ON FIVE STARTING TONIGHT: BRITAIN'S GREATEST MACHINES

[Chris Williams]

BRITAIN’S GREATEST MACHINES with Chris Barrie

MACHINES THAT CHANGED THE FACE OF BRITAIN

The Gamma Project’s new series with Chris Barrie is now being shown on

FIVE starting on Thursday the 6th May.

What were the greatest machines in British history? Chris Barrie tracks down the mechanical icons that changed peoples’ lives and helped shaped modern Britain. From the greatest steam locomotives, the early airliners and the first mass produced cars to design icons like the Austin Mini and the E-Type Jaguar. As ever, Chris is rolling up his sleeves and getting hands on – if it moves he’ll have a go!

There’s a lot more to all these machines than first meets the eye and Chris digs out forgotten stories and classic moments of invention as he zeroes in on the engineering genius that made each machine so pivotal. Chris puts these engineering greats to the test, tells the stories of the brains behind them and examines their place in history. And, of course, this wouldn’t be British engineering without a few glorious failures along the way.

A series packed full of ripping yarns, petrol-soaked adventures and plenty of va va voom, all delivered with passion and a fantastic sense of humour by the superlative Mr. B.

Thursday 6th May, 8pm 1910s “Triumph And Tragedy”

Thursday 13th May, 8pm 1920s “The Engine Roaring Twenties”

Thursday 20th May, 8pm 1930s “Road To War”

Thursday 27th May, 8pm 1940s “War: Mother Of Invention”

Thursday 3rd June, 8pm 1950s “A New World Order”

Thursday 10th June, 8pm 1960s “Revolution By Design”

Thursday 17th June, 8pm 1980s “The Future Has Landed”

Thursday 24th June, 8pm Trains “The Steam Pioneers”

CONTACTS

Tel: 0207 323 1409

Email: info@thegammaproject.com

For more information: Rob Silver, Nina Carbone

For stills & video clips: Sean Schmolz

Website: www.thegammaproject.com

EPISODE GUIDE

EPISODE 1 – 1910s “Triumph and Tragedy”

Starring: 1914 Leyland Torpedo Charabanc, Morgan Runabout Cyclecar, Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge, Titanic’s Ship Radio, Vickers Machine Gun, WW1 tanks and the Vickers Vimy.

EPISODE 2 – 1920s “The Engine Roaring Twenties”

Starring: Bentley 3 Litre, Brough Superior SS100, De Havilland Gipsy Moth, Scammell Petrol Tanker, Scammell Pioneer, R101 airship.

EPISODE 3 – 1930s “Road To War”

Starring: LNER A4 Gresley, De Havilland Dragon Rapide DH 89a, Crusader III Tank, Sentinel Steam Lorry, Morris 8 convertible, Schneider Supermarine S6-B, and Spitfire Mk IX. Also featuring: Cruiser Tank Mk III

EPISODE 4 – 1940s “War: Mother of Invention”

Starring: Chain Home Radar and H2S, HSL RAF Rescue Boat, Jowett Fire Pump, Austin 12 Taxi, Austin K2 Fire Truck, David Brown VAK1 Tractor, Daimler Dingo Scout Car, Gloster Meteor, Martin Baker Ejection Seat and the Aston Martin DB2.

EPISODE 5 – 1950s “A New World Order”

Starring: Routemaster Bus, Avro Vulcan Bomber B.2, Class 55 Deltic Diesel Locomotive, Lovell Telescope, De Havilland Comet 1A and 4C, and Land Rover Mk 1. Also featuring: Rover P3

EPISODE 6 - 1960s “Revolution by Design”

Starring: Mini Cooper S, Mini Minor Mk 1, Post Office Tower, Leyland Super Comet, Transit Van Mk1, SR.N6 and Hoverhawk Hovercraft, and Jaguar E-Type Mk 1. Also featuring: Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 250GT Pininfarina, Porsche 911, Morris Minor

EPISODE 7 – 1980s “The Future has Landed”

Starring: DeLorean DMC-12, Westland Lynx HAS.3 Helicopter, Scimitar Tank, Sierra RS Cosworth, Sinclair C-5, ZX Spectrum, Lotus F1, and Esprit Turbo. Also featuring: Ford Cortina, Ford Sierra

EPISODE 8 – Trains “The Steam Pioneers”

Starring: James Watt Steam Pump, Trevithick’s London Steam Carriage and Coalbrookdale Locomotive and the Stephensons’ Locomotion Number One, Rocket and Planet. Also featuring the stories of the Stockton to Darlington and Liverpool to Manchester Railway Lines.

