Biffo, did you know that Top Gear is aimed at you, the folks who take it too seriously, it is a very clever comedy programme, the producers admit it is childish and aimed at the comic in us all.
However back to JCB. I am showing my age now and remember my first wheeled excavator was built by Whitlock 
The chap at the end with clarksons fingers under his nose,was my old tm,best boss ive ever had.
The real Biffo:
Well getting back to the original thread, ie Top gear, I watched it tonight and thought , What a load of crap!" The rest of the series has got to get better surely, because tonights effort was just childish behaviour beyond words.
I thought the same thing, Biffo - wtf was that supermarket sweep and tired old tank theme to do with motoring? More like a weak version of keystone cops, and ludicrously choreographed (it always is, of course, but more than ever tonight). If it doesnt pick up, I dont think Ill be holding it in my usual high esteem for much longer. Ive read all of JC`s books, and totally get his antagonistic humour, but felt more than a little patronised by this lukewarm offering.
Shape up, boys - we`re used to better!
I found it absolutely hilarious 
I thought it was funny but very predictable.
My tv guide sais 80’s hot hatches
At least two of them were on 90’s plates.
Soldier z:
My tv guide sais 80’s hot hatches
At least two of them were on 90’s plates.
Yeah, but they were out in the 80’s so were 80’s hot hatches.
nit picking in the extreme
Some say that Biffo is Mr Needham
and that if he made Top Gear it
would be jolly well Top Hole. 
I remember driving a JCB, I think it was a 3c or earlier, it had a white steering wheel and we had to tie a piece of string around it so that you knew more or less where the straight ahead position was after taking a sharp bend. With the bucket out in front a small wibble would easily take out a garden wall, but you kinda got used to it. JCB is a lovely machine, my experience is that if a machine is entirely trouble free then you are spending too much on the parts and need to make changes.
Wheel Nut:
Biffo, did you know that Top Gear is aimed at you, the folks who take it too seriously, it is a very clever comedy programme, the producers admit it is childish and aimed at the comic in us all.However back to JCB. I am showing my age now and remember my first wheeled excavator was built by Whitlock
No one could possibly have taken that idea of the 1980’s car scene even remotely seriously except maybe in the case of the traveller community or those who weren’t there.I think those in charge at the BBC might just have taken the idea of childish comedy to an over the top extreme in this case.
As for the plant and machinery of the old days I didn’t even know that Muir Hill and Bray were no longer around until recently. 
The tank and supermarket thing were predictable tbh. Some of my favourite moments were those challenges where things were less choreographed - the channel crossing in the pick up, the limo challenge, the best being the Veyron across Europe challenge. If only they scripted the show less, the boys do have a genuine banter which would come across really well.
It’s difficult to see what they could do that they haven’t done before really.
As for the plant and machinery of the old days I didn’t even know that Muir Hill and Bray were no longer around until recently.
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What about the Surrey based firm of “Matbro” invented and or held the patents for the pivot steered loading shovel we know it today,sold the rights to a Yank consortium of Cat/Allis Chalmers/International for millions £££!
I loved the 80’s theme.
Swapping seats while the cars still rolling. i’ve done that.
I couldn’t do the thing with the metal trays under the back wheels, I had rear wheel drive cars mostly. I’ve seen a few mates do it.
Climbing over the car, i didn’t do that. We did quite a bit of surfing.
And back to the JCB theme. I’ve took my mates down Blackpool promenade in the buckets, That was fun.
Has top gear got no budget limit?
At the start of the program where they preview whats ahead in the new series, they mention something about hgv driving fatigue. so keep yours eyes open for this in the coming weeks ! 
Bamford:
New season of Top Gear tonight, personally I can take it or leave it, but tonight’s show features 2 JCB Products in a bit of detail.
1st is the JCB HMEE that Hammond drives. I was responsible for the Electrical and Electronic System Design on that machine from the ■■■■■■■ 5.8l 210hp Engine and ZF WG180 box and KB ABS System. The Suspension and All Wheel Steering control systems are our own internal design. It’s an amazing piece of kit that in armoured form is helping in protecting our troops in conflicts around the world.
2nd is the JCB JS20MH Wheeled Materials Handler, basically a 16tonne Wheeled Excavator. Again I am responsible for the new Display, Electronic Controls and all the interior on the whole range of Excavators for JCB.BBC2 8pm.
perhaps Bamford we could meet at the organic farm for a coffee ?Steve
I saw all the footage for the JCB bits of the show a week back and there was loads of decent shots and fun being had with May in the 20MH - he is a brainbox and interested in the technology, Hammond is a ■■■■ Full Stop, but what you saw last night was a complete load of drivel. Don’t know what the point of the Penman Case with Mine Flail was when HMEE would have just gone through the wall.
Steve, only been down to Daylesford once, not my area - currently
Top Gear was good and JCB’s are cool also 
mr b, what’s the deal with the heater fan on a 531-70? on number 1 it sounds like hurricane!! and any chance of intermittent wipers? good bus otherwise
Awwwwww. Missing my Mk2 GTi now. 
stevieboy308:
mr b, what’s the deal with the heater fan on a 531-70? on number 1 it sounds like hurricane!! and any chance of intermittent wipers? good bus otherwise
I am not sure Stevieboy, I know that we’ve had to turn the mid fan speed down on our latest Excavators to get the internal noise down - the test criteria are that you must be on mid speed for the test but seems odd if it’s so high on low so to speak. It’s possible it’s a wiring problem but unlikely.
We have intermittent wipers on Excavators, Backhoe and Fastrac for definite, it’s the same Motor on a Backhoe as a Loadall as far as I understand.