Coachlines - October 2024

31.10.24 Assistant Eric Wallbank

Cars on Mars – STEM engagement at the Brooklands Innovation Academy


Our relationship with Brooklands continues to develop, with the Company taking part in its Innovation Academy for the second year. The Academy is part of the National Science Summer School programme, co-founded in 2012 by Professor Brian Cox CBE OBE FRS and Lord Andrew Mawson OBE, to help ‘make the UK the best place to do science and engineering’.

Brian is well known from his many TV series, and more than 400 students spent the day at Brooklands, half of it listening to Brian and other inspirational speakers, and the other half day on practical workshop activities run by a wide range of companies and organisations, including the Coachmakers.

Last year, we put together a workshop activity where groups of students built, tested, refined and raced small electric ‘cars’ over a short (10m) piece of tarmac outside the ERA and Campbell shed.

We wanted to make the activity more relevant to the work of engineers in industry. So, this year we asked students to put themselves into the position of a team of engineers developing a prototype Mars Rover, working on a scale model. This reflected the Company’s associations with the aerospace and automotive sectors.

As presented, the model worked but failed to navigate a test track which ‘simulated’ the surface of Mars. We encouraged the students to analyse the problem (in this case, a lack of ground clearance and traction) and then work out the solutions. Using additional components, they had to improve the design so it was successful in completing the course, for example by adding a second electric motor to make the device 4WD, or using larger wheels.

The groups of 10 students all succeeded with the challenge and built a working car that completed the course, with varying levels of assistance. The abilities of some students were extraordinary. One group, having completed the course with their modified car, then disobeyed the instruction not to completely dismantle the cars and rebuilt it in a different form entirely, with some success.

Having run several workshops during the day, there was then an evening Careers Fair for additional students to attend with their parents or guardians. Our stand attracted attention with our 3D printer and the range of somewhat bizarre items it has produced. Many visitors took away a card with QR codes that link to our career guides in engineering and the automotive industry.

Brooklands was an appropriate setting with its long history of innovation in both automotive and aerospace industries. We were in good company – other workshops included those run by McLaren, Airbus, British Airways, The National Physical Laboratory, and Heritage Skills Academy among others.

We are proud to be associated with such a high-profile event. We got a real buzz out of seeing young people engage with an engineering challenge. We continue to develop our activities in running STEM workshops and careers stands. Next, we will be at the Science Museum in late November. Anyone with an interest in STEM engagement is welcome to join our merry band of folks willing to put in a small amount of time for an immeasurable reward.

Thanks to Liverymen Nick Lyford for helping put together the test track and Andrew Blatherwick for holding the relationship with Brooklands; also to Freeman Ellie Bacon, for running the workshops and manning the careers stand.