It’s an acronym: not in my backyard. Five letters that combine to create a controversial label for a person who openly opposes infrastructure developments in their area. But if it wasn’t for a bit of Victorian Nimbyism, we wouldn’t have an epic new YouTube series: TopGear Tunnel Run.
It’s a seven-part celebration of the old-school sounds of combustion, presented by Becky Evans, and coming to a screen near you soon. But if it wasn’t for some bloke called Henry Attenborough being a Nimby, The Stig wouldn’t have been able to be let loose in the world’s loudest, lairiest machines for you and your ears’ benefit.
Which means you wouldn’t know what a Group B Rally car, screaming V12 track-only hypercar, twin-supercharged vintage Formula One car, a NASCAR racer and many other mad, multicylindered machines sound like at flat chat through an incredibly confined space. And – trust me – that’s worth a watch. And possibly a new pair of headphones.
But it was all made possible because of one mind-blowing location: a really, really long (we’re talking nearly two miles), really, really dark and frightfully eerie railway tunnel buried deep in the heart of Northamptonshire. And at this point, we need to rewind back to old Henry Attenborough, and a time when people used to ride penny farthings and put children up chimneys.
See, back in the 19th century, Henry was the owner of the Catesby estate. And when these newfangled things called ‘trains’ came along, he objected to the “unsightly” chuffing steam machines as they spoiled the view from his stately home. So, he decided to bury them.
This story is from the April 2024 edition of BBC TopGear India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2024 edition of BBC TopGear India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
LAUNCH CONTROL
Tesla has finally unlocked the Cybertruck's off-road potential. We grab a rival and head to the desert for a baptism of fire...
QUESTION OF SPORT
The standard Ioniq 5 N sweeps the hot hatch title, and now there's an even racier version. Can it convince us electric motorsport isn't a total waste of time?
ASSAULT & BATTERY
The Taycan has always been quick, but Porsche just took things to a whole other level...
BRITS ABROAD
Is the MG Cyberster a return to form for the Great British Roadster? Bizzarely, we had to travel to China to find out...
BAJAJ PULSAR NS40OZ - The Frankenstein Monster That Works Like an Angel
It is good not to read too much sometimes. Yes, too much reading can be injurious to healthy guys.
THE INDO-ITALIAN JOB
Living with the Aprilia RS 457
DUBAT
A Tesla picks you up from the airport - that's Dubai for you. TopGear India embarked on a quest to uncover the finest cars and indulge in extraordinary experiences during our recent visit to Dubai.
2024 MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT - Still Swifty without a cylinder
Most of us know or are accustomed to Swift.
FROM CITY STREETS TO SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS
The summer sun beat down mercilessly, a stark contrast to the yearning for cool mountain air.
2024 FORCE GURKHA - Terrain Tamer
The Gurkha's story began in 1987 with the introduction of India's first indigenous utility vehicle.