The Secret Life of Machines - Tim Hunkin

[neil1971]

Anyone else remember this - presenter Tim Hunkin appeared on something else recently, might have been Coast, and it jogged my memory of these programmes where he explains the workings of a variety of machines. Would be more in keeping to watch on a massive Betamax video but the Youtube links are below:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfr3_AwuO9Y - Internal combustion engines

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Tp2qpjcgw - the car

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tim+hunkin+secret+life+of+machines - other programmes from the series

[PiperCub]

Yes, remember this guy well, not exactly usual TV presenter material (which is a good thing) but to me, was a real natural. Loved TSLOM, in both content and style, will watch the above YouTube example on my next night shift. Shame there's nothing I've seen recently that comes close.

 

Wasn't Rex Garrod of 'Robot Wars' fame on this show too or am I making that bit up?

[PhilA]

Yup, Rex did the first four series with Tim until it kinda petered off with the Utopia series.

 

Fun stuff, enjoyed it all way back in the day. Still got a bunch of the shows recorded on VHS off channel 4, circa 1988

 

Phil

[neil1971]

Yes, Rex Garrod is on the show, he does a rollover stunt in a Datsun 100A in the car episode, love his proper East Anglian accent too

 

Beaten to it by PhilA!

[Felly Magic]

Tim has the arcade of weirdness on Southwold pier, both him and Rex 'Robot Wars' Garrod still live in Suffolk. The series' were epic, loved it when he hammered a hole in the oil filter and got sprayed right in the gob. Legend

[Shep Shepherd]

I loved the series when it was first shown, and still do. Tim Hunkin is an excellent chap

[Timewaster]

I quote often watch these on Yout Youb.

 

Absolutely brilliant series.

[Pillock]

I loved this show, probably fuelled my enthusiasm for taking things apart.

 

My mum probably didn't like this show for the same reason.

[michael1703]

The arcade is open 7 days a week (unless it's blowing a gale)

 

http://www.underthepier.com

[themildbunch]

The arcade is open 7 days a week (unless it's blowing a gale)

 

http://www.underthepier.com

Yes, this is well worth a visit... crankenstein is great..

[michael1703]

I go there quite often, I like the one with the dog where you have to hold your finger on the button

[Sloth in a bowl]

They also have another arcade in Princeton St in central London. Not big but worth a look.

[RoadworkUK]

I used to feel sorry for the tellies in the big pile at the end of the telly episode, and that Mk2 Escort with the terminal rust. Already.

[Fabergé Greggs]

I have such vivid memories of being about 7 and being transfixed by them running sort of engine on a bench, illustrating the amount of gases it was pumping out by gleefully holding bin bags over the exhaust- or did I imagine that bit?

 

Great theme tune too:

https://youtu.be/JqrSo-uN2A4

[neil1971]

You remember correctly, the engine is idling with the bag over the exhaust, then he revs it up, filling the bag rapidly

 

Anyone know what the engine they used was, looks like some sort of Ford OHV maybe? 

 

I have such vivid memories of being about 7 and being transfixed by them running sort of engine on a bench, illustrating the amount of gases it was pumping out by gleefully holding bin bags over the exhaust- or did I imagine that bit?

[beko1987]

I've watched them all to death, especially the vacuum cleaner one!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

You remember correctly, the engine is idling with the bag over the exhaust, then he revs it up, filling the bag rapidly

 

Anyone know what the engine they used was, looks like some sort of Ford OHV maybe? 

 

Yeah. I'd bet money on it being the engine from that Escort they picked up with a crane in the Car episode.

[trigger]

My mate went round Rex Garrods a few months back for a job, apparently he's very poorly these days with early signs of dementia.

[Felly Magic]

Poor bloke, and he's a genius too. So sad to hear that Trigger

[greengartside]

IIRC, Tim Hunkin designed and built the weather clock that is situated on the end of Southwold pier as well as the other things on there!

[Shep Shepherd]

^ 

He did. Visiting Southwold is a very pleasant way to spend a weekend, and the pier is well worth a visit to see all of the crazy Hunkin contraptions in action

[martybabes]

I'm sure TH used to draw large, complex cartoons for one of the Sunday broadsheets years ago.

[robinmasters]

I'm sure TH used to draw large, complex cartoons for one of the Sunday broadsheets years ago.

 

Correct. 

 

Compiled in a book (can't remember the title, but it's got the word 'everything's in it I think-my copies in the loft and I cba to check), which taught me everything I know. That might be the title actually, everything there is to know. 

[PhilA]

From memory the engine was a 1.1 Valencia. Love the way he squirts some sort of oil from the screen washer bottle into the intake then revs it up to make some smoke into the bin bag.. brrrrrbrap pft brapbabAAAAAAAAAAAoooommmmmmm in typical "been idling a while" Ford fashion.

 

One of my faves. Also, "this is recorded on sticky tape and rust", the Escort likely came in very handy.

 

Went to one of Tim's lectures in Bristol way back when. Entertaining stuff.

 

Phil

[garethj]

Correct. 

 

Compiled in a book (can't remember the title, but it's got the word 'everything's in it I think-my copies in the loft and I cba to check), which taught me everything I know. That might be the title actually, everything there is to know. 

Almost Everything There Is To Know.  An excellent book although it'll convince you that you need reading glasses.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Almost-Everything-There-Timothy-Hunkin/dp/0600570878

 

[Dead_E23]

That looks a great book. I was a big fan of his cartoons in the Sunday Times.

I am also a fairly frequent visitor to Southwold, and there were some leaflets in the arcade earlier in the year advertising a new Tim Hunkin arcade near Covent Garden.

 

ETA:  found it.  http://www.novelty-automation.com/