A2 THE ROAD MOVIE

Paul Ross on his journey down the A2

The A2 is commonly known is one of the South East's busiest and oldest roads.

This week Paul Ross looks at some of the amazing stories of this ancient road and unearths some surprising facts.

The A2 dates back to Roman times and is a vital trade route from Kent into London.

It has seen the invasion of Hitler's Doodlebugs in World War 2 and was even used as a route by pilgrims in the Middle Ages on their way to Canterbury Cathedral.

Paul Ross starts his journey with pilgrims of another sort… The Mods!

Mods

Regulation scooters, its the only way to travel!

The Mod culture began life in the early 60's. Noted for their 'shrink to fit' jeans and regulation scooters with fanned peacock mirrors, the Mod lifestyle was a way of life for many teenagers.

For the last 40 years the A2 has seen a flurry of activity with the Mods annual pilgrimage to Margate from Rochester.

Since the swinging 60's, the scooter has been the only way in which the Mod boys will travel.

Roadworks on the A2 are often seen as a menace and problem to all, but not for Anton Ludwig and his crew of Mods. They see them as an opportunity to outwit the travelling holiday maker, avoiding bank holiday traffic jams.

Doodlebugs

Paul discovers that during World War 2 the Old Kent Road provided Hitler with a custom built navigation route, right to the heart of London. The A2 was quickly known as 'Doodlebug Alley'.

The Doodlebug was Adolf Hitler's way of using unmanned craft to bomb Britain.

The missiles were engine driven with enough fuel to reach London. When the fuel ran out the missile would drop to earth like a stone and deliver a huge blast, killing mostly innocent people.

Flying Machines

The history of the A2 doesn't just stop there! Paul's journey takes him to a historic village between Canterbury and Dover.

There he discovers that the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was created in Higham Park near Bridge. It was a monster racing machine built by CountLouis Zabrowski in 1921.

His neighbour, the world renowned Ian Fleming, was inspired to write the story of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the legendary mystical flying car.

He also created the character of James Bond, a secret agent working for the British Government.

Higham Park, The home of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

By the time of Fleming's death in 1964 the James Bond adventures had sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.

The enchanting adventures of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang captured the imagination of generations of children and continue to do so.

End of the line

Moving from Higham Park and flying machines the A2 finally arrives at Dover which is the last stop before France.

For some this road is a misery, with its constant bottlenecks and roadworks. For others it's a way of life and provides a vital trade route from Dover to London.

The A2 is steeped in history and hides many fascinating stories along its long and winding road. Each day is a new chapter in its life and hundreds more enthralling stories are waiting to be told.