 and use it fairly regularly. It feels like a portal back to an earlier era of the motorway - two lanes, low traffic volumes, and of course the original 1966 Severn Bridge, which is still a thing of elegant beauty. Also occasionally visit the viewpoint you show at 2:08. It now has a melancholy atmosphere of being forgotten and neglected, but back in the 1960s the bridge was one of the world's engineering marvels and that viewpoint was once a destination in its own right.
I like Severn view services as it's easy to see how "glamourous" it all was back in the day. Sadly as you say.. forgotten and neglected.
@@AutoShenanigans With your obvious fascination with the topic I can't imagine that you don't have a copy of Joe Moran's excellent book 'On roads' (2009) but, if not, then I'd wholly recommend. A brilliant cultural history of our relationship with the motorway.
Another great video. I like driving along the M48. The low traffic volumes remind me of, being driven by my parents, motorways in the 1960/70's.
There was a time when you could see the Severn from the actual Severn View Services. The great big glass building on site used to house the services and I can well remember it. But then someone must have realised it could make more money as a commercial space and the services were removed to the brick built sheds they are today - a great shame. I love your videos and your humour especially the 'throw away' lines. Brilliant.
When the Second Severn Crossing (now the Prince of Wales Bridge) opened, traffic along the M48 dropped substantially, and so did footfall to the services. There was no longer enough traffic to support the large building.
Check out his video series on service stations it covers this
Does anyone else enjoy their Sunday Night notifications, letting us know that we all have another informative, educational but comically and entertaining post to watch ?
When I was young, the 'Antique Roadshow' triggered fear and denial of incomplete homework or assignments that were overdue at school / college.
Sundays now are about John giving us a 'feel good' post, and we all know that life in the World is good, with his content and presentation style. We know things are a little crazy in the World right now, but this man has given us all a unique and honest way to remind ourselves of the things we like and enjoy, and we shouldn't feel bad about it.
Oh Bugger, I have just remembered that I have a presentation to write before 8am........
Arghhhhhhh See you all next week 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Great video, John. I'm afraid that I did laugh when you were spotted by that wasp. The bad tempered stripy bastards always go for me, too. I was at work once, and was surprised to see a biggish wasp grabbing spiders from their webs and flying off with them. That's a wasp I am not going to argue with.
Two genius pieces of commentary that sums up why I watch your videos:
1. 2:04 - "... and it's here that you'll find Severn View Services. Not only is there a services, there's also a view of the Severn".
2. 2:13 - "... at the time it cost £8m to build, which in todays money is more". 🤣😂
You definitely need to come up to Newcastle for the A167M, which has got to win the prize for the most bizarre motorway in the country
6:00 Woof!
ah yes. Was rattling my brain on this one
I am old enough to have done the Aust ferry, a primitive drive on, drive off ferry before the first bridge was built
One of the old ferries is still to be found under a bridge near Newport. They’ve just demolished the remains of the ferry buildings on aust side sadly
Interesting choice of music today. Sure I heard Playbus, Woof and Home and Away! It's clear I'm getting old!
You got it!
-floodplain field is part time lake
*housing developer*
Yes this seems like the perfect place to put a random, disconnected neighborhood with no surrounding jobs or highstreet.
The outro's are just perfection each time I see them. What an amazing view. UK is a beautifull island!
_"Why is there a wasp"_ - We get some free philosophy with this week's expisode 🙂
Subtle playdays music just before the river Wye segment. Made me think of Whybird 😂 good job nice touch
1:35 Probably the greatest single sentence of script you've written yet, well done sir.
It took a couple of attempts :D
I grew up some 40 miles from this area (on the Welsh side of the Severn Estuary, near Bridgend) and had no idea the military stored so much ammunition in the Caerwent zone, nor that this was involved in the Gulf wars. I've lived in Oxford for around 25 years and it's only now, thanks to your videos, that I'm learning about things that used to be 'on my doorstep', so to speak. Many thanks!
Lived in Chepstow for 32 years and I’ve never seen these landmarks from these angles. Great video thanks.
So theres the Forth Bridge and the Severn Bridge... still looking for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th Bridges... At least there is also an Exe and Wye bridge...
I love driving down this quiet motorway compared to the new M4 - Especially as they didn't take the opportunity to go three lanes when making all that new section so it often gets very busy. As a local resident it's also been very convenient since the toll booths were taken out, making trips into Wales more of a 'thing' rather than really having to consider it for the exorbitant tolls previously.
When I was a puppy I was an avid Blue Peter watcher, and they featured the building of the Severn Bridge, so you can imagine how grown up me got rather excited about crossing the bridge for the first time!
Despite having crossed the bridge a millionty times, in a professional capacity, I still get a buzz from visiting engineering marvels featured on Blue Peter, and I've travelled the world to do this, including walking up to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!
