The Top Gear Appreciation Thread - The Second Coming

[Lotus666]

Here's an article about Captain Slow (I really wished I'd been down there to help them)... :cool:

James May to Live in House Made of Lego Bricks (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090801/ten-may-to-live-in-house-made-of-lego-br-8a3eada.html)

Was watching the last episode of this series last night (recorded from Sunday), and without spoiling anything...people were worried that the ending of the show may have been heralding the end of Top Gear! :mu: All I know is that I had tears rolling down my face for most of the show...from hysterical laughter.

It was touted as the best of any of their series ever. It certainly had MY ribs aching...and the last segment of the show was certainly beautifully shot and done. I recommend it definitely be seen. :)

[Lotus666]

Watch the vid for the "Cool Wall"... :laugh:

Cool Wall Hi-Jinx (http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/)

[Lotus666]

The Hamster does it again. Luckily, this time, no injuries... :rolleyes:

YAHOO NEWS

Top Gear star in supercar collision
Yesterday, 04:52 pm

Top Gear star Richard Hammond has been involved in road crash while driving his exclusive supercar, it has been reported. The BBC presenter was apparently involved on a four-car incident at the Over Roundabout on the A40 near Gloucester.

The star, who escaped death in 2006 when his jet car crashed at 288mph, was believed to be in his £110,000 Morgan Aeromax at the time of the latest smash. The accident on Saturday lunchtime is said to have involved a BMW 3 Series, a Volvo V40, and a Nissan Almera, as well as the Morgan.

Gloucestershire police said they could not confirm or deny that Hammond, known as The Hamster, was involved. But a spokesman said there was a "damage only" accident involving four cars at the roundabout requiring no action from officers.

The presenter is believed to have been on his way home from a flying lesson nearby when the accident occurred.

An eyewitness told the Mail on Sunday: "Richard was at the back of the line and he received no damage to his rear end but the front was in a pretty bad way.

"Everyone got out and exchanged details and there was some good-humoured banter exchanged by the drivers after they realised it was him."

The BBC said the presenter had been involved in a minor collision and was unharmed.

[Lotus666]

Another article on The James May Lego House (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8177680.stm) :cool:

[WiK]

...people were worried that the ending of the show may have been heralding the end of Top Gear! :mu:

Did anyone else find it hard to feel sympathetic towards him and what he was saying in that last segment? Or was it just the cyclist in me being annoyed? :smash:

[Lotus666]

Nah, just the cyclist in you being annoyed. Plus, Jeremy DOES have the habit of rubbing a lot of folk up the wrong way, bless 'im... :laugh:

[WiK]

Haha, probably. Usually he doesn't annoy me, even when I disagree with him. But I felt it very hard that night to feel sympathetic for a rich git in an Aston Martin moaning about how there aren't going to be any more expensive, planet-polluting supercars - I came over all green and environmentalist for a minute. :eek:

[Lotus666]

hahaha...fair dues. :D

[Bluebottle]

Clarkson deliberately rubs people the wrong way to provoke reactions ... it works!!

p.s. My name is Bluebottle and I'm a Top Gear addict!

[Lotus666]

My brother is a Top Gear addict as well, it turns out. Had a lovely long chat with him the other day when I rang my Mum - he just happened to be over there at the time. Not had a chat like that since we were kids. It was really nice. :)

[Lotus666]

Top Gear's James May sees model railway world record attempt derailed by thieves...

From: Telegraph.co.uk - by Andrew Hough
Published: 9:01AM BST 25 Aug 2009

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01468/James-May_1468615c.jpg

A world record attempt by James May, the Top Gear presenter, to build the longest model railway in Devon has been derailed after thieves stole parts of the track and put 2p coins through another.

James May: The presenter had helped unite 400 railway enthusiasts to build a toy track stretching the 10 miles from Barnstaple to Bideford, in North Devon, and run miniature trains along it.

As part of a new BBC television series, the presenter had helped about 400 railway enthusiasts to build a toy track stretching the 10 miles from Barnstaple to Bideford, in North Devon.

Once constructed they had planned to operate miniature trains along the Tarka Trail.

May, co-presenter of Top Gear alongside Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson, was filming the feat for a new series called James May's Toy Stories.

But their efforts have been hampered after parts of the track, and the battery which powers the trains, were stolen.

In another incident, coins were dropped on to the track, blowing the battery.

The incident has left locals outraged.

Rod Garner, secretary of the Tarka Valley Railway Group, said the thefts and vandalism were ''appalling".

"It's a community effort," he said.

"Everyone is doing it for free, and to have some idiots come along and ruin it really annoys everyone involved. It's just sad that they have nothing better to do."

Mr Garner said building the track itself had not been easy.

It sat on top of the existing disused railway line but the uneven tarmac caused problems.

Around 60 different community groups were involved in the feat including Scouts from across Torridge and North Devon.

They had been briefed by the Top Gear presenter in person, and had been busy creating models such as a replica of the Scout headquarters to line the track.

Mr Garner said the effort, was "excellent" publicity for North Devon, and particularly for hopes to reinstate the railway line between Barnstaple, Bideford and Torring-ton, as well as the Tarka Line.

In each episode, May and his team will be faced with a new toy challenge.

As well as the railway, other attempts include trying to build the world's first full-size house made entirely out of Lego bricks, creating a Plasticine garden, attempting to build a full-size model Spitfire, pitting a Scalextric car against a taxi in a 1.6-mile race through a busy town centre and building a lifesize bridge made entirely out of Meccano.

When launching the record attempt earlier this week May, whose nickname on the popular motoring show is Captain Slow, said the choice of location was no accident.

"I picked here because people want to see it rebuilt," he said.

"Plus, the scenery is beautiful here. Call it a service to the community and its people."

The track has been out of service since 1990, but campaigners are hopeful the wheels are in motion to have some form of service reinstated.

Bloody vandals! :grrr: :burn:

[Lotus666]

James May's Lego House Demolished (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8269479.stm)

Such a shame. :awww:

[Lotus666]

Top Gear Airship Stunt Goes Wrong (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8283798.stm)

Always in the news, this lot! :rolleyes: :p

[Lotus666]

Some say he skins Loch Ness monsters and uses them as breeches, and that the jawbone of the monster makes up his gear stick...all WE know is that they call him...

THE STIG! (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=loch+ness&sll=56.660755,-5.059891&sspn=0.255862,0.606308&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Loch+Ness,+United+Kingdom&ll=57.226183,-4.572179&spn=0.003554,0.018926&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=57.226109,-4.572287&panoid=ApPA1rwguy7D-Kl8q6i0bw&cbp=12,134.08,,0,11.53)

:laugh:

[Lotus666]

It's like a game of Where's Wally this... :wicked:

Where's Stig? (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=12.322317,40.253906&ie=UTF8&ll=51.514959,-0.228567&spn=0.001582,0.004914&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.514926,-0.228765&panoid=cRXQyRB9ywmaZVKuBSddWw&cbp=12,146.0064180401871,,2,-12.084480108548325)

[Lotus666]

Who The Stig Really Is (http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/01092010/36/mystery-stig-solved-0.html)

My money was always on Captain Slow myself... ;) :laugh:

[Lotus666]

The Stig to be "Killed Off"! (http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/news-extra/article/49673/the-stig-to-be-killed-off.html)

:laugh:

[Lotus666]

The Stig Farm (http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/video-the-stig-farm)

"It's dangerous work as many Stigs turn out to be treacherous and violent!"

:laugh: