Scrapheap Challenge s07e04 Episode Script

Off Road Rescue

So, what's the problem, then, mate? Oh, thank goodness you've come.
I seem to have developed an awful squeak in my front wheel.
Welcome to Scrapheap Challenge, where each week, two teams of eager engineers build fiendishly clever contraptions from our piles of old scrap.
And this week, our teams are attempting to escape from a seriously sticky situation.
Eugh! Eugh! Ugh.
Yes, because this week, we're asking our brave bodgers to stage an audacious off-road rescue - salvage a soggy saloon from a deep, deadly bog, then carry it to safety over a mile of wheel-spinningly slippy off-road terrain.
ROBERT: And first team today are a tough trio of North Sea gas riggers - the 3B Rough Riders.
Captain Ozzie Senior and team-mates Barry Eastaugh and Jason Lord.
As you might expect, they couldn't be better drilled for success.
LISA: While in the peach corner, we have three motorbiking marauders from the Derbyshire Dales - the Bakewell Puddings.
Captain Nick Marriott, Mark Elliott, aka Smell, and his nephew Andrew Charlesworth, known as Charlie.
And they know exactly where the proof is.
Rough Riders.
ALL: Yeah! Bakewell Puddings.
(ALL CHEER) Gather around and prepare yourselves for a riotous off-road rescue mission.
Now, trapped in the centre of our tough-terrain course are two vehicles in need of salvation.
Yes, teams, we're challenging you to construct cross-country contraptions capable of lifting a 1 tonne car from a muddy predicament.
Now, you'll be up against the clock as you rescue your rusty roadster before transporting it back through the sticky stuff to stable ground.
OK, teams, you know the score.
When the gong sounds, you've got just 10 hours to build your super-sturdy salvage vehicles.
Rough Riders, are you ready to pile on the pressure? ALL: Yeah! Bakewell Puddings, are you ready to gorge yourselves on the heap? ALL: Yes! Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it! Here we go.
Go! Go! MAN: Here we go! ROBERT: To keep the Rough Riders on track, we've drafted in a grandmaster of vehicle salvage, Tim Dray.
Tim's been rescuing stricken vehicles for over 30 years, everything from lorries to army tanks.
If it's big and it's stuck, he's your man.
Jason.
Tim.
Ozzie, Tim.
Ozzie.
And Barry.
Tim.
Pleased to meet you.
LISA: On hand to ensure the Bakewell Puddings don't bust a gut is vehicle recovery whiz Steve Matthews.
This guy's idea of a fun night back in home town Hereford is mending broken-down breakdown trucks.
So salvage is his middle name.
Alright, lads? Steve.
Hi.
Alright? Nice to see you.
Charlie.
Smell.
Pleased to meet you.
Happy with the teams? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Any ideas? Flat-bed and a winch.
Yeah, good thinking.
Any other ideas? Tracks or four-wheel drive.
Something tractor, agricultural, construction equipment.
Something like that.
Dumper truck? Something like that? A perfect solution.
If you can find one of them, we're well away.
So, yeah, no problems.
Obviously, if you're gonna go with a flat-bed, we're gonna put a flat-bed on a 4x4.
The other thing is, obviously, what about the winch? Some kind of block and tackle.
Yeah.
Engine and a wheel? Wind it onto a wheel? Spot-on.
Could use a bike engine to power a winch.
You're into motorbikes.
OK.
Go for it.
LISA: The Bakewell Puddings want to find a short-wheelbase donor vehicle and attach a large pivoting flat-bed on top.
For the vehicle recovery, the Puddings plan to use a winch powered by a small motorcycle engine.
Sounds simple, but with all the moving parts inside a winch, building one from scratch won't be easy.
And the winch will need plenty of pulling power to drag a car from the mud.
If the engine fails, the team could turn the winch by hand.
But it will take an awful lot of pulling power to lift a waterlogged motor.
The weight of the car that we've got to carry in is about a tonne.
Rather than sort of, like, the conventional 4x4, let's go for something that's completely boss for the job.
Yeah.
Tractor.
Perfect.
Perfect.
Tractor.
That's just what we need.
I think what we also need, right, is something like a chassis out the back, but we'll actually join it to the tractor.
If we get rid of the front axle, get it away, 'cause that, if it's in a two-wheel drive, that could dig into the ground and it's gonna stop us getting traction, OK? How about if we make something like on a skip truck? You know, that levers over the back.
We'll put a strap through the roof of the car and just lift it up onto the trailer at the back.
Yeah.
That'll be perfect.
LISA: The Rough Riders plan to tow a truck chassis behind a tractor, even if the result is a giant recovery machine over 20 feet long.
To get their car onto the trailer, the team want to use hydraulic rams to power a large lifting frame, similar to a skip loader.
They also plan to remove the tractor's front axle, which means everything will hinge literally on making the connection strong enough but flexible too.
If it's not up to the job, the Rough Riders really could be in for a bumpy ride.
We've got a lot to find.
You'll need to get it.
OK, boys.
On your way.
Let's go.
ROBERT: There's no time to waste, because with such ambitious plans, both teams will have to scavenge hard to find the mountains of metal they need.
