World's Toughest Driving Tests (2010) s01e02 Episode Script
Episode 2
'These are some of the hardest to drive 'and most dangerous machines on the planet.
'It's brutal, physical and dangerous work.
'Now, celeb pals Will Mellor and Kirsten O'Brien 'have been set a challenge to learn to drive these incredible vehicles, 'race them and prove who's the better driver.
' At the end of the day, "girl" comes into it, doesn't it? I think he's thinking he can take me down, and there may be tears.
Who's going to win? Me.
'To master these awesome vehicles takes months.
' Brake! Brake! 'But Will and Kirsten have just days.
' Oh, no! Don't make me do that again, man! 'In less than a week, they'll be examined, scrutinised' Didn't we go over this? 'and tested.
' Steady! Go! 'And they'll race in the world's toughest vehicles, head-to-head.
' Come on, O'Brien! Come on! Smoke rings without smoke.
That's how cold it is! 'They'll be living with the people behind the machines.
' That's the toilet? Yes.
'It'll be intense' Incredible! 'emotional' I feel really guilty.
'and, at times 'terrifying.
'The crash course of their lives.
' This is the most frightening thing.
Ooh.
We're going to hit it! 'Are Will and Kirsten up to the job? 'Can they handle the pressure?' I've not been this scared for a long time.
'They've battled it out in eastern Europe.
' The winner isKirsten.
No way?! 'Their next vehicle is much closer to home.
'This week's journey starts at Will's in Berkshire.
'Armed with sat-nav and Audi, 'he's on his way to pick up his friend and rival, Kirsten.
' Kirsten? Yeah? It's me! You div! 'Kirsten O'Brien and Will Mellor are united by two things.
'They love getting one up on each other.
' Ooh, power! 'And they love their cars.
' I can't stand people who drive that far up behind you.
They could put their cigarette lighter in and burn your arse! If someone is cutting people up, being a div, then I get quite irate.
'The journey continues, but they don't know where they're going or what they're driving.
' I hope you brought your A-game.
Whatever! 'Last week, Will and Kirsten fought it out in a Romanian battle tank.
' Come on! 'In a gruelling test that pushed them to their limits, 'after a week of training, living soldier style, 'Kirsten pipped Will in the race.
' 'This week, can Will draw level? 'Ten minutes in, things aren't going well.
'The sat-nav's playing up.
' I could have got there hours ago! You're quite an aggressive driver.
Do you think I am? What are you doing, you clown? 'Out of the city, they're still confused.
' Where are we going here? Finnish.
We could be going to Finland! Are these the P&O Ferries here? 'Will and Kirsten have reached the docklands in Essex, 'venue of their next battle.
'TCS is one of Europe's biggest container terminals.
'It's a vast manmade dock, jam-packed with monster machinery.
'24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year, 'everything from bananas to gold bullion come through here.
'Will and Kirsten will be living the life of a 21st-century docker, 'and must master one of the world's tallest and most extreme vehicles.
' What are we doing here? Don't tell me we're staying here for a week! Don't tell me we're staying here for a week.
'Will, you're staying here for a week.
' I thought we were getting on a ferry, off across the water.
'There's another massive surprise around the corner.
' I've never been anywhere like this.
I haven't got a clue You are joking! No way! Oh, my gosh! Look at these things! Where are they sitting? At the top or at the bottom? The top! Oh, my! That is! It's a bit weird, isn't it? It's like weird spiders.
It's massive! I'm all right with heights.
But it's not my dream scenario.
I used to do roofing.
The house wasn't on wheels.
'The straddle carrier, a 15-metre high tower of steel, 'weighing 70 tonnes 'A top speed of 24km per hour.
'It's the tallest of its kind in the world, a feat of engineering.
'If you want one of these monsters, it will cost you £500,000! 'Over four days, Kirsten and Will must master these machines 'and prove who's the best driver.
'Time to meet the man in charge.
' Hello.
Hiya, Kirsten.
My name's Nigel.
I'm going to be your mentor for the week.
Really? I'm Will.
Nice to meet you.
All right, mate? I didn't want to tell Kirsten, but I'm not great with heights.
It moves, wobbles, the glass case.
I think he'll be squealing like a girl.
I really do.
We'll have to see what happens.
I'm more nervous about this one than the others.
'Will and Kirsten have met their mentor 'and seen the colossal carrier.
'There's no doubting this is a very tall order.
'Fully kitted-out, nervous or not, they have to face the challenge.
' OK, Will, Kirsten, time to go up the straddle carrier for the first time.
The wind's getting up, so you'll feel that up there.
Tremendous! Is that good news for you? Brilliant news! All right.
I'm going for it.
'Not many drives start with a 50-foot climb.
'That's the first challenge facing Will and Kirsten.
' Right.
OK, O'Brien.
Easy does it.
'It could be over before it's begun.
It's a question of Will power!' Oh, my days! Come on.
You can do it.
I'm starting to get a bit frightened.
Oh, my gosh! Oh, my God! 'Now, less than halfway up the carrier, Kirsten's struggling.
' Are you OK, Kirsten? 'Nigel has seen this ruin rookies.
' I'm going to go up.
It's got quite windy! Oh, my crap! Jesus! Sorry.
I'm swearing a lot.
I'm not far off.
Right.
I'm coming.
One foot at a time! 'With Nigel behind her, she makes it.
' Whoa! Well done.
'They've already been tested and they're not in the driving seat.
' I'm all right.
It's strange to be up here driving when everything's working there.
'Before they're let loose, it's time for a ride in the passenger seat.
'If Will's going to nail this vehicle, he'll need help from Dave, 'a senior instructor with 20 years' experience.
' Right, hold on.
'Kirsten is with Tony.
There's nothing on the docks he can't drive.
'With every bump and sway, 'Will is learning what it's like to drive a straddle carrier, 'and he doesn't like it.
'Kirsten's just happy to be sitting down!' You've got to have 100% concentration 'She'll concentrate on anything other than climbing the ladder.
' It'll be different When you're driving.
'Test drive over.
They both have serious reasons to be worried.
' How was it? I don't like the ladder.
The motion, I didn't like.
I'm happy with that.
That ladder! When I stopped, I was thinking, "Will cruises!" I was like this on a ladder.
There was no cruising! I just My manhood got me up that ladder.
'The competition has begun for Will and Kirsten, and for four nights, 'they'll be living and working with the men 'who know the straddle carrier better than anyone.
'For over 200 years, Tilbury has been at the heart of the Essex economy and community.
'Over 300 people work at this terminal.
'Some have worked here over 40 years.
'Straddle driving is a tough job for tough people.
'They work up to 12-hour shifts, day and night.
' It's time now to meet your hosts.
Kirsten, this is Mike.
Brilliant.
Do you live near here? Yeah, I live up the road.
Will? Yeah.
You're staying with me.
Yeah! I got the big man! 'Mentor Nigel is a site supervisor with 20 years' experience 'driving every vehicle in this industry.
' This is nice, innit? 'He lives in a nearby village with wife Trudy and sons Tyler and Luke.
' Come on, Mum.
Give us a cuddle.
'Kirsten's lodging with Mike.
He's a service technician.
'What he doesn't know about straddle carriers isn't worth knowing.
'He shares his home with wife Tracey and sons Dylan and Aaron.
' Let's see what this is like! 'Stripped for action, Will's competitive edge 'is bubbling to the surface.
' I'm going to have to take you down.
Oh, me phone's ringing.
Sorry.
It's Will! Mind if I get this? Yeah.
Sorry.
I won't cheat.
Hello.
How you doing? How is your place? Very lovely.
I can hear water.
That's nothing.
That's just the Jacuzzi.
Shut up! I'm in the Jacuzzi, having a sauvignon blanc.
You're not.
Oh, yes! Belting, this! See ya.
I'll see ya in the morning.
Bye.
I heard that water! He could never have hidden that from me.
All I could hear was 'With the final showdown four days away, 'Will and Kirsten are trying to come to terms with the challenge ahead.
' That was day one.
It was a bit unnerving.
I came to terms with that's what I have to do.
I got over my fears, I suppose.
In a way, I got over my first hurdle.
I really like the vehicle.
What I don't like is the ladder.
It's interesting to see Will suffer a bit.
He said he had problems when he was up in the cabin, and I didn't.
Whether that will psychologically give me the edge, knowing that, we'll have to see how that plays out across the week.
'It's a new day.
'By the end of the week, Will and Kirsten will go head-to-head 'to prove who is the best driver of these 70-tonne mobile skyscrapers.
'Before they can even think about that, 'they have to successfully complete three lessons, 'designed to prepare them for three key skill tests.
'If Will and Kirsten are going to master this 50-foot giant, 'they'll need to perfect these three crucial skills.
'Lesson one is taking place 50 miles away in rural Surrey.
