Secrets of The Motorway - M621 

The tunnel at Beeston Interchange houses Gas and Electricity equipment. This solution was considerably cheaper than diverting the services around the roundabout, but still provides access to them for maintenance. A corrugated metal arch is naturally very flexible, and the structure required careful supervision during backfilling operations. Settlement of the footings and deflections of the crown of the arch, both vertically and horizontally were monitored in order that the final profile should be as near circular as possible.

I like the supermarket trolley just in shot in the shot where you're discussing how much the council loved motorways. It adds that certain touch of picturesqueness

I'm surprised you didn't mention that for a very brief section (about 200 yards) between junctions 4 and 3 the westbound carriageway is funneled down into 1 lane, making it one of the very few single lane motorways in the country.

Happy Sunday John

I love the way the M1 (the main road from north to south) becomes technically a slip road off itself whilst the main carriageway turns into the 621, which if you miss leads to a world of pain if your intention was to stay on the M1. Brilliant.

I was born and raised in Morley and can remember when the M621 was being built and riding skateboards all the way down from Asquith Ave bridge to Elland Road with no traffic on it before it opened.

Ending on the Leeds United Calypso... You little legend! :-)

This series gives me the nostalgic feeling I used to get when sitting down to watch Scrapheap Challenge and Time Team, while visiting my grandma's for sunday dinner.

Welcome to my local area John. Just to let you know, they are remodelling the whole section between junctions 1 and 6, including removing 2a, because it is a junction where someone thought it would be great idea, when it clearly wasn’t 😂

I could have given you a few more secrets on this one. I live local. Glad to see you ooop north though. Loving the channel.

4:52 is almost the exact view my grandparents had out of their window on the 9th floor of those flats. They both moved into a retirement home a few years ago and have both died now, so it's pretty nice (and unexpected) to see that junction from that angle again, thanks mate.

If you were to continue into Leeds, you would get onto one of those bits of urban motorway that Leeds was trying to build everywhere the A58(M) which is very unusual in that it actually has an exit slip on the right-hand side. It also has a rather alarming number of short, blind sliproads, but thankfully only a 40 limit.

Up in our neck of the woods! The M621 is an absolute mess of cobbled together bits of motorway... Especially junction 3. It kind of makes sense watching the video. They are doing work on the M621 and I hope they fix a lot of the 'flow issues' (the one that irritates me the most is when three lanes squash to 1 at junction 3 coming from the M1). Great video as always!

John - one or your slickest videos yet 😂 7 junctions in just over 7 minutes - a record? And love the 1971 envelope 3p to send a letter !

I remember when the M1 stopped in Leeds and ending on the tight curve at Dewsbury Road junction. Yes that is an old viaduct needing a new line and purpose.

And another motorway regularly used when working from our Leeds Offices in the early 2000’s… always full of roadworks/repairs but usually not too congested. Apart from going home, especially down to the M62 which I used when returning to my then girlfriend’s house (now my wife!) - at this time I lived in between Derby and Nottingham. Also used when commuting between my office in Aldershot to the sister office in Leeds (I lived in North West London then!)- early to mid 90’s. Jolly good show, took me down memory (overtaking) lane!

The clip of the roundabout at 6:20 is a fcking nightmare. 3 lanes on the roundabout. Lanes 1 and 2 go into a 1 lane slip road onto the 621, and lane 3 splits into 2 lanes. A frequent crash hotspot, so much so they've attempted to fix it by removing some markings... Absolute clowns. Hate the 621, but love the video. Cheers Jon.

"Massive windy mess of roads" Oh, you're gonna love the M8 through Glasgow! ;)

Yorkshire Television has the greatest indents in UK TV history. Excellent inclusion that could have only been bettered with the voiceover "This is Yorkshire Television broadcasting from the Emley Moor, Belmont and associated transmitters of the Independent Broadcasting Authority". Ok I'm off topic here. Belting episode as always, thanks John 😎👍

"I also assume it doesn't work". Love the humour mate!

I was finding the roads quite interesting but then you finished it on a shot of a disused viaduct and now I've got to go and research that!

My word, that Leeds United calypso is brutal. Even worse than that Marching on Together bollocks they recorded back in the 70s when they were good.

Junction 3 will always be J47 M1 to me - favourite Welcome to Leeds junction - always great for seeing how many lateral g's you can pull on the exit slip road

biggest surprise of the video, the track on that old viaducts not been nicked for scrap!

