See the amazing soapbox designs by York children – and the one they've actually built

This amazing machine is Scarcroft School's Viking longboat kart, all ready for the Micklegate Soapbox challenge. Photograph: Lyndon Smith — This amazing machine is Scarcroft School’s Viking longboat kart, all ready for the Micklegate Soapbox challenge. Photograph: Lyndon Smith

When Scarcroft Primary School decided to enter the Micklegate soapbox race, the children came up with all manner of awesome designs.

There was a kart shaped like a fruit football, machines resembling whales with fearsome teeth, a hotdog on wheels and a giant squid with an enormous eye.

This one, by Seb Harbour, would go like a rocket

Now all their artwork is on display at Micklegate business Your Bike Shed – which is also a sponsor of the Friends Of Scarcroft School soapbox entry.

Co-owner Martin Harman said:

This is the first exhibition that we’ve run with work by primary school pupils and it’s principally to showcase their involvement with the soapbox creation.

We want to work with our local community to promote Micklegate, bring as many people to the area as possible, and show that it is a thriving part of York.

Seven-year-old Bea Hudson incorporated a giant squid into her design

This one has the great name The Termonobot

Of the 50 designs submitted by pupils in teams of two to three, a design created by Frances Cockburn, Conall Wilson and Kathryn Clague, and another by Emma Robinson, all aged 9, were combined to make the winning Viking longship design.

The next big challenge was to turn their fantastic artwork into a real machine.

One of the winning designs, by Frances Cockburn, Conall Wilson and Kathryn Clague

The children with their winning designs. Photograph: Lyndon Smith

David Lindridge, chair of Friends of Scarcroft School, was part of the build team.

He began working with other parents and grandparents Paul Rowan, Sapna Bedi Fitzgerald, Lyndon Smith, Nick Hampson, Richard Kay and Alastair Hudson to construct the cart in May. Alastair and Paul will be driving the cart on the day.

The chassis was built with parts donated from sponsors Your Bike Shed and other businesses with links to school pupils.

Each class was given a shield to decorate the sides of the ship.

Finally children got to see the kart when it was brought to their school. This awesome Viking machine will be raced in their name at the Autohorn Micklegate Run Soapbox challenge.

They loved it – and they want it to have a loving home after the race is over. So they will be raffling off the cart after the race to raise funds for the Yorkshire children’s cancer charity Candlelighters.

Jenny Holton, deputy head and school council supervisor said: “We chose Candlelighters as our school charity because they work with children, many of whom are the same age as those at our school.

“They also provided support for one of our pupils, so it is a charity that is very close to our hearts.”

Autohorn Micklegate Run Soapbox Challenge

Micklegate, York

Sun August 28 @ 11am-6pm

More details