How Britain Worked

Just about to start on C4 at 8.00pm, think I wil give the first one a watch and see how it goes. Anyone else watching?

Edit, think I will turn off now - bloody trains

J

Edited By JasonB on 21/10/2012 20:03:28

I have been subjected to the unremitting 'trails' for this series and it appears that the presenter is Guy Martin. Nice chap, no doubt but I'm afraid that he should stick to what he's good at - Racing motor-bikes at insane speeds and angles ... TV presenter ??? No, No, No.

Rgds

Bill

Guy Martin? What an inspiration. Enthusiasm for everything mechanical and related to hard work, endeavour and achievement and better still everything to do with British engineers. In his case he is obviously proud of the common workers as well as the famous names such as Brunel etc. He is a man who works long hours maintaining and repairing lorries, making documentaries as shown tonight and even finding time to race VERY FAST motorcycles.

What we need in this fine country of ours is more of his kind. Roll on the second episode. Hail to the new Fred Dibnah.

ANYBODY who can get a message across to the great unwashed with the enthusiasm that Guy puts into it is good in my book.

At least the guy has experience and isn't worried about getting his hands dirty or worrying about grammar.

John S.

I've been looking foward to this all week and was pleased with the outcome, I'm a fan of Guy's and was suitably impressed with his enthusiasm and appreciation of the craftsmanship that went into building these engineering masterpieces .

Edited By Kevin Fenrich on 21/10/2012 23:18:58

I really enjoyed the program and I think Guy Martin is great

not frightened to get his hands dirty

a real down to earth chap he is the new Fred Dibnah

Best Wishes Martin

Enjoyed the first episode very much but did need a babel fish in my ear to pick up all the dialogue.

Doug

I too enjoyed the show..Find Guy hardwork and enjoyed it despite him...tells you how good the rest of show was I guess.

A few other shows make me feel the same way the same way ..."home made house" or what ever ( architect in the woods) "kirstyies handi crafts" ... like I say says alot about content if you can put up with the presenter...

Guy did a series for the beeb not long ago...felt the same way about that..good content Nice chap just want to scream at him some times...

Guy Martin, he is what he is. Accent is fine by me, enthusiasm infectious. Just accept him.

As JohnS says, we need more like him to spread the message. Please do not nit pick this series, his ideas on tolerances and accuracy are not mine,as are his problems with imperial/metric dimensions, however it is the story line that matters.

Roll on the next Manx TT.

Guy Martin is in his twenties and of course has been brought up with metric dimensions in the lorries he works on and on his Japanese race bikes. To see him going through the mental gymnastics of using imperial micrometers was a joy to behold. Lesser so called "expert presenters" would simply have imported a set of metric measuring equipment. I loved it when he measured to wheel spindle, visibly worked his way through the mic readings and pronounced the size as "four inches and four hundred and seven thous". What a gem.

He was also extremely praiseworthy of the efforts and skills of the 17 year old apprentice when casting, and fitting the white metal bearing. Similarly he heaped praise on the 20 uyear old who as I recall bored out the bearing. Other presenters would have tried to suggest that they had carried out the work.

Really looking forward to the next episode as well as seeing him in action in next seasons racing.

KWIL...I agree, was trying to make the point that great content makes up for ( to me ) presenteation ... err ... differences.

And the main howlers in units seemed to be from the voice over man .. no excuse there but harmless.

Managed to completely miss all the adverts, and even on the EPG, so thanks to Jason for bringing it to my attention.

Thanks also for whoever dreamed up the idea of a repeat 1 hour later: that way I managed to see the complete program.

Yes, interesting program, but a bit shallow I thought, but then in 50 mins what else can it be? Particularly liked the white metalling bit as I have never seen it before. And the machinery shows up my meagre equipment somewhat!

Looking forward, digibox already set to record, the next program.

Regards to all,

Peter G. Shaw

If anyone wants to watch this it is repeated on channel 4seven tonight at 8pm. That is channel 47 on freeview, 127 on freesat, 140 on sky, 195 on virgin. I've recorded it but haven't watched it yet.

Gary

Oh come on, chaps!!! The new Fred Dibnah??

I had the misfortune to sit through GM's previous series on the Beeb. Enthusiastic? Yes; Involved? Yes. Knowledgeable?

Sorry, but to compare GM with the one and only Fred is comparing gold with pewter. Fred had both the skills and knowledge to turn his hand to almost anything engineer related - including the most exquisite draughtsmanship. I'm sure GM is good at what he does and I KNOW that his Superbike racing skills are quite brilliant but a replacement for Fred? Not in a million years!

Those who enjoyed it will, no doubt, continue to do so. I'm afraid the combination of GM PLUS those ^%$**&*%ing adverts is more than I can cope with.

Rgds

Bill

Hi Guys,

I feel this show was better than his last, discounting his dog trials one for obvious reasons, because there was more of interest to us lot (the engineering minded) than the social historian. Unfortunately I feel as though I might be on the verge of becoming a "vocal snob", for although I admire the heck out of his abilities both in the garage and most particularly on the track, not to mention his balls for appearing on TV, I do find his use of language a bit hard on the ear. This feeling will not stop me watching his shows, for I know it is my failings, not his, that his words jar.

What I am waiting for is his next series, whatever that may be, because I feel he has had more of his input into this series, than the boat one. He is I feel the sort who will now only do a program on his terms, whereas his first one was on the producers ones. As he begins to realise the powers he has as the star of the show, he can guide the direction the way he wants it to go, which is probably the way we also would like it to go.

Thank heavens this show does not have "tarbie's twitterings" but a half decent narrator, who only has to fill in the blanks rather than constantly droning on as though she was the star of the show.

Final verdict, thumbs up and looking forward to the rest.

chriStephens

PS for those who like white metal pouring, take a look at;

**LINK**

Thanks for the starting notification Jason.

Watching the replay it is looking better than some of the ilk with pictures of the items of interest . Producers / directors are from the arts not sciences and as exemplified in 'a car is born' and gardening programs want to show pictures of ugly old male presenters instead of the subject matter. (No that's not a call for blowsey broads with big ...)

'Personalities' seldom know much about the subject and may not be well briefed. This series seems to have recognised that and provided a background overduber witha decent accent and script. Fred Dibnah was not supported with information perhaps because they thought he knew a lot but his range of knowledge and abilty to express what he knew was very poor. It doesn't really matter though when the audience don't know the difference between a bolt and a screw.

I know it's C4 but still Sunday night prime time entertainment.

I can put up with the odd boo boo if it makes for good TV remember we want to get this and related subjects over to the unwashed.

If the program was pedantic, perfect it would only appeal to the anorak brigade and if the viewing figures were not up in the charts it would get pulled, so it's a trade off, getting more people interested or none because the program gets that boring it panned.

Also don't under estimate guy martins skills compared to Fred Dibnah, Fred had a lot more experience under his belt, Guy has a long way to go but he's no dunce.

Fred also had the canny knack of getting many people to do things for him because he was Fred Dibnah, not saying he bragged that others work was his but it's possible to brag by omission.

John S.

Just got to the end and see next week is going to be pure fun though those relying on wickipedia will not understand my pun.

Just finished watching the 1st episode and I thought it was very good. Can't wait for the next one