I've found a, um GN250 motorbike engine, if that's any use.
Yes.
Probably do.
Yeah.
We don't want nothing too big.
It's a complete bike minus front wheel.
LISA: And the Bakewells start well when Charlie and Smell uncover the ideal engine to drive their winch-recovery system.
And Jason and Barry quickly find lengths of steel suitable for the super-strength steering link between tractor and trailer.
Whack it on the bench.
On the bench.
And we'll just evaluate it.
ROBERT: But both teams' priority is finding their main donor vehicle.
And despite leaving no sheet of scrap unturned, neither can find what they're looking for.
STEVE: We're ready to go.
We just need the kit.
It's all this hanging about, it's getting to me.
There's a dumper here.
Andy.
ROBERT: After an hour scrabbling about, Smell finally sniffs out something deep under the scrapheap debris.
Alright, guys, I've got a four-wheel-drive dumper.
Doesn't look like it's been here very long.
Well, it's complete bar a battery, I'd say.
But looks like a runner.
Excellent.
Stick it up your jumper.
ROBERT: And at the opposite end of the heap, the Rough Riders look to have hit the junkyard jackpot.
Found a tractor, lads.
Bring her in.
Bring her in, boy! Bring her in.
ROBERT: All they need to do now is drag their metal booty back to their yards.
Time to test their powers of engine resuscitation.
There's a key in it, Jase, as well.
We need a battery.
Either Nick or the expert got any idea on how to start a dump truck? Follow the battery cable to the starter motor.
ROBERT: It seems the Puddings' cake-handed attempts at starting the dumper aren't impressing their expert.
Have they checked the leads? Is the earth on? The Bakewell Puddings.
How's it all going? Um, kind of a basic problem.
We can't get it started.
That's not a good start.
So have you had much experience with big, meaty vehicles or towing cars out of mud or anything like that? Not particularly, no.
I've got my own car stuck in various bits of mud.
I won't ask how.
Actually, how'd you get your own car stuck in mud? Uh, usually, we race motorbikes, so, um In the paddock where we all where you start to race, if it rains, it just basically turns from a field into a swamp.
Right.
So you generally need towing either in or out.
So quite often get stuck.
So you're kind of more at home with two wheels and a bit of a I'm afraid so, yeah.
But I can cope with four.
LISA: The Bakewell Puddings may not be enjoying their brush with construction site machinery, but the machines they do know inside out are bikes.
Whether it's tourers, racers or off-road scramblers, this team take their bikes just about anywhere.
(GRUNTS) LISA: Captain Mr Marriot - that's Nick to his friends - is an architectural designer who just loves his filthy weekends.
(LAUGHS) Andrew Charlesworth, nicknamed Charlie, works as an engine inspector but is always itching to tackle anything.
And his uncle, Mark Elliott, aka Smell, is a design engineer who's not the type of bloke to shirk a showdown.
Scrapheap opponent.
Hailing from the Peak District town of Bakewell, this team enjoy getting stuck into a game of rugby almost as much as the heart-stoppingly tasty local delicacy that gives them their team name.
We are the Bakewell Puddings.
And we are gonna devour the opposition.
(BOTH CRUNCH) ROBERT: Like the Bakewells, the Rough Riders can't get their vehicle started.
But they have found the ideal flat-bed trailer lying close by.
We'll get the gas axe and chop it off at the back of that spring hanger.
Let's get the tractor back.
Get it up there.
Pivotal point.
Trailer.
Morning, chaps.
Looking round you, I was expecting to see huge piles of metal here.
There's not an enormous amount here yet, is there? Still having trouble.
We've got a supply problem.
Have you? We know what we want.
We've found a good vehicle.
It's not good till he gets here.
Well, true.
But it looks like the drawing? They went straight for a tractor.
It does look quite like that? They vaguely explained it to me, but I couldn't quite understand.
You're taking the front wheels off, which I would think were kind of important in a tractor.
Yeah.
Well, what we're looking for is remove the front wheels.
Yeah.
Right? And then spread the load onto the main tractor wheels.
Then we've got the flexibility With the steering.
That is the pivotal point.
Fairly important, that bit, isn't it? Full axle articulation.
I think that's the word we needed.
I saw them.
They was in concert.
They were good, were they? Yeah, they were good, yeah.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Full Axle Articulation!" "Hooray!" ALL: We are the 3B Rough Riders, and we're gonna be cooking with gas! ROBERT: Working rotas of two weeks on, two weeks off, the Rough Riders spend their working life cooped up with 80 blokes on the 3B gas platform in the middle of the North Sea.
Captain Owen Senior, aka Ozzie, is the platform's safety officer.
He knows his way around a workshop and prides himself on being an excellent team motivator.
Barry Eastaugh is 3B platform's maintenance officer and an expert welder, responsible for keeping the rig shipshape in Bristol fashion - definitely a smooth operator.
Jason Lord is a mechanical technician highly rated by his rigmates for an ability to repair anything and his winning smile.
With 14-hour work shifts, North Sea storms and a strict no-alcohol rule, it's unlikely these boys will be intimidated by a little hard graft.
