Top gear's james may talks magnificent machines

May says Magnificent Machines – a spin-off from the recent TV series – is a painstakingly compiled guide to technology over the last 100 years.

“It’s my personal selection of things that made the 20th century big technologically,” said May in his usual can’t-really-be-bothered style.

“I did it with Phil Doling, the executive producer of the series, who did a lot of research. I know a fair bit about planes and cars but not so much about architecture.

“It took bloody months to write. All last summer when people were frolicking around parks I was writing about technology.”

The book covers the Zeppelin airship – a topic that has returned to the headlines with plans to fly airships over Canary Wharf, plans, which according to May, might prove premature.

He said: “The Zeppelin Delag was the world’s first proper airline, and they had an excellent safety record.

“Hugo Eckner, who was the mastermind, was a committed pacifist who had a vision of linking the world through air travel.

“The Hindenburg was going to be called The Hitler but Eckner quickly named it after German president Paul Von Hindenburg before the Nazis could slap Hitler’s name on.

“The story’s quite a sad one, because they were very elegant but a couple of big disasters saw the end of it. Every 10 years or so you get a big story about the airship coming back, carrying cargo efficiently around the world, but then the story dies down again.”

Away from the book, May revealed he was looking forward to a return to television. He is pairing up with wine critic Oz Clarke again, this time for a series on beer. Before that, he will be back on Top Gear on Sunday for its 11th series.

“We’ve filmed most of it apart from the studio bits and it’s got pretty much the usual stuff in it,” said May.

“Challenges, races, some silly cars, some stunts, larking about, some new cars, but it’s a bit different. There are a few subtle changes.”