Meccanuity 2015: There and Back Challenge

By Chris Instone • Published on Saturday 18 April 2015, 9:25pm

Continuing our look at the special events and challenges being held at Meccanuity this year we now take a look at the actual challenge event, to be staged at around 2.00pm on Sunday 3rd May. The challenge this year is the "There and Back Challenge".

Now I bet you're thinking what it's all about, well in simple terms it's a race, but not in the ordinary way of a sprint down a straight course or a race around a circuit, with the winner being the first past over the finish line. In this case, although the race is indeed in a straight line, vehicles will have to traverse a straight line course, but also return back along that course to cross the start/finish line.

Now you still may think that's not too difficult, but how would you go about it knowing that once you start your vehicle you are no longer allowed to touch it until it returns back along the start/finish line? No problem? Well, there's no radio, infrared or remote control either! It should be quite fun don't you think!

Here's the rules;-

1. Devise a vehicle to travel across the arena floor (15 feet), reverse automatically, and return to cross the starting line.
2. Vehicles may not be guided by any means after starting.
3. Vehicles must strike a wide wall at the far end of the course before starting the return journey.
4. Vehicles must be built from Meccano parts or their replicas.
5. Motive power must be on-board clockwork or electric Meccano motors. If numbers permit, there will be a separate contest and prize for each category.
6. Non-Meccano battery holders, wire and switches are permitted in electric vehicles.
7. Vehicles will start from behind a line and be released by their handlers.
8. Vehicles will race against each other in a series of races/heats decided by the adjudicator.
9. The overall winners of both electric and clockwork contests will receive a small trophy.

Sound like fun? Come and see on the afternoon of 3rd May!