LISA: Keeping an eagle eye on proceedings is judge Simon Buck.
As the first European winner of the Malaysian jungle challenge, a race through the densest forest on Earth, he knows what it takes to triumph over the toughest terrain.
From the point of view of what they've gotta do, although they're actually only doing one challenge, it's a monster one, 'cause they've got to get to the vehicle over a short off-road course, pick it up, put it on, and then drive back with the vehicle on board, unloading the vehicle and then going across the finish line.
It's gonna be interesting to see how the Rough Riders' vehicle, which is gonna be quite long, copes with the undulating ground.
Uh, the Bakewell Puddings have probably got an advantage because they're a shorter wheelbase, so 'Cause what are the disadvantages with the longer vehicle, then? If they continue down the road they're going - they've taken the front wheels off and they're gonna put them on the rear, so they've got like a skip loader - but now we've got about 5 or 6 feet sticking out the front of the vehicle.
When the front wheels are on there and we reach a slope, the front wheels are gonna take the nose up, and away we go, but as it is With no wheels.
Yes.
The nose is going to go into the slope.
And also, you know, if they've got to go over any humps, the longer the vehicle, the more likelihood there is of it grounding out, and the idea, as I understand it, is to recover a vehicle, not to be recovered.
LISA: After lots of tinkering, the Bakewells have finally got the dumper started.
But now they've discovered its steering's shot to pieces and they need the towrope after all.
And the Rough Riders' non-running tractor's proving a real drag to tow.
So the whole team's been allowed onto the heap to help heave it home.
Whoo-hoo.
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Crude way of stopping it.
ROBERT: At last, the all-important donor vehicles are back in their yards.
But a lot of valuable build time's already been lost.
(EXCLAIMS) Uh, teams, attention, please.
You have eight hours remaining.
Eight long, lovely hours remaining, teams.
Thank you.
LISA: So time's marching on.
But the Puddings seem remarkably unconcerned.
And the Rough Riders are still in high spirits.
BOTH: Oo-ah, oo-ah.
LISA: While Tim and Oz attempt to start the stubborn tractor, Barry's cutting free the truck chassis they want to use as the giant rear end on their tractor-trailer combination.
ROBERT: Yeah, the Rough Riders I can't speak too loudly 'cause they're down there doing that truck.
But the Rough Riders are so not rough.
They're lovely, smooth fellas.
They're really calm.
One measuring stick.
ROBERT: They know all about engineering and welding.
Course they do, 'cause they're doing this.
That's something.
Some in there.
Right.
They all seem to get on really well and there's obviously, like, respect for the captain.
He looks like he should be the captain, and he is.
The other two kind of they all talk to each other nicely.
Their expert's really charming and clever.
Comes up with good, funny lines.
He's a funny bloke.
You know All a bit too good.
Yeah.
No, what you're saying, it smacks to me a bit of the Cat-alysts, who, as we know, has won everything forever.
(ENGINE STARTS) Yoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! They've even got their tractor working, as we can see by the massive cloud of black smoke from their building area.
Poor old Bakewell Puddings.
Got a lot to fight against, don't they? What are they like? Well, they're dead Northern.
Oh, right.
They're very nice.
Got some relations.
There's uncle and nephew.
They've got a great idea, really good idea.
Basically, a dumper truck, which they'll take the dumper bit off and put a flat-bed on.
But they all get on really well.
They've known each other for years.
And they're mates and relatives.
When things get a bit fractious later in the day, there could be old family squabbles coming out.
Kind of all those the skeletons in the closet could be Yeah.
"You never liked my mother.
" Yeah.
Yeah.
"Yeah, well, you always nicked all the Bakewell pudding as a child.
" And what is the difference between a Bakewell pudding and a Bakewell tart? A Bakewell pudding is a larger version and wears tights, and the Bakewell tart is a smaller version that wears stockings.
(LAUGHS) ROBERT: The Bakewells definitely haven't got time to tart around.
Charlie's found a flat-bed out on the heap and a heavy-duty axle they hope will provide gearing for their winch.
The only snag is there's a potential problem with the dumper.
Right, this whole middle section, the driving section, has got to be cut off and lifted up and put up here.
Two reasons.
Our load ain't gonna be far enough back.
And the other reason - you need to be high to see over the load.
ROBERT: While the Bakewells are head-scratching, the Rough Riders are making headway on their mammoth build.
The truck chassis's been recovered, and now they have their machine's two major components.
But the sheer complexity of their design means there's a lot of cutting, shaping, grinding and welding to be done.
We'll whiz that over now and I'll weld the other side.
I'll tack that.
ROBERT: The team need to operate like a well-oiled machine.
It's a good job they're used to working in such a tight huddle.
Ooh! Ah-ah-ah-ah! LISA: The Bakewells are doing their best to get back on track.
Steve's getting his head round how on earth he's going to build that all-important winch, while Smell's starter for 10 is how to shift their problem platform.
Just as they're building up some momentum, another Scrapheap setback.
Yeah.
Yeah.
This flat-bed.
Do you think this is gonna be enough? It's a bit weak.