Bladdy hell, is that the theme from "Woof"!? Classic.
It actually took me a couple of minutes to recall what it was from but yes.
The original Aust services were much bigger and quite 'posh' when launched. As teenagers, we used to drive to the Aust services from Cardiff in the evenings as it was about the only place open :-) They are now an office complex, with smaller, meaner services built nearby.
Yes I remember stopping at the original services as a kid - what seemed like a massive restaurant with a view out over the river.
Do you remember using the "subway" entrance into the old larger building?
@@AutoShenanigans oh yes. Forgot about that! Exciting when you're a kid! We drove there on the day the bridge opened too! I was about 8 yrs old 😂
Severn View services... the services you can't actually see the Severn from, where as the office building that you see when standing at the viewpoint used to be the old services building.. and was called Aust Services
My mate asked me why I was watching a bloke half yelling facts about roads. The next day, he subscribed and said the word bollocks isn't used enough but it'll do.
Duly noted.... I shall add it to the script next time :D
Great video and extremely accurate details. I was an Army Apprentice at Beachley 1963-66 when it was the Army Apprentices College Chepstow. I watched the Severn and Wye Bridges and the viaduct constructed, having arrived as the underground work reached ground level. It was fascinating to get such a close up view of these incredible structures. As I was being trained as an Ammunition Technician, an Army explosive expert we visited Caerwent and watched the Royal Navy propellants and nitroglycerin being manufactured. I went back to Beachley 1973-76, and again 82-86 as a member of the staff. The area has been a great part of my life. It is so deserving of its Grade 1 listing - mention of which was your the only omission.
sadly soon to be a housing estate once DIO cross all the t's needed to sell it.
As a Dutch guy and no more knowledge about the UK other then a fortnight London, I can't wait for the next vid. It baffled me to see that hardly any motorway looks the same (junctions - fly overs and such). But your quirky way of telling, and then the little things, hardly known to those that live nearby, yep, perfect. Keep on being yourself, I love it.. 👍👍👍
"Closer each day...
Home & Away..."
As always an excellent insight into the fascinating world of UK motorways.
Thanks John!
the M48 is also home to one of the UK's few non-motorway Special Roads - the footpath next to the main bridge, which allows pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders to cross the Severn
Beat me to it! I rode my motorbike over the bridge on the footpath when I had L plates
Home to Severn Bridge parkrun I believe!
The piano tune at the end is absolutely killing me. incredible work.
The other thing worth noting is that the Severn Bridge section is now limited to one lane for HGVs and buses, if you look at the signs in both directions - 7.5 tonne limit on the second lane.
Sevenview services where there's a services and also a view of the river Severn.
Fuck that slayed me!
This was absolutely awesome... I love your style of humor mixed with interesting (and often obscure) information about the motorways.
Well this presses a few buttons. As a kid in the 60s I remember crossing the Severn on the Aust ferry with my grandparents and watching the bridge being built. Fast forward to the 90s, I work in TV and was the sound guy for a documentary about the building of the new bridge. You mention the army training area and its use as an Airsoft site? Well that is Dragon Valley Airsoft. And guess who is a Marshal there.
Ah, Happy memories of when it used to be the M4, a 55 minute journey, riding my Triumph Bonneville from Cardiff to Oldbury Power Station through winter snow- just thinking about it makes me shiver!
I lived in Hemel and went round the roundabout on a bus four times a day getting to school, from 1971 to 1974. They did several experiments on layout, including a spiral, where you went to the centre and then began moving out two junctions before your exit. It was like a race track as one tended to accelerate going through it. Lots of squealing tyres.
The first day of the “magic roundabout” scheme was indeed chaos, with queues running miles. I was late for school (in the next town, so the only one affected) and the office did not believe my story until the headmaster also turned up late and told the same story.
"Which in today's money is more." Fantastic insight there. 🙂
5:55 _Woof!_ That's a theme I haven't heard in a long time.
My type of Economics !
The commentary always makes me chuckle!
Ding ding! It's the Wye Bridge stop!
Hi John. This has got to be one of the best channels on TH-cam. Love the content, even better with your hilarious comments. Brilliant 👍
Cheers mate!
It would have been a castle crossing. Sheep aren't very high. It was like that at atherstone, cattle bridge and crossing.
Some quality deadpan one liners. That cycle path is obviously imminent!
Love the effort you put in to each episode. Looking forward to you reaching the 100K subscriber mark
Thanks Angus, that's super awesome.. I really appreciate it.
Missed opportunity for a "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" but I did chuckle at the home & away theme
I enjoy the wasp interactions.
The M48 is one of the few motorways that has an organised half marathon on it crossing the Second Severn Bridge. (The Great North Run is the other one I know of as you briefly go along the entire length of the tiny A167(M)). The group that organises this half marathon also does night runs along the Second Severn Bridge starting in the graffiti'ed tunnel you were standing in front of.
