James May’s Meccano Bike On Display At The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

James May Toy Stories

James May bike

Beaulieu is delighted to announce that James May’s Meccano Bike, created on BBC’s James May’s Toy Stories, is now on display in the National Motor Museum.

The bike, made from real Meccano, is a one-off design created during the filming of the BBC programme. The challenge was to produce a bike capable of completing the 37.8 mile Isle of Man TT circuit over three days during TT week. It had to be able to reach a speed of at least 15mph and survive the punishing long climbs and sharp descents that the historic course is famous for.

It took months of problem-solving and head-scratching to design the bike before the actual build could start. There are more than 600 nuts and bolts in each wheel alone and over 15,000 pieces of standard Meccano were used in the build, which took nine weeks to complete.

James May, who was accompanied by TV personality, Oz Clarke, on the run said: “There was a certain amount of flexibility and a couple of minor problems with bearings, steering, comfort, electricity - and the passenger - but apart from that it was a very smooth run and very heroic, I think.”

The arrival of the Meccano bike coincides with the opening of the museum’s brand new display, The Motorcycle Story, which takes visitors on a journey through motorcycling history. Machines are displayed in their historical and cultural context; tying technological developments to changing trends in fashion, style and sport. Memorabilia including clothing and trophies won by sporting greats can be seen in displays which cover a wide range of racing disciplines, road safety and British youth culture of the 1950s and 60s.

The Beaulieu attraction is also home to the World of Top Gear, which features many more unusual vehicles created by James and his fellow Top Gear presenters, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson, on the BBC TV motoring show. The newly updated and refreshed exhibition includes a scaled-down version of the Dunsfold Park track where fans can drive remote-control models of some of the most popular Top Gear challenge cars in the World of Top Gear Test Track Challenge and enjoy a ride in the Top Gear simulator.*

The Enormodrome recreates the feel of the Top Gear studio, with regular features from the programme, including the Cool Wall and the Celebrity ‘Lap Times’ board, kept up to date in line with the show. Visitors can watch behind-the-scenes footage from the Top Gear production area and clips from some of the best Top Gear moments.

Admission to Beaulieu gives you access to all areas of the attraction, including the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey and Palace House and gardens. For more information, please visit www.beaulieu.co.uk or telephone 01590 612345.

You can also join the conversation with @Beaulieu_Hants on Twitter using #meccanobike

*A good value extra charge applies to both these activities.

About Meccano

Invented in England by Frank Hornby in 1901, Meccano was conceived as a model toy construction system comprising re-usable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. The toy has sold under the “Erector Set” brand in the U.S. since 1913. Meccano enables the building of working models and mechanical devices and has inspired countless engineers, designers, architects and creative minds of all ages. Modern versions include new technologies to accelerate construction for even the youngest children. Meccano/Erector set toy products are currently sold in more than 50 countries. A large part of the Meccano range is manufactured in France in the historic factory of Calais. www.meccano.com

About Spin Master Ltd.

A multi-category children’s entertainment company, Spin Master has been designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing consumer products for children around the world since 1994 and is recognized as a global growth leader within the toy industry. Spin Master is best known for such popular brands as boy’s action phenomena and 2009-2010 Boy’s Toy of the Year winner Bakugan Battle Brawlers™, and award-winning brands Air Hogs®, Aquadoodle™, Spin Master Games™ including the popular Hedbanz™, Tech Deck™, Zoobles™ and Spy Gear™. The company has also marked an entry into children’s media with the launch of Spin Master Entertainment, a subsidiary focusing on the design, development and production of television and other media properties. Spin Master employs over 900 people with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Munich, and Milan. For additional information please visit: www.spinmaster.com

Richard 'Jaws' Kiel visits Bond In Motion

If you are an avid James Bond fan, be sure to put Sunday 26th May in your diary, as this will be your opportunity to meet Bond actor, Richard Kiel.  Richard, who played Jaws, one of the most famous Bond villains, will be visiting the BOND IN MOTION exhibition at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.

Richard starred in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1979) and MOONRAKER (1979).  Standing at over seven feet tall, he played the formidable Bond villain Jaws, famously recognisable for his razor sharp steel teeth.

Richard will be accompanied by Blanche Ravelec, who played his love interest Dolly in MOONRAKER. You will be able to find them in the BOND IN MOTION exhibition, inside the National Motor Museum for periods between 1030am and 4pm.

On the day, visitors will be able to purchase Richard’s, Making It Big in the Movies, plus copies of his official photographs.  He will happily sign your purchases and pose for a photograph with you, so don’t forget to bring your camera.

This fantastic opportunity is included in your general admission to Beaulieu, an all inclusive ticket covering the National Motor Museum, BOND IN MOTION, World of Top Gear, Palace House and gardens and Beaulieu Abbey.

For information call 01590 612345 or visit www.beaulieu.co.uk

James May Drops In On World Of Top Gear At Beaulieu

The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, recently welcomed a very special visitor when Top Gear star, James May, paid a visit. James was filming at Beaulieu for a new BBC television series, and during a break he took the opportunity to drop in on the World of Top Gear exhibition.

World of Top Gear features a collection of vehicles created by James and his fellow presenters, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, for some of their most ambitious challenges on the TV show over the years. Some of James’ creations on display include the Triumph Herald Yacht, the malfunctioning BMW Z3 he used in the Middle East Challenge and the Lotus lightweight motor-home.

The ‘Enormodrome’ recreates the feel of the Top Gear studio with regular features from the programme, including the Cool Wall and the Celebrity ‘Lap Times’ board, kept up to date in line with the show. Visitors can also watch behind-the-scenes footage of the Top Gear production zone and clips of some of the best Top Gear moments.

James was particularly impressed with the Reliant Rocket, commenting that he was surprised it had survived!

World of Top Gear can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction, which includes the world famous National Motor Museum, BOND IN MOTION – the world’s largest ever exhibition of original James Bond film vehicles, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House and the gardens.

Beaulieu is open daily from 10am – 5pm. Please visit www.beaulieu.co.uk or telephone 01590 612345 for more information.

Hammond’s Budget Bond Submarine Car At Beaulieu’s World Of Top Gear

Following the airing of Top Gear’s 50 Years of Bond Cars special, fans of the show visiting Beaulieu’s World of Top Gear can now see the actual Top Gear Lotus Excel Submarine driven by Richard Hammond into a lake.

In honour of the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise and the release of the 23rd Bond film Skyfall, Richard Hammond paid tribute to some of 007’s greatest moments on wheels with an hour-long Top Gear special, looking at some of the famous, and not so famous, cars used by the world’s favourite spy. Carried along on a heady wave of nostalgia, Hammond even decided to make a couple of amazing real-life Bond cars on a budget.
 
One of these budget creations was based on the unforgettable Lotus Esprit S1 ‘submarine’ car used by Roger Moore’s James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me. The Top Gear version of this iconic aquatic vehicle uses the never-popular Excel model (because 007-style Esprits were too expensive) and features extendable rear dive planes, electrically-powered rear thrusters, a double skinned passenger compartment, a roof hatch for access and a cunning ballast system which involved filling the tyres with concrete.

Amazingly, this is one of the few cut-price Top Gear projects which actually worked, and this ingenious creation can truly claim to be the world’s first fully functioning submarine car. Although perhaps its biggest achievement is that it has made it to World of Top Gear at Beaulieu, and isn’t lying at the bottom of the lake in which it was tested!

The Lotus Excel Submarine joins a growing collection of cars at Beaulieu created by the Top Gear presenters for some of their most ambitious challenges. Latest additions include the mobility scooters which the presenters raced against wounded servicemen, the cars which they drove through India in the Christmas Special 2011 and Jeremy Clarkson’s TGV12 sports train.

Regular features from the programme including the Cool Wall and the Celebrity ‘Lap Times’ boards are kept up to date in line with the show. Visitors can also watch behind-the-scenes footage of the Top Gear production zone and clips of some of the best Top Gear moments in the ‘Enormodrome’ which recreates the feel of the Top Gear studio, where the TV show is filmed in front of a live audience.

Visitors to Beaulieu can also see the original James Bond Lotus Esprit S1 ‘submarine’ car, the inspiration for this Top Gear challenge, currently displayed in BOND IN MOTION, the National Motor Museum’s exhibition of 50 genuine James Bond cars. This is the largest official collection of Bond vehicles displayed anywhere in the world and showcases all 007’s modes of transportation, including cars, trikes, bikes, sleds, boats and many more.

World of Top Gear and BOND IN MOTION can be viewed as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction which also includes the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey.