Have you looked for other flat-beds? We went for the obvious first one we come across? Well, that was just out the side, so Right, we did say a tipper flat-bed would be more suitable.
I'll have a look, see what I can find.
Uh, teams, you have six hours remaining.
Six hours remaining, teams.
(BLOWS RASPBERRY) Head down, backside in the air.
That's it, mate.
Well, the lug in the middle.
That was perfect.
Oh, well.
Oh, this is very interesting, 'cause this When I first saw this come in, it looked like a perfectly decent sort of dumpster truck.
It was in very good condition.
It was.
It was bit muddy.
That was the irony.
And now you've cut it to bits.
So I don't quite understand.
There's something happening rather major here.
What we've got to do is get the seating area up there out of the way.
It's to get the load space and get the weight in the right place.
No point having the weight right out there.
Plus what we got to think about is the off-road course.
If the overhang is too great, the first bank we come to It's going to dig in.
So you need to be able to lift the car right up Yeah, it's gonna be pretty high.
Yeah.
'Cause we got to mount our winch as well, which is underneath the bed.
Ah, right - Steve, are you still quite confident you'll get it done today? I mean, is it Well, hopefully.
Name of the game.
But we're still struggling to get halfway at the moment.
And what about you? Are you confident? Blowing hot and cold on confidence.
For the moment, we're hot.
Are you? Oh, good.
We're hot.
We'll get there.
'Cause you sort of started out strong, bit of a setback, but you have to, otherwise you don't know you're succeeding.
We did it on purpose.
Yeah.
Did you? It's all on the board.
"Setback, 12:30.
" Yeah.
That's right.
LISA: On the other side of the wall, the Rough Riders' off-road juggernaut's coming together.
While the gas riggers knock their trailer into shape, Tim is slaving over their vehicle's steering pivot.
It's a lot more complex than your typical tow hook.
He has to handcraft every piece for this crucial multipurpose hinge.
That's nearest.
3B Rough Riders.
So quickly talk me through what you're doing.
You've got a big old Leyland tractor here.
So that's gonna provide your big, grunty, torquey engine.
And then, so, what's happening with this bit? This is going to be the bed we're going to recover the car onto.
It's gonna have two big hydraulic arms that come up the back here.
They reverse up to the car, chain it up, hoist it over, very similar to a skip wagon.
Do you think that's gonna be strong enough to hold it all together? I know in the tractor, you've got a really strong engine, real torquey engine.
That'll probably drag a Chieftain tank out.
Do you reckon? Yeah.
Especially when Barry's welded it.
Barry! Just putting more and more pressure on me, Oz, aren't you? Lot of pressure on your welding as it is.
Tim done a bit of that, by the way.
I tacked it.
Just in case it goes wrong.
Explain the pivot to me, 'cause I can't quite see how it's gonna work.
This bit here Mm-hm.
If you imagine that when it's finished, that is the pivot point, so when that's attached to the front there, it's going to pivot.
But it's also going to have another axis.
Right.
So the trailer can do that.
So that if we go through holes and hills, it articulates with it.
LISA: To create horizontal articulation, or twist, the Rough Riders plan to run one steel pipe from the tractor through a wider hollow pipe built into the trailer.
When the narrow pipe is anchored into place, the trailer can twist independently of the tractor.
Vertical articulation, or turning left and right, is more straightforward, as the pivot works like a typical hinge joint with a pin on the tractor rotating freely inside the steel casing built around it.
Fine in principle, but they'll end up unhinged if Barry's welds can't take the strain.
I think I've found a flat-bed, lads.
LISA: For the Bakewell Puddings, Charlie's out finding a replacement flat-bed.
He had to go hunting on the heap after expert Steve rejected the first one he scavenged.
It seemed as if the Puddings had the more straightforward build.
But after being sidetracked by the tricky task of shifting their driving platform and having to find a replacement flat-bed, work on all-important Project Winch has come to a total standstill.
But we can move it on the splines.
That's got to go up.
But we might have to cut an axis hole to get it coupled up, 'cause once that's down in there, we ain't gonna have too much room.
And don't forget, we've got to put some seats on.
So we'll worry about that last.
LISA: But at least the new flat-bed meets with Steve's approval.
Well done, boys.
I think that'll do us.
Yeah.
That's miles better.
That's a better thing.
Got the ram that's a triple-stage ram in there.
It'll go hell of an angle if you want it to.
I don't think we'll need that.
LISA: With the Bakewells falling behind and the Rough Riders surging on, has our judge changed his opinion on who holds the upper hand? I have to say, I'm kind of impressed with the Rough Riders' machine.
I mean, it's big and beefy and Slightly worrying on the hinge department, I'll admit.
That does look like a bit of a weak element.
But it's just such a mad idea.
I have to admit, now we've got the chassis lined up behind it and you can see it, get a better perspective of how it's looking, I might have to eat humble pie.
I'm still concerned about the weight in front of the what will become the front wheels, the rear wheels at the moment, but it's certainly gonna look great, and I'm sure the hydraulics are gonna do the job.
But my only concern is that the hinge mechanism, the pivot's, gonna be strong enough in the lateral position.
But, yes, it's gonna be very impressive.
I think both teams' vehicles look great.
They do, don't they? Yeah.
I'm really very impressed with both teams.
It does look like the Puddings know they're up against it, though.
Quite a bit to do there.
That's right, yeah.
They haven't got time to waste.
No.
They're all all all They are all going flat out.
eager beavers at the moment, but, you know I think They've done the worst of it.
They know what they're going to do.
It's just a case of assembling now.
Yeah.
It's just whether they've left themselves enough time to complete the assembly.
LISA: Maybe now they have their new flat-bed, the Puddings can get their build back on track.
The seating platform's been lifted into position, and just as rival expert Tim's obsessed by his pivot, Steve's now equally focused on his winch.
Meanwhile, Nick and Smell are gently manipulating the new flat-bed into shape.
Hit it harder.
Oh.
Eyes.
By God, you're rough, Marriott.
I was hitting it as hard as I could.
Teams, four hours remaining.
You've got four hours remaining, teams.
Thank you.
Pull your finger out.
We're nowhere near.
It's out.
LISA: Next door, Barry's welding production line has paid dividends for the Rough Riders as their lifting frame is ready bang on schedule.
Wow.
I'll just help that last bit.
Ooh! There we go.
Leave it to me.
Turned up in perfect time.
Excellent.
Perfect.
That looks like the hydraulic lifting mechanism that will lift your vehicle onto your trailer.
Right, it's the support framework for it.
We haven't fitted the hydraulic stuff yet, but These are the arms? Yeah, it is.
Yes.
I wanted to make sure I was up to speed on what you were doing.
It's coming together.
You've got the two rams you need for that? And you're gonna be running that off the tractor.
Yeah, that's right.
Yep.
Off the hydraulics.
Right, and have you We've had those tested.
We've got the pressure.
We've got the pressure.
Oh, good.
So we're cooking with gas.
LISA: The Rough Riders are taking advantage of their tractor's powerful purpose-built hydraulic pump.
It uses power from the diesel engine to pump fluid through sealed hoses under very high pressure into the ram cylinder, forcing the ram piston in and out.
The team plan to use two long rams to power their lifting frame and another smaller ram to steer their off-roading leviathan.
Problems will arise if fluid escapes from either hoses or rams, as they'll lose their steering and lifting power, and their off-road rescue will meet a sticky end.
ROBERT: In the Bakewells' build area, the pace is frenetic.
Smell and Charlie are heads down, grafting hard, and for once, Steve's full of praise, for his own intricate winch work.
I'll tell you what - that is spot-on.
ROBERT: But architect Nick's finding the business end of the build tough going.
Who's left that lying around? There was two or three gaskets.
That's off the bike, isn't it? The challenge is, I have to say, hard.
Uh, the team's been a little bit daunted, I think, um, once we realised the size of this task in hand.
Myself, if I'm honest, uh, I could do with a few more engineering skills.
It's a long time since I was doing engineering or anything like that.
Goes back to school.
But, um I'm enjoying it.
It's, uh It's difficult being captain when you're probably the weakest engineer in the group.
Steve is getting very involved in his winch.
I personally think we could have made a winch perhaps, uh, more straightforwardly.
Um But, uh, I have faith in him.
I have faith.
He's getting his nose stuck into that, which is fine.
That'll work.
I can blame him if it doesn't work.
Rest of us are getting on with the build.
We know what we're doing.
LISA: Steve's approach to his winch construction is certainly single-minded.
But is it just the winch cable he's been winding up? Highly priced piece of kit, this.
Steve.
Oh, the winch! I've heard great things about your winch.
Well (CHUCKLES) Am I right in thinking you've constructed this from scratch? Yes, pretty well.
OK.
Now, I also heard your captain was rather pleased 'cause it kept you out of mischief - all you did was working on the winch.
It's kept me out of the way, yes.
I've been terribly misquoted.
Why is it so important to get the winch right? What is so vital about it? It's the forces.
You've got a lot of force, especially with a car stuck in the mud, a 1 tonne car - you need 3-tonne of pull.
To combat the kind of vacuum, the suck-down, as it were? So talk me through what you've done.
Well, we've basically used a Land Rover back axle.
Right.
Cut it apart.
Salvaged the differential.
And welded the star gears.
So we've got all the drive on one wheel.
So we've got a 4-to-1 ratio through there.
We've mounted a sprocket on there.
But we've also mounted the disc brake.
So when we get it on the thing, bit of careful driving, as soon as you pull the clutch, pull the brake, it'll stop.
LISA: Using the different-sized cogs from their rear axle, the Bakewell Puddings plan to build a winch with a 4-to-1 gear ratio.
Put simply, the cog turning the winch has to be four times the size of the cog connected to the engine.
The smaller cog has to turn four times to turn the larger cog just once.
This turns the winch drum more slowly but pulls the cable with a lot more strength.
The 4-to-1 gear ratio effectively quadruples the power of their motorcycle engine, transforming a 250cc tiddler into a 1,000cc monster.
Has it been assumed the captain will be driving? Driving the winch? I don't know.