' We're here today at this vineyard cos you need to develop key skills, and one of them is depth perception.
We're not letting you loose on our half-a-million-pound machines till you've developed these skills.
'Accurate depth perception is vital for a driver.
'Working up to 12-hour shifts, day and night, 'they have to navigate with pinpoint accuracy 'from a 50-metre high cab.
'Like the straddle carrier, the vine tractor is driven from above.
'The first lesson tests eyesight, concentration and steering skills, 'as they travel over 20-year-old vines onto a buzz wire.
'Everyone will hear if they mess that up.
'Then they need to navigate a narrowing squeeze track.
'These lessons hold the key to winning the head-to-head challenge.
'Mentor Nigel will be assessing Will and Kirsten's progress 'and will monitor their every manoeuvre.
'He's enlisted the help of head driver Roger.
'It's Nigel they have to impress.
'If he doesn't think they're up to the task he will remove them from this week's competition.
' It's not a race.
Who's going to go first? You're going first.
Right.
Good luck.
It's a lot smaller scale than a straddle carrier.
Concentrate, son.
Concentrate! 'He's straddled the vines and it's on to the buzz wire.
'One mistake will make contact.
Every millimetre counts.
'It takes patience - not one of Will's strong points.
' Aargh! What's going on? Oh, shit! 'That's a basic error.
'Will needs to pull it back on the squeeze track.
' He's hit the sign.
Oh, dear.
That's flattened.
I caught the edge of that cone.
You flattened it! I caught the edge.
It's getting its shape back.
I just caught this edge.
You squashed right down! You've got hindsight going second.
Let's see how you do.
Got to get past that cone.
Cocky O'Brien! Go on.
Get it on! 'Will going second give Kirsten the edge?' Go on, love! You're doing a mile an hour.
Am I? One mile an hour? 'Can she hold her line from the vines and silence the buzz wire?' This is the scary bit! Steady! I'm a bit annoyed about that.
'Another fail on the buzz wire.
'Can she avoid inflicting more damage to the cones?' She's done well.
She had an advantage going second.
'This lesson was designed to test their depth perception.
'On the straddle carrier, they'll be navigating between containers 'from a 15-metre high cab.
' You done very well down the vines.
Moved on to the buzz wire.
Started off OK, then the old panic set in.
The old steering wheel started going all over the place.
Do that up the straddle carrier, we'll have the motion issue.
Then we moved to the squeeze area and a cone met an unfortunate end.
Oh, dear.
Kirsten, very good down the vines.
Then you moved on to the buzz wire.
Really slow Yeah! Really slow! but controlled.
It's good.
Fantastic at the end.
That's nice.
Thank you.
Are we going on to the big boys now? Yeah.
'That's lesson one complete.
'In just two hours, 'they face an examination of what they learned in their first test.
'First, they need a test drive.
' How are you feeling? I'm not going to think about it.
Yesterday, it was frightening.
I'm just going to go for it.
Let's do it.
A-way, let's 'ave it! A-way.
'This is their first time at the controls and the stakes are high - 'three storeys high.
'A rookie mistake here could send all 70 tonnes into the Thames.
' Feels so weird.
Sorry, it's just a bit strange.
Wow.
This is unlike anything I've ever experienced.
'It's an experience that's affecting them in different ways.
' Slam the brake on.
No Slow down.
Oh, no! Don't make me do that again, man! That was awful! 'Is Will's cabin fever going to cost him the title of best driver?' Sweating like a pig here! 'Kirsten's growing to like it on top.
' Ooh! That's a big jolt, isn't it? 'Their first spin over, and Will and Kirsten have very mixed feelings.
' It was the strangest feeling ever.
I don't want to come away not passing the test, not looking like I could drive it.
It's important to me.
I want to do well.
I couldn't be happier.
I love this vehicle.
We work together, me and that gangly legged thing.
We like each other.
'Whatever they may say, it's their driving that will do the talking.
'The pressure is about to soar.
'It's time to undertake skill test one in the straddle carrier.
'Have they taken on board the lessons? 'Can a vine tractor prepare them for a 70-tonne colossus? 'This first "must pass" test will determine whether they have learned 'the depth perception skills to navigate between containers 'from a 50-metre high cab.
'The gaps are tight, and then get tighter.
'To make things more interesting, 'a perilously tight turning circle has been added.
'The final set of crates has just a 15cm clearance.
'There's one way to avoid crushing the crates, failing the test 'and being sent home - by pulling off the drive of their lives.
'Kirsten's first.
She's impressed so far, but this is a whole new level.
' She's off.
'From 50 feet up, these metre distances look like millimetres.
' Let's tackle these blue babies.
'Kirsten edged through the first gap.
'Now the gap is halved.
' I can't see it, but I think we're all right.
Got it! Perfect! Yes! 'Through the third set of crates, she approaches the hairpin turn.
' She turns in too sharp, she'll catch the back end.
Whoo! Scary! 'Any over-steer will see the back wheels crushing the crates 'and Kirsten's hopes of competing.
' She's done really well.
Got it straight.
'Kirsten's nailing the course.
Will's feeling the pressure.
' Oh! It's SO tight! 'The final obstacle, and there's no room for manoeuvre.
'Just 15cm each side of the wheels.
'These are the distances straddle carrier drivers navigate every day.
' Don't mess it up now! Ease it in.
I think she's done it.
She's only gone and nailed it.
Did I hit anything? Not a thing.
'Test over.
And Kirsten's on top of the world.
'What does the expert think?' You done very well.
Brilliant! The amount of training you've had.
You've listened to what Tony's been telling you.
That was good slow control of the machine.
And accuracy.
Well done.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Cos she's nailed it, if I make any mistakes, I've lost.
'It's Will's turn, and half the battle is in his head.
'Has Kirsten's success psyched him out? 'Can he overcome his fear of this Empire State vehicle? 'A good start is going to be vital for Will's confidence.
'He's cleared the first two obstacles.
'As the gaps get tighter, will he get tenser? 'Concentration and determination have seen him through.
'He's heading for the toughest part of the course.
' He's got the hard turn there.
'Will must turn the straddle carrier and his fortunes on a sixpence.
'Two tight squeezes are all that stand between him and a clear run.
'Easier said than done.
' Is he faster than me? Do you think that was faster? I don't know.
'Will's done it!' Yes! Get in there! Get in there, son! Wa-hoo! 'Test one over.
What does Nigel think of Will's efforts?' Very well done.
No boxes touched, as far as we could see.
Your spatial awareness, your depth perception, all good.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Well done.
Well done.
'It's only their first test, so the back slapping could be premature.
'But Kirsten doesn't think so, 'and reckons she's off to a racing start.
' Put your hands in the air if you want to go faster! Not you! I feel like I could just calm down a bit.
It's not tipping into cockyness.
It's that right side of trusting you can do this.
"You like this vehicle.
" That's the place I want my head to stay.
'After last week's tank challenge, 'Kirsten is one up, and the pressure is on Will to level the score.
' She can drive.
She's a great driver.
I think that's why we make a perfect team in this.
Even though we're competitors, we're still a team.
We want each other to do well.
At the same time, I don't want to lose.
'Tilbury, Essex.
'Will and Kirsten are in the throes of a battle royal 'at the wheel of these 15-metre high straddle carriers.
' Don't make me do that again, man! 'Yesterday, they completed their first test.
'They'll have to complete two more if they're allowed to go head-to-head.
' And the winner is 'If they thought yesterday was tough, today is even tougher.
'They'll be driving like the pros - sideways.
'For maximum visibility, being side-on, 50 feet up 'give you a bird's-eye view of your cargo.
'Will and Kirsten will need to up their game for their second test.
'So, to prepare them 'lesson two - the side-loading forklift.
'This forklift is driven side-on, just like the straddle carrier.
'The lesson is about spatial awareness and control, 'something they'll have to master to stand a chance of winning this week's toughest driving test.
'All they have to do is drive a plank of wood out of the warehouse.
'The plank is longer than the gap, 'and fixed rear wheels mean it can't be driven through lengthways.
'To measure their success, two jugs of water are balanced on the plank.
'If they spill any, or can't get out the warehouse, 'their chances of progressing could be over.
' Will, Kirsten, to focus your mind, we're giving you three minutes.
Oh, come on! It's appropriate control of the machine, driving it side-saddle.
We've both got it hard because I'm a giddy bollocks, and you're Touchez Slow! I'm really tense about this.
Good luck, love.
Thank you.
Don't spill any water.
'Touchez Slow's first job is to lift the plank' This is horrendous! 'without spilling any water.
' This is terrifying.
Here we go.
'Despite the panic, it's a watertight lift.
' Kirsten! Shut up! 'Now, all she has to do is manoeuvre the plank through the door.