Beaulieu is open every day, except Christmas Day, from 10am. For more information telephone 01590 612345 or visit www.beaulieu.co.uk

Skyfall Land Rover Defender joins BOND IN MOTION

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu is delighted to announce the arrival of the Land Rover Defender from the set of the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, for display in the museum’s BOND IN MOTION exhibition.

The 2012 Land Rover Defender is driven in the opening sequence of the film in Turkey. It is a left-hand drive 110 double cab pick-up, boasts a four cylinder 2.2 litre engine, capable of a maximum speed of 90mph.

The Defender joins two Honda CRF250R motorcycles already on display in the exhibition that also feature in the Skyfall opening sequence.

Beaulieu’s Commercial Director Stephen Munn said: “This is another fantastic new addition to BOND IN MOTION. We are delighted that we have been able to welcome three Skyfall vehicles into the exhibition since filming wrapped, and they have already attracted a lot of interest from visitors. We wanted BOND IN MOTION to represent as many of the films as possible, from the Sean Connery classics right through to the current Daniel Craig films, and it is a privilege to be able to give visitors a glimpse of what awaits in the 23rd instalment.”

BOND IN MOTION showcases 50 of the best-loved and most iconic Bond vehicles – some never publicly displayed before – in celebration of the 50th year of the James Bond films.

The exhibition features a whole range of vehicles which have appeared in Bond films over the 50 years including cars, boats, motorbikes, jets and many more. This collection of iconic movie vehicles includes the Aston Martin DB5 from GoldenEye, the 1937 Phantom lll Rolls-Royce from Goldfinger, and theLotus Esprit S1 affectionately nicknamed ‘Wet Nellie’ from The Spy Who Loved Me.

BOND IN MOTION can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction.  For further information visit www.beaulieu.co.uk

The world premiere for Skyfall takes place in the UK on 23rd October 2012.

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For more information visit www.treasurehouses.co.uk

Cannonball 2000 Makes Dreams Come True At Beaulieu

Cannonballers in an array of prestige cars recently gathered at the James Bond – Bond in Motion exhibition at the Beaulieu Motor Museum and gave a fun-filled dream day out for children and their families from the charity Dreams Come True in advance of the first ever Cannonball 2000, which leaves London at 1430 on Wednesday 5th September 2012 from the prestigious Hilton, Park Lane, London.

Cannonball 2000 participants took Dreams Come True children and their families out in a variety of cars which included; a bright orange Lotus, an Aston Martin DB9, Jaguar XK8,a Maserati Gran Cabrio, Ferrari 458 Italia and Ferrari California.  Model Katie Green and TV presenter and WAG Lizzie Cundy added a touch of fun and glamour, alongside James Bond stunt driver Ray Dehaan who talked stunts and film with the Dreams Come True children and their families.

The Cannonball 2000 is a 2,000 mile road trip, which takes place over five days from London moving onto to Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Milan and culminating in Paris. Part of Cannonball 2000’s fee goes directly to Dreams Come True.

Dreams Come True is the chosen charity of Cannonball 2000 and Beaulieu Motor Museum.  The charity helps children from 2 to 21 with life threatening and long-term illness by providing each child with an unforgettable experience creating wonderful memories to share with loved ones and friends. The open day at Beaulieu provided additional fundraising as well as enabling the children to have fun with prestige and vintage cars. For more information visit www.dctc.org.uk

For regular updates on Cannonball 2000 visit: www.cannonball2000.com, or follow on Twitter @cannonball2000 and Facebook at: www.facebook.com/cannonball2000rally
 
More about Cannonball 2000

Cannonball 2000 is billed as ‘the motoring lifestyle event of 2012’ and, living up to its strapline, it has already attracted an impressive line-up of vehicle entries. Ranging from the rare to the exotic with entries such as a DeLorean DMC 12 (film fans will recognise from Back the Future films) and a Lamborghini Gallardo LP570 Performante, the Cannonball 2000 is guaranteed to turn heads on its route across Europe.

From the official formation grid start at the London Hilton Park Lane Hotel on 5th September, the Cannonball 2000 is the ultimate lifestyle event - combining the exhilaration and thrills of a driving event with the very best clubs, bars, hotels and restaurants in each destination.

The event has secured sponsorship deals with well-known consumer brands, exclusive bars and lifestyle products such as Brand Hatton, Amika Mayfair, Rockstar Energy Drinks, Bobby White London, Xbox360, Muc Off and Forza Horizon.

