the great north road 1939

This film is from August 1939, showing a car journey from London to Grantham, up the A1 (Great North road). It is remarkable for the lack of people about. Most places look deserted, and this is in the middle of summertime. The Second World War started a month after this film was shot (there are black and white markings on the pavements in London, for better visibility during the expected blackouts). If the country looks empty in this film, it was emptier a short while later, when lots of people were killed during the war.It really was a different country then.
toodle pip