Secrets of The Motorway - M60 

For those who enjoy Palladian architecture, the closing scene was shot at Heaton Hall's Old Town Hall colonnade folly. This structure formed the front of Manchester's 1822 first town hall building, but was reassembled stone-by-stone in Heaton Park in 1912 to save it from the wrecking ball. It's been closed to visitors since 2012 but remains structurally sound (so sayeth the engineers). Today, the city is trying to find the money to restore it, but until then it's fenced off so small bits and pieces won't fall on visitors like Jon. Viewers of this channel are grateful for that foresight.

Blankety Blank theme at the end RIP Lily Savage/ Paul O’Grady

A nice nod to Paul O'Grady at the end there. 👏🏻👏🏻

An American who finds your detailed motorway videos very fascinating. BTW, on the map you displayed, I spotted my mother's birthplace - Mossley. (She was a war bride.)

Lovely tribute Paul O'Grady at the end with the correct era theme used also. Thanks John

I'm surprised you didn't mention that Barton bridge was the first work undertaken on the entire motorway network. And NO this isn't the Preston bypass, that was the first section OPEN.

Damn that last shot, what a waste that huge ruin is just locked away

You neglected to mention that the section of the M60 between junctions 17 and 15 is known colloquially by locals as "Death Valley". Putting a motorway across a river where fog tends to gather has had some awful consequences in the past.

Nice tribute to Paul o Grady at the end. Respect 🙏

One bit of trivia I've observed is that when they stole part of the M62 to make the M60, they kept the junction numbers, so junnction numbers on the rest of the M60 were fixed by the ex-M62 ones. It is most obvious if you are travelling M62-M60-M62.

Surprised Manchester Ringway didn't stick his oar in😉

Forty years of driving on motorways and I had never given a second thought to ghosted slip roads or never completed flyovers. This channel has me questioning the reason for them every time I see them now.

i like the way you ended with the theme tune to "blankety blank", in tribute to Paul O'Grady

You appear to have slowed down your delivery just a smidge!!!!! It's perfect, feels pacey not rushed

From the appropriately cheesy intro music through to the John's on-point dry humour this is a strangely compelling channel. This was the all the info I didn't realise I needed about the dull stretches of tarmac I've spent so many years pounding. Good stuff sir.

Well done John for making it though another extremely exciting episode, the level of humorous sarcasm is increasing with every week. But the entire series does make me wonder how anything actually get built in this country.

I used to work in the building behind the pyramid when it was the CooP. The building as the company logo on the roof to be seen by the planes landing at Manchester Airport.

Wait, what? Theyre actually sorting Simister Island out? About bloody time

Not all of the Trafford Park Industrial Estate has disappeared, which is hardly surprising as it was once the largest industrial estate in Western Europe. To compliment that, Heaton Park is in fact the largest municipal park in Western Europe.

The Pyramid roundabout is known by locals as Hollywood Roundabout. Also my Grandad was the forman on the M63 built between the A56 junction down to where it used to end at the Cheadle (Rosco's) junction. This part of the M63 was extended through Stockport in the 80s before eventually being linked with the M66 which started life coming down from Blackburn. Also interesting fact (ok it's all relative) the M63 section through Stockport is built on marsh land. This is why it was originally surfaced with concrete as this can flex without cracking. The plan was to then surface over this with tarmac once it had been run on for 20 to 30 years and it was deemed that it has settled - actual effective long term planning that worked.

Stockport pyramid was constructed using limestone from a quarry 200 miles away in Offerton. They then used sound frequencies to manipulate and levitate the quarried stone into place. Fascinating structure.

The Heaton Park tower has a much taller sibling at Stokenchurch, which is a prominent feature of the Bucks/Oxfordshire landscape. So prominent that you managed to miss it when you did your M40 video.

One of my dad’s mates was involved with making the new signs when the M63 was changed into the M60 - he decided just sticking a 0 over as many 3s as they could be bothered finding would do - in a totally different font size and on a different shade of blue background.