A Touch of Frost 👍🏻 Awesome series

Nice bit of local history for me, thank you :)

John perhaps you could explore the M1 extension that drifts out of Leeds and joins up with the A1M. You even call in at the relatively new Skelton Lake services if you fancy it. There are a number of slip roads that lead off it for you to explore.

As I used to live in Leeds all my life and Gildersome before moving to Cambridgeshire, the "hidden" tunnel under the M621 interchange is something all locals know about. It has been used for storage by the council before with temporary road signs, traffic cones etc, etc stored inside it a few times over the years.

John this channel is so addictive and I don’t really know why?? - The subject matter is the most uninteresting claptrap of all time and the actual motorway scenes are even worse. However you present it all so well it’s one of my favourite channels! HNY buddy! 😊👍🙏

The story of the tunnel over the middleton railway is interesting , apparently a level crossing was first proposed by the MoT, however needing the clearence when it was realised the railway was in operation (being NCB and not BR as such the departmental consultation had missed it ) making the M1 needing elevation to gain the height needed. The tunnel sometimes used by fire departments as practice to evacuate crashed railway carriages in tunnels and similar.

I really enjoy this series.

I studied at University of Leeds so have some personal interest after the fact. Looked at this motorway a couple of years ago when I saw West Yorks police camera footage of a truck pulling in on a Porsche Carrera in its left hand blind spot. This car has a very strong metal tub and the result was that the truck fell over on its side in an epic David vs Goliath style fail.

Classic TV references in abundance- thanks 👍

As a frequenter of the M621 in my uni days I always wondered (and still did to this day) why it dropped to a 50mph limit, well now I know!

I got Heartbeat and A Touch of Frost theme tunes in there. Each from the 1990s with a bit of nostalgic content.

In fairness to the Tanfield Railway, that railway is older than Middleton , however Tanfield ran on privately held land , wherhas Middletons route required power over other landowners rights and rights of way, hence needing parliamentary approval , and thus was the first sanctioned under Parliamentary Approval (including the nax price coals could be sold for in Leeds centre for the first chaldrons delivered under the act) . The railway remained private to the Colliery (itself in the Brandling family ownership) and thus the Surrey Iron Railway was the first Public Railway sanctioned by Parliament (as in anyone could run a wagon on its metals. The act for Middleton Railway allowed for haulage/ propulsion by just about any means , which the system used including cable haulage and horse led but having the act meant steam locomotion could be applied without further requirements other than safety checks for such locomotives.

I’m glad your doing all the northern ones at the same time ❤

Living the Leeds United Calypso, catchy tune

A few memories from some years back, The M621 was unique in that at one time it actually had a slip road exit from the right hand (Fast) lane. Another thing I remember is the M1 terminated at a partially built flyover where the road just stopped in midair, traffic was guided to the off sliproad by a line off cones. Often wondered if anybody had driven through the cones before realizing the road had dissappeared beneath them.

very interesting as I'm local to the area and not aware of where the m1 terminated due to being to young to know when the changes to place but it makes sense why you have to change lanes to get on to the M1 when your already on the M1 at junction 43 north bound

I'm so happy to see my old stamping ground! I still use the M621 but, thankfully, not daily these days! When Junction 3 was being built (or should that be rebuilt?) we would commute through it as the work was done while the traffic was running. The large pedestrian bridge and a construction crane were decorated with twinkly fairy lights for Christmas. Probably not completely legal, but it was something pretty to look at on a morning! Yes, that's an old railway viaduct! I drive under it regularly! Great video, but "Heartbeat"? Nay, lad, that's North Yorkshire!

One of the only motorways I've been along the whole length of in one go! Most of the others are over in Manchester, because Manchester and it's tiny motorways. Either way, I've always been a fan of how the M621 crams in as many "junctions" as it does, so this video is a great birthday present (it's tomorrow). Thanks Jon!

This channel has come along way in the last 12mth and it’s so good to see. Keep it coming John 👍🏻

Wonderful! As an occasional visitor to Elland Road, for charity fundraising events, have often wondered about their local road system, so your lucid explanation is most welcome, cheerz! 👏🏻

Your videos cram hell of a lot of research into a short time…brilliant.

yorkshie television ident that brings back memories

Love your videos as always John keep doing the amazing work

The M621 is the highest numbered motorway in England (not Scotland) J2a is getting closed and the council are asking drivers nicely not to use J3 as Neville Street (under Leeds railway station) was the most poluted road in the city and they were about to introduce a city wide CAZ before covid, then then some of the traffic went away for a bit so they cancelled it. That tunnel is now a bus lane and City Square is closed to all traffic, so now the largest junction on M621 is local access and a longer way to J4

Loads of great history nuggets in today's video, thanks Jon

Ooo, I used to use the M621 a great deal and never knew it was the monster stitching of two projects (but it does explain a few things). Middleton Railway was a late discovery for me, but the children loved it.