' A bit of water spillage! Oh, flippin' heck! 'The task's not made any easier by Will's "encouragement".
' Kirsten, are you having a problem? Shut up! This is ridiculous.
'Kirsten's been rattled.
'She's further away from getting through than when she started.
'15 minutes over the time limit, Nigel's seen enough.
' We'll have to give you a go, Will.
I can't do it.
Let's see how Will gets on.
Right.
Oh, man! Mellor! Do I have to watch you do it? I don't think it will be easy but I'm just saying, it can't be that hard.
You're back where you started in 18 minutes.
'It's Will's turn.
'After everything he said, he'd better be good.
'He needs a clean lift.
' That was a spillage! That was a big wobble.
Will, there was a lot of water dropped then! Shut it.
It's not in my nature.
He's a wind-up merchant.
'He may be better at the verbals, 'but his driving's being tested.
'He needs to perform a pirouette to get into position.
' He's completely focused, lifting it to clear the bollard.
Come on, son.
Let's get this straight out.
'Time is ticking away, but it's looking good.
' That's a bit tight! Four minutes gone Shut it! 'Will's out of the warehouse.
It's the final countdown.
' Four, three, two! Oh! He smashed it! Bollocks! He smashed it! 'Will didn't lift the forks high enough.
He clipped the bollard.
'And splash!' I'm sorry for my glee.
Everyone was laughing at me.
Now I just feel like, "You see?" You see? I got out! You're still in here doing U-turns.
I'm not through the woods.
I can't leave until I've got out.
You're like Blair Witch.
You're inside going 'This is about spatial awareness and control.
'Kirsten hasn't proved she has any, so Nigel makes her do it again.
' I want her to do well, but not as well as me.
That's all right.
I think she wants the same for herself.
As long as I win, though! 'The question is, can she maintain concentration with Will's heckling?' That's it! You've done it! Shut up! 'Can she block him out?' She's resting on her legs.
Push the legs out! She'll tip them over.
'All she needs to do now is lower the plank onto the wood blocks.
'So near' Yeah! Ha ha! No! 'yet so far.
' No! No! No! Do you know, I can honestly say I seriously genuinely honestly mean this, I was doing fine, till you started yelling at me at the end, then.
I'm deadly, deadly serious now.
I was doing absolutely fine.
Until mouth almighty starts yelling! Because you rested I'm not talking to you.
We've hit a new low here, people.
He cannot shut his mouth.
He can't stop gibbering on.
When it looks like I'm doing well, he starts trying to throw me off.
She's pissed off with me shouting.
She says to me, "I'll be fine as long as you keep your mouth shut.
" You can't tell me that.
I'm just going to have a bit of fun.
'As night falls, it's time to put what they've learned to the test.
' Feeling confident? I feel like I know what we're doing.
I want to test what you've learned.
You've rotated your seat 90 degrees.
All the controls come with you.
I want to put that to the test.
'Nigel's team has devised a course that replicates the skills they need 'in a busy working terminal.
'Two vast tanks of liquid will be placed on an open container.
'They'll pick up a load and navigate over high tensile steel containers.
'When you're driving a half-million-pound vehicle, 'a crash could prove costly.
'If that wasn't tough enough, there's a treacherous hairpin turn.
'Between every obstacle, they must lower the load.
'The higher the spreader, the more unstable the straddle carrier.
'It's a test in real conditions.
'They'll need to draw on everything they've learned.
'Nigel will be watching closely for any spillage.
'The more they lose, the more reckless the drive.
'They must prove they've got the skills for the final challenge.
' I do not want to see a drop spilled.
This is not a race.
It's precision and control.
You're going first, Will.
All right.
OK.
Let's go.
Good luck.
I know the controls.
It's just executing it on this.
It's the most difficult thing we've done so far.
Fingers crossed.
'This is a serious business.
It's about precision and control.
' It's a bit windy.
'The first step is the lift.
It takes perfect hand-eye coordination.
'Will is leaving nothing to chance.
' I'm going to go a little bit more.
You're well over.
Just making sure.
'It's a successful lift and no spillage.
'Now he has to navigate over the 40-foot containers.
'He needs to hold his line.
' He's doing it steady so far.
The water seems to be.
The secret is to keep the machine creeping.
'First obstacle nailed.
'The challenges just get bigger.
' Look at that turn I've got to do! 'With 400 gallons of water, this righthand turn 'is one of the most difficult manoeuvres it can do.
'The alignment must be perfect.
' Back off a little bit and straighten up.
I'd rather be safe than coming at an angle.
'He shouldn't need to readjust.
Will's misjudged the corner.
' See what I mean? He's got the box up high.
Oh, my gosh.
'He has to back up.
The spreader is too high and the flood gates open.
' It's really slopping out! Go on, son.
'It's a big mistake, and Will knows it.
' Nerves, that.
Silly boy.
'It's Kirsten's turn.
' It's maximum concentration.
I want adrenaline, but completely controlled adrenaline.
It's probably the most serious you've seen me.
'She needs 100% improvement, 'following this morning's forklift lesson.
' This morning, when Kirsten panicked and got out of sorts, we can't have that with our 70-tonne machines.
If she gets it wrong in this I was really concerned, to the point I wasn't going to let her do this.
'It's essential she doesn't let Nigel or herself down.
'One mistake and Nigel could pull her from the competition.
' OK.
Gosh, I'm reallyfocused.
Good.
That's what I like to hear.
'Kirsten needs all that focus, as she raises the spreader.
'With no room for manoeuvre, it needs a perfect approach.
'She's pulled it off.
It's a good start.
' Stop a second.
Pull it down.
Am I clear? Yes.
'She's approaching the tightest angle, 'where Will made his mistake.
'Can Kirsten make the perfect approach?' Let's tackle this.
Oh, God! 'No water spilt.
'She's making a difficult manoeuvre look easy.
Nigel is impressed.
' Hardly a drop of water spilt.
I just love the precision.
She's just doing the task methodically.
OK, doing all right.
'And she's made it.
' 'It's the perfect turnaround.
' How red is my face? You done brilliantly! She did it a lot better than me.
Sadly.
You done brilliantly! There was a teacup come out.
You smashed it, girl.
Thank you.
You didn't do terrible.
She did better.
She deserves it.
We're mates.
I love her to bits.
But I still want to win.
Make no mistakes that I'm happy with losing, cos I'm not.
I come out of this thinking, "Come on! Let's have it, Mellor!" 'After tasting success in the test, Kirsten's out for a taste of Essex.
' I've never had jellied eels before.
Maybe I should dunk it in vinegar.
Maybe the vinegar's a chaser.
Get this down your neck with a vinegar chaser! Get it in your mouth, then a shot of vinegar! It's not the worst thing I've ever tasted.
There's a bit of skin in me teeth.
'On a night out with the dockers from Tilbury, 'Will is keen to know what drives the men that drive the machines.
' In the late '80s, I was working on mobile crane hire.
I was regularly taking 750 to £1,400 a week.
But you had to work for it, be really hard-nosed.
"I'm here to do that and that's all I'm doing.
" Sorry.
Chokes me up talking about it.
Really? Yeah.
It just It was bloody hard.
I suppose You know In reality, it was unsustainable.
Yeah.
All them hours, you know? Here's to you and your family.
And to yours.
'It's been a day of insights and of shifting fortunes.
' I really believe in trying and not giving up.
Unless you absolutely have to.
Of course, in life, when you're trying stuff, you don't have the voice of TV's Will Mellor in your ear.
Kirsten, just when I think that she hasn't got it, or when I think that she's struggling with it, she pops up and nails me on a challenge.
Now I'm playing catch-up.
And I hate that! I won the challenge tonight.
I'm just really chuffed with myself.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say if I'm the person in that cab tonight, I could win this week.
'Tomorrow, Will and Kirsten launch into eight-wheeled combat 'to prove just who's the best driver of the 70-tonne straddle carriers.
'They'll be on the live terminal, so Nigel decided 'they should get an overview from a 220-foot key crane.
' Look at that for a view! I'd prefer to look at a picture of the view.
I get tense when I feel like I'm holding people up.
You speed up and then panic.
Yeah.
"If in doubt, put your foot down.
" I'm going to have a different approach today.
What approach? Like I'm going to tell you! Have you got a game plan? I'm letting your tyres down.
'Tactical talk over, it's back to work.
'To stand any chance of winning this battle, 'they need a final skill in their armoury - the lock, lift and load.
'No other vehicle in the world can prepare them for this skill.
'They're undergoing intense training with their instructors.
' Don't yank it up.
It's drifting over now.
That's the one.
'It's a huge test of driving and coordination.
'As the spreader is lowered, it can only be adjusted by a few inches.
' Right, see if I can do this.
Not quite.
So, up a little bit.
'The carrier has to be driven accurately over the container 'to lock and lift.
' Didn't centre! Always centre it! Oh, Will! Come on! Remember that! 'Tomorrow is D-day, so Will and Kirsten must master this skill test.
'Earlier, they finished their final lesson 'so it's time to put it to the test with a game of noughts and crosses.
' You've got nine containers.
Imagine it's a game of noughts and crosses, but this is serious stuff.
'To test their ability to lock, lift and drop four-tonne '20-foot long steel containers, 'Nigel has constructed a noughts and crosses grid with a difference.
'Will's blue and Kirsten's red.
'They're ready to roll.
'Kirsten first.
' Come on.
Let's do this.
I've got a lock! Well done! 'She's gliding straight for the middle space, 'the perfect place to start, but difficult to pull off technically.
' Steady! 'It's looking good for Kirsten.
' I'd give Kirsten nine out of ten for the first one.
'Straight to the nearest space for Will, keeping his options open.
'Can he follow it with perfect positioning?' He looks skewwhiff to me, with the carrier.
He might be in trouble now.
He has to reposition the carrier.
Didn't we go over this? If it was over a road vehicle, I'd be screaming at you.
'Kirsten is serene in the red team's cab.
'50 feet up and on a natural high, 'can she hammer home her advantage?' Nice approach again, Kirsten.
That's OK.
'Kirsten's set up three in a row, and riled the boys.
' Remember your line.
Watch what you're doing.
'She forced Will into making the most difficult manoeuvre.
'Can he get over the two-storey stacks to block her? 'It's a graceful lift and he's clear of the stack.
' Come on! This is better.
Keep it going like that.
Much better.
Excellent positioning.
It's a stalemate but that's not a surprise.
I've made my mind up who's the most competent straddle driver at this stage.
'Noughts and crosses over, 'Nigel must give the news they've been waiting to hear.
'Are they ready for tomorrow's confrontation?' Kirsten and Will.
I don't like it when you get serious.
I like smiley Nige.
Great exercise.
Well pleased with what I see.
Your lifting skills were good.
Kirsten, outstanding again.
I'm getting used to that face from him! Spot-on positioning.
Will, you cocked it up a bit.
First box.
I know! Impatience crept in.
"If I do this quickly, he might not notice!" Your trainers are happy.
They've put my mind at rest.
We can allow you to do the final challenge.
And I know both of you are going to do it well.
'They've completed everything Nigel's thrown at them.
'But, as they let their hair down' It's like a night out with Del Boy.
'it's difficult to ignore the challenge.
' She tight as a fish's arse! 'Kirsten's nailed the last challenges.
' I'm behind.
I know I'm behind.
If I don't do a perfect performance tomorrow, there's no way I'll win this.
'I am in the strongest position.
' I've got both the major challenges building up to the final challenge.
I've performed better than him.
That's been proven.
'It's the day that Will and Kirsten have worked so hard to reach - 'the final contest to decide who's the better straddle carrier driver.
'After being beaten by Kirsten in Romanian battle tanks, 'Will needs to even the score.
He's woken up in a fighting mood.
' I'm not going to mess it up today.
Sometimes, if you do a good performance in the rehearsal, the show is a bad one.
Bad rehearsal, great show.
That's what I'm going for.
'Meanwhile, Kirsten's had a restless night.
'She can't relax, and being the favourite is bothering her.
' It's interesting being the front runner.
Cos I don't feel comfortable in that position.
I, historically, work better being the underdog.
Something in my mind works better.
If Will's mind works better being in that position, he's going to stomp forward.
Ready to go, mate? No time like the present.
Good luck.
Thank you very much for having me.
Bye.
'Will and Kirsten have spent the last night with their Essex hosts.
'They head to the docks for the last time.
'At last, the battle lines are drawn 'and Nigel is ready to reveal their challenge.
' This is it, guys.
The big one.
The other challenges were exercises for me to see how you progressed.
At the end of this, I will be choosing a winner.
So I'm going to be looking very carefully.
Let's go.
'They'll be tested on all the key skills they've learned.
'Every manoeuvre will be scrutinised and judged.
'Using skill and precision, they must navigate the stacks 'and collect their first container.
'Freight goes out by rail as well as road, 'so it's a test of control and manoeuvring 'as they drop the first container onto the rolling stock.
'On to a container double the size, 'as they leave the rail, navigate the live terminal, 'and finally drop onto a truck.
'The winner will be the driver who handles the 50-foot powerhouses 'with skill and control.
' The frightening thing is that I know I can do it.
So, although I'm completely focused, I'll be so mad at myself if I get off that straddle carrier and I know that I've misjudged something.
I've got to concentrate on being at the right place at the right time.
This is everything I've learned, everything I've been taught.
All the mistakes, I've got to get out of my head and nail it now.
'The stage is set.
Everyone's ready.
There's no turning back.
' Good luck, Will.
Good luck, love.
OK, Tony.
OK, Dave.
Will and Kirsten, good luck to you.
Come on, O'Brien.
Everything I've done this week, I can do now.
Don't lost it now.
Just concentrate all the way.
'Stage one.
They must hold a perfect line to steer clear of collision 'and straddle the first container.
'Seconds into the challenge, they need to prove themselves 'with the first manoeuvre, lock and lift.
' Nice smooth start.
'Both started well, but the course is about to get a lot harder.
' Smooth control, using the skills they've learned in the time they've had.
'Stage two is the biggest challenge for Will.
' Come on, son.
No messing about here.
Just get this line right.
'The entrance to the rolling stock is a hairpin turn.
'He's misjudged these turns twice.
'Can he pull it off when it matters?' It's an absolutely crucial part.
They're going over the mini rail with a container on.
Going to the far ones, aren't we? Yes, that's correct.
If they get the turn wrong, they have to readjust.
'Will's nailed the turn and he's first onto the tracks.
' Take your time.
It's no race.
Slow down.
'There's barely enough room for them to pass and drop their container.
'Will's the first to get there.
' I'm happy with that.
Perfect.
The spreaders are coming up at the same time.
They're at the same level.
It is going to be tough to call.
'Kirsten's been nailing these manoeuvres all week, 'so should be pushing ahead.
' Right, I'm going to go forward.
'But it's Will who's picked up the second container and is away first.
' That's a heavy container! 'Kirsten is losing ground as they leave stage two.
'Will's focused and on his way.
' Come on.
Don't let me down.
You've done well.
Keep it going.
'He can taste victory, and has a new mantra.
' Slow it down.
Take your time.
There's no race.
'But Kirsten's not going to go down without a fight.
'She's right behind Will as they approach the busiest junction.
' I'm not going to cross that yellow line until I'm ready to turn.
Check both ways.
Slow down for the bend.
Keep a safe distance.
'It's the final stage of the course and it's too close to call.
' They're going to be travelling over the vehicle with the container at a height that will strike that cab if they don't brake in time.
'At the most dangerous stage, Will's first in position.
' Get in there! 'Kirsten is right on his tail, 'but must stay focused for the last vital manoeuvre.
' Will loaded that outstandingly.
'Will backs off, switches off his engine, and he's finished.
' Get in! 'But this test is not just judged on speed.
'All Kirsten has to do is reverse off the truck 'and she'll be in the running.
' Kirsten's gone way astray there.
Why has she gone at that angle? She could have clipped the back of that vehicle.
She's out of line.
Oh, God! This is really stressful.
Well done.
'Has Kirsten fallen at the final hurdle? 'It's now all down to Nigel.
' Well done, you! We've done it.
Whoever wins, they deserve it.
Yeah.
I think they're going to give it to you, though.
Why? If it's level here, on the challenges you've beaten me.
I don't feel as confident in this.
I don't feel it's my best work.
'The waiting is over.
Mentor Nigel has made his decision.
' Don't shake your head.
Well done.
Thanks.
Congratulations.
The pair of you.
Thank you very much.
What you've done in this period of intensive training is awesome.
You were neck-and-neck, and in the last 30 seconds of the exercise, one of you made a small error.
Oh, man! And on that alone, I've made my decision.
And the winner is Will.
Well done.
Pulled it out the bag! Yes! 'So Will has pulled level, leaving the field wide open 'as the duo continue their quest on the world's toughest driving tests.
' I'm massively disappointed to have done everything perfect for a week, then, when it counted, let yourself down with one tiny thing.
I don't like beating Kirsten.
She's a lovely girl.
She's a great driver and done great this week.
But Get in! Know what I mean? Nothing I can do.
He just stole it off me in the final 30 seconds.
Come on, the boys! 'Can Kirsten fight back in Scotland?' She wants to win bad.
'They go head-to-head in the Terex, 'the monster mining truck that weighs in at 100 tonnes.
'The rivalry is hotting up.
' "Women, know your limit!" 'The competition gets more brutal' Come on, O'Brien! Come on! 'as they battle to conquer the world's toughest driving test.
' Bring it on!
'It's brutal, physical and dangerous work.
'Now, celeb pals Will Mellor and Kirsten O'Brien 'have been set a challenge to learn to drive these incredible vehicles, 'race them and prove who's the better driver.
' At the end of the day, "girl" comes into it, doesn't it? I think he's thinking he can take me down, and there may be tears.
Who's going to win? Me.
'To master these awesome vehicles takes months.
' Brake! Brake! 'But Will and Kirsten have just days.
' Oh, no! Don't make me do that again, man! 'In less than a week, they'll be examined, scrutinised' Didn't we go over this? 'and tested.
' Steady! Go! 'And they'll race in the world's toughest vehicles, head-to-head.
' Come on, O'Brien! Come on! Smoke rings without smoke.
That's how cold it is! 'They'll be living with the people behind the machines.
' That's the toilet? Yes.
'It'll be intense' Incredible! 'emotional' I feel really guilty.
'and, at times 'terrifying.
'The crash course of their lives.
' This is the most frightening thing.
Ooh.
We're going to hit it! 'Are Will and Kirsten up to the job? 'Can they handle the pressure?' I've not been this scared for a long time.
'They've battled it out in eastern Europe.
' The winner isKirsten.
No way?! 'Their next vehicle is much closer to home.
'This week's journey starts at Will's in Berkshire.
'Armed with sat-nav and Audi, 'he's on his way to pick up his friend and rival, Kirsten.
' Kirsten? Yeah? It's me! You div! 'Kirsten O'Brien and Will Mellor are united by two things.
'They love getting one up on each other.
' Ooh, power! 'And they love their cars.
' I can't stand people who drive that far up behind you.
They could put their cigarette lighter in and burn your arse! If someone is cutting people up, being a div, then I get quite irate.
'The journey continues, but they don't know where they're going or what they're driving.
' I hope you brought your A-game.
Whatever! 'Last week, Will and Kirsten fought it out in a Romanian battle tank.
' Come on! 'In a gruelling test that pushed them to their limits, 'after a week of training, living soldier style, 'Kirsten pipped Will in the race.
' 'This week, can Will draw level? 'Ten minutes in, things aren't going well.
'The sat-nav's playing up.
' I could have got there hours ago! You're quite an aggressive driver.
Do you think I am? What are you doing, you clown? 'Out of the city, they're still confused.
' Where are we going here? Finnish.
We could be going to Finland! Are these the P&O Ferries here? 'Will and Kirsten have reached the docklands in Essex, 'venue of their next battle.
'TCS is one of Europe's biggest container terminals.
'It's a vast manmade dock, jam-packed with monster machinery.
'24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year, 'everything from bananas to gold bullion come through here.
'Will and Kirsten will be living the life of a 21st-century docker, 'and must master one of the world's tallest and most extreme vehicles.
' What are we doing here? Don't tell me we're staying here for a week! Don't tell me we're staying here for a week.
'Will, you're staying here for a week.
' I thought we were getting on a ferry, off across the water.
'There's another massive surprise around the corner.
' I've never been anywhere like this.
I haven't got a clue You are joking! No way! Oh, my gosh! Look at these things! Where are they sitting? At the top or at the bottom? The top! Oh, my! That is! It's a bit weird, isn't it? It's like weird spiders.
It's massive! I'm all right with heights.
But it's not my dream scenario.
I used to do roofing.
The house wasn't on wheels.
'The straddle carrier, a 15-metre high tower of steel, 'weighing 70 tonnes 'A top speed of 24km per hour.
'It's the tallest of its kind in the world, a feat of engineering.
'If you want one of these monsters, it will cost you £500,000! 'Over four days, Kirsten and Will must master these machines 'and prove who's the best driver.
'Time to meet the man in charge.
' Hello.
Hiya, Kirsten.
My name's Nigel.
I'm going to be your mentor for the week.
Really? I'm Will.
Nice to meet you.
All right, mate? I didn't want to tell Kirsten, but I'm not great with heights.
It moves, wobbles, the glass case.
I think he'll be squealing like a girl.
I really do.
We'll have to see what happens.
I'm more nervous about this one than the others.
'Will and Kirsten have met their mentor 'and seen the colossal carrier.
'There's no doubting this is a very tall order.
'Fully kitted-out, nervous or not, they have to face the challenge.
' OK, Will, Kirsten, time to go up the straddle carrier for the first time.
The wind's getting up, so you'll feel that up there.
Tremendous! Is that good news for you? Brilliant news! All right.
I'm going for it.
'Not many drives start with a 50-foot climb.
'That's the first challenge facing Will and Kirsten.
' Right.
OK, O'Brien.
Easy does it.
'It could be over before it's begun.
It's a question of Will power!' Oh, my days! Come on.
You can do it.
I'm starting to get a bit frightened.
Oh, my gosh! Oh, my God! 'Now, less than halfway up the carrier, Kirsten's struggling.
' Are you OK, Kirsten? 'Nigel has seen this ruin rookies.
' I'm going to go up.
It's got quite windy! Oh, my crap! Jesus! Sorry.
I'm swearing a lot.
I'm not far off.
Right.
I'm coming.
One foot at a time! 'With Nigel behind her, she makes it.
' Whoa! Well done.
'They've already been tested and they're not in the driving seat.
' I'm all right.
It's strange to be up here driving when everything's working there.
'Before they're let loose, it's time for a ride in the passenger seat.
'If Will's going to nail this vehicle, he'll need help from Dave, 'a senior instructor with 20 years' experience.
' Right, hold on.
'Kirsten is with Tony.
There's nothing on the docks he can't drive.
'With every bump and sway, 'Will is learning what it's like to drive a straddle carrier, 'and he doesn't like it.
'Kirsten's just happy to be sitting down!' You've got to have 100% concentration 'She'll concentrate on anything other than climbing the ladder.
' It'll be different When you're driving.
'Test drive over.
They both have serious reasons to be worried.
' How was it? I don't like the ladder.
The motion, I didn't like.
I'm happy with that.
That ladder! When I stopped, I was thinking, "Will cruises!" I was like this on a ladder.
There was no cruising! I just My manhood got me up that ladder.
'The competition has begun for Will and Kirsten, and for four nights, 'they'll be living and working with the men 'who know the straddle carrier better than anyone.
'For over 200 years, Tilbury has been at the heart of the Essex economy and community.
'Over 300 people work at this terminal.
'Some have worked here over 40 years.
'Straddle driving is a tough job for tough people.
'They work up to 12-hour shifts, day and night.
' It's time now to meet your hosts.
Kirsten, this is Mike.
Brilliant.
Do you live near here? Yeah, I live up the road.
Will? Yeah.
You're staying with me.
Yeah! I got the big man! 'Mentor Nigel is a site supervisor with 20 years' experience 'driving every vehicle in this industry.
' This is nice, innit? 'He lives in a nearby village with wife Trudy and sons Tyler and Luke.
' Come on, Mum.
Give us a cuddle.
'Kirsten's lodging with Mike.
He's a service technician.
'What he doesn't know about straddle carriers isn't worth knowing.
'He shares his home with wife Tracey and sons Dylan and Aaron.
' Let's see what this is like! 'Stripped for action, Will's competitive edge 'is bubbling to the surface.
' I'm going to have to take you down.
Oh, me phone's ringing.
Sorry.
It's Will! Mind if I get this? Yeah.
Sorry.
I won't cheat.
Hello.
How you doing? How is your place? Very lovely.
I can hear water.
That's nothing.
That's just the Jacuzzi.
Shut up! I'm in the Jacuzzi, having a sauvignon blanc.
You're not.
Oh, yes! Belting, this! See ya.
I'll see ya in the morning.
Bye.
I heard that water! He could never have hidden that from me.
All I could hear was 'With the final showdown four days away, 'Will and Kirsten are trying to come to terms with the challenge ahead.
' That was day one.
It was a bit unnerving.
I came to terms with that's what I have to do.
I got over my fears, I suppose.
In a way, I got over my first hurdle.
I really like the vehicle.
What I don't like is the ladder.
It's interesting to see Will suffer a bit.
He said he had problems when he was up in the cabin, and I didn't.
Whether that will psychologically give me the edge, knowing that, we'll have to see how that plays out across the week.
'It's a new day.
'By the end of the week, Will and Kirsten will go head-to-head 'to prove who is the best driver of these 70-tonne mobile skyscrapers.
'Before they can even think about that, 'they have to successfully complete three lessons, 'designed to prepare them for three key skill tests.
'If Will and Kirsten are going to master this 50-foot giant, 'they'll need to perfect these three crucial skills.
'Lesson one is taking place 50 miles away in rural Surrey.
' We're here today at this vineyard cos you need to develop key skills, and one of them is depth perception.
We're not letting you loose on our half-a-million-pound machines till you've developed these skills.
'Accurate depth perception is vital for a driver.
'Working up to 12-hour shifts, day and night, 'they have to navigate with pinpoint accuracy 'from a 50-metre high cab.
'Like the straddle carrier, the vine tractor is driven from above.
'The first lesson tests eyesight, concentration and steering skills, 'as they travel over 20-year-old vines onto a buzz wire.
'Everyone will hear if they mess that up.
'Then they need to navigate a narrowing squeeze track.
'These lessons hold the key to winning the head-to-head challenge.
'Mentor Nigel will be assessing Will and Kirsten's progress 'and will monitor their every manoeuvre.
'He's enlisted the help of head driver Roger.
'It's Nigel they have to impress.
'If he doesn't think they're up to the task he will remove them from this week's competition.
' It's not a race.
Who's going to go first? You're going first.
Right.
Good luck.
It's a lot smaller scale than a straddle carrier.
Concentrate, son.
Concentrate! 'He's straddled the vines and it's on to the buzz wire.
'One mistake will make contact.
Every millimetre counts.
'It takes patience - not one of Will's strong points.
' Aargh! What's going on? Oh, shit! 'That's a basic error.
'Will needs to pull it back on the squeeze track.
' He's hit the sign.
Oh, dear.
That's flattened.
I caught the edge of that cone.
You flattened it! I caught the edge.
It's getting its shape back.
I just caught this edge.
You squashed right down! You've got hindsight going second.
Let's see how you do.
Got to get past that cone.
Cocky O'Brien! Go on.
Get it on! 'Will going second give Kirsten the edge?' Go on, love! You're doing a mile an hour.
Am I? One mile an hour? 'Can she hold her line from the vines and silence the buzz wire?' This is the scary bit! Steady! I'm a bit annoyed about that.
'Another fail on the buzz wire.
'Can she avoid inflicting more damage to the cones?' She's done well.
She had an advantage going second.
'This lesson was designed to test their depth perception.
'On the straddle carrier, they'll be navigating between containers 'from a 15-metre high cab.
' You done very well down the vines.
Moved on to the buzz wire.
Started off OK, then the old panic set in.
The old steering wheel started going all over the place.
Do that up the straddle carrier, we'll have the motion issue.
Then we moved to the squeeze area and a cone met an unfortunate end.
Oh, dear.
Kirsten, very good down the vines.
Then you moved on to the buzz wire.
Really slow Yeah! Really slow! but controlled.
It's good.
Fantastic at the end.
That's nice.
Thank you.
Are we going on to the big boys now? Yeah.
'That's lesson one complete.
'In just two hours, 'they face an examination of what they learned in their first test.
'First, they need a test drive.
' How are you feeling? I'm not going to think about it.
Yesterday, it was frightening.
I'm just going to go for it.
Let's do it.
A-way, let's 'ave it! A-way.
'This is their first time at the controls and the stakes are high - 'three storeys high.
'A rookie mistake here could send all 70 tonnes into the Thames.
' Feels so weird.
Sorry, it's just a bit strange.
Wow.
This is unlike anything I've ever experienced.
'It's an experience that's affecting them in different ways.
' Slam the brake on.
No Slow down.
Oh, no! Don't make me do that again, man! That was awful! 'Is Will's cabin fever going to cost him the title of best driver?' Sweating like a pig here! 'Kirsten's growing to like it on top.
' Ooh! That's a big jolt, isn't it? 'Their first spin over, and Will and Kirsten have very mixed feelings.
' It was the strangest feeling ever.
I don't want to come away not passing the test, not looking like I could drive it.
It's important to me.
I want to do well.
I couldn't be happier.
I love this vehicle.
We work together, me and that gangly legged thing.
We like each other.
'Whatever they may say, it's their driving that will do the talking.
'The pressure is about to soar.
'It's time to undertake skill test one in the straddle carrier.
'Have they taken on board the lessons? 'Can a vine tractor prepare them for a 70-tonne colossus? 'This first "must pass" test will determine whether they have learned 'the depth perception skills to navigate between containers 'from a 50-metre high cab.
'The gaps are tight, and then get tighter.
'To make things more interesting, 'a perilously tight turning circle has been added.
'The final set of crates has just a 15cm clearance.
'There's one way to avoid crushing the crates, failing the test 'and being sent home - by pulling off the drive of their lives.
'Kirsten's first.
She's impressed so far, but this is a whole new level.
' She's off.
'From 50 feet up, these metre distances look like millimetres.
' Let's tackle these blue babies.
'Kirsten edged through the first gap.
'Now the gap is halved.
' I can't see it, but I think we're all right.
Got it! Perfect! Yes! 'Through the third set of crates, she approaches the hairpin turn.
' She turns in too sharp, she'll catch the back end.
Whoo! Scary! 'Any over-steer will see the back wheels crushing the crates 'and Kirsten's hopes of competing.
' She's done really well.
Got it straight.
'Kirsten's nailing the course.
Will's feeling the pressure.
' Oh! It's SO tight! 'The final obstacle, and there's no room for manoeuvre.
'Just 15cm each side of the wheels.
'These are the distances straddle carrier drivers navigate every day.
' Don't mess it up now! Ease it in.
I think she's done it.
She's only gone and nailed it.
Did I hit anything? Not a thing.
'Test over.
And Kirsten's on top of the world.
'What does the expert think?' You done very well.
Brilliant! The amount of training you've had.
You've listened to what Tony's been telling you.
That was good slow control of the machine.
And accuracy.
Well done.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Cos she's nailed it, if I make any mistakes, I've lost.
'It's Will's turn, and half the battle is in his head.
'Has Kirsten's success psyched him out? 'Can he overcome his fear of this Empire State vehicle? 'A good start is going to be vital for Will's confidence.
'He's cleared the first two obstacles.
'As the gaps get tighter, will he get tenser? 'Concentration and determination have seen him through.
'He's heading for the toughest part of the course.
' He's got the hard turn there.
'Will must turn the straddle carrier and his fortunes on a sixpence.
'Two tight squeezes are all that stand between him and a clear run.
'Easier said than done.
' Is he faster than me? Do you think that was faster? I don't know.
'Will's done it!' Yes! Get in there! Get in there, son! Wa-hoo! 'Test one over.
What does Nigel think of Will's efforts?' Very well done.
No boxes touched, as far as we could see.
Your spatial awareness, your depth perception, all good.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Well done.
Well done.
'It's only their first test, so the back slapping could be premature.
'But Kirsten doesn't think so, 'and reckons she's off to a racing start.
' Put your hands in the air if you want to go faster! Not you! I feel like I could just calm down a bit.
It's not tipping into cockyness.
It's that right side of trusting you can do this.
"You like this vehicle.
" That's the place I want my head to stay.
'After last week's tank challenge, 'Kirsten is one up, and the pressure is on Will to level the score.
' She can drive.
She's a great driver.
I think that's why we make a perfect team in this.
Even though we're competitors, we're still a team.
We want each other to do well.
At the same time, I don't want to lose.
'Tilbury, Essex.
'Will and Kirsten are in the throes of a battle royal 'at the wheel of these 15-metre high straddle carriers.
' Don't make me do that again, man! 'Yesterday, they completed their first test.
'They'll have to complete two more if they're allowed to go head-to-head.
' And the winner is 'If they thought yesterday was tough, today is even tougher.
'They'll be driving like the pros - sideways.
'For maximum visibility, being side-on, 50 feet up 'give you a bird's-eye view of your cargo.
'Will and Kirsten will need to up their game for their second test.
'So, to prepare them 'lesson two - the side-loading forklift.
'This forklift is driven side-on, just like the straddle carrier.
'The lesson is about spatial awareness and control, 'something they'll have to master to stand a chance of winning this week's toughest driving test.
'All they have to do is drive a plank of wood out of the warehouse.
'The plank is longer than the gap, 'and fixed rear wheels mean it can't be driven through lengthways.
'To measure their success, two jugs of water are balanced on the plank.
'If they spill any, or can't get out the warehouse, 'their chances of progressing could be over.
' Will, Kirsten, to focus your mind, we're giving you three minutes.
Oh, come on! It's appropriate control of the machine, driving it side-saddle.
We've both got it hard because I'm a giddy bollocks, and you're Touchez Slow! I'm really tense about this.
Good luck, love.
Thank you.
Don't spill any water.
'Touchez Slow's first job is to lift the plank' This is horrendous! 'without spilling any water.
' This is terrifying.
Here we go.
'Despite the panic, it's a watertight lift.
' Kirsten! Shut up! 'Now, all she has to do is manoeuvre the plank through the door.
' A bit of water spillage! Oh, flippin' heck! 'The task's not made any easier by Will's "encouragement".