One has to take a responsible attitude to these things.
Right.
Unfortunately.
They're all too scared.
So as the captain, you're gonna take the bull by the horns? Yeah.
Take the winch by the disc brake.
Have to be careful how you say that.
(ALL LAUGH) Uh, teams, as you can see, the sun is setting on your build.
You have two hours remaining.
Two hours, teams.
Two hours.
Two hours? LISA: It's looking like a tight finish for both teams.
The Rough Riders are still trying to scavenge the second large ram, essential to their build.
And the front axle they've planned to remove is still very much attached.
But the lifting frame construction's taking shape.
And there's no chance of them easing off just yet.
Good old boy.
This is tops.
Sound? Oh, it's It's brilliant.
But the only thing we're struggling with, lads, is time.
(BLOWS RASPBERRY) We're going to really I know.
ROBERT: Next door, the Bakewell Puddings have all the components they need.
But they still have to attach their flat-bed.
And that can only happen once the winch is in place.
But they can't fit their winch until the motorcycle engine is fitted, which is Smell's responsibility.
Only problem is one major cock-up.
That is in the way of the chain.
Chain.
The winch will be ready in 10 minutes.
We'll have him on.
The beast.
Let's work out this load bed, then.
ROBERT: Last thing they need - tired mistakes at this stage of the build.
But I do feel that Stevie, the expert on the Bakewell Puddings team, deserves a special mention for his winch.
Apparently, the rest of the team were kind of taking the micky out of him because he spent so long and so much care and attention, loving care and attention It does look brilliant, the winch.
It's fantastic, isn't it? It's beautifully made as well.
It really is beautifully put together.
And now the rest of the team are going, "Ooh! Love the winch.
" And I think they really think it's gonna do a fantastic job.
So if the winch breaks, then I think there'll be disillusionment all round.
Stevie, I think, is gonna need counselling, frankly, if it breaks.
No, it is.
It's a beautifully made winch.
But at the moment, the way it looks like, the Rough Riders are kind of quite well advanced with their machine.
And I suddenly went to look at the Bakewell Puddings', and it looked like kind of the same as it had a long time before.
But, then, it's one of those component things, isn't it? They've got all their components.
See? You can never tell.
They go clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk and it's all there.
Although sometimes they haven't done anything 'cause they've been drinking tea and they really haven't done anything.
There are those teams, who are always charming.
I always like teams like that.
They're always good for a giggle.
Very lovely and good at drinking tea and eating buns.
Yeah, yeah.
No, this lot, I haven't seen this lot even sit down.
No.
They were eating on the move.
One of the Bakewell Puddings was welding as he was eating his spare rib.
But he was sticking it under his welding mask.
You wouldn't want to get it the wrong way round, would you? Ooh! Oh, no.
Ooh! Now, that would be very spicy.
It would, wouldn't it? And ribs are terrible for welding.
(LAUGHS) ROBERT: Late in the day, the Rough Riders have realised they're short of one vital component - a hydraulic control valve to operate their lifting frame and steering.
Jason's having to scavenge in the gloom to find something they can use.
LISA: Smell has repositioned the motorcycle engine, and at last, the Bakewells can complete the assembly of their winch.
And the Puddings continue to be impressed by Steve's handiwork.
That is beautiful, that is.
Found it.
ROBERT: And the Rough Riders can breathe easier because Jason's rustled up the final piece to complete their giant jigsaw.
Let's have a look.
Let's have a look.
Have you just been into town to buy that? It took some finding.
Perfect.
There really is a lot of frenetic activity, isn't there? You'd think that by this time of the day, they'd be sort of wilting.
They're working faster now than they have all day, and they've been working like the clappers all day.
That's right.
No, they're still going at it hammer and tong.
When they first started, I thought the Rough Riders had the biggest build - it looked like it - and somehow the Bakewell Puddings had an easier job, but, actually, it seems to have tipped the other way now, and it looks like the Rough Riders have certainly caught up.
Oh, most definitely.
I thought they'd bitten off more than they could chew.
And it's very impressive, what they've turned out.
Uh They've definitely had the bigger task.
And they've completed it or nearly completed it admirably.
Um, the Bakewell Puddings, I I still I still think that if they can get it completed and get everything working, I still think they might be the most manoeuvrable on the day.
But stopping them from getting stuck and recovering the vehicles, that's gonna be the real test for them.
So you haven't changed your mind, then, about who your money's on? I can tell you're still you're still with the Puddings.
Yeah, if I had to put money on it, it would be with the Puddings.
Alright.
But it would be evens.
I'm not feeling overly confident.
Right.
LISA: Perhaps Simon doesn't need to worry.
Because since Steve's winch slotted together so easily, the Bakewells' car carrier's really taking shape.
Hang on.
LISA: Despite the setbacks, it looks like the Puddings will be finished on time.
ROBERT: But with only half-an-hour build time left, the Rough Riders still haven't removed their front axle.
And it's a crucial moment as they discover whether Tim's pivot can take the strain.
Whoo-hoo! Push it.
Push it.
Thunderbirds are go, boys! ROBERT: Not even a wobble.
