Ghost Railways: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gaecaLd3r-CbZIU.htmlsi=RbroNWJVd3fojrUq

I live on a ghost road. A former trunk road up to 1998 which now stops at my house, I watch the road beyond returning to nature, with it's replacement road a few hundred yards away. It's amazing how quickly they return to nature. The drains block, the water stays on, moss grows, then grass. Within a few years it's wild.

This channel is a breath of fresh air

Glad it's not just me who asks myself similar questions, along the lines of... "who was the last person to drive on this old road', "why was that put there" etc. Living in Devon, there's so much history to accidentally uncover when going on a casual walk across the countryside. Excellent video mate

The white on the brickwork is called efflorescence which is caused by salts in the mortar used. Often it comes out on new brickwork depending on sand used but it can come off with a soft brush.

I found this really fascinating. I’m retired now, and I know of many roads that were bypassed or straightened, causing lots of ‘ghost roads’ . Nature quickly reclaims back the roads and they become undetectable.

Friendly, informative and interesting. Reassuring that there are still others that get nostalgic about the little things. Document it now before it's all gone, Cornwall is changing day by day!!

Thanks to everyone who has watched this video and subscribed to the channel over the last 2 weeks. Over 1,000 subscribers already! I wasn't expecting that! Appreciate all the comments too, there have been some fantastic ones! I've started filming the next video, so hopefully the wait won't be too long. Cheers!

Wow!! This has brought back some very happy childhood memories. I was born and raised in Kempston, and roamed around the district by foot and bike when I was growing up. It has changed beyond all recognition. When I was a lad the Brickmakers Arms actually stood beside the main road. I used to cycle along the old road to Kempston Hardwick station to watch the trains go by. Before 1958 they were almost all steam, with not only passenger trains pulled by a rattly old tank engine, but trains of coal wagons, presumably heading to one of the brickworks, and brick trains, plus the odd mixed freight. The old pub had a small car parking area, rarely full, however, I can remember seeing quite a lot of bikes outside, especially after the shift changes at the brickworks. It became one of the first pubs that I used to visit when I turned 18. By then, it was in a lay-by as the road had been straightened and widened. It was not big inside, but actually quite cosy. It never seemed to be very busy. I also confess to doing a certain amount of 'courting' after dark in that lay-by. I certainly wasn't the only one. On some nights there was barely anywhere to park!

Great video, really interesting. Being a retired Ordnance Survey surveyor, I have come across quite a few ghost roads myself in my time!

This is really fascinating. I spend far more hours than I should looking at old maps and seeing what’s changed. I hope you do more videos like this .

I did find this fascinating. While coming across ghost roads is likely a global thing, we certainly have very similar ones here in the US, I was struck by the differences: the public walking paths, for one, and the abundance of old milk bottles, for another. It's very rare to find old milk bottles here, and you'll be much more likely to find old soft drink bottles or beer bottles instead. It also surprises me that there's so much old bottles left along a path that seems to be regularly walked, you'd think more people would carry them out once in a while, instead of just leaving them that way. It will be interesting if the park does come in, if you could make a video there in a few more years, referencing this one to show what it was once like. I really enjoyed your enthusiasm, and the great efforts you went to to show us the history of these sites which aren't even there anymore. Well done!

20 secs in, youve got me hooked 😊, I do love any history from our country

What a brilliant site. Thanks for introducing me to the Side by side map. fantastic.

I loved this , keep making them, great to see old bottles etc

The development around Bedford and Kempston is both impressive and depressing at the same time.

sick video dude, love this style of video, just exploring places no one else would really think to, great stuff dude, keep it up!

You just got a subscriber. Keep doing videos like these. It's nice to see forgotten relics of the past.

Fascinating stuff, many thanks. I love the odd bits of wry humour. Please keep exploring (and videoing) .. I'll certainly watch again.

Fantastic video, love this sort of thing. Also fascinated by old ghost railways, would be great to see you make a video on that one day! Keep it up 👍🏻

That NLS resource is fabulous - I used it many years ago to locate the streets in London where my parents and grandparents lived - all gone now due to "redevelopment" and the Blitz. In addition to the UK maps there are British Army trench maps of parts of Belgium in WW1. Using these and the after battle reports we managed to locate the trench line where my Uncle John would have been when he was killed - no grave site just a mention on the Ploegsteert (Plugstreet to Tommies) War Memorial. I'm a retired highway engineer and, when preparing plans for new or diverted roads, always used to slip this rubric into the background of the drawings somewhere. It comes from a map of Colonial era Boston, Massachusetts and reads: WARNING: Roads are shifted, houses burn, are abandoned or rebuilt; a round world distorts a flat map; man’s memory is fallible; expect not exactness. very true isn't it?