The ONLY full ring road, the M60! A motorway that I have been on MANY times!

That ‘suspension’ bridge isn’t one; it’s a cable stay bridge.

Yesss another Sunday with Secrets Of The Motorways!

Great Vid Jon (John), nice to hear more about the M60, local Mway to me. Every year we as Bikers (can hear the sighs now), perform a Ring of Red on the M60. Called the Ride of Respect, on or around Remembrance Day. 4000 bikes and up usually attend. Everyone meets at Birch Services Westbound on the M62. Everyone is released gradually with Riders up front who keep an eye on things. We ride the full circle and end up back at Birch Services Eastbound. From there, people will stick around talking, or go somewhere else for food and drinks. Massive day with tons of planning. 4000+ Mbikes on a Mway in an hour can cause a little disruption. Wicked sweet awesome 👌

Ah yes the great Pyramid of Geezer, one of the 7 wonders of the corporate world!

It took decades before all the roadsigns in south Manchester showing directions to the M63 were replaced. There is a roundabout in Wilmslow that didn't change to the M60 until about 2018, and there were still one or two others dotted about at that time.

Couldn't care less about motorways, this guy is just a good presenter.

Yay. I love my house being featured on this episode. 😊

That suspension bridge isn't a suspension bridge - it's a cable stayed bridge.

Excellent stuff. You've nicely split my origin story in 2, as I'm from Stockport and so the initial roundabout is a junction I know very well. Indeed, I remember that bit of motorway being built and opening in 82, as it previously ended at the turnoff for Cheadle. I remember losing my mind at the prospect of going on "the new Motorway" (I was 7). And given that to get anywhere south, (or indeed, to Liverpool, which was where I went to University) you had to get that stretch of motorway, I can say I know it like the back of my hand. Looking forward to part 2, as I assume the entire episode will be taken up by the insanity of the Bredbury exit.

This is the best video I've ever seen about anything

That Trafford centre looks excellent. Makes a difference from the bland cubes they normally build.

Also missed the Bridgewater Canal Swing Bridge next to Barton High Level Bridge. Only swinging aqueduct in the world bit of a mad design.

When you cover the A303 all hells gonna break loose

It must be Sunday, I can smell roast beef, the neighbours are washing their car, and John is delivering British infrastructure in the only way it should, pure deadpan 👍🏻

The M60 where it meets with the M62 and M66 at Simister Island interchange needs a massive upgrade including a new slip road that would allow traffic on the M60 motorway to continue in a clockwise direction and to avoid the already busy interchange with the massive roundabout.

I'm pretty sure Martinzero has covered some of the industiral, railway and canal infrastructure, he's certainly done a lot of stuff around the Irwell and is well worth checking out for anyone who likes the history of buildings from days gone by.

I was at THAT illegal rave. I still like to tell the story about the bunker whenever I drive past Worsley with somebody who I haven't bored to death already.

Another great video, though I am surprised you didn’t mention the former A6144(M) single carriageway motorway that got downgraded in 2009 as part of the M60 widening scheme at Junction 8.

Titchmarsh: "I can make boring gardening seem interesting" John: "Hold my beer"....

Some of this makes me feel really old. I remember the traffic delays on the M63. I remember not being too sure of directions (Long before the days of satnav) on my way home from a colleagues house in Romiley. I saw the M66 and thought “Ah! That will take me somewhere I know!” only to find out there was a big gap in the M66. I remember the trafford centre being built, and thinking it was going to be called Dumplington.

