This very rare footage shows a journey along the Great North Road (A1) from London to Grantham.
War looms over the journey both metaphorically – August 1939 was the final month of peace before the Second World War – and literally, in the shape of the barrage balloon in the opening shots. The war was very much expected – as well as the balloons, we see kerbs and posts painted black and white to be visible in a blackout, a banner advertising ARP (Air Raid Precaution) offices, and a military truck carrying equipment.
Almost as remarkable is the way in which the film maker can leave their car at the side of the road while taking shots. Even cyclists are using the A1 without fear.
For The Retronaut, most extraordinary of all is to see the Great War memorial on the eve of another war (2:30). 6 years later it will need to be updated with 32 more names. The memorial is in Biggleswade, but it could be almost any town.
…..
The film is from the Huntley Film Archives.
Yes, I have too much time on my hands. Here are all the modern day views from the clip as seen on Google Maps. It was fun looking for them.
01 Baker Street, 0m 20s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=baker+street+london&aq=&sll=53.013699,-0.756512&sspn=0.031551,0.086603&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Baker+St,+London,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.521188,-0.157092&spn=0.007771,0.021651&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.521078,-0.157045&panoid=8S_ERdk-892nWsgJGKevXQ&cbp=12,348.82,,1,-5.84
02 Baker Street, 0m 29s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=baker+street+london&aq=&sll=53.013699,-0.756512&sspn=0.031551,0.086603&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Baker+St,+London,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.521388,-0.157177&spn=0.007824,0.021651&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.521275,-0.157131&panoid=zhzwXVhNvfeqeJ_gTdQuTw&cbp=12,354.16,,1,-21.81
03 Regents Park, 0m 38s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=baker+street+london&aq=&sll=53.013699,-0.756512&sspn=0.031551,0.086603&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Baker+St,+London,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.528998,-0.166533&spn=0.003911,0.010825&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.528912,-0.166425&panoid=GG2LgM3p1JQXvkIebW7Tyw&cbp=12,326.54,,1,5.81
04 Biggleswade, 2m 13s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=biggleswade&aq=&sll=53.342791,-1.390536&sspn=0.007776,0.021651&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Biggleswade,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.08689,-0.263929&spn=0.032013,0.086603&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=52.086874,-0.263752&panoid=-jfJGYarldCxHCKr1r-mSQ&cbp=12,274.39,,1,1.45
05 Biggleswade, 2m 20s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=biggleswade&aq=&sll=53.342791,-1.390536&sspn=0.007776,0.021651&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Biggleswade,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.08689,-0.265732&spn=0.032013,0.086603&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=52.08691,-0.26554&panoid=uj-aYlkHeVneskTm0bhlAw&cbp=12,275.28,,1,-0.11
06 Biggleswade, 2m 29s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=biggleswade&aq=&sll=53.342791,-1.390536&sspn=0.007776,0.021651&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Biggleswade,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.086943,-0.265989&spn=0.032013,0.086603&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=52.08692,-0.266205&panoid=rZt940KsdbkjzphWMsegcg&cbp=12,329.78,,0,-5.73
07 East Socon, 2m 51s (the quaint tea room is now Akbar Tandoori Cuisine)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=biggleswade&aq=&sll=53.342791,-1.390536&sspn=0.007776,0.021651&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Biggleswade,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.212235,-0.290322&spn=0.016067,0.043302&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.212327,-0.290358&panoid=Y6nIdFlOp6qVTA47xRrCcQ&cbp=12,338.5,,0,-4.82
08 Buckden, 3m 15 (The Lion Hotel)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=buckden&aq=&sll=52.236,-0.282383&sspn=0.030907,0.086603&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Buckden,+St+Neots,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.293441,-0.254531&spn=0.015434,0.043302&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.293562,-0.254484&panoid=XHGGABew2OtvU3rChsuSJw&cbp=12,43.91,,0,-2.05
09 Buckden, 3m 20s (The George Hotel)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=buckden&aq=&sll=52.236,-0.282383&sspn=0.030907,0.086603&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Buckden,+St+Neots,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.293152,-0.25466&spn=0.015434,0.043302&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.293243,-0.254606&panoid=jtrPQAGL8Flo48gi7Oti_w&cbp=12,4.67,,0,-1.34
10 Stilton, 4m 00s (The Bell Inn)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stilton&aq=&sll=52.350336,-0.251741&sspn=0.030828,0.086603&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stilton,+Peterborough,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.488948,-0.288906&spn=0.030731,0.086603&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=52.489022,-0.288919&panoid=2C66QL3IB_v6x4BiXv9qrQ&cbp=12,13.56,,0,-3.92
11 Wansworth Bridge, 4m 40s (View the photo on Google Maps)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stilton&aq=&sll=52.543086,-0.323238&sspn=0.015347,0.043302&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stilton,+Peterborough,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.57925,-0.414965&spn=0.000479,0.001353&t=h&z=20&lci=com.panoramio.all
12 Stamford, 5m 30s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stilton&aq=&sll=52.543086,-0.323238&sspn=0.015347,0.043302&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stilton,+Peterborough,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.646449,-0.476017&spn=0.014269,0.086603&t=h&z=14&lci=com.panoramio.all&layer=c&cbll=52.646436,-0.475999&panoid=nvqhPtLTMa2lpT4HruB8ow&cbp=11,23.37,,0,-0.45
13 Stamford, 5m 33s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stilton&aq=&sll=52.543086,-0.323238&sspn=0.015347,0.043302&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stilton,+Peterborough,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.647073,-0.476274&spn=0.014269,0.086603&t=h&z=14&lci=com.panoramio.all&layer=c&cbll=52.64697,-0.476167&panoid=Plh8ijK7gNzQMM40QZQN-A&cbp=12,355.76,,1,-3.92
14 Stamford,5m 44s (The Bull and Swan)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stilton&aq=&sll=52.543086,-0.323238&sspn=0.015347,0.043302&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stilton,+Peterborough,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.647959,-0.476875&spn=0.014268,0.086603&t=h&z=14&lci=com.panoramio.all&layer=c&cbll=52.647888,-0.476785&panoid=TABon25k3XF_n1PEqPDPNQ&cbp=12,337.75,,1,-0.94
15 Stamford, 5m 51s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stilton&aq=&sll=52.543086,-0.323238&sspn=0.015347,0.043302&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Stilton,+Peterborough,+Cambridgeshire,+United+Kingdom&t=h&lci=com.panoramio.all&layer=c&cbll=52.649451,-0.477904&panoid=ovFhbxRT55VNMc885GqWAg&cbp=12,353.17,,0,-6.29&ll=52.649345,-0.477853&spn=0.000497,0.001353&z=20
16 Great Casterton, 6m 17
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=great+casterton&aq=&sll=52.652593,-0.480984&sspn=0.003977,0.010825&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Great+Casterton,+Stamford,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.670735,-0.523138&spn=0.0159,0.043302&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.670799,-0.523276&panoid=3da6eDues875-SgCKqLShw&cbp=12,135.55,,1,1.74
17 Grantham, 6m 33s (?)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=grantham&aq=&sll=52.670787,-0.523267&sspn=0.0159,0.015278&g=Great+Casterton,+Stamford,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Grantham,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.898859,-0.63446&spn=0.032567,0.087891&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=52.899556,-0.634551&panoid=v0H-ng1UZTkDHPYl5Chb-g&cbp=12,359.74,,1,-5.36
18 Grantham, 6m 42s
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=great+casterton&aq=&sll=52.652593,-0.480984&sspn=0.003977,0.010825&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Great+Casterton,+Stamford,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.913043,-0.642797&spn=0.003953,0.010825&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=52.912879,-0.642746&panoid=NrH2sH4Bm9wQhaXPwKVUrw&cbp=12,350.39,,1,-2.23
Comprehensive procrastination post above! Excellent.
The original video has been taken down and made private. I found this version, which has been enhanced by the uploader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm_Q7X_-2Ck