' Kirsten, are you having a problem? Shut up! This is ridiculous.
'Kirsten's been rattled.
'She's further away from getting through than when she started.
'15 minutes over the time limit, Nigel's seen enough.
' We'll have to give you a go, Will.
I can't do it.
Let's see how Will gets on.
Right.
Oh, man! Mellor! Do I have to watch you do it? I don't think it will be easy but I'm just saying, it can't be that hard.
You're back where you started in 18 minutes.
'It's Will's turn.
'After everything he said, he'd better be good.
'He needs a clean lift.
' That was a spillage! That was a big wobble.
Will, there was a lot of water dropped then! Shut it.
It's not in my nature.
He's a wind-up merchant.
'He may be better at the verbals, 'but his driving's being tested.
'He needs to perform a pirouette to get into position.
' He's completely focused, lifting it to clear the bollard.
Come on, son.
Let's get this straight out.
'Time is ticking away, but it's looking good.
' That's a bit tight! Four minutes gone Shut it! 'Will's out of the warehouse.
It's the final countdown.
' Four, three, two! Oh! He smashed it! Bollocks! He smashed it! 'Will didn't lift the forks high enough.
He clipped the bollard.
'And splash!' I'm sorry for my glee.
Everyone was laughing at me.
Now I just feel like, "You see?" You see? I got out! You're still in here doing U-turns.
I'm not through the woods.
I can't leave until I've got out.
You're like Blair Witch.
You're inside going 'This is about spatial awareness and control.
'Kirsten hasn't proved she has any, so Nigel makes her do it again.
' I want her to do well, but not as well as me.
That's all right.
I think she wants the same for herself.
As long as I win, though! 'The question is, can she maintain concentration with Will's heckling?' That's it! You've done it! Shut up! 'Can she block him out?' She's resting on her legs.
Push the legs out! She'll tip them over.
'All she needs to do now is lower the plank onto the wood blocks.
'So near' Yeah! Ha ha! No! 'yet so far.
' No! No! No! Do you know, I can honestly say I seriously genuinely honestly mean this, I was doing fine, till you started yelling at me at the end, then.
I'm deadly, deadly serious now.
I was doing absolutely fine.
Until mouth almighty starts yelling! Because you rested I'm not talking to you.
We've hit a new low here, people.
He cannot shut his mouth.
He can't stop gibbering on.
When it looks like I'm doing well, he starts trying to throw me off.
She's pissed off with me shouting.
She says to me, "I'll be fine as long as you keep your mouth shut.
" You can't tell me that.
I'm just going to have a bit of fun.
'As night falls, it's time to put what they've learned to the test.
' Feeling confident? I feel like I know what we're doing.
I want to test what you've learned.
You've rotated your seat 90 degrees.
All the controls come with you.
I want to put that to the test.
'Nigel's team has devised a course that replicates the skills they need 'in a busy working terminal.
'Two vast tanks of liquid will be placed on an open container.
'They'll pick up a load and navigate over high tensile steel containers.
'When you're driving a half-million-pound vehicle, 'a crash could prove costly.
'If that wasn't tough enough, there's a treacherous hairpin turn.
'Between every obstacle, they must lower the load.
'The higher the spreader, the more unstable the straddle carrier.
'It's a test in real conditions.
'They'll need to draw on everything they've learned.
'Nigel will be watching closely for any spillage.
'The more they lose, the more reckless the drive.
'They must prove they've got the skills for the final challenge.
' I do not want to see a drop spilled.
This is not a race.
It's precision and control.
You're going first, Will.
All right.
OK.
Let's go.
Good luck.
I know the controls.
It's just executing it on this.
It's the most difficult thing we've done so far.
Fingers crossed.
'This is a serious business.
It's about precision and control.
' It's a bit windy.
'The first step is the lift.
It takes perfect hand-eye coordination.
'Will is leaving nothing to chance.
' I'm going to go a little bit more.
You're well over.
Just making sure.
'It's a successful lift and no spillage.
'Now he has to navigate over the 40-foot containers.
'He needs to hold his line.
' He's doing it steady so far.
The water seems to be.
The secret is to keep the machine creeping.
'First obstacle nailed.
'The challenges just get bigger.
' Look at that turn I've got to do! 'With 400 gallons of water, this righthand turn 'is one of the most difficult manoeuvres it can do.
'The alignment must be perfect.
' Back off a little bit and straighten up.
I'd rather be safe than coming at an angle.
'He shouldn't need to readjust.
Will's misjudged the corner.
' See what I mean? He's got the box up high.
Oh, my gosh.
'He has to back up.
The spreader is too high and the flood gates open.
' It's really slopping out! Go on, son.
'It's a big mistake, and Will knows it.
' Nerves, that.
Silly boy.
'It's Kirsten's turn.
' It's maximum concentration.
I want adrenaline, but completely controlled adrenaline.
It's probably the most serious you've seen me.
'She needs 100% improvement, 'following this morning's forklift lesson.
' This morning, when Kirsten panicked and got out of sorts, we can't have that with our 70-tonne machines.
If she gets it wrong in this I was really concerned, to the point I wasn't going to let her do this.
'It's essential she doesn't let Nigel or herself down.
'One mistake and Nigel could pull her from the competition.
' OK.
Gosh, I'm reallyfocused.
Good.
That's what I like to hear.
'Kirsten needs all that focus, as she raises the spreader.
'With no room for manoeuvre, it needs a perfect approach.
'She's pulled it off.
It's a good start.
' Stop a second.
Pull it down.
Am I clear? Yes.
'She's approaching the tightest angle, 'where Will made his mistake.
'Can Kirsten make the perfect approach?' Let's tackle this.
Oh, God! 'No water spilt.
'She's making a difficult manoeuvre look easy.
Nigel is impressed.
' Hardly a drop of water spilt.
I just love the precision.
She's just doing the task methodically.
OK, doing all right.
'And she's made it.
' 'It's the perfect turnaround.
' How red is my face? You done brilliantly! She did it a lot better than me.
Sadly.
You done brilliantly! There was a teacup come out.
You smashed it, girl.
Thank you.
You didn't do terrible.
She did better.
She deserves it.
We're mates.
I love her to bits.
But I still want to win.
Make no mistakes that I'm happy with losing, cos I'm not.
I come out of this thinking, "Come on! Let's have it, Mellor!" 'After tasting success in the test, Kirsten's out for a taste of Essex.
' I've never had jellied eels before.
Maybe I should dunk it in vinegar.
Maybe the vinegar's a chaser.
Get this down your neck with a vinegar chaser! Get it in your mouth, then a shot of vinegar! It's not the worst thing I've ever tasted.
There's a bit of skin in me teeth.
'On a night out with the dockers from Tilbury, 'Will is keen to know what drives the men that drive the machines.
' In the late '80s, I was working on mobile crane hire.
I was regularly taking 750 to £1,400 a week.
But you had to work for it, be really hard-nosed.
"I'm here to do that and that's all I'm doing.
" Sorry.
Chokes me up talking about it.
Really? Yeah.
It just It was bloody hard.
I suppose You know In reality, it was unsustainable.
Yeah.
All them hours, you know? Here's to you and your family.
And to yours.
'It's been a day of insights and of shifting fortunes.
' I really believe in trying and not giving up.
Unless you absolutely have to.
Of course, in life, when you're trying stuff, you don't have the voice of TV's Will Mellor in your ear.
Kirsten, just when I think that she hasn't got it, or when I think that she's struggling with it, she pops up and nails me on a challenge.
Now I'm playing catch-up.
And I hate that! I won the challenge tonight.
I'm just really chuffed with myself.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say if I'm the person in that cab tonight, I could win this week.
'Tomorrow, Will and Kirsten launch into eight-wheeled combat 'to prove just who's the best driver of the 70-tonne straddle carriers.
'They'll be on the live terminal, so Nigel decided 'they should get an overview from a 220-foot key crane.
' Look at that for a view! I'd prefer to look at a picture of the view.
I get tense when I feel like I'm holding people up.
You speed up and then panic.
Yeah.
"If in doubt, put your foot down.
" I'm going to have a different approach today.
What approach? Like I'm going to tell you! Have you got a game plan? I'm letting your tyres down.
'Tactical talk over, it's back to work.
'To stand any chance of winning this battle, 'they need a final skill in their armoury - the lock, lift and load.
'No other vehicle in the world can prepare them for this skill.
'They're undergoing intense training with their instructors.
' Don't yank it up.
It's drifting over now.
That's the one.
'It's a huge test of driving and coordination.
'As the spreader is lowered, it can only be adjusted by a few inches.
' Right, see if I can do this.
Not quite.
So, up a little bit.
'The carrier has to be driven accurately over the container 'to lock and lift.