The inaugural Cannonball 2000 event has attracted Cannonballers from all walks of life and corners of the globe, including TV personalities and a former world boxing champion. The 2012 event is already fully sold out, but with 2013’s event planned to be longer, more daring and more spectacular, places are likely to fill fast, for more details visit: www.cannonball2000.com

Simply Bond on Sunday 29th July at Beaulieu

Aston Martin DB5 from 'Goldeneye' at Beaulieu

Simply Bond on Sunday 29th July at Beaulieu, a special one-off event connected to the BOND IN MOTION exhibition at the National Motor Museum. If you own a vehicle of the same make and model as one that has appeared in any of the Bond films, then bring it down to Beaulieu for a thrilling once in a lifetime experience.

Enjoy a drive through the beautiful New Forest before arriving at Beaulieu to display your vehicle in the attraction’s picturesque parkland. Let your car become the star, and take the opportunity to view the range of vehicles on display. Simply Bond is open to any model of vehicle which has featured in a James Bond film, from a glamorous Aston Martin, Lotus or Rolls-Royce, to a more everyday BMW, or Renault. To find out if your vehicle has appeared in a Bond film, visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk and click on Simply Bond, where you will find a full list of eligible vehicles.



Beaulieu visitors can vote for their favourite vehicle on display, with the winner receiving a People’s Choice special edition Beaulieu Trophy, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Beaulieu attraction. The winning vehicle will lead a cavalcade of 20 vehicles selected from all Simply Bond participants through the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

BMW R1200 Motorcycle from Tomorrow Never Dies

Visitors can also see BOND IN MOTION on show in the National Motor Museum until December 2012. The largest exhibition of Bond vehicles staged anywhere in the world, it showcases 50 genuine vehicles from the Bond films as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the James Bond films. Some of the best-loved and most iconic vehicles are on display, including ‘Wet Nellie’ the Lotus Esprit S1 from The Spy Who Loved Me and the Casino Royale Aston Martin DBS stunt car which rolled seven and three quarter turns to claim a Guinness World Record. View film clips and behind-the-scenes footage from some of the most memorable vehicle stunts in the film series.

For entrants arriving on the day in their Bond vehicle and participating in the event, individual ticket prices are £10 adult and £5 child. Book advance tickets at www.beaulieushop.co.uk or by telephone on 01590 612888, which you can also call for information on group/club entry. For all enquiries regarding trade stands, telephone 01590 614614.

Entry into the Beaulieu parkland with your Bond vehicle is from 9.30am when refreshments will be available in the Brabazon Restaurant.

All other visitors who wish to see the event, but not participate in a Bond-featured vehicle, should enter Beaulieu from 10am, via the Main Reception at normal attraction admission prices.

Admission to the event includes entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction; the National Motor Museum, BOND IN MOTION, World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, and Palace House and gardens.

Simply Bond is a one-off addition to a growing calendar of Simply rallies which has rapidly expanded to include a wide variety of themes covering many makes and models. All Simply rallies are run and organised by Beaulieu and take place in the grounds of the National Motor Museum. The newest additions to the Simply rallies for 2012 are Simply Japanese on 5th August and Simply 4x4 on 12th August. For more information please visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk
This event is sponsored by specialist motor insurance broker Adrian Flux.

Hare off to Beaulieu for an Easter Egg-stravaganza 31st March – 15th April 2012

During the Easter holidays, 31st March – 15th April, young visitors to Beaulieu can join in a Hare-Brained Easter Trail. Look for the hares, find the answers to the clues and collect a sweet treat at the end of the trail.

See exciting new exhibition, BOND IN MOTION, showcasing 50 original vehicles from the James Bond films – including some that have never been seen on display before – and incredible vehicle action clips. It features some of the best loved and most iconic vehicles from the world famous film series, including the Lotus Esprit S1 ‘Wet Nellie’ from The Spy Who Loved Me, the Bede Acrostar Jet famously flown in Octopussy, and the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish with adaptive camouflage from Die Another Day.

Also new for 2012 is the On Screen Cars exhibition, where you can spot a number of TV and film favourites. Admire Del Boy’s Reliant Regal as featured in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, Mr Bean’s lime green Mini, and the De Lorean as featured in Back to the Future. Also on display is the flying Ford Anglia, used during the filming of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Take a look around the National Motor Museum’s stunning collection of over 250 vehicles, from world land speed record breakers to F1 racers, plus quirky motoring oddities such as a giant orange on wheels. Journey through 100 years of motoring in the museum’s pod-ride ‘Wheels’ and visit Jack Tucker’s Garage, which recreates the sights, sounds and smells of a typical country garage from the 1930s.

In World of Top Gear see actual vehicles created by presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May for some of their most ambitious challenges on the TV show over the years, including the four cars from the India Christmas Special 2011 which have recently joined the display.

Fans of the show will experience the Top Gear ‘Enormodrome’ which recreates the feel of the Top Gear studio.  As well as regular features from the programme including the Cool Wall and Celebrity ‘Lap Time’ boards, visitors can watch an exclusive video presentation from behind-the-scenes at the Top Gear HQ with Jeremy, Richard and James plus clips from the show featuring the cars on display.

Stroll through the beautifully kept gardens, where in April there is a colourful mass of crocuses and daffodils that surround Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey.  Over fifteen species of daffodils bloom at various times during the flowering season, ensuring a spectacular show lasting many weeks. Join in with Victorian Games on the lawns in front of the house and face painting inside.

Don’t miss Palace House’s new photographic exhibition, ‘Beaulieu Estate: a year in pictures’ which features photographs taken by the Beaulieu Camera Club, documenting every aspect of life on the Beaulieu Estate during 2011.

There’s a lot more for all the family at Beaulieu this Easter; take a ride on the high-level Monorail or see the sights from the replica open-topped London Bus. Budding drivers can get behind the wheel on the Mini Car Driving Circuit and younger visitors can get physical on Dipstick’s Mini Motor Play Trail with its Veteran Bus climbing frame, swings and Little Tykes ride-on-cars. Plus visit the Secret Army Exhibition and learn about the training of special agents at Beaulieu during WWII.

Beaulieu is open from 10am every day so hop along to Beaulieu for some Easter fun.  For further information telephone 01590 612345 or visit: www.beaulieu.co.uk

For further information on The Treasure Houses of England please click here.

Never Before Seen Exhibits Arrive for James Bond Vehicle Exhibition 17th January 2012

The opening of an exciting new exhibition of 50 James Bond vehicles, which will be unveiled to the public on 17th January 2012, is now less than a month away. The exhibition, the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world, will showcase 50 of the best loved and most iconic James Bond vehicles in celebration of the 50th year of James Bond films. Bond in Motion will run from January to December 2012 at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.

Among the vehicles now arriving for the exhibition are a number that have never before been seen in public. These include the Ford Mustang Mach 1 from Diamonds Are Forever, villain Zukovsky’s Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II from The World Is Not Enough and the vintage 1962 Rolls Royce, pushed into a lake by May Day and Zorin with Bond still inside, in A View to a Kill.

Other exhibits on public view for the first time include the ‘Burial-At-Sea Bed’ from You Only Live Twice, the Union Jack Parachute which villain Gustav Graves used when he landed on The Mall and the Surfboard with concealed weapons and ammunition, from Die Another Day. Also on display will be the Casino Royale Skyfleet S570 model, based on a Boeing 747, and original ‘Pig’ from The Living Daylights, used to smuggle Koskov across the border through the Siberian Pipe Line.

2012 also marks the 40th anniversary of Beaulieu’s world-famous National Motor Museum, a fitting year to be hosting a major new car exhibition with some of the most recognised vehicles from the Bond films.

National Motor Museum

The world-famous National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has a collection of over 250 vehicles telling the story of motoring on the roads of Britain from the dawn of motoring to the present day. There are historic racing cars, modern rally cars and the latest F1 machines as well as World Land Speed Record Breakers and family cars from every motoring era. Visitors to Beaulieu can also explore Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538 and 13^th century Beaulieu Abbey as well as World of Top Gear. Open every day, except Christmas Day, from 10am. For more information Tel: 01590 612345 or visit www.beaulieu.co.uk

EON Productions
EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaqis the US based company that co-owns, with MGM, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films as well as all worldwide merchandising. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company which makes the James Bond films. The 007 franchise is the longest running in film history with twenty-two films produced since 1962. Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli took over the franchise from Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli in 1995 and have produced some of the most successful Bond films ever including CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE.