Scrapheap Challenge Episode Rating Graph

The challenge This week’s Scrapheap Challenge is a test to see who can build the most extreme rapid-fire arrow launcher. The teams will have to build a projectile launcher that can automatically load itself, as well as quickly firing arrows far and accurately. Stage Crew The boys from behind the scenes! Our Bristolian bodgers Pup, Denzel and Jet are responsible for contraptions used in shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Poppins and Miss Saigon. Passionate, animated and enthusiastic is the only way to describe them. Captain Pup’s eyes light up when he talks engineering and he is supported by the bearded Denzel with his hearty laugh and Jet, so-called because of his love for jet engines. This team is used to the pressure of having to perform and with their ‘The show must go on’ attitude, is unlikely to disappoint. The Stage Crew’s expert is a friend of the show, Tod Todeschini. Tod began life as a kitchen product designer but he soon got bored. He is now a medieval weaponry expert and maker of special effects for stage and television. This is his third outing to Scrapheap Challenge and having previously tackled Giant Darts and Rapid Fire, this week's test should be a cinch! The Big Dippers The Big Dippers are Lancashire lads responsible for the maintenance of Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Dodgey (he loves car boot sales and ferreting in skips – should be at home on the heap then!), Steve and Brian (nicknamed Two-ey as he only has two front teeth) have been friends for years and have a wealth of experience. Dodgey comes from a family of mechanics, Steve is the electrics supervisor at the Pleasure Beach and Brian claims to be able to weld underwater. So as well as providing a constant level of cheeky banter, these guys are here for more than the ride! In The Big Dippers’ corner is expert armourer John Nixon. John spent 10 years learning his trade as an armourer with REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers), before splitting his time between armoury and mechanics. Nowadays, he is most likely to be found on a film set making guns for epics such as Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan. Let’s see if he will save the day for The Big Dippers! The judge Our judge this week is another Scrapheap veteran, Steve Ralphs. Grand Master of the Traditional Bowyers Guild, Steve began crafting traditional bows and arrows 25 years ago. He now spends most of his time instructing Hollywood actors in the art of archery (this is the man that taught Legolas how to draw a bow). When he’s not doing that he plays guitar in a band called Phabulous Fondue!

The challenge for the second heat is to build a 'monster truck' and drive it around an 'S'-shaped course in a dirt oval. The trucks will have to climb dirt hillocks and crush a line of cars before accelerating home. Each team is allowed three runs: the winner is the one that sets the fastest time.

The teams each have to build a machine capable of demolishing a set of industrial outbuildings at an old power station in Norwich. Sadly, no explosives are allowed, but they manage all the same. The Beach Boys, a group of twentysomething surfers, decide on a straightforward, human-powered battering ram, and do something no other team has ever managed — they finish building before time is up. The Chaos Crew keeps the Junkyard Wars tradition alive, with a great, big, nasty-looking machine. They build a big hydraulic claw that can rip down walls.

This week's mechanical migraine promises to be a Scrapheap classic. The teams must build contraptions to throw a 100-kilogramme scooter as far as they can, without the help of compressed gas or gunpowder. The Balloonatics, a trio of hot air balloonists from Liverpool, take on The Aquarium Crew, a team of aquarium constructors from Dorset.

Brothers in Arms go up against the winner of Bomber (3 Revs a Minute or Mothers of Invention) in a challenge to build a vehicle that can carry all four members across a 30-foot ravine. The vehicle must also be capable of both deploying a bridge and retrieving it once the team is across. The Brothers go for a van-based bridger, while their opponents use bikes.

Two teams have reached the final and now they have just ten hours to build a tow tug capable of pulling a 155 ton jumbo jet along.

The teams are challenged to build super snow shifting machines as well as having to race up a ten-degree slope in temperatures of minus four degrees.

Inspired by the sleds used to test supersonic planes and spacecraft, the teams are challenged to build a superfast railway... but all usual forms of propulsion are banned.

To get the series off to a smashing start, the first episode challenges the teams to break one of Scrapheap's longest-standing records. Back in series six, The Catalysts set a top speed of 72mph in the Grand Prix Challenge. Now The Rocketeers, a team of pyrotechnicians from Bath, and The Brum Brums, motor mechanics from Birmingham, are challenged to beat that time, in the scrap speed record attempt. Where better to do it than historic Pendine Sands, the spiritual home of British land speed record attempts? The teams are under expert scrutiny as they attempt to race their way into the 'heap record books - this week's judge is two-time land speed record-holder Richard Noble.

The Coventry wrestlers and the Hammerlocks have to dig deep - the challenge is to build a machine that can dig up as much sand as possible in a given time.

Young One swing out of control This week, two returning teams did battle to become the smoothest on the 'heap. The Barley Pickers and the Young Ones were challenged to build a vehicle capable of transporting a brimming vat of liquid over rough terrain. The team that spilled the least would win. In round one the Barleys came out ahead, but only by a drop or two. But the more bumpy terrain of round two was a jolt too far for the Young Ones' machine. The vat kept hitting their supporting frame – major spillage! Round two to the farmers. In round three the teams drove each other's machines and attempted to spill as much as possible. Young One Tom stepped up and tried his level best to swing the Barleys' pendulum, but their suspension system worked a treat and he only managed to spill a few drops. But Barley Picker Robin got really messy. By the end of the course his vat was empty and the Devonshire farmers had booked themselves a place in the semi-finals.

Jailbreakers do not pass go In round one the Young Ones and the Jailbreakers competed to see who could travel the furthest on just one wind-up charge of their clockwork cars. Lightweight Rich of the Young Ones got off to a cracking start. After peddling frantically, he just kept on going � and going. Jailbreakers' driver Andy was left behind, slowly trundling along until he finally ground to a halt just 16 metres from the start. Round two and time for the slalom challenge. The Young Ones went first with captain Tom in the driving seat. Giving his legs a full work-out, he glided through the course, skilfully avoiding all the obstacles. They had a great run, but could they hold on to their lead after the Jailbreakers had added more rubber power to their machine? The Jailbreakers started steadily, also managing to steer clear of the obstacles. Further up the course they picked up speed and flew towards the finish line. But their final charge held them up, costing them valuable time, and they threw the round away to the Young Ones. The final round was a head-to-head race around the track. The Jailbreakers got away well, while the Young Ones were busy losing crucial seconds charging up their flywheel. The pressure was on, but the Jailbreakers' lead was decreasing as the longer running time of the Young Ones' vehicle began to pay off. And when the rubber on the Jailbreakers' machine started tangling, the fate was sealed for the prison posse. The Young Ones took full advantage and steamed into the lead. Proving that age is not an issue when it comes to bodging on the 'heap, the Young Ones go through to the quarterfinals. But the Jailbreakers do not pass go, do not collect the Scrapheap Trophy, and go straight to jail.

Academics get stuck in a maze This week the teams have been asked to map uncharted territory. The Hammerlocks, a team of wrestlers from Coventry, and the Academics Anonymous, a team from Kingston University, have to navigate their way around a 'hostile environment' in a vehicle with the windows blacked out. The Academics seemed to start well but they had a major problem: they couldn't tell when all four wheels of their bus were off the ground or when the bus was level, and this cost them valuable time. They failed to negotiate the first turn in the 'maze', lost their bearings and crashed into the side or the course. Tension was high as the Hammerlocks took their turn in the 'maze'. They also had problems: their navigational devices weren't reliable. However, they were able to crawl their way around the course using a giant mechanical 'feeler' and eventually made it to within a stone's throw of their target - and into the next round!

This week saw a remarkable comeback by the Martial Mechanics, proving once again that nothing is certain on Scrapheap. The Krazy Karters were quicker over both land and water in the first two rounds although they were certainly helped by the Martial Mechanics' 30-second penalty for crashing. Round three looked like a formality, but then disaster struck the Karters: their craft was caught in a strong crosswind and lost air pressure, making it considerably slower over the rest of the course. Seizing his chance and holding on to both his nerve and his craft, the Mechanics' Jason snatched victory.