Parkrun too - every Saturday morning starting just north of Aust bridge and crossing into Gloucestershire then Avon, then back to finish in that graffiti’d tunnel.
My grandad worked on the 2nd Severn Bridge - I got to to go a third of the way across whilst it was being built... it took me until 2019 to cross the rest of the way. (This comment would probably make more sense on one of the M4 videos, but you know algothrim etc)
I use this stretch from Almondsbury to Aust almost everyday. It’s a wonderful stretch of motorway to traverse. Thank you for doing this video, I always love watching your content.
It's not bad.. it'll be great again once they finish the bridge repairs or whatever it is they're doing.
Perfect comment. Back in the old days when it was good. Yes indeed Top Gear was GOOD!
I live in Chepstow and the M48 is the best motorway as it exists outside the realms of which speed limits exist in
Dont tell everyone !
I've ran the maths, and 8 million pound in today's money is indeed more.
It took me a couple of days to figure it out... but yep!
The maintenance road was similar to that on the SSC that allowed people who couldn’t pay the toll to be turned around. What’s often forgotten about the original crossing was it used to have tolls on both sides prior to the second opening, at that point they reverted it to just entering wales. Severn view services was amongst the busiest in the country back in the day and a fine services at that. It literally died on its arse overnight when the SSC opened which was a shame and the original building sold off. I still have my certificate for walking across the SSC the day before it opened, something you can’t do unlike the original which you can still walk/cycle across. Roll on the M49 and ‘that’ junction fiasco
The newer M4 route is actually longer than the old route by about 1 mile. I measured it in my car once!
You're actually correct which is hilarious.
Another titbit of information to those who are interested, including the author (massive fan btw) - the first Severn bridge (M48) as depicted in your video, has access hatches along the walkway (they look like submarine hatches, its the easiest way I can explain them) upon which the engineers can inspect the deck and cables.
I did a job about two decades ago for Laing O'Rourke, who at the time were in charge of the maintenance of the bridge, no idea if they still are, upon which I had to upgrade the firmware and config on a Cisco router housed within the bridge. I got escorted along the walkway via one of their cars (standard car but it had an amber flashing light they stuck on the roof) It was very odd driving along the walkway, and even more odd to actually go underneath the road section of the bridge. Think cramped dark hole with 70MPH traffic going past above and a massive drop below you, with only the bottom of the bridge to keep you safe.
It was an ADSL connection to that router with the exchange being miles away, which meant the signal losses were big, again no idea of the situation nowadays. It was used so the engineers could remotely monitor the integrity of the bridge, cables and whatnot.
Anyway, that might explain the access you question at 2:39 as their vehicles needed access along the footpath both east and westbound, and there are specific sections for them to turnaround.
New manholes were installed in the deck boxes to assist access for the strengthening work and for future inspection and maintenance. When the bridge was originally built, it was intended that the box girder deck would be sealed and kept dry with silica gel. For this reason the original access manholes were very small. Hence it is rumoured that a one-time Chief Highway Engineer of generous proportions was unable to visit the inside of the bridge deck.
Prior to strengthening, there was only a thin layer of road surfacing on the steel deck units. A thicker layer was desirable but had to be rejected because of the effect of the extra weight on the cables.
Another of my preferred routes into Wales, especially when the toll was removed! 😅 The Welsh and Roman names caught you out again - Roj eeee et (Rogiet) and Ki er went (Caewent). Caerwent is a special Roman settlement with lots of remains to see.
I can’t not watch this every week. I don’t know why, I’m just drawn in. I found myself today talking bollocks to my nephew about Lancaster services and I know exactly where I learnt it.
2:16 "Which in Todays Money is More" dunno why but that made me laugh
liz truss and brexit you can blame for that
The Aero deck was revolutionary in 1966. Slender bridge looked lovely.
I used to live near the Aust junction and go to uni in Newport, so I got to know the M48 very well. It was glorious at about 7:45am, rarely another car in sight, it made it REALLY easy to do exactly the speed limit and never drive any faster.
Cheers for this, this is as close as this series will get to "home turf" for me so I really enjoyed it
The humour implied in your comment about adhering to the speed limit was delightful in its subtlety.
A word of warning about speed restrictions.
The powers that be have recently tightened everything up. I've just got done for doing 34 in a 30. There's a handy govt. website, think it's the you've been a naughty boy and got a penalty these are your options site.
It says in not so many words that 70mph goes up to 80 or so (and not the 86 or so from before) before they fine you. The penalty for the 30mph limit has dropped from 36 to 32 and so on.
Not content with this, speed cameras can be sited right at the speed limit sign so no extra few metres before they act. This is how I got got.