[Rissy]

Chris Williams Wrote:Thursday 17th June, 8pm 1980s “The Future Has Landed”

EPISODE 7 – 1980s “The Future has Landed”

Starring: DeLorean DMC-12, Westland Lynx HAS.3 Helicopter, Scimitar Tank, Sierra RS Cosworth, Sinclair C-5, ZX Spectrum, Lotus F1, and Esprit Turbo. Also featuring: Ford Cortina, Ford Sierra

Starring: James Watt Steam Pump, Trevithick’s London Steam Carriage and Coalbrookdale Locomotive and the Stephensons’ Locomotion Number One, Rocket and Planet. Also featuring the stories of the Stockton to Darlington and Liverpool to Manchester Railway Lines.

Also starring our very own Lexi-Baby! lol!
(Gonna make sure all my friends are aware of this episode, it'll be WAY cool, been waiting a long time for this to appear on TV. Just a pity i will have only JUST returned to Korea when this episode is finally aired :-( )

[mikesumner]

I watched this programme last night and although I thought it was excellently done and very interesting (and for a change didn't throw insults at the DeLorean), did anyone else wonder why they seemed to find the crappiest example they could to demonstrate the torsion bars and gas struts on the doors?

The whole car was covered in dust and didn't have parts of the interior trim attached, which seems odd considering they clearly had three excellent ones available to them and yet used this really poor one.

Most odd.

[stunned_monkey]

They wanted to show a car that's basically sat since it was new - ie after 30 years. The production team specifically told us not to clean it. The reason it looked incomplete was because the thing was ready to be split apart - as the shot about 30 seconds later showed! They did do a time-lapse shot of us doing the split but obviously decided not to use it. There was also a sequence shot where Chris talked to camera through the gaps between body and chassis, When they were setting up some of the close-ups, I suggested they use Neil's car which was sitting immediately outside and is immaculate (you see it briefly later on - XIL 4426) but again was told they wanted to show a car in "original" condition.

#1484, the car filmed in the workshop is a lovely original example which was then about to have its restoration begin

[Guinney1971]

I enjoyed seeing this again, Chris Barrie is obviously and enthusiast and also very interested in his subject - it was nice to see a programme featuring the car that didnt involve the usual Quentin Willson-esque bashing of the car.

Funnily enough Martin, I was only thinking about 'Tinny' the other day, where is she these days?

[stunned_monkey]

Tinny is still being pampered by Neil Harkett. He lives just up the road in Sevenoaks, although she's a bit of a garage queen!

I only agreed to do the program because of Chris Barrie's involvement - ie a proper petrol head who's quite capable of making up his own mind about the car. I had a couple of very long conversations with one of the producers while they were in the process of writing the script. I'm pretty sure the line about "what's been forgotten is whether the car was actually any good" is a direct result of that.

Lex always was a really nice car to drive, and all the extra sound deadening gives it a much more "solid" feel than most DeLoreans.

[Guinney1971]

agreed, I used to like driving Lex, and those seats, I still remember how comfy they were

Glad to hear Tinny is being pampered, especially after all the work you put into her. Shame she's hidden away tho, I'm a great believer that cars were built to be driven, but each to their own.

Did you resist the urge to talk Red Dwarf with Chris Barrie? I know what a huge RD fan you are/were 8)

[JamesRGUK]

stunned_monkey Wrote:I only agreed to do the program because of Chris Barrie's involvement - ie a proper petrol head who's quite capable of making up his own mind about the car.

I was fortunate enough to meet Chris Barrie when they were doing the filming on the airfield, I went along with Alistar Vanstone.

Chris was a really nice chap and made a real effort to talk to the 'DeLorean Guys' between filming etc... I even got this cheesy photo....
He was genuinely interested in the car and the history rather than just recyclying myths read in papers and magazines.



I do look a little odd in the photo

[Rich Hanlon]

Sure you two aren't related?!

[Guinney1971]

PMSL!! :lol: :lol: :lol: