RallyDay

Penglais School’s Engineers get to go rallying for the day!

The Vocational Engineering class had the opportunity to get a glimpse into the world of motorsport thanks to the help of the drivers from local motor clubs. The group of 14 pupils from Year 11, who are currently taking NVQ Engineering, got to meet the drivers, look at their cars and also get hands on experience under the bonnet working with qualified mechanics. Both their teachers, Mr Garwyn Davies and Mrs Fiona Balchin thought it would be very interesting for the pupils to see how the things they learnt in the workshop could relate to the real world and in particular something fun!

 

RallyDay

Penglais School’s Engineers get to go rallying for the day!

 

The Vocational Engineering class had the opportunity to get a glimpse into the world of motorsport thanks to the help of the drivers from local motor clubs. The group of 14 pupils from Year 11, who are currently taking NVQ Engineering, got to meet the drivers, look at their cars and also get hands on experience under the bonnet working with qualified mechanics. Both their teachers, Mr Garwyn Davies and Mrs Fiona Balchin thought it would be very interesting for the pupils to see how the things they learnt in the workshop could relate to the real world and in particular something fun! Mrs Balchin navigates on road rallies and is a member of Teifi Valley Motor Club contacted her motor club and Chris Palmer from Lampeter & District Motor Club with the idea.

The Year 11 Engineering group got to experience what it was like to be a rally navigator for the day at Sweet Lamb Motorsport Complex in Llanguirig. The pupils had the opportunity to navigate drivers from local motor clubs around the infamous "bowl" where the World Rally Championships took place in November. Before they got to go out in the cars the pupils were shown how to prepare and check over a rally car by Chris Palmer. They changed wheels, checked oil and water and looked at the safety features that make a rally car different to a normal everyday road car. They were then taught how to plot a small course using maps and co ordinates that would be used on a real road rally. The pupils then got to go out in a car around the course getting code boards and marshals to sign their clip boards. They also had obstacles, such as give ways and triangles. The pupils gained points throughout the day whilst carrying out the individual tasks to win prizes that were donated by The Basic Roamer Company, Magnet Trade and James Hatfield Motorsport Photography. The winning pupil was Nathan Edwards, closely followed in second by Sam Morris and in third place Geoff Macken.

A fantastic day was had by both the pupils, staff and drivers. A huge thank you to Chris Palmer (CP Electrics) for all his help and time that went into making the day a success. We would also like to thank Barry Jones, Arfon Griffiths, Marc Mayes, Rob Walters, Clive Williams (Hillcrest Garage), Dylan Balchin, Dafydd Hughes, George Eadon (for designing the route and timecards), The Basic Roamer Company and Magnet Trade. A big thank you also to Jon Bennett Evans for being able to use the facilities at Sweet Lamb for the day. And finally a huge thank you to James Hatfield a former pupil of Penglais Comprehensive School, who now has his own Motorsport Photography business, for taking the photographs.

 

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Photographs by James Hatfield Motorsport Photography