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.

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!

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!

M69: Giggles in my head Gamecock Barracks: _Laughs uncontrollably_

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

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!

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

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.

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!

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.

The first few times I ever drove that Leicester end of the M69 I instinctively looked right at that bit as if I was about to merge onto a non existent road.

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

thankyou showing the 2 year old painting of me and my mates hand, almost forgot we did that

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!

Well I lived in Leicester and remember it opening on the first day. We had no idea where it went as in the old days to get to Brum where my auntie lived we had to do a trek via No Man's Heath, Ibstock and Measham! Also the M69 was the road I had my first major accident in a Peugeot 405! The auto box decided to blow up on the outside lane just after the M6. I accidentally gave my mother a black eye by forcing her back into the passenger seat with my hand whilst trying to stop car careering out of control which it did. It promptly smashed into the central reservation and span around a few times. We drove back to Leicester in a car that looked like something out of Mad Max and my mother covered in blood! Also Leicester has a big history of roads going AWOL. The EDDR (Eastern District Distributer Road) that was built but was never finished. The ring road that stops, starts, stops again. People familiar with Leicester would know the ghost duel carriageways around Goodwood Road and Glenhills Way. It's a mish mash of failed council experiments and cost cutting. Also the M1 it's self is not the original path of M1 we see today. It was supposed to cut through and skirted Bradgate Park but this was changed. Also I have pictures of my Dad standing on bridges on the M1/M69 during construction as he was something to do with the heavy electrics and lighting. My mother also worked at the nearby LFE Service station that was posh and it had a Conran restaurant that was the place to be! Oh. I forgot to mention that cars often (and still do) cut out due to fuel starvation on the end of the M69 where you have to do a loop to join the M6. If you were low on fuel the fuel would slosh to one side of the tank and cut out!

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

I used to drive the M69 pre-covid every week both ways so your video is very insightful and helpful with many facts about it that I didn't know I was interested in till now !🤣

Sunday isn’t compete without a motorway video now. I always remember the M69 as a way to bypass the M42/A42 works back before it was completed in early 90s.. a fairly easy route onto the M1. Looking forward to the M49 video and how long you can spread it out for.. mind you we did have some J1 news this week so maybe hold out till it’s open 😂

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

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.

Standard appreciation button pressed 👍. Cheers for the content as usual.

Nice bit of Bettencourt widdling @ 6.04 🙂

There has been an active quarry in Croft since Roman times. There is a small cut in the old village known as "The Clevis" It's believed the Romans cut this to drain a lake that stood at the foot of the hill and went as far as Sharnford, towards the A5. (Very close to High Cross, the Roman centre of Britain, it is claimed) In doing this, the river Soar was diverted and the stone used on the Fosse way.

KZfaq: here's a video about motorways Me: sounds boring Also me: why am I hooked on videos about motorways?

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

'And then the goods were transported somewhere else... I dunno *shrug*' - This is gold. You can have a subscription on me.

My late father-in-law was stationed with one of the Polish squadrons at Bramcote, and it was in nearby Nuneaton that he met his future wife.

Nice finish on the Whetstone viaduct - popular for some light trespassing with the locals; though I'm surprised you didn't have a look at the broken farmhouse and rotting machinery a wee bit further along. (Pedant note: the vowel in -stone and -cote is the schwa so it's more Whetstuhn and Bramcuht.)

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

Jon if there was an award for wringing every drop of interest out of what must be one or the dullest motorways, I think you’ve won it hands down. Continuing the sinister interweaving of our lives started in last week’s M54 video, I used to work at Hinckley so enjoyed the delights of this bland strip of fast tarmac most days. One fact you might have chosen to omit is that Cadent Gas’s operations centre in Hinckley, just off jct 2 helps to deliver gas to 11 million homes and businesses across the Midlands, East Anglia, the North West and North London. Hinckley’s other claim to fame - aside from being home to Triumph motorcycles - is I’m sure it has more grown men in tracky bottoms riding around on BMX’s than anywhere else in the UK. Another outstanding video Jon and a reason to look forward to Sunday nights!

Thanks as always for this! Always enjoy these!

Great video again John, I live fairly near to the Leicester end and never knew about the intended flyover to connect the M1, makes sense though and explains the weird 3-into-2 lane narrowing before that ‘mound’ - thanks for the info and great research.

This is a good documentary. Very historical/interesting.

Excellent work yet again young Jon.

Brilliant thanks 😊

Great stuff as always , Thank you.

Fantastic, thank you

Superb video as usual. Keep em coming 👍

Loving the videos again! :-) great work buddy!

Nice one thanks !

Great video very interesting to watch I love this series.

Another interesting video, thanks Jon. I can’t believe that I look forward to seeing an episode each week. As I’ve said before, it must take you ages to put these together. Well done! Cheers 😊

Nice one John 👍

“WILD STALLIONS” 🎸 🎸🎸🤘🏼🤘🏼 Oh man I’ve not seen that film in years. The m69 seems quite a tame motorway, not much going on kind of motorway. Yet another excellent video John and co

I Love the humor, and another enjoyable video as always, thanks.

Great video, thanks very much. Only two junctions, but such a lot going on. Good research and presentation as ever.