They've finally woken up to the warnings on Satnavs showing the position of the signs. Unless those are changed to pre-warn some distance before, they are now useless and practically guarantee donations by drivers to the Exchequer.
The era of civilised treatment of vehicle owners is ending.
I wonder how many Doctor Who or Blakes 7 episodes were filmed in that quarry!
The wasp from your M3 video came back for you! 🤣
If you are feeling a little adventurous, you can cross the rail way bridge you crossed and have snoop around the RAF Caerwent site, lots of abandoned buildings to poke around, I have been told.
It's quiet there on Sundays and you won't bump into anyone, I have been told.
Always a pleasure to watch your videos John. Keep up the great work.
Caerwent (pronounced (c-eye-r went) is right on my doorstep. It has also been used as filming for Doctor Who and Torchwood, and also briefly in the first Captain America movie in 2011. Caerwent also backs directly onto Wentwood, the most ancient woodland in Wales.
Also Chepstow, the biggest town on the motorway, has what's considered the oldest stone castle in Country, with the oldest part constructed in 1067.
And Rogiet is pronounced rog (like log) -et!
Unseasonable wasps! We had one the other day as well! Little blighters! 🐝
liking the choice of music, nostalgic after school cartoons 👍
Hurrah! Another enjoyable episode of "Jon visits quarries under the guise of making a video about a motorway"
‘Quarry Shenanigans’ doesn’t have the same ring about it 😀
There's been a lot of quarries hasn't there...
Nice 5ft 9 Bridge I have seen a 4ft 9 Bridge in bedford where the bedford Bletchley line crosses the river great ouse
Local (ish) I shall check it out...
Buttoned..it.good one mate.
Showing my age, I remember driving over the M48/M49 when it was part of the M4!
8 million pounds today is £141,217,948.48
Which is indeed 'more'.
So the 4th Bridge is in Scotland, the 7th in Wales. Where are the other ones ?
A good question.
One thing you missed John. At the Severn View Services is also an office block housing a company called Brightside Insurance who operate illegal practices in their sale of insurance products.
ooo.. sounds fruity... whats the story there.
@@AutoShenanigans The company were advertising as broker who search the market, but in reality only every put business through to an insurance company that they themselves owned. This left customer thinking someone had searched for the best price while actually they could have saved money. They were also loading on extra products that customers did not need like key cover and claiming commissions for doing so without again telling customers.
Brightside occupies the original services building, where the view is; it was sold and the present nondescript buildings put up as a downgrade associated with the second crossing.
"which in today's money is more" 🤣
Another great video John, thank you.
Thankies.
Thanks a lot mate, really appreciate that
There aren't many videos I click as soon as I see them, but this series is up there!
Great work as always John!
Loved this … nostalgic as I regularly visited this area in the 90s (was courting a young lady from Caldicot) and remember the tolls (both ways, then just one way) … and pretty much all the locations you visited - the stupid ‘bridge’, I recall, was for livestock, and the locals then pronounced it as ‘ro-git’ … used to fill up at a Shell garage along the A48 (running close to the M4 alignment) between Caldicot/Chepstow for 38p ltr for Super!
3:42 “The modern boundary between England and Wales is marked out by the river. Why?”
Probably because it was a convenient place.
The river is called Wye. Its a play on words.
So I guess some Caerwent into the video after all and it wasn’t just thrown together without any research then. 😉
Love the M48, it's like a trip back in time 😃
Fun fact:
When crossing from Wales to England, the first sign for J1 (Severn View Services) still has the old junction number of J21 but with the 2 blanked out/removed. You can still see the outline of the 2 though.
Also, Aust is pronounced "ost"
i have pressed that button that is specifically designed for liking . have a good week all
And so did I lol!!🤣
I went to the old M48 services last year and saw the viewpoint for the old Severn Bridge.
Use this motorway every day to get to work, that field is normally flooded for about seven months of the year and has tons of water birds on it. It's very pretty and I always wonder if there's any way they could keep it flooded all year round.
And as someone else has stated a few miles further down the line there's a 5' 6" bridge . It's down a lane that runs behind the Wilkinsons distribution depot.
I remember crossing over on what was then the M4 as a kid on summer holidays to wales… I think the Severn view service station is site of the last known sighting of Richey Edwards from the manics.
I'm sure you know this but if the Google Street View image for a particular road has been updated, you can see the older images by clicking the little clock icon at the top-left (desktop only, not on mobile) and choosing an earlier time stamp. Obviously only goes back to about 2007-08 when Street View first started but you can get a decent 15 years' worth of context for some frequently updated locations.
It now works on mobiles too.
@@danielhindley8 Oh nice, even better! Thanks for that, I didn't know they'd added it 👍
@@danielhindley8 Neat - I'd not realised they'd added that 🙂
Yep. Good example of that is the old Devil's Punch Bowl route of the A3.