by Joe Jeffrey
In one of Top Gear’s most memorable ‘stunts’, Richard Hammond et al show off what else caravans can do
It seems not one series of the popular BBC show, Top Gear, can go by without a caravan – or caravans for that matter – being on the receiving end of mockery and, in this blast from the past, 2011’s series 17 was no different.
Forget caravan conkers and outlandish stunts, which would see caravans doomed from the start. We introduce to you the caravan train.
The video begins with Richard Hammond, looking more and more like a hamster as the series progressed, scurrying around with his clipboard placing passengers from a train company into different sections of the ‘train’, with each compartment representing something different. From ‘First Class’, to ‘Scum Class’, the Top Gear team had thought of the lot (cough), with interior design modifications reflecting the class of cabin accordingly; First Class was decked out with deep red carpets and luxurious chesterfield armchairs whilst Scum Class represented something akin to a barn, featuring side benches and a scattering of hay – presumably reserved for ticket collectors.
With an Audi S8 at the front, the four caravans, which were modified to stick to the tracks, were towed by an excited, childlike James May, declaring it was the best thing he’d ever done, as the ‘passengers’ looked on with about as much confidence as a David Beckham appearing on University Challenge, whilst the vibrations inside each cabin ensured fixtures, fittings and the obligatory travel refreshments, including snack sized tubs of Pringles and coffee urns, flew all over the place.
Where was the obnoxious Jeremy Clarkson during all of this? Well, he was attempting to look cool, whilst towing the editor of Railway Magazine along in an open trailer – pressumably for no reason other than the production team possibly not having much lined up for him to do during this inane task.
We’ve only plonked part one onto the site below, but we’re sure that’s all you need. So watch on below and let us know what you think!
