James May's Toy Stories - TV

[jacqui]

I think you should Afar ;D after all its too much to ask is it?! ;D
Sorry you missed him again, it would have topped off your break in the UK

[dit]

Update from the North Devon Gazette

www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/stay_off_the_tarka_trail_train_race_organisers_1_865319

I love the idea of James conducting the band!

[snowsunflower]

So the race starts tomorrow morning? I'll be praying for him!!!!!

[fallatyourfeet]

Here's the BBC weather forecast for Bideford tomorrow:
"Another fairly cloudy day with a few showers from time to time, one or two on the heavy side. There should more brightness around though, and thus feeling warmer."
Bit of a mixed bag. I hope they got the rain bit wrong.
Good luck Captain. ;D

[jacqui]

Hope he's got his pack-a-mac ;D

Good Luck James ;D

[From Afar]

I actually feel nervous for him

GOOD LUCK JAMES

[Mayhem]

when does the new series come out? ;D

[dit]

First pics! (from Twitter)








(Edit: improved the pics by brightening them a bit)

[dit]

Continuing to pick up stuff from Twitter:

"Glorious North Devon sunshine for James May challenge."

"Is that be a priest in conversing with James May?"

"Stationcafebarn - James May and OZ Clarke at the Cafe now."

@9.30 - "James May tarka trail toy train start delayed etd 10am"

@10.30ish - "James May train challenge gets underway! May team in the lead so far!"

Also, these people (who seem lovely, but daft!) are involved - there's a pic of James at the top of their webpage

www.buffersmodelrailways.com/james-may-the-re-run/info_39.html

And this is their report of the first attempt (includes some pics of James

www.buffersmodelrailways.com/james-may-record-breaking-attempt/info_9.html



Will update if I get anything interesting. (And if anyone's interested!)

[pie]

Good luck James and Oz. Riveting stuff, but sorry, I won't be able to stay awake for it.

[snowsunflower]

Apr 16, 2011 10:36:51 GMT dit said:

Continuing to pick up stuff from Twitter:

"Glorious North Devon sunshine for James May challenge."

"Is that be a priest in conversing with James May?"

"Stationcafebarn - James May and OZ Clarke at the Cafe now."

@9.30 - "James May tarka trail toy train start delayed etd 10am"

@10.30ish - "James May train challenge gets underway! May team in the lead so far!"

Also, these people (who seem lovely, but daft!) are involved - there's a pic of James at the top of their webpage

www.buffersmodelrailways.com/james-may-the-re-run/info_39.html

And this is their report of the first attempt (includes some pics of James

www.buffersmodelrailways.com/james-may-record-breaking-attempt/info_9.html



Will update if I get anything interesting. (And if anyone's interested!)

MEGA INTERESTED dit!!!! I'm praying James wins!!! Please keep us updated.

[devil-may-care]

Love all the pics from that second link. The captions are a riot!!

Good luck guys! ;D ;D

[dit]

Afternoon Twitters update:

Personal messages:
@1.20pm - Just finished in Fremington; James has whizzed off in a buggy and I've now started the 3 mile walk or so back to Barnstaple to see him!

@2pm - Just walked two miles in an attempt to see James again and the minute I arrive, he gets on a bike and goes to exactly where I came from!

Official messages:
2pm - James May update. Trains at halfway point! First German train exploded but soon replaced!

German team pulls ahead. James May team a mile behind at Yelland but confident. German trains on 18 volts could explode again!

2.45pm - James May trains approaching Instow. North Devon sunshine making the day!


Will continue to update later; glad this is interesting for some of you!

[snowsunflower]

GO JAMES!!!

[devil-may-care]

Since my photobucket is STILL NOT WORKING - here is a link to some photos from the train trials!! ;D ;D

westcountryphotographer.blogspot.com/2011/04/westcountry-pr-photographer-catches-up.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[dit]

Update, and it's not looking good:

James May trains are called the Hydro The intercity and the flying Scotsman. Hydro at Instow. German team having cream tea at Fremington

3.30pm
The German team are rumoured to have reached Barnstaple already

4.10pm
German train broken down at station masters cafe in Barnstaple 100 yards from finish

4.22pm
German trains just got to Barnstaple finish line.

4.40pm
Just been to see James May attempt to beat the Germans in a toy train race down the Tarka Trail. He's losing!