Just want to say fantastic video love your style just fantastic and really interesting

great episode, love the bloopers

That was exited episode 😂. Thank you for an upload !

Been waiting for this one from you guys! Always wondered about this so I'm glad I finally have some answers 😁

Hello John!!!!! Oooooh gunna get a cuppa and sit and watch!!! Keep it up mate 🤟🏻

Mocking my hometown. I got a laugh out of this. But it was also very informative as well and great to hear little bits about my local area. Thank you very much for this series and the videos.

It's the highlight of my Sunday when the notification comes up on my phone for your new video! Keep them coming.

Very interesting vid Jon.

Awesome video

I’m already looking forward to next week’s exciting episode.

Thanks for another cracking vlog very interesting 🧐

Splendid, another video from Auto Shenanigans.

Hope you've had a good week John. Great outro and this time great intro. 69 DUDES!

Fascinating.

great work love it 🧐

It is all about 'lovely' editing. And you get it Perfectly!

thanks John

My week has actually been pretty good, thanks for asking.

Nice!

Back in the late 90s, when I was a delivery driver, I'd travel along the M69 in both directions every day. It was great for really pushing on well beyond the limit because the cops never seemed to patrol it. I seem to remember a somewhat derelict building in between the trees, as one travelled towards Leicester, that always put me in mind of the house in the woods in the film The Blair Witch Project. Strangely, I haven't seen it in recent years.

I used this motorway twice yesterday and was wondering about that empty bit as you join! Thank you!

Ah the M69 - my first motorway living in Coventry and then having relatives then sisters and then going to Uni in Leicester - a nice one to learn on 😊

awesome

Informative and sarcastic...ticks all the boxes

I’ve lived near this motorway for over 20 years, and I never knew any of this. Excellent video; formidable research.

Another great video, John. Your humor and editing is what makes it so great. Keep up the good work. Not far from 50k subs now 👍

Ah the M69. My favourite motorway and the motorway that inspires the M69 derby between leicester and Coventry. Know about Croft as I have family who live there and from there and have been on Croft hill before. Also Nuneaton - the town I live in got a mention. Always a positive haha

Brilliant and we'll presented . Well researched

Awesome video yet again :)

I drove both ways down this motorway on the day this was uploaded

Nice stuff jon

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

I love this series

Nicely done, thank you! Interesting history and curious roads stubs - check.

Loved this one. See ya next Sunday

Another great vid.

Great video as always John, made even better by a little snippet of an Extreme song!

Perfect video to have a meal to 😍

I like your delivery 👍

Music from Metal Gear Solid a few weeks ago, and now Resident Evil 2? I wonder what classic 90s PlayStation soundtrack we'll be getting next?

Point of order - Chris Kealey has never been an MP. The seat's been Conservative since 1970, but Kealey stood for Labour in the 2015 & 2017 elections and promised to open up the sliproads if elected. I live in Burbage and the traffic situation really is pure Hell with sticking plaster after sticking plaster to try and sort it out, whereas opening the other slip roads would get a lot of the traffic out the town centre. The Quarry used to be visible from the M69 but trees etc have gotten in the way.

Love the sarcasm. Cheers.

Here's a comment to hopefully help the algorithm show it to more and more people. Your channel relaxes me lol

great video as always

I travel along the M69 most weeks and never noticed half of these points! Too busy avoiding the DPD vans and lorries that think they own the road. The view over the edge of the quarry has set off my vertigo though so probably need to lie down before getting behind the wheel!

great one again, even if its a short Motorway

I remember looking at it as the free world when I was 8 weeks into basic training 👍 good vids , keep it up

Looking forward to seeing what you've got planned for 100k subs!

The reason it was built like that is because it's a political motorway. The government didn't want to build it, the public wanted it built. So the government caved in and built it, hence why its a three lane motorway . Its basically the eastern leg of the M50. It was meant to go under coventry as a bypass and go on to stratford .But they only built what they had to. They built it so it could be upgraded and extended. Shortly afterwards public opinion on road building shifted and the public decided to object to New motorways. So it never go built. Along with many other half built junctions such as A38 /A5 junction and M1 into London . Great video as always.

he always manages to make a video thatd take 2 minutes 10 minutes and its amazing

Starting to become one of my favourite KZfaqrs next to that guy who does trains n least used stops, the beardy one who lives in France (not a professor but the Prof just as cool) and the bloke who still hasn't finished London. Great video guys.

Great video 😎. I'm spending the rest of my week ooop North on hols so I have 2.5 hours on the A1 northbound from Peterborough with Dad in the passenger seat telling me, again, how the A1 "used to go through the centre of Stamford"...

The M1 North slip and entry are a kin nightmare.

Another very entertaining and well researched video. I have always thought, as I lived through the stop/go economic cycles of the 70's to the 90's, comparing the M69 and the (only half motorway) M42 linking the cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham with Birmingham, motorway building of the time reflects the crazy economic system then and the Government response. At least the M69 is three lane full motorway standard, the M42 is two lane and not even all motorway. The M42 built "on the cheap" during recession some people still say. Short sighted Government is not a new thing.