🎬August 1975 marked the 40th anniversary of the opening of the M27 motorway. Paul Clifton looks back at the sometimes dramatic life of the road.

The first section of the motorway near Southampton opened in August 1975. The original idea was for a south coast motorway stretching from Kent to Cornwall. For financial reasons, this would never happen.

BBC South Today Production
19th August 2015

🎬BBC South 50 years: Episode 10 Home Movies. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 10 Home Movies. One of a series of features which celebrate BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Chris Coneybeer takes a look at cine footage filmed by BBC South viewers. Thanks to Nick Haslam, Dave Clark, Jonathan Sayers, Paul Hilton, Lionel Joseph and David Palmer.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

🎬BBC South 50 years: Episode 13 Mesmerised Children. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 13 Mesmerised Children. One of a series of features which celebrate BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. In 1979 Emma and Joanna Dunckley would stop and stare at the television at the same time every day, mesmerised by the opening titles of BBC South Today. 31 years later we gave the film to Joanna, to play as a surprise at her sister Emma's wedding.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

🎬BBC South 50 years: Episode 17 Weather. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 17 Weather. One of a series of features celebrating BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Alexis Green reviews 50 years of severe weather in the south and enters a wind tunnel to experience hurricane force winds.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

🎬BBC South 50 years: Episode 15 The Brighton Belle. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 15 The Brighton Belle. One of a series of features celebrating BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Southern Railway's London to Brighton service, The Brighton Belle offered electric elegance in an age dominated by steam. Danielle Glavin meets Don Hitchings, who drove the last train in 1972, and watches as part of the train is brought back to Brighton. Some footage (c) Pathe

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

🎬BBC South 50 years: Episode 9 Space. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 9 Space. One of a series of features which celebrate BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Tom Hepworth investigates the story of the south's involvement with the space industry and visits Sir Patrick Moore's house in Selsey to look for Britain's first satellite, Prospero.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.