Scalextric cars can look pretty realistic!
The full 2.75-mile circuit at Brooklands officially fell silent in 1939 at the start of World War II, but TV star James May has brought it back to life with the crazed buzzing of Scalextric cars.
Swapping the smell of burning rubber and oil for that evocative plasticky burning smell from a slot-car at full pelt may not be the revival we might have hoped for, but May and a large team of Scalextric Club members have attempted something pretty special by overlaying the route of the original track with Scalextric, as part of a new series for the BBC.
The project to complete the long-dilapidated raceway is said to have cost £150,000, and included crossing a major road, the River Wey and several buildings - as well as the few bits of the circuit that still remain in situ.
'Toy Stories' aims to repeat the success of May's nostalgic 'Top Toys' programmes with the BBC, which appeared sporadically between 2005 and 2008. But this new series is apparently focused more on scale than fond memories, featuring a full-size house made of Lego, and a Meccano bridge over a canal, as well as this Scalextric record attempt.
The attempt took place on Sunday but is not yet known whether the record, currently standing at 1.59 miles, was broken. Apparently Guinness World Record bods need time to scrutinise the team's efforts, and the BBC doesn't want to give the game away.