Top Gear pyrotechnician tours battlefields

Justin Smith is a pyrotechnician and is the head of pyrotechnics for the live Top Gear television show.

Top Gear is showing in Durban this weekend and he had planned to go to Durban to do the special effects for the live show. However, they did not need him for this show and he had already bought a non-refundable ticket. So he decided to hire a car and tour the country. Justin says that, “Instead of touring the city, I decided to tour the country and see the smaller towns. I’ve read about the battlefields and learnt about them in school, so I booked into a B&B here and asked about the Battlefields Tour.” He was also invited to do the pyrotechnics and special effects for the Field Gun Run at Earl’s Court in Britain, but doesn’t claim to be a gun or military fanatic.

So what does it mean to be a pyrotechnician? We’ve all seen Porsche cars being set alight with fancy flame throwers on the side, and jackets that ignite as drivers do stunts on motorbikes, right? Well, Justin designs and builds the flame throwers and flaming jackets. He says that, “There are cylinders which are filled with Propane gas and we can set them alight with a remote control. It can be dangerous and the drivers have to wear special Nomex suits which are specially made from a flame-resistant material to protect them. We always use the best materials we can get our hands on, but anything can happen. People think of it as a glamorous job, but it can be dangerous. If there is something worrying you at the back of your mind, you have to go check and check again to make sure it’s safe.”

When asked about the Top Gear presenters, Justin says he has spoken to all of them, but that he and they have different jobs and don’t get to socialise much. “But it’s always lots of fun and a ‘rock and roll’ kind of show. I’m often busy with the live shows and not the TV shows. But Top Gear is kind of like a travelling circus because there are all kinds of people on our team. There are mechanics and those involved in the production; everyone has their own job, but we are a strong team. There are always little things that can change a show, such as floor surface or temperature, and we have to work together when the pressure is on to get everything done in time. But once the job is done, you feel exhilarated and happy, and you can relax a bit.”

A Ladysmith Gazette journalist couldn’t help but ask about the Stig, to which Justin replied, “I do know him, I know his name and have spoken to him, but I’m not allowed to say anything more about him. In a way, he is like Father Christmas or Mickey Mouse, it’s more about the character than the person.”

Justin got involved with Top Gear in 2007 and started his own business, Special FX Solutions, for the show. Since then, he has travelled the world and been to places like Hong Kong, Australia and Ireland. “Of all the places the show has travelled to, the best are South Africa and Ireland because the people are so friendly and the audiences are just so warm and welcoming. Our first foreign show was actually in Johannesburg. I love South Africa – the people are so friendly and I enjoy your steak and red wine,” smiles Justin.

He visited Hymsville and is currently doing the Ladysmith tour before going to Dundee tomorrow (Friday) to look at the battle sites there. “I watched the movie ‘Zulu’ about three times when I was a kid and having heard about Ladysmith at school, it is very interesting to see, and actually being here really connects it all together. It is so lovely to have turned a failed week into a good week and just get out and see the country.”