James trying to mend one of his trains

[dit]

Official:
James May update. The Hydro en route to bideford and the Intercity has just arrived at finish line. (Timed 'less than a minute ago' at 5.10pm)


So where's the Flying Scotsman? Or is that the one James was trying to mend?



edit: timed at 5.20pm
James May still on the Tarka Trail with his Flying Scotsman around Instow. Germans are past the post in Barnstaple.

5.22pm
Good to hear James May's Flying Scotsman is still running

Approx 5.35pm
James May and little train arrived safely in Bideford...


HURRAY!!!

If all the above is accurate, I imagine he'll be gutted to have lost, but delighted that his Flying Scotsman got through!

I'm trying to get some more photos; they will follow if I'm successful.



(btw, I found this little gem from the last Tarka attempt; let it run beyond the credits for the best bits of James!)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlW3L9oavno

[dit]

Apparently, this is the moment when the Scotsman finally made it to Bideford


And this is the first train coming in (out of sequence, sorry!)

[dit]

Lovely little interview from This Is North Devon

www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/news/s-model-railway-challenge-8211/article-3442230-detail/article.html






_{(Hope people are interested in this stuff - I'd feel an idiot if everyone's bored rigid!)}

[devil-may-care]

I've been following it too, Dit! Love the idea of James trying the train journey again. He's obviously very smitten with toy trains and makes me wonder why I never had one when I was a kid. After all, I had Tonka trucks, why not trains! ;D

Well run James! ;D ;D

[dit]

I've got a train set still, though it's not electric, it was passed down to me by my late father and I think someone had it before him. It's clockwork, quite big gauge, and I'm told it's probably worth quite a lot of money. Don't feel like parting with it, though!

[Hops]

Apr 16, 2011 18:06:55 GMT dit said:

_{(Hope people are interested in this stuff - I'd feel an idiot if everyone's bored rigid!)}

No, no! I'm loving this stuff! I'd totally be there if I'd had the opportunity. Isn't this mucking about with toy trains and things a big part of why we all love James?

[jacqui]

So it would seem the Scotsman came last, beaten by the Germans, I'm sure that will grate a little with James.
But... the sun shone, the crowd appears happy and the Scotsman finished, all good news and there is no doubt it will make excellent viewing ;D

Well done James and your crew


Well done Dit our roaming (interweb) researcher ;D

[dit]

It was fun! I didn't sit huddled in solitary misery over a hot computer all day - well, no more than usual! I just popped back regularly to see what was going on, then passed it on. I just felt that, being so far away from the action, it would give me, and all the rest of us too, the chance to feel just a little bit involved.

[flatin5th - Knight of the NC]

Apr 16, 2011 17:20:44 GMT dit said:

is that Mr Oz Clark I see there too?

[aeromanda]

I just popped back regularly to see what was going on, then passed it on. I just felt that, being so far away from the action, it would give me, and all the rest of us too, the chance to feel just a little bit involved.

Thanks for doing that dit. Living in the states I always feel disconnected from any of James's projects. (And consequently somewhat envious of those of you in England. ) But this time I got to read about what went on and it was all conveniently located in one spot on the board.

[snowsunflower]

Apr 16, 2011 19:16:48 GMT dit said:

It was fun! I didn't sit huddled in solitary misery over a hot computer all day - well, no more than usual! I just popped back regularly to see what was going on, then passed it on. I just felt that, being so far away from the action, it would give me, and all the rest of us too, the chance to feel just a little bit involved.

And I thank you

[dit]

I aim to please!

Apparently the Scotsman took 'ten hours' to make it (or certainly more hours than any of the others), probably why James and Oz (for it was indeed he) look very happy afterwards.

[ambergris]

Thanks, dit. It was great to be able to keep up with proceedings. I'm relieved that the Scotsman got mended!

Does that last picture really show James with an arm around Oz? It must have been a good day

[meimichan]

Apr 16, 2011 19:32:00 GMT aeromanda said:

I just popped back regularly to see what was going on, then passed it on. I just felt that, being so far away from the action, it would give me, and all the rest of us too, the chance to feel just a little bit involved.

Thanks for doing that dit. Living in the states I always feel disconnected from any of James's projects. (And consequently somewhat envious of those of you in England. ) But this time I got to read about what went on and it was all conveniently located in one spot on the board.

What she said. Thanks for the pictures and updates!