You have to cherish these spots while you still can. They're the type of places the council decides to put pronged fences around when they remember they're there.

Super interesting video, I love exploring old abandoned infrastructure.

Our Greenland is forever being concreted over 😢

Looks like a promising new channel.

Liked the geoguesser reference 😅 Interesting video. Think I'll get addicted to those side by side maps. I grew up in Northamptonshire and lived in MK and also Kempston briefly, so quite familiar with the area. Subbed.

Pieces of history forgotten by many it’s refreshing to see people have interests in these topics. Great video man!

Love this sort of thing. Always been interested in old wartime airfields. Keep exploring👍

Brilliant, absolutely loved this, it's a bit like mystery mudlarking meandering. Keep going

Extremely interesting video. Thank you. I have subscribed. Looking forward to watching more of your work. 😊

Thanks for name checking the Ghost Roads group on Facebook. Glad we gave you the inspiration. I'll share your video to the group now. - Ian.

These roads are a Fly-Tippers paradise!

The white substance on the new build brickwork is salt leeching out of the mortar. It's called efflorescence. It'll go away eventually but it water soluble so it can't be washed off, it can be dry brushed off but that would take ages haha.

Here in Kent, in Nature Reserves close to the M25 & M20 we find lots of aged bottles and cans. They were mostly left by the workers who constructed the new roads (like yours), moved on, and left their litter behind. Mostly milk bottles & soft drinks, very few beer cans. Foremen would sack workers drinking alcohol at lunch. So now you know why so many milk bottles. Interesting video by the way. Keep it up. Some people distinguish the roads by referring to them as new or old 'alignments'. Apologies for rambling on.

This reminds me of all those times when I've gone home with half a field on my shoes...and on one memorable occasion wet chalk clay up to my knees after exploring an abandoned quarry, lol. Very interesting video and I'm now wondering where there might be some ghost roads here in East Devon. Good stuff! :)

I love anything like this!! Good work!

Really sad seeing the brickworks being demolished. It would make an incredible museum and convention centre now.

This got recommended to me while smoking a joint, and decided to watch it. Love KZfaq's algorythm surprising me, very interesting video to say the least. Earned that sub and like mate, keep it up haha :D

Enjoyed your video, love old maps , lost roads etc . Keep up the good work . Will look forward to the next one .

I enjoyed that, very interesting and well presented. Hats off to you.

Fantastic & really interesting video! Looking forward to seeing more content! Really enjoyed the antique litter spotting side quest! Something that I frequently do when out walking near roads!

I really enjoy the little facts and stories you throw in the journey, great video! Subbed, please do more :)

Fascinating. Please do more videos!

This is something i've always been fascinated by, great to see someone filming it, and doing a great job of it too. Looking forward to more, big thumbs up! 👍

The thought of Universal bulldozing yet another chunk of our dwindling countryside and congesting the Bedford area is unimaginably depressing.

Cracking video look forward to more.

No clue how this appeared in my reccomended, but love it, really interesting topic. I'll certainly come back!

Very interesting and your local knowledge was a bonus.

Love this thank you . Know that area well . My grandfather was involved in many projects putting in new roads next to these old ghost roads. It’s fascinating how quickly nature takes hold again in a comparatively short time . Your channel just appeared on my recommendation. New sub 👍

A great video. Thanks for making it. Looking forward to the next one.

Please continue to make more videos - i feel like you can make any walk or explore interesting!

Loved this video mate and would love to see more like this!

Found this channel purely by accident, but I'm glad that I did! A great video on a fascinating subject. Well presented and very informative 👏 Looking forward to more!

I think exactly as you said on video. Like those shweppes/tizer cans i think "who threw it out of the car, is the car long gone as well as the person in it?" Strangely fascinating. Enjoyable video 👍

Hi pal great vid.. about the salt deposits on the bricks of the new build, Use water and mild detergent to scrub the surface of the brick. For exterior walls, use a garden hose to spray the efflorescence with water. Brilliant vid though very good 👍🏻

Very interesting subject, it's amazing how quickly these roads return to nature.

Fascinating video, and interesting to see the archive footage of the coronation brickworks! I'm also a local to the area so will have to see what other ghost roads are nearby...

A fascinating upload thanks. One of my favorite exploration memories was of walking along an old, overgrown, disused road in the quiet, northernmost part of Tenerife.

Hey mate.. nice channel.. interesting approcah.. Keep on searching.. keep on filming! Good luck! Wish u happy times!! Cheers from new friends and followers from southern Europe!!!

This is awesome! I love this idea tied in with what used to be. Plus I love the countryside. Great stuff! I’ve subscribed

Just found you. Fascinating and I can see I’m not the only old person watching you, the salt deposits that leech out of the bricks as they dry will come off after a rainy period. I find old maps and ghost road fascinating too, quite a few about the village where I live. Good work. 😊

This was / is a brilliant video. Very well done, a great mix of humour, facts, local knowledge, history and views. I really liked this video and happily subscribed. Don't change the format too much but your definitely good at these videos. Eagerly awaiting further installments.

If that field has a public footpath across, big American Theme park company will have to honour it!

I've been using this website for ages. I live in York and it's interesting see the old ww2 airfields and what's there now. You don't notice so much on normal maps but Comparing a 1940s map to current satellite imagery you can see the outlines of the old runaways. It's great for tracking old railway lines too

I love your channel keep making your videos I find it very interesting. Good work on the video

That was brilliantly presented, I like local history and the side by side site is brilliant.

Great video, I never knew that ghost roads were a thing. I live in Bedfordshire so all the more interesting!

Absolutely great 👍

As a local for the past 40+ years that was very interesting, thank you. When, not if :-) , Universal develop the site it will be good to look back at videos like this to get a bit of perspective.

As a local, i found this interesting. Good video!

Awesome video grew up just down the m1 from here I remember the chimneys coming down loved the old cats eye

I loved this. Please do more of these.

Love this mate, really interesting, I'm not too far from these, being based in south Cambridgeshire, there's plenty of them around here too. Also would like to see more uploads from you when you can mate, good content so far and people love this type of factual info videos, and you are yourself in the video, really good content mate thus far. Also has anyone ever said you sound like Jay from inbetweeners 😂😮. Keep up good work mate

Nice video, the side by side site you mentioned at the beginning is super interesting too.

Great to see the area covered having gone to school in Elstow as a child… moved away to Worcestershire 25 years ago

Nice! i think you could also visit and investigate old drove roads too,loads around…one being old Shaftesbury drove 🙂👍🏻

Great video! Glad I’m not the only one who finds ghost roads fascinating!

Great to see this as I used to live in Bedfordshire.

You're so much like me with the history interest, it's really nice to see someone out there with the same interests. Really hope you do carry on with these videos! Never seen anything like it and never thought of using that site in that way! Off to look at my doomsday village on there...

Been looking for something like this , subscribed ! Thanks

Welcome to KZfaq, good content so far.

What a great find this video was! Keep up the good work! :D

Really got good vibes about your channel. Looks like you are on to a winner. This one nice and quirky, lots of aspects and brilliant delivery. Keep it up! Subscribed! Know this area extremely well. Grew up in Bletchley.

Where I live many old roads surrounding my home town are gone. Replaced with modern ones and tall embankments where you can't See the landscape. I've since been and found them again a few years ago and was greeted with the old views I remember as a boy. Beautiful views now gone in favour of speed and too many vehicles. But to find and see them again, Happy days!

The problem with side-by-side maps is that there is nothing from the 1970s onwards, so most of the road layouts that we remember aren't shown. Google Earth goes back to 1999, which can be quite interesting.

Fantastic video 👍

Very interesting video, i have seen many 'old' roads, a lot where they have straightened the road & you can see the old bend still with tarmac on it

I still remember the first bypass. I used to go to Leighton Buzzard and other places round there. Seeing the old redundant land which was the brickworks at stewartby is sad. Seeing the chimneys was like a beacon to half way point home.

Great Video Andrew, really enjoyed it, as you know I love history too. I will have to join you on one of your walks one day. You should do one in my neck of the woods. See you next week and looking forward to having a chat over a pint of Guinness or two 🙂.

Thanks for the video sir really enjoyed thank you

Great video, hope to see your channel get bigger!

Very interesting video, fabilous to see someone comparing old areas with new, especially roads. Have often come across odd ones in my travels and thought about the past especialy buildings, litter etc. Old maps great for showing up old footpaths that are still legal also, even though not on new maps either paper or online. History we must not forget. Thanks....

Just subscribed, look forward to other similar videos.

Great video, i like these videos where people explore abandoned or unused infrascture. I'm biased towards military stuff and train tracks. Neat stuff.

Another fan and your 900th subscriber here…!😊I have an anti-social overseas rescue dog, so I’m always on the look out for out of the way abandoned roads and trails to walk - so your channel is right up my street (pardon the pun!). Look forward to more of the same…good luck with your channel!

New subscriber here, great video...i look forward to many more ☺

This was an interesting video. xx

Very interesting video I haven't done old roads I usually match up old buildings with present day, the old maps come in useful for checking I am in the right area.

Totally unexpected recommendation in my videos but so glad I watched. This was really interesting. There's loads of these ghost roads around my area (Northampton, not too far from Bedford actually). Definitely got a subscribe from me. Looking forward to seeing more of your adventures.

Its 3:29AM and I'm watching a video on old roads, and its oddly fascinating