World’s fastest car arrives in Ivybridge

Students from all over Devon travelled to Ivybridge Community College today to see and be inspired by the world’s fastest car – the supersonic, 1,000-mile-per-hour Bloodhound SSC.

The life-size show car (the only one of its kind in the UK) is being hosted by the College for five days, giving 600 students from more than 20 schoolsthe chance to explore the pencil-shaped vehicle and learn how science, technology, engineering and mathematics can be used to overcome the seemingly impossible.

The car was unveiled as the star element of an interactive learning zone at Ivybridge Community College, where the Bloodhound SSC team showed off the car, its components, and the technology behind the vehicle to the media and 120 lucky students. The car was housed in a marquee behind the College that was purposely erected for the occasion. Following the showcase, the Bloodhound education team ran four detailed sessions for chosen students from a variety of local schools, to be followed by four more days of inspiring workshops.

“It is so exciting to see Bloodhound up close and find out about the technology behind it,” said 12-year-oldIvybridge Community College student Tom Hughes. “I’ve never seen a car like it - my mum has a Ford Fiesta, which would look tiny and boring if it was parked next to Bloodhound!

“I want to be either a musician or an engineer when I grow up, added Tom, “so learning about Bloodhound – especially the aerodynamics – has inspired me to find out more about engineering. My favorite subject at school is technology and my dream job would be to design and build rollercoasters.”

The visit was made possible by South West Teaching School Alliance, which helped fund the visit, alongside Ivybridge Community College, which is hosting the car and providing the extensive security needed to keep it safe. Over the coming days, students from more than 20 schools will get the chance to learn more about and be inspired by the car and its team, while countless more will hear about its amazing story in group assemblies.

During the workshops that will be held through the week,students will learn about aerodynamics, forces, engineering problem-solving, the importance of teamwork, building rocket cars, 3D printing, computational fluid dynamics, and a whole host of other interesting topics.

“This is an exceptional experience for students in Devon,” said Simon Underdown, Assistant Principal at Ivybridge Community College. “Bloodhound is renowned throughout the world for the groundbreaking technology that it uses, so we’re privileged that our students can not only see it up close, but also get hands-on experience of how it actually works. I’m confident that this experience will inspire the students that were lucky enough to attend the workshops and leave a lasting legacyto motivate our future generation of engineers and scientists.”

In addition to the workshops and the chance to examine the car, students got the chance to try a simulated 1,000mph drive; investigate a modular version of the car that broke into cross-sections; and experience touch-screen panels and x-rays of the inside of the car.

Ivybridge Community College student Peter Bull, aged 13, is determined to be a fighter pilot in the RAF when he leaves school, so the day was a welcome introduction for him. He said: “It was so interesting to learn about the aerodynamics and balancing of the car, and it’s confirmed that I want to be a fighter pilot. The engineering behind Bloodhound has to be so precise, as the slightest miscalculation can end in disaster, so it shows how important it is to get the mathematics exactly right.”

Josh Woollard, aged 13, from Kingsbridge Community College, said: “I think it’s amazing that the car is powered by more than one engine – and that it will reach 1,000 miles per hour thanks to a jet from a fighter plane. I love making things and I’m interested in being an electrician or a carpenter when I leave school, so the rocket-building workshop was the most interesting for me. I hope to take engineering at GCSE and being here today has made me even more determined to do that.”

Following the first day’s activities, Ivybridge Community College held an evening presentation of the car for its governors and for neighbours of the College. The week was also supported by Rodgers Hyundai, which provided three display cars for the week and will host quarterly tours for Ivybridge Community College students who are interested in a career in the automotive industry.

Over the next two weeks, the Bloodhound education team will continue their tour of South West Teaching Alliance schools, spending one week in Exeter and a further week in Plymouth.