Aye, Leeds United weren't formed until 1919. However, a team called Leeds City (the original Peacocks) played on the ground from 1904, until they were booted out of the league for financial irregularities (.mainly for paying players during the war years - which was banned). This is where the United name on the reformed club comes from; although none of the City players ever played for United. They were all auctioned off to various clubs at the Leeds Metropol Hotel for a total sum of around £9,600. Port Vale took their place in the league who, in 1968, were almost booted out of the league for financial irregularities.

My parents loved theatre and we lived in Huddersfield and there was the then Leeds Playhouse which we went to a lot. So the M621 in its earliest incarnation as a route into Leeds was a route I was driven along a lot. I think the last time I drove on it was when I took my mother to see "Shakespeare in Love" at a multiplex in Leeds.

Thanks John. I really enjoy watching your vids I look forward to them on a Sunday. You put in so much effort and the tongue in cheek British humour is very much appreciated. Goes to show with the right presentation and personality you could read the phone book. Cracking job.

Jon glad you explained how the 621 emanated from the 1 + 62 or was it the 62 + 1? 🤯 But it all LEEDS us to the same places. 😖🤔 Have a great week.

Thanks as always 'My Name is John', great coverage, research, quick-fire stats, and humour. My Sunday is complete. Keep up the great work - just get's better and better...

Appreciate all the research you must put in to create these interesting videos 👍

Awesome video as ever John 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

M621.... bloody hell I've been there. Well I never, I didn't know any of this, many thanks for this insight.

“… you know, usual Heritage Railway shit” 😂🤣😂 ❤️👊💥

Leeds...Leeds...Leeds....Whiiiite Rose! (Sorry, couldn't resist). Excellent video and very interesting - thanks very much!

been waiting for this episode for so long, I live in Leeds and use this motorway all the time, I know it like the back of my hand!

Super interesting video again! Thanks John!

Looks like you could cycle around all the junctions using the overpasses and underpasses and have a great northern day out! Thanks for the video John and hope you had a good time videoing the M666222111!

Love you videos my Daughter Gilly loves the wave offs at the end we always have a rewind & way back to you several times 😍😍😍 bit sad but it floats our boat

Loved the train cam, which then flew over the bridge ! Great vid as always. 👍

Thanks for posting never thought I would get excited about interchanges, good style & narration helped 💪

I did enjoy that trolley just by the path @1:23

When the M1 was changed to link to the A1, it wasn't quite complete in mid '98. The section of the new M1 past Temple Newsam was used as a car park for V98 - the M25 may be joked to be a car park but part of the M1 was _actually_ used as a car park.

Was kind of surprised not to see the M606 included in this, as a bonus. It's only a few miles away and lasts all of 3 miles. In 1999& 2000 I had a sunday job at the coachbuilders that was at the end of the 606, Jespro2000 (I say Sunday job, we were working on a personal project - a 40ft trailer turned into a self-contained Robot Wars arena - there with their permission, as long as we did any quick accident work that came in - replacement underrun bars mainly) Even had a crash there once, same day I got a ticket leaving home on the M57 for doing 98 (I was the only car on it except for the cop hiding behind a bridge)

There are some road layout oddities in and around Cardiff if you’re ever down this way. Could be an interesting short piece. The A4232 has a gap between a built ramp for a flyover and at the other end a roundabout that looks like it was designed for the carriageway to continue down the middle of what’s there (sliproads). West of the city it’s using bits of railway line I believe and there is an abandoned tunnel nearby with ventilation shafts on show. Then the A48(M) section has an abandoned eastbound carriageway where it joins the M4 at junction 28, it has realigned the roads and led to several houses being demolished at the top of Penylan Road, uses old railway bridges for a bit then arrives at the Gabalfa interchange which has space for extra sliproads going out to Llantrisant. The A48 route has some other quirks further west that I’m less familiar with but the A4232 and its odd links to various ditched projects (as well as the Rover Way section rounding an old airfield, Pengam Moors, which still has lookouts and hangars) would make a decent short episode I reckon.

The abandoned Tesco trolley at 01:05 was a nice touch.

Another brilliant video mate, very informative as always.

great video, really enjoy these Secrets of the motorway videos

Fascinating! I've used it for so many years and never knew any of its histories.

