Alford Young Engineers re-group to repeat GreenPower success

One of the most successful teams of Young Engineers in Scotland has recommenced at the start of the new school year at Grampian Transport Museum and is inviting other budding young engineers to join them.

Engineering problems will be solved.

For over 20 years the Young Engineers Club at Alford has built and raced cars in what was originally the Shell Eco-Power Marathon and now the battery powered GreenPower International racing series for Formula 24 electric cars for 11-16 year olds (www.greenpower.co.uk).

Museum volunteer John Rahtz has been involved in running the Young Engineers Club for a number of years.

He said: “GTM is an educational charity and Greenpower’s stated aim is to inspire young people around the world to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) through a unique challenge to design, build and race an electric car.

The team would welcome new members for this year’s challenge.

“We have been very lucky to have had some very talented and skilled museum volunteers working with equally enthusiastic youngsters who together have developed race winning cars competitive with the best in the UK. We have consistently won races in the Scottish heats and have faired very well in the international finals too.

“It has always been very rewarding and great fun for everybody and today we have a number of the existing group of Young Engineers still within the age bracket who are keen to pick up where we left off last year and to encourage more young people and their parents to join in.

"We took one of our cars out of storage last week and gave everybody a run, much to their delight. When an engineering fault occurred it was as satisfying to see the enthusiasm to solve it as it was to see the car going well, and that is what Young Engineers is all about.

“During the car development everybody gets the chance to both drive and engineer the cars and for a two-car team we need at least six drivers and four pit crew so we would like to hear from boys and girls who would like to be involved, along with their enthusiastic parents and guardians to help run the team.”

Details of the Young Engineers at GTM can be found at www.gtm.org.uk/information/young-engineers/