When you're driving around the busy streets of London
Do you ever look out the window at all the interesting things?
- No it's dangerous. - Well you should. Because there's loads of stuff you might have missed.
We're Geoff and Jay. And today, we're going on a journey from central London to South Mimms.
So buckle up and join us as we head north up the A1.
Rnn rnn rnn rnn rnn rnn rnn rnn!
The A1 today starts on Aldersgate Street by St Paul's, but wasn't called the A1 until 1921
when the Great British road numbering scheme was introduced.
- Are you nice and comfy?
- I'm conscious that I'm 6'4" sat in a mini and my knees are touching the...
- Well I'm sorry, this is the largest car I could afford. - Right...
For the first few miles out of London, the A1 follows the historic Great North Road
which went from London to Edinburgh back in the days of horses.
This section in Angel called Upper Street was used to transport livestock back in the 12th Century
which is why it has this raised pavement so people wouldn't get splashed by passing animals.
- Are we at Highbury Corner? - Yes, we're at Highbury Corner.
- You know what's coming up don't you? - Oh is this a Geoff Marshall thing?
You can't go past an old tube station and not acknowledge the old Highbury tube station, it's lovely.
Oh look at that, it is lovely.
Have you ever had the misfortune of driving around here on a match day when Arsenal are playing?
- I went to a Coldplay concert at the Emirates - Really?
I know... where a hundred thousand people all left at the same time...
Was this back in the days when Coldplay were still ok, like their first album?
- Yes. - Oh ok then, that's alright.
Further up Holloway Road, there's plenty more 20th Century architecture to enjoy
such as this old art deco cinema that's now a Wetherspoons
and this old art deco cinema that's still a cinema.
- Look, it's a cat! - Why's there a cat there?
I dunno. Let's look it up later and then add a little graphic at the bottom of the screen now
that explains what that cat is. - It's a giant cat of leaves.
Lots of stuff around here is named after Dick Whittington, including Whittington Park,
the Whittington Hospital, the Whittington Stone and this statue of Dick Whittington's cat.
Apparently it was on this spot where Dick Whittington heard the Bow Bells
and returned to London to become Lord Mayor.
- Ok, this is weird cos this used to be a roundabout - They've pedestrianised... what?
They've pedestrianised this bit, so now...
Ooh... I'm driving what used to be the wrong way round the roundabout.
This used to go this way, oh my goodness!
The Great North Road used to go up the very steep Highgate Hill
but in 1813 when this became too steep for mailcoaches
they started to build a tunnel through the hill. Halfway through construction the tunnel collapsed
so it became a cutting, and now they needed a bridge. The first bridge was a magnificent archway
which is why the tube station is called Archway, which is why this whole area is now called Archway.
The view from up here is spectacular. You can see St. Paul's, the Shard, all the skyscrapers of the City
but there's an interesting view to the north as well. In the 60s, there were plans to widen the A1 to three lanes
all the way up Archway Road, but as you can see it stops abruptly at that poster.
which by no coincidence at all is the border between Islington and Harringey.
Sadly it's impossible to talk about Hornsey Lane Bridge without mentioning the unfortunate nickname it's had
for more than a hunderd years - "Suicide Bridge".
In 2010 alone, three men ended their lives here in as many weeks.
But there's a campaign to build a safer barrier to prevent further deaths.
and there are these signs from the Samaritans
As we cross the border into Barnet, the A1 turns left and leaves the Great North Road behind.
this section called the Barnet Bypass, which makes sense if you look at an old map, was built in 1928.
and is altogether a bit more motorway-y.
Ok, for the first time it feels really weird not having a fifth gear.
- Have you ever been in a Mini before? - Many years ago.
Were you smaller then?
No, I was part of a world record attempt as to how many people you could get in a Mini.
- Really? - No.
Coming up in Part 2...
Who lives here?
What are these things?
Why's that there?
What the hell's this?
Part 2 is over on Geoff's channel, so click here to subscribe to Geoff
or click here to watch Part 2 of Geoff and Jay Go up the A1... NOW!