Covid-19 Day 18
James May’s Toy Stories is a UK documentary television series created and presented by James May.
The program was originally commissioned for BBC Two as a six-episode series for 2009, between 27 October to 25 December, but later received four specials after the series concluded – one in June 2011 and three more for the Christmas broadcast schedules between 2012–2014.
1 “Airfix”
In which May recruits a team to construct a life-size model of the Spitfire. Which can’t fly, and has to be dis-assembled to move anywhere.
2 “Plasticine”
May decides to create an entire garden out of Plasticine and enter it into the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show. Which has more creativity than most of the other displays and causes problems for the snooty judges. Joanna Lumley and Stephen Fry appear.
The finished project was later given ‘The People’s Choice’ award, after filming was completed.
3 “Meccano”
May recruits a team of architectural, engineering and technical students from University of Liverpool to design and build an entire bridge made out of Meccano. The finished project, consisting of two parts – swing bridge, and a rolling bascule bridge – is eventually rolled out into the heart of Liverpool’s newlyredeveloped Pier Head, in order to span a canal.
4 “Scalextric”
To bring back car racing to the former race track of Brooklands in Surrey, James decides to rebuild the track in Scalextric. The project later earned a place in the Guinness World Records for that year, for the longest Scalextric circuit ever built at 4.75 km.
5 “Lego”
To prove Lego is the ultimate construction toy, James May recruits volunteers to make a full-size Lego house. It’s rubbish and completely impractical.
6 “Hornby”
James May sets himself the ambitious task of creating the longest model railway line, set along the picturesque Tarka Trail between the towns of Barnstaple and Bideford. He is joined by German founders of Miniatur Wunderland for the task of setting up ten miles of model track and ensuring five different model
trains complete the trip. This includes May’s very own 1970s-vintage model of the Flying Scotsman, and the prototype of Hornby’s Class 395 “Javelin” model – can complete the journey between the towns. The project is soon deemed a failure, when each train slowly breaks down in succession across the day of the
challenge, due to extensive overworking of their model motor component.
7 “The Great Train Race”
May reattempts his challenge to create the longest model railway line between Barnstaple and Bideford, but this time with a race between British model railway enthusiasts against a German team from Miniatur Wunderland. With sturdier track and a new power system, along with Oz Clarke helping out, the teams compete
with three different model trains – a steam locomotive, an electric train, and a modified model train with a unique power source – racing from opposite ends.
The renewed attempt proves a success, completing what was started in 2009, with the British beating the Germans by being the first to their destination with two trains.
8 “Flight Club”
James May decides on a new challenge for model kits – to fly a life-size model of the Slingsby Swallow gliderbetween two points of a set distance. With a team of engineering students from Brunel University. The challenge brings forth several problems, particularly when their initially intended route can’t be used because of issues from air traffic controllers. Forced to send the glider across the Bristol Channel, further issues from the weather lead May having to guide the glider to a safe landing on the island of Lundy. Despite
the risks the glider’s destination within an hour of its launch.
9 “The Motorcycle Diary”
Not seen due to the poor quality of the video on Youtube.
10 “Action Man at the Speed of Sound”
James May tries to make Action Man travel faster than the speed of sound. Just stupid, however they soon face a race to achieve their goal against a rival group using a similar plan, but with the toy Sindy.
May’s team not only are successful in completing their challenge, but also beat their rivals, who had launched earlier and lost Sindy.
Why didn’t they call her ‘Supersonic Sindy’ !
I would also contend that may lost as the parachute failed to deploy and despite the model action man being intact, it did not drift to the ground by the parachute.