The first test of the new series was a closely fought three-round contest. The Barleys won the first round convincingly, but the Munch Bunch stormed to a surprising victory in the second. With everything to play for in the final round, the Barleys were lucky to make it to the finish line: a treacherous mud-hole nearly sank them. The Munch Bunch then had not only to complete the section but to improve on the time set by the Barleys. But it was not to be. Their machine became firmly embedded in the same mud-hole that nearly bagged the Barleys, and they were unable to complete the round. The victorious Barleys will be back in a few weeks.

At vast expense, this week we have constructed our very own Wormwood Scraps Prison. The challenge facing the teams is to build tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) to break out and into the Scrapheap final.There are two walls, the second tougher than the first. The teams have to drill right through both, making holes large enough for every member of the team to fit through. The winner is the first team to make it through both tunnels.

This challenge is to build mobile cranes to lift and carry scrap down a course to a drop-off point. Each piece of scrap is allocated a points value relating to its weight or awkwardness. The team that accumulates the most points over two 15-minute rounds is the winner.

The challenge is to build a powered craft to negotiate a stretch of white-water river. The craft must be powerful enough to get up the rapids but also have enough manoeuvrability to avoid treacherous rocks and to make a U-turn at the top of the course. Whoever sets the fastest single time in the course of three heats is the winner.

Drag racing. Nothing gets a Junkyard Warrior's blood stirring like sheer speed. In this special match-up, the Season 3 champs go up against last year's winner to see who can go as fast as possible while staying on the ground. The champs go for a classic dragster car, but when their gearbox blows up, they have to flip the back axle upside down, making reverse gear push the car forward. Last year's winners go for a trike, which increases the possible speed, but takes much more precision to build.

There's an acre of wheat to cut and collect. This semifinal Junkyard challenge sends the competitors down to the farm to see who can build the best mower. One team turns a taxicab into a take-no-prisoners lawnmower, while their opponents turn a pickup truck into a harvester. Amid lots of smoke and chugging, both teams' machines "buy the farm." The winning machine is an impromptu scythe made out of a foot of metal.

The Techno-Teachers go up against The Manic Mechanics to see who can harness the forces of Mother Nature and build a windmill to power a machine crucial to life as we know it — a coffee grinder! One team constructs a conventional fan-bladed windmill, while their opponents go for a vertical-axis Savonious rotor. Quick on-screen sketches reveal which is best for which wind conditions. But a half-hour before the competition, the weather services release a gale warning, forcing one team to clip the blades off their windmill for fear of having them ripped off. But at competition time, the wind doesn't get over 2 miles per hour.

Teams must build a nonpiloted flying vehicle that can accurately drop paint bombs on a target on the ground. Both teams need to go with radio-controlled vehicles, but that's where the similarities end. Three Revs a Minute are three trainee ministers (Get it? Revs?) who decide to build a working model airplane. Their opponents, The Mothers of Invention, go for a big blimp made of Mylar. The challenge begins at 3 a.m., since both teams want to avoid any wind.

This challenge tests the teams' underwater ingenuity as they build a salvage machine from a stockpile of scrap in order to retrieve lost treasure from the bottom of a mini ocean.

The challenge is to build a salvage machine capable of raising a Mini from the bottom of a murky lake and park it safely in a car park.

This week's challenge is to torpedo the opposition. Each team must build re-usable torpedoes that run just under the surface of the water, like the torpedoes used to attack boats (rather than those used to attack another submarine). The teams then have to try and hit wooden 'battleships' in front of each other's launch platforms, taking it in turn to fire. The platforms are 150 feet apart, and there's a rock in the middle which they have to steer their torpedoes around. They will have to hit each other's battleship three times. In the event of both teams being on target with their first two shots, the third and final shot will be a simultaneous shoot-out.

