Working in miniature

Press, 25 October 1982, Page 20

Working in miniature

The fleet of giant earthmoving machines working on the Upper Clutha development project was the inspiration behind a new concept in playgrounds to be launched at Queen Elizabeth II Park in Christchurch in December.

Two years ago a Cromwell builder, Mr Colin Wood, started building a scale model of a mechanical digger for his son. aged three.

The digger has been joined by a front-end loader, an articulated truck, two Formula One racing cars, and an assortment of other, fully working “toys."

Each one is either electrically powered or has its own petrol motor, and each is a faithful scale model of the real thing, capable of performing similar functions.

Next rhonth the Wood family will move to Christchurch to start developing a one-acre site at Queen Elizabeth II Park as a new type of playground.

“Drive World," as it will be known, will be designed to allow young people from four years upwards to try their hand on the working scale models.

"Playgrounds traditionally are places where children sit on devices over which they have no real control,” said Mr Wood.

“As a youngster I always wanted to be able to drive

the machines I saw grownups handling. I believe today’s children are no different."

At "Drive World” each machine will work in its own compound. There will be a 100-metre race track where the cars, starting at either end of the track, pursuitcycling style, will chase each other at speeds of up to 24km/h.

One of Mr Wood’s inventions is a special roll cage for a three-wheeled motorcycle. Once strapped inside the driver is completely safe and can tip and roll the bike like a ball without coming to any harm.

Mr Wood gave up his building business to spend the last six months working full-time on the “Drive World" project.

Working with a design engineer, the models were built in his Cromwell workshop under the supervision of the Labour Department which must issue an amusement device approval and full safety clearance before they can be used in the playground.

Mr Wood's imagination and ingenuity it seems, knows no bounds. He is already planning aeroplanes, helicopters, even warships, all of which can be worked by children.

“Any machine is capable of being reproduced to scale," he said.