Darlington College students build bicycle for two from scrap (From The Advertiser Series)

Darlington College students build bicycle for two from scrap

11:12am Friday 11th January 2013 in News

STUDENTS have put wheels in motion to develop their mechanical skills to the full.

Teenagers studying vehicle systems maintenance at Darlington College were charged with transforming a pile of scrap into a bicycle made for two as part of their course work.

The result is a tandem, spray-painted in Darlington College livery, which will now be used to promote courses and raise money for charity.

Tutor Ron Spear said: “It proved to be quite a challenge but the students really raised their game – and it could have been harder as originally I had thought of asking them to make a rickshaw.”

One girl and eight boys spent more than 20 hours sorting scrap cycles and refurbishing front and rear suspension, brakes and gears.

“This might be the only tandem of its type in Darlington and the students have done exceptionally well,” said Mr Spear.

“The course is a great introduction to motor vehicle qualifications and has taught them a host of new skills including welding, fabrication, general maintenance and painting and finishing.

“None of us have ridden a tandem before – it’s quite an art – and we are looking forward to testing it and in the future, perhaps, using it to raise money for charity.”

Vickylee Wall, 17, of Melsonby, said: “We are all over the moon with the result as none of us expected the final product to be as good as this when we started out with a pile of scrap.”