Looks like Tim's hard work has all been worthwhile.
LISA: It's off.
Oh, it's off now.
I take it all back, Tim.
It's all done with mirrors.
No safety net.
Look at that.
Brilliant, yeah? Nothing there.
I'm seriously, seriously impressed.
And very, very best of luck tomorrow.
Think you're gonna win? Oh, yeah, we've got to win, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
We'll get that much stick if we don't.
We can't go back offshore to all our colleagues if we don't win.
How much stick will you get? Plenty.
And you can't really get off a gas platform, can you? No, you're stuck there for two weeks.
Yeah.
Very best of luck.
I shall get out of your way.
There's one chair.
There's three more to come.
Good luck.
See you in a bit.
Bye-bye.
ROBERT: For the final few minutes, the Puddings frantically work at reinforcing their flat-bed, while the Rough Riders attach their steering ram and squeeze the seats into place.
It's been a massive build for both teams.
But they've brought their plans to life in the nick of time.
Big one in the middle.
Daddy bear.
Mummy bear.
Baby bear.
OK, teams, your time is up.
Down your tools and run your weary eyes over your magnificent recovery machines.
Well done.
Relax and unwind, because tomorrow, the outlook is rough and rugged as you attempt to rescue a rusty roadster from a watery peril.
Well done, teams.
You've done brilliantly.
Well done.
Good build.
Well played.
Cheers, fellas.
ROBERT: In just 10 hours, our hardworking teams have built two genuinely gigantic recovery machines.
And size really could matter as they carry themselves and their waterlogged car over the muddiest of miles.
Can our North Sea gasbags handle the pressure, or will it be our Derbyshire off-roaders who reach the peaks of performance? (STRAINS) LISA: Both teams have used their final tinkering time to add finishing touches to their rescue machines.
Roll cages and safety belts have been fitted, they've found time for a customised paint job and a few decorative flourishes.
Facing our teams is a race against the clock over the treacherous terrain of our off-road rescue circuit.
From the start line, the teams head downhill to reach the motor marooned in the middle of a water hazard.
Then, after recovering the car, they have to carry it cross-country round the rest of the course.
There's a tough hill to get up and down and plenty of soft, sandy sections to get stuck in before a final steep climb to the unloading area and finish line.
First up are the Bakewell Puddings in their perfectly proportioned 'Pink Pudding'.
Simon, you've seen the course now, and we've seen the machines finished.
And they're looking pretty good, aren't they? They're looking great.
Both teams have done a great job.
And it's gonna be very interesting to see who comes out on top.
What do you think's gonna win the race today? What are the things the teams really need to do? The most important thing is being able to recover the vehicle and not get yourself stuck recovering it.
It's gonna be very wet sand, and if they spin the wheels, they're likely to bog themselves down.
So it's the wet sand, is the big problem for them? There is a fair amount to go through.
Definitely.
Definitely.
And there's also the steep ground, which, when they approach with a vehicle on, could prove quite interesting.
Right.
And they certainly need the car tied on tight.
I would imagine so.
Imagine if it drops off the back Yes, yes, and have to pick it up again.
Well, it looks like they're getting very close to going.
(ENGINE REVS) So, Bakewell Puddings, your time has come at last.
OK.
There is a fairly obvious problem that once you've got the car on the front of your flat-bed, how are you actually gonna see to steer? We look through the windscreen.
Yeah, we look through the windscreen.
Get the angle right.
We'll be alright.
Hopefully, yes.
Alright, good luck.
Cheerio.
Bakewell Puddings, it's time to rise to the occasion.
Go on the sound of the horn.
(SQUEEZES HORN) Ooh.
Nice swift start.
ROBERT: The dumper engine is short on horsepower but keeps on chugging away.
And 'The Pink Pudding' makes slow but steady progress towards the water.
And they're in the mud.
Excellent.
Oh, beautifully tipped flat-bed there.
ROBERT: With the flat-bed in position, Captain Nick can fire up the winch-driving motorcycle engine.
Uh, Robert to Lisa.
Over.
Hi there, Robert.
The team seem to be doing very well.
They've attached the car to the metal cables.
They've got the motorbike started.
Yeah, the winch is now started, or the winch is running.
The winch is running, and it seems to be doing the job.
It seems to be doing the job very well, actually.
The car is now mounting the platform.
They said the winch was a work of art.
I think they were right.
Over.
ROBERT: That sounds very impressive.
Very exciting commentary.
Thank you very much.
LISA: Ooh, no.
Ooh, no.
And now the whole thing is lifting out of the water.
Now we have some problems.
Hopefully, they'll open the back doors and let the water out.
Yeah.
ROBERT: The Bakewells are on the same wavelength as the judge.
But even drained of water, it takes plenty of Pudding power to get the car up and into position.
Go on! Come on! Go again! LISA: They're big lads.
Even so.
That was an incredible show of brute force.
Over.
ROBERT: All that's left is to secure the car in position, get themselves belted in, and off they go.
It's taken longer than they'd like to recover the car.
And they could really do with a clear run round the rest of the course.
Robert, I have to say, this vehicle doesn't look that stable, but they're ploughing on regardless.
