Ep 7. The Great Train Race

James May's Toy Stories is a British television series that follows James May's campaign to save traditional toys from becoming obsolete by using them in ambitious projects. In the seventh episode of season one titled "The Great Train Race," James decides to hold a race between two model train sets - one electric and the other steam-powered - to see which technology will emerge victorious.

James begins the episode by visiting the National Railway Museum in York to gather inspiration for his project. He is fascinated by the history of trains and the various technologies that have been used to power them over the years. He then heads to a model train exhibition in Birmingham to find the perfect trains for his race.

Back in his workshop, James starts working on the electric train set, which he plans to modify and tune to make it as fast as possible. He adds new wheels, improves the conductivity of the tracks, and even uses a hair dryer to blow the dust out of the motor. He is confident that his modifications will give the electric train a clear advantage over the steam-powered one.

Next, James turns his attention to the steam train. He buys a pre-made model from a store and makes a few minor modifications to make it run more smoothly. He also starts working on a fuel for the steam engine, experimenting with different materials to find the perfect combination. He even visits a coal mine to learn about the properties of coal and how it can be used as a fuel.

As the day of the race approaches, James invites a group of children to his workshop to see the trains and help him prepare for the big day. He teaches them about the history of trains and shows them how to lay tracks and connect wires.

Finally, it's time for the race. The location of the race is the Great Cockcrow railway, which is a miniature railway in Surrey. Both the trains start at opposite ends of a track that is over 100 meters long. The steam train goes first and manages to complete the race in just over six minutes - a respectable time for a model train. Next, it's the turn of the electric train, and James is confident that it will be much faster than the steam train. However, as the electric train sets off, disaster strikes - it derails and crashes within the first few meters. James is devastated, but he quickly realizes that the cause of the crash was a design flaw in his modifications.

Despite the setback, James does not give up. He spends the night fixing the electric train and rethinking his modifications. The following day, he returns to the Great Cockcrow railway for a rematch. This time, the electric train performs perfectly, and it manages to complete the race in just over three minutes - almost half the time of the steam train.

In the end, James learns an important lesson - that it's not always about which technology is better, but about using different technologies to achieve different things. He realizes that both the electric and steam trains have their strengths and weaknesses, and that there is no clear winner. Instead, James celebrates the ingenuity and creativity of the engineers who designed the trains and the joy they bring to people of all ages.