Between J1 and 2 of the M5 theres a canal, a canal going over the top of that canal ..... with a railway bridge going over the top of that ...... with the M5 going over the top of that ..... "Spon Lane Junction"

Several missed opportunities. At the end of the video you should of said for the first junction skip to this time stamp essentially putting the user in a infinite loop. The railway section would have been a good collab with Jago Hazzard. But I’ll give you 10/10 for the salute to Paul o Grady at the end

I spend many an hour each week with my car in the M60 Car Park, this was fascinating, thanks 😊

Here for the sarcasm and the outro, doesn't disappoint

I’ll continue where you left off. In the early 2000s, about 2003 from memory, not long after the completion of upgrades between junctions 18 and 24, several sections were flooded to the point of impassability after heavy rain. Like really deeply. Presumably because of underestimating drainage needs or something. This eventually got solved and it doesn’t flood any more. 👍

Wicked sweet awesome video

Wooooo I'm very surprised you don't mention more about illegal raves!! Between 2000-2007 there were always at least two of three rave sites throughout the UK every weekend! Most were just few seconds from the motorway or even under the motorway itself

Trafford Park is still a huge industrial area. The Trafford Centre was actually built on old farm land not industrial land. I used to play on that old farmland. Jesus I'm old.

this is so dull but yet entertaining, your a wizard

You crack me up 😂😂😂 don't ever change your wicked sweet awesome 👌🏼👍🏼🤘🏼

great. Manchester is underrated.

That Big Transmitter in Heaton Park, As you were not too sure about the recent history of the thing it's a pity there isn't a fellow RU-vid vlogger in the Manchester area you could have Asked 🤔.

Every reason to get another spot on your channel for Ringway Manchester youtube, sadly it was not forthcoming.

Great one again Jon, the humor, the editing and the sharp remarks with text. Just jolly.

That gravel pit got a better fate than the ones next to the M66 that are land fill.

Hi from the US. Interesting stuff. Driven around the M60 many, many times. Recall it had some horrendous rush hour bottle necks. In the morning, joining from the M61, especially heading towards the direction of the Trafford Centre. Evening rush hour the same going the other way, joining the A34 very bad also.

The structure at the end is the Colonnade and was originally the facade of the old town hall on King St in Manchester. It was shifted to the park in 1912

Ah, now Sunday is complete

Hi John, Junction 5 of the M60 with the A5103 had planned to be the Princess Park motorway. Another urban motorway similar to the M67. Somewhere between Junction 14 & 15, the M601 was to be built, quiet interesting story. Keep up the good work!

Jolly splendid … again, another motorway used by me for a short while back in 2009/2010 when contracted to a company in Manchester - good to see an over-engineered, costly set of ‘slip roads’ to remove the need for leaving and rejoining the same road, when a simpler, more effective and cheaper option can be ignored. Love engineers …

Yay..! Nice to see John's finally got a new pair of shoes..!

Excellent video - Stockport pyramid - there was to be a number of them in that area (Kings Valley)- but as you said they went bankrupt. Spent a number of years working there - very quiet inside.....

I was born in the UK and can remember as a child going down the M6 a lot in the 1970's, which fueled my interest in major highways. I never drove in the UK but I used to be a trucker in North American and learnt a lot about secrets of the roads I went down, old railways, old road designations etc. Now I get to learn about the UK motorways, thanks for an interesting series!

Your witty sarcasm really makes me laugh! Keep going. X

As I understand it the embankments on the approach to the Barton high level bridge were first work to begin on building any motorway in the UK although the M6 beat it to opening. Really surprised you didn't mention the former A6144(M), Oh and don't forget to mention the junction where the slip road drops joining vehicles in the fast lane in the next episode.

Finally! God…..I’ve been up for ages. 😉

Thanks for this: I remember seeing the pyramid a number of times, ironically from trains passing over the Stockport viaduct.

Hi John I use this motorway quite a lot on the east side to get to IKEA at Ashton-under-Lyne of all places, (wife's favourite destination !). A couple more minutes would have allowed you to mention the non-existent motorway down from Jn 25. If you look at the OS map you'll see the land corridor for this is still vacant. At Stockport the M60 squeezes through the Stockport railway viaduct which is, on good authority, the largest brick-built structure in Europe. Just here a railway ran underneath the viaduct, and parts of it can still be seen and even explored if you have time. The M60 is a reall collection of spatchcocks, (quick fixes) switching back and forth from 4 lane to 3 lane and one section with only two lanes. However, I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies, in that we do actually have it !