Over.
ROBERT: If the Puddings aren't careful, their top-heavy tipper could end up an apple turnover.
Can you see it now? That's terrifying.
I think they deserve bravery awards.
Absolutely.
It doesn't look stable.
They've got through it pretty well so far.
That's the four-wheel drive.
Yeah, it's really helping.
It's paying dividends.
ROBERT: But it's no trifling matter getting the underpowered dumper up and over the hill.
Oh, no! The engine's still running.
He just couldn't make it up the hill.
ROBERT: Steve's solution? Try the climb in reverse.
Lovely three-point turn there.
Very neat.
Steady.
It's a rough road.
They really are not sparing their two cylinders.
No.
ROBERT: So the Bakewells conquer the first hill in reverse.
But there's still the steeper final climb to come.
Now, then, what are they going to opt for here? ROBERT: They're going to reverse up.
SIMON: This is a reverse.
ROBERT: Has 'The Pink Pudding' got the strength to reach the top? (ALL CHEER) ROBERT: All they have to do is get the car off the flat-bed.
I'm glad it's not my car.
Yes.
ROBERT: Now they just need to charge across the finish line.
They may not have set any speed records, but the Puddings have completed the course with no penalties.
Well done.
ROBERT: While the Bakewell Puddings celebrate, the 3B Rough Riders know exactly what they have to beat.
Rough Riders, let's see if you're cooking with gas.
Go on the sound of the horn! (SQUEEZES HORN) Lmpressive start.
ROBERT: It's a great start for the Rough Riders as they stampede down the hill.
Come on, Tim.
ROBERT: The tractor's definitely faster over the ground than the dumper.
But they need to recover their roadster quickly to press home that advantage.
Jason's the first one in.
Go on, Jase! ROBERT: And Jason can't wait to get stuck in.
LISA: Ooh! ROBERT: In fact, he looks very determined to put the 'wreck' back into 'car recovery'.
Tim reverses their monster machine into position.
The hydraulic arm is going down.
That's great.
OK, so I think we're strapped round behind, through the doors, and attaching it to their winch.
ROBERT: With the chain attached, the tractor easily pulls the car out of the deep water.
Now they just need to get the car on board.
This is going to be the test for them now.
This is gonna be the test of their hydraulics and their system.
ROBERT: The good news is the hydraulics are working just fine.
But can they manoeuvre the car onto the trailer? Power's not a problem, but things aren't going entirely to plan.
If you had your brand-new car sort of stuck in a puddle, would you call this team in to salvage it? Only if I wanted to do an insurance job on it.
Over.
ROBERT: Time to reset and try again.
Go for it! ROBERT: Not the ideal carrying position, but Tim decides they've got to get going.
It's dropping out! Fasten it on! Let's go! Looks like they're getting closer.
What does it look like your end? Yes, Robert, they're definitely getting a bit closer.
But I really have to say, I wouldn't want my car to be rescued by this lot.
Hit it.
Hit it! So you don't think the owner will be driving away in it happily after this recovery, then? Uh, indeed not.
I'm very pleased to see that Jason's actually putting the bumper into the back seat.
So they have got all the bits of the car.
But they haven't got them all still attached to the car.
Over.
ROBERT: They've got the speed to beat the Bakewells' time, but with the weight of the car hanging off the back, is there enough traction on the vehicle's two driving wheels? It does look like the trailer wheels are digging in.
You can hear the revs picking up.
I don't know.
Here we go.
ROBERT: It looks like Tim's chosen the wrong driving line and ended up in the soft stuff.
I think they've come to a grinding halt.
ROBERT: Indeed they have.
The Rough Riders have to call for a tow.
This is the difference between two-wheel and four-wheel drive as well.
ROBERT: That's a 30-second penalty for the Riders.
But it's not over yet.
If they get round at top speed, they can still beat the Puddings.
He's picking up the revs to climb the hill.
ROBERT: Back under his own steam, Tim throws caution to the wind.
They scale the hill in next to no time.
Oh, it's moving now.
It's absolutely fine, isn't it? ROBERT: But then, disaster strikes.
(ENGINE GRINDS AND STOPS) The connection between tractor and trailer's given way under the strain, and the Rough Riders are nosedown in the dirt.
Oh, Rough Riders.
Was it the pivot that broke? No, the tractor's broken.
Tractor? Are you very disappointed? ALL: Yeah.
Disappointed, yeah.
But worse things happen at sea.
ROBERT: So it's a big disappointment for the 3B Rough Riders.
But at least they can walk away knowing it wasn't their welds that let them down.
Well, teams, what a challenge it's been.
It's been muddy and moist, sandy and soggy, certainly lots of uphills and downhills.
Rough Riders, you put in a sterling performance.
Ended up nosedown, unfortunately.
Runaway winners - they cooked up a storm - is the Bakewell Puddings.
Well done! (ALL CHEER) LISA: Well done, teams.
Thank you.
Nice.
Oh, commiserations, guys.
You did amazing.
Beautiful machine.
Thank you very much.
Well done.
Well done.
(ALL CHEER AND LAUGH)
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