The infamous / famous report "Traffic in Towns" a.ka. the Buchanan report (1963) has plans of the M1 ploughing through central Leeds, and out towards Headingley, presumably to join up with the A1 North of Leeds somewhere. The idea was for an integrated train station with car parking either side of the M1, which would be going up Park Row - which would no longer exist.

I did like the musical reference to Touch of Frost. It was supposed to have been set in and around Reading but it was a YTV production so was filmed around Leeds, Castleford and Wakefield....

l enjoy listening about the motorway infrastructure around the country you find some real good gem's on your travels john keep em coming 🙂

Been using the 621 as my commute from Rotherham to Leeds for the past 9 years, and it feels like its had roadworks on it for at least 50% of that time. Now I know why it's got a 50mph limit though, thanks. Good to see you making content in my neck of the woods too. 👍

Love the video, especially the final song and being a kinda local it's nice to see your up north. Marthcing on together!!!! By the way, we play Cardiff city at 1400h today 😇

I'm a new subscriber, great info on the M621, and great use of the disused Domestic Road Viaduct, short cut to Leeds Station from the magnificent but long extinct Leeds New Line Railway. Great music from at least x2 classic Yorks telly programmes. Best wishes. Ben

Wow. Didn't expect you to come over to my neck of the woods. Very interesting information. Was fun to learn they managed to wangle around regulations and the lot. Sounds like Leeds City Council in a nutshell that.

happy new year to looking forward to your videos in 2023 love the content

Why am I watching this channel, I’ve never even been the the UK and have no idea what all these roads are. Anyway, going to watch more now.

Gday John, every episode just reminds me how much of a clusterfuck the UK road system is. It’s amazing it functions at all. Keep up the good work mate.

There'a really good tunnel under the M1 between J39 and J40 (nearer to J40) at Ossett...it accomodates a public footpath I think...highly recommended!!! Danny

You are correct - the Middleton Railway is older than my country - the USA

Oh noes ... I spent 2 and a half years of my working life on what is now J3 and J4 of the M621 and the construction of the A1 / M1 Link road. Construction of J3 was only possible due to daily police rolling road blocks while we constructed a temporary Bailey bridge over the motorway. As a team we had one hour to site a mobile crane, install falsework and formwork, remove all excess materials and road sweep the road section before the rolling road block reached us. Musta cost a friggin fortune. 10 months later, building 11 concrete structures ( Bridges) to create what is now the A1 / M1 link road. I was one of the many unfortunate working foremen to take part in building the Aire Valley Viaduct, the mahoosive concrete bridge that nobody knows that they have driven across. 12 hours a day, 13 days every 2 weeks. we were not allowed to work 7 days a week every week... money was tight back then. I still have to drive to J2 of the M621 on weekdays , passing the junction where the M1 peels off, the M621 starts and the M62 joins is an accident blackspot. Stay in the middle or lane 3 ( or is that lane 5 at that point) until you have cleared the daily bedlam. Then start breathing again.

M58 next... a pleasure to drive along, got the old RAF station on one side and ends in traffic lights on a bend... and a fearsomely complex roundabout.

The Leeds United Calypso, eh? Thank you so much John, I feel my life has been changed forever... 🙃

Great video, Happy Sunday!

Having driven on these roads round Leeds a fair bit. I can safely says it is an absolute mess. If you ever have the misfortune of driving in the city centre you can get lost for days. One way streets that take you away from where you want to go. And an inner ring road that by the time it was completed it was already not fit for purpose. Not to mention the largest city in Europe without a major mass transit system. I love Leeds don't get me wrong but driving there is hell on earth.

Best video yet John. As living in Leeds all my life and driving this area for 45 years you have put plenty of research in, you answered a lot of things I didn’t know about. Hope you are doing a video on the inner ring road A58 (M) next, it’s basically a 2 lane motorway that cuts around and under the city centre. It has a 50 mph speed limit, very short slip roads, one that exit’s on the right and no hard shoulders.

Loved seeing the drone shots of my home motorway!

Glad you finally went past the beautiful elland road, home to Leeds city before they basically became united

Excellent choice of location young man.

Cheers for the video man…I always thought the M621 was neither here nor there apart from the long downhill bit going towards Leeds which in an HGV can run away with you if you don’t keep on top of it 😁

Love your videos mate

Thank John an amusing description of the M roads

LOL at the noise at 4:30 🙂

Designed by Geoffrey Boycott to make people drive down the "corridor of uncertainty"? Looks bloody cold dude.