Simister REALLY needs rethinking, it's a constant bottle neck on the entire road network around here. When it's blocked up the traffic overflows to the regular roads which aren't designed for that kind of volume at all so it turns into a car park, or a very slow moving traffic jam.

Yoooooo he finally did M60, this is what I have been waiting for 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Perfect choice of outro given recent passings ❤

Hmmm. Bus shelter on a slip road, was Sadiq Khan involved?

That beauitful archway at the end. What is it and why is it not in use? And I never thought motorway junctions affected clothing. Learn something new every day.

I have driven the M60 a lot, and learned some stuff from today's video.

Brilliant! I grew up in Worsley so have spent many a happy hour scrambling all over the Top Secret Nuclear Bunker and surrounding lands. I was Christened in St. Marks Church. Thanks for another great episode.

Great video, but as a local I'm surprised there was no mention of the Bredbury Scissors junction (J26) which is one of the weirder junctions on the network as the traffic flows cross each other, nor the slow corner nearby which I've heard is the tightest corner on the m-way network - or the 'junction to nowhere" (j6) where they didn't end up building the road into Manchester to link it up. It was right there while you were talking about the Sale Bridge! They're three of my favourite M60 facts.

Excellent John, the photography also superb mate. In particular the drone shots were on another level 😊

They have bus stops on the motorway where I live - there is one at every exit on the slip roads and at most petrol stations. If a passenger wants the bus to stop to pick them up then they press a request button in the bus stop - which illuminates a bus sign on the motorway so the driver knows whether to pull off or carry on.

Nice Paul O'Grady tribute at the end 👍👍

ye, that bunker was a great rave spot

Junction 5 was designed like that as part of the proposed Princess Parkway motorway. The A5103 is practically a motorway from the Sharston Bypass up to almost Burnage, and there’s loads of space for the existing Princess Road to be widened all the way up to the Mancunian Wa

The day/night the “m60” was opened miles n miles of narrow lane closures were put on as many of the drains had collapsed ultimately leading to the contractors demise only a few yrs later. I loved putting them closures on then goin to the Stockport Riley’s snooker club til the call came to remove the closures.

I've stayed at the Luxor in Las Vegas, the resemblance to that pyramid is incredible.

This is the one I’ve been waiting for. Can’t wait for part 2 for the nostalgia

I understand the M62 wants it’s stolen stretch to be given back! 😮

This video was "Wicked Sweet Awsome" as ever.

Heaton park tower was the BT tower in the 1980’s

Loving the bit at 8.30 ish about all the bridges. I used to (well they odd time) cycle into manchester thru that area and was always struck by how on the surface it looks like a nice green wooded area. Yet look a little and do some digging (research wise ie google). You realise the whole area used to be a vast industrial area, coal mines, power stations and brickworks.

Another timely video. I'm driving round part of the M60 later today! Wicked sweet awesome!

It’s “Greater Manchester” in Stockport. The building company that built the “pyramid” and the “AA” building, over looking the Cheadle junction, was “Rush & Tompkinson.” Great informative video. 👌😎🤘m-E-m

WSA as always. Love the blankety blank tribute 😊

These videos are so much fun... thanks for cracking me up!

There is a Pyramid in Stockport? Ok, Pharaoh'nuff.

That entire area is one giant traffic hellhole. Particularly the A-roads. People have starved to death in traffic jams.

Aww, no mention of the really cool bridge at Besses o' th' Barn just after Molyneux Brow?

A small motoring fact ... Trafford Park was the site of the first Ford manufacturing location outside the U.S. in 1911.