James May: New Lego & Meccano Engineering Series

Holiday.
Damn.
Serious let down.
And i got your hopes up, i'm an... :idiot:
REALLY sorry, but am not privy to all the latest info like the wise and helpful LindenChase :bow:
Hopefully some FG members will be there & be kind enough to share their pics with us ....
 
Last edited:
And i got your hopes up, i'm an... :idiot:
REALLY sorry, but am not privy to all the latest info like the wise and helpful LindenChase :bow:
Hopefully some FG members will be there & be kind enough to share their pics with us ....


Tehe, don't worry about it! It's not your fault I'm going on holiday, UNLESS we don't go (doing the whole last minute thing) or go later than those dates. Fingers crossed, hey! :)
 
So far we've heard about Plasticine, Airfix, Mecanno and Lego and now there is more news about what James is going to do with Scalextric:

On August 16th the BBC programme will be filming their record attempt at creating the worlds longest Scalextric track around the route of the famous Brooklands banked circuit. Just one problem - only half of it still survives!
This exciting record attempt will see up to 20,000 pieces of Scalextric track laid down end-to-end to retrace the formerley glorious and brath-taking high-banked circuit around nearly three miles of the Surrey countryside near Weybridge.

Link & Link!

I hope someone lives near the circuit and can go over to have a look (and file a report ;)) that day.
 
Last edited:
Last weekend James has been filming for the Scalextric episode.

Members of this forum (very much a dudes only place ;-)) are having heated discussions wheter it will work out.

Two members met James and have posted about it.

Johnny S.
I spent four hours yesterday with James May and the production team at the Phoenix circuit filming for the October series on his favourite toys.

Just wanted to say that having been involved with TV people before and the angle they worked I was very impressed by James and Rebecca and Paul the Director. None of the filming of every aspect of slot racing was a mickey take. Quite the contary, as James is clued up and serious about the subject. He gave stacks of his time to our club members, raced with them, did all the autograph and photo taking stuff as extra but got stuck in like a regular slot racer. He even won the production crew race!

So, doom and gloom merchants, you may have to revise your ideas because he may act the fool on Top Gear but he`s switched on and commited to this.

I asked him how it was going for the Brooklands event and he was very positive. Impression I got was that he`s more worried about what he called `council issues` than anything else.

Can only be good for the hobby in my humble opinion. There is a lot of obvious affection for the bloke and having met him and spent time with him I can understand why he will draw a big audience.

Slotraccoon
I spent Saturday in the loft with James May and a large film crew filming the Slotraccoon collection and talking about the history of Scalextric and how it has changed over the last 50 years with examples of all of the major innovations. I found James May to be an extremely interesting and interested chap with lots of enthusiasm for Scalextric. They filmed for about four hours - but I dare say that will only make 10 minutes footage in the programme.

All of the stunts for the series are quite extreme but have no doubt that the Scalextric track around Brooklands is being taken very seriously and plans are welll advanced. Solutions for several of the big problems such as river crossing, road crossings, pond crossing and going through hundreds of differently owned properties have been thought up and then tested and there is a "secret" testing lab trying to find answers to the others. Perhaps it is a shame that the stunt will be the focus of the programme and not all of the other interesting things that they have been filming (not just me!) and I am sure the programme will make a big deal over nothing but that is the nature of TV these days. If it generates any additional interest for Scalextric then a small amount oof it will rub off on our bits of the hobby and that is a good thing.

The whole Brooklands event is shaping up to be a great day out. The NSCC swapmeet has attracted lots of traders with new and collectable slot cars and the hillclimb, which I am running on behalf of Hornby, should be fun. With all of the other activities too is should be a marvelous event and I hope that you all support it and come along.
 
Last edited:
I'm itching to be part of the Lego house build, but I might have missed my chance. I put together some of the World's biggest Lego creations, which can be seen at www.modelsbycraig.com. James, if you are reading this, don't forget me, man! :|
 
I'm itching to be part of the Lego house build, but I might have missed my chance. I put together some of the World's biggest Lego creations, which can be seen at www.modelsbycraig.com. James, if you are reading this, don't forget me, man! :|

Wow, your lego creations are pretty awesome. Why don't you contact the production company? I'm sure they can use an experienced lego builder! And you've got longer hair than James! :)

http://www.plumpictures.co.uk/
 
Last edited:
God, James seriously has the best job ever. I want to see this when it comes out... it's my favorite TV presenter (not saying a lot since I actually don't watch actual TV) and my favorite toys when I was younger combined into what would probably be a marvelous presentation.
 
Glad to see that the Plasticine Garden has found a new home: :)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw_Sk9RrDvk[/youtube]

The garden will be on show at Sudbury Hall until early October 2009. More info here.
 
Last edited:
Sounds like fun, but I really find it hard to believe they will be able to build a 2 story house out of Lego in one day.

Maybe they are going to put the structure up (or hope to) and finish the rest later.

Thanks for that! :D
Have just volunteered my services as am still off normal work, but figure i can stick some plastic bricks together no worries. And only live about 40 mins away. Sounds like fun, if i actually got to see Mr May, well that would be nice ;)
 
Awe, I'm jealous! I absolutely adore Legos. I have the rare distinction of being able to say the best birthday present I've received as an "adult" was the box of Legos a friend gave me when I turned 20. It was the best, most appropriate, and thoughtful thing anyone's ever given me. I still have them.
 
I'm really looking forward to this show, does anyone know roughly when it will be on the telly.

Bearing in mind ilming isn't finished yet it will probably be quite some time though!
 
Are the Lego and Mecanno bits the last ones? If so, I'd guess in 4-6 months. Isn't that about how long it took for the space show?
 
Well Dorking is a cab or bus ride from Gatwick Airport.
Gatwick is an hour or so flight from the Netherlands (Amsterdam) on eayJet.

Just sayin .. :whistle:

I want James to live after he spend some time in the house, so better if I don't get involved in the construction. ;)


I'm really looking forward to this show, does anyone know roughly when it will be on the telly.

Bearing in mind filming isn't finished yet it will probably be quite some time though!

Conflicting reports on this one. I read it will be aired in either the winter or the atumn. The book with the series is scheduled for October 5 though.

Are the Lego and Mecanno bits the last ones? If so, I'd guess in 4-6 months. Isn't that about how long it took for the space show?

Nope, Hornby trainset still to go. :)
 
Then I'm guessing 4-6 months of post-production from whenever that one is finished.

I thought i read somewhere late Nov or early Dec, but don't take that as gospel. Anyway, LindenChase will be onto it like a flash o lightning when it's announced! :D
 
Top