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 9,000+ 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 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Next Great Family MPV?
“Whoa, that’s a nice-looking Minivan!” Said no one ever.
MG COMET
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD THOUGHT THIS CAR TO BE COMPLETELY useless when it came out.
BMW i7
WHEN THE i7 PULLED INTO MY GARAGE AND PARKED ITSELF next to the Mercedes EQA and the MG Comet, it just struck me that this is how the future will be.
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
McLaren's finest faces off Corvette's nat-asp swansong as the Brits and the Americans square up... in a Spanish playground. Expect fireworks
NEXT LEVEL
Thought the 750S was fast? The McLaren P1's successor - the W1 is ready to spread its wings
MANUAL LABOUR
Two cars from opposite ends of the performance spectrum with one crucial thing in common...
PRO VS SLOW
At last, we have our hands on the Valkyrie. But is its performance only accessible for the pros... or can anyone enjoy it?
THE OUTBURST OF OFFROADING
The high-volume market is a point of interest for all manufacturers here in India.
THE BATTLE OF CRUISER-COMMUTERS
WHO DOES THE BEST COMMUTER WORK WHILE NOT BEING A TRUE COMMUTER MOTORCYCLE?
LEAVING EVERYTHING ON THE TRACK
FT. YMRP ROUND 3 From being second, I DNF'd from the race on the last corner