' Didn't centre! Always centre it! Oh, Will! Come on! Remember that! 'Tomorrow is D-day, so Will and Kirsten must master this skill test.
'Earlier, they finished their final lesson 'so it's time to put it to the test with a game of noughts and crosses.
' You've got nine containers.
Imagine it's a game of noughts and crosses, but this is serious stuff.
'To test their ability to lock, lift and drop four-tonne '20-foot long steel containers, 'Nigel has constructed a noughts and crosses grid with a difference.
'Will's blue and Kirsten's red.
'They're ready to roll.
'Kirsten first.
' Come on.
Let's do this.
I've got a lock! Well done! 'She's gliding straight for the middle space, 'the perfect place to start, but difficult to pull off technically.
' Steady! 'It's looking good for Kirsten.
' I'd give Kirsten nine out of ten for the first one.
'Straight to the nearest space for Will, keeping his options open.
'Can he follow it with perfect positioning?' He looks skewwhiff to me, with the carrier.
He might be in trouble now.
He has to reposition the carrier.
Didn't we go over this? If it was over a road vehicle, I'd be screaming at you.
'Kirsten is serene in the red team's cab.
'50 feet up and on a natural high, 'can she hammer home her advantage?' Nice approach again, Kirsten.
That's OK.
'Kirsten's set up three in a row, and riled the boys.
' Remember your line.
Watch what you're doing.
'She forced Will into making the most difficult manoeuvre.
'Can he get over the two-storey stacks to block her? 'It's a graceful lift and he's clear of the stack.
' Come on! This is better.
Keep it going like that.
Much better.
Excellent positioning.
It's a stalemate but that's not a surprise.
I've made my mind up who's the most competent straddle driver at this stage.
'Noughts and crosses over, 'Nigel must give the news they've been waiting to hear.
'Are they ready for tomorrow's confrontation?' Kirsten and Will.
I don't like it when you get serious.
I like smiley Nige.
Great exercise.
Well pleased with what I see.
Your lifting skills were good.
Kirsten, outstanding again.
I'm getting used to that face from him! Spot-on positioning.
Will, you cocked it up a bit.
First box.
I know! Impatience crept in.
"If I do this quickly, he might not notice!" Your trainers are happy.
They've put my mind at rest.
We can allow you to do the final challenge.
And I know both of you are going to do it well.
'They've completed everything Nigel's thrown at them.
'But, as they let their hair down' It's like a night out with Del Boy.
'it's difficult to ignore the challenge.
' She tight as a fish's arse! 'Kirsten's nailed the last challenges.
' I'm behind.
I know I'm behind.
If I don't do a perfect performance tomorrow, there's no way I'll win this.
'I am in the strongest position.
' I've got both the major challenges building up to the final challenge.
I've performed better than him.
That's been proven.
'It's the day that Will and Kirsten have worked so hard to reach - 'the final contest to decide who's the better straddle carrier driver.
'After being beaten by Kirsten in Romanian battle tanks, 'Will needs to even the score.
He's woken up in a fighting mood.
' I'm not going to mess it up today.
Sometimes, if you do a good performance in the rehearsal, the show is a bad one.
Bad rehearsal, great show.
That's what I'm going for.
'Meanwhile, Kirsten's had a restless night.
'She can't relax, and being the favourite is bothering her.
' It's interesting being the front runner.
Cos I don't feel comfortable in that position.
I, historically, work better being the underdog.
Something in my mind works better.
If Will's mind works better being in that position, he's going to stomp forward.
Ready to go, mate? No time like the present.
Good luck.
Thank you very much for having me.
Bye.
'Will and Kirsten have spent the last night with their Essex hosts.
'They head to the docks for the last time.
'At last, the battle lines are drawn 'and Nigel is ready to reveal their challenge.
' This is it, guys.
The big one.
The other challenges were exercises for me to see how you progressed.
At the end of this, I will be choosing a winner.
So I'm going to be looking very carefully.
Let's go.
'They'll be tested on all the key skills they've learned.
'Every manoeuvre will be scrutinised and judged.
'Using skill and precision, they must navigate the stacks 'and collect their first container.
'Freight goes out by rail as well as road, 'so it's a test of control and manoeuvring 'as they drop the first container onto the rolling stock.
'On to a container double the size, 'as they leave the rail, navigate the live terminal, 'and finally drop onto a truck.
'The winner will be the driver who handles the 50-foot powerhouses 'with skill and control.
' The frightening thing is that I know I can do it.
So, although I'm completely focused, I'll be so mad at myself if I get off that straddle carrier and I know that I've misjudged something.
I've got to concentrate on being at the right place at the right time.
This is everything I've learned, everything I've been taught.
All the mistakes, I've got to get out of my head and nail it now.
'The stage is set.
Everyone's ready.
There's no turning back.
' Good luck, Will.
Good luck, love.
OK, Tony.
OK, Dave.
Will and Kirsten, good luck to you.
Come on, O'Brien.
Everything I've done this week, I can do now.
Don't lost it now.
Just concentrate all the way.
'Stage one.
They must hold a perfect line to steer clear of collision 'and straddle the first container.
'Seconds into the challenge, they need to prove themselves 'with the first manoeuvre, lock and lift.
' Nice smooth start.
'Both started well, but the course is about to get a lot harder.
' Smooth control, using the skills they've learned in the time they've had.
'Stage two is the biggest challenge for Will.
' Come on, son.
No messing about here.
Just get this line right.
'The entrance to the rolling stock is a hairpin turn.
'He's misjudged these turns twice.
'Can he pull it off when it matters?' It's an absolutely crucial part.
They're going over the mini rail with a container on.
Going to the far ones, aren't we? Yes, that's correct.
If they get the turn wrong, they have to readjust.
'Will's nailed the turn and he's first onto the tracks.
' Take your time.
It's no race.
Slow down.
'There's barely enough room for them to pass and drop their container.
'Will's the first to get there.
' I'm happy with that.
Perfect.
The spreaders are coming up at the same time.
They're at the same level.
It is going to be tough to call.
'Kirsten's been nailing these manoeuvres all week, 'so should be pushing ahead.
' Right, I'm going to go forward.
'But it's Will who's picked up the second container and is away first.
' That's a heavy container! 'Kirsten is losing ground as they leave stage two.
'Will's focused and on his way.
' Come on.
Don't let me down.
You've done well.
Keep it going.
'He can taste victory, and has a new mantra.
' Slow it down.
Take your time.
There's no race.
'But Kirsten's not going to go down without a fight.
'She's right behind Will as they approach the busiest junction.
' I'm not going to cross that yellow line until I'm ready to turn.
Check both ways.
Slow down for the bend.
Keep a safe distance.
'It's the final stage of the course and it's too close to call.
' They're going to be travelling over the vehicle with the container at a height that will strike that cab if they don't brake in time.
'At the most dangerous stage, Will's first in position.
' Get in there! 'Kirsten is right on his tail, 'but must stay focused for the last vital manoeuvre.
' Will loaded that outstandingly.
'Will backs off, switches off his engine, and he's finished.
' Get in! 'But this test is not just judged on speed.
'All Kirsten has to do is reverse off the truck 'and she'll be in the running.
' Kirsten's gone way astray there.
Why has she gone at that angle? She could have clipped the back of that vehicle.
She's out of line.
Oh, God! This is really stressful.
Well done.
'Has Kirsten fallen at the final hurdle? 'It's now all down to Nigel.
' Well done, you! We've done it.
Whoever wins, they deserve it.
Yeah.
I think they're going to give it to you, though.
Why? If it's level here, on the challenges you've beaten me.
I don't feel as confident in this.
I don't feel it's my best work.
'The waiting is over.
Mentor Nigel has made his decision.
' Don't shake your head.
Well done.
Thanks.
Congratulations.
The pair of you.
Thank you very much.
What you've done in this period of intensive training is awesome.
You were neck-and-neck, and in the last 30 seconds of the exercise, one of you made a small error.
Oh, man! And on that alone, I've made my decision.
And the winner is Will.
Well done.
Pulled it out the bag! Yes! 'So Will has pulled level, leaving the field wide open 'as the duo continue their quest on the world's toughest driving tests.
' I'm massively disappointed to have done everything perfect for a week, then, when it counted, let yourself down with one tiny thing.
I don't like beating Kirsten.
She's a lovely girl.
She's a great driver and done great this week.
But Get in! Know what I mean? Nothing I can do.
He just stole it off me in the final 30 seconds.
Come on, the boys! 'Can Kirsten fight back in Scotland?' She wants to win bad.
'They go head-to-head in the Terex, 'the monster mining truck that weighs in at 100 tonnes.
'The rivalry is hotting up.
' "Women, know your limit!" 'The competition gets more brutal' Come on, O'Brien! Come on! 'as they battle to conquer the world's toughest driving test.
' Bring it on!