Boat Buoys bailed out In what was nearly a truly Titanic battle, the Boat Buoys booked a place in the final against the odds. The Boat Buoys' craft was top-heavy and leaked like ... well, like a rusty old skip with lots of holes in it. But the Martial Mechanics graciously helped out: they supplied stabilising barrels and they let the Boat Buoys use an automatic bailer, which stopped them sinking. In race one the Martials built a convincing lead, but a mechanical failure gave the Buoys victory. After a quick repair to a broken drive-line, race two got under way. The Martials were again ahead when driver Dave crashed into a marker buoy, which became tangled up with one of their screws, causing more damage and again handing victory to the opposition. The big points were reserved for the final tug-of-war round, and victory would have put the Martials level and forced a tiebreaker. The Martials were down to one screw, but that was still enough to out-pull the Boat Buoys ... until that screw gave out as well, and the Boat Buoys tugged to victory.

The teams are challenged to make a walking machine: the winning contraption must carry the whole team and a heavy safe across a haphazard obstacle course.

This time, a team called Filth goes up against the winner of Demolition (Chaos Crew or Beach Boys) to design and build a machine that can throw a rugby football as far as possible using only their own muscle power, so no motors allowed. They have to create something that can store muscle power gradually, then release it in a controlled burst. Filth decides to ignore their expert and creates a huge cross-bow-type machine. The other team decides to pump up an air cannon to shoot the ball. And while the winner can't be revealed, one team captain manages to throw his rugby ball farther than his machine could.

Wheelie Car The first test of this year's Scrapheap Challenge is to build a car and drive along a short, winding course. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, not quite. In true Scrapheap style, there's a twist – the car has to navigate the course while doing a wheelie on its rear wheels. All of a sudden, it doesn't seem quite so easy. The Squadron Peter Scott, Simon Goodchild and Stuart Driver are a team of RAF engineers. They keep their feet firmly on the ground and spend their time hanging around in hangars. Their ideal challenge is to build an ejector seat – as long as they don't have to be the guinea pigs. When it's time for chocks away, this highly skilled team could well be soaring to the top of the scrapheap. The Squadron's technical consultant is Carl 'Oz' Wickham. Oz works for Monster Events Ltd, a company that builds stages and moving platforms for rock concerts. Aside from that he has built the world's first and only Monster Land Rover. Nicknamed 'Fat Landy', this bizarre vehicle takes passengers for a crushing cruise over parked cars. Destroyers James Ellis captains this Royal Navy team, with Adrian Eason-Bassett and Jason 'JJ' Swift standing firmly by his side. The three-man crew will ship out of HMS Sultan, Gosport and set sail to our sea of scrap. With their military precision, these navy boys will easily navigate their way through the competition. The Destroyers' technical consultant is Tony Baily. Tony runs Moto-stunts International, a Suzuki Jeep display team that incorporates formation driving, wheelie stunts and stunt driving. Formerly a member of the Royal Artillery Motorbike Display team, known as the 'Flying Gunners', he has built all sorts of crazy cars. The expert Our first expert of the series is 'Rocket' Ronnie Piccardo. Ronnie is a legend in the world of drag racing and exhibition cars and has been involved with the sport since the 1960s. He regularly thrills the crowds at drag races around Europe in his jet-powered trucks and wheelie-ing Corvette Stingray – the very first wheelie car to be built in the UK.

Bomb Disposal For the second test of the series, our teams must build 'remote-handling' machines that can complete a number of dextrous activities while the bodgers maintain a distance of 15 feet. Tasks include cutting down a wire fence, emptying brimming buckets of toxic waste and defusing bombs. Nothing major, then... Cops and Bodgers Andy Luchesa, Andy Stamp and Les Scott work for Hampshire Constabulary. The two Andys are police officers and Les, better known as 'Miss Marple', works as a scenes of crime officer. The Cops and Bodgers will have no problem solving our challenge and getting the best result. These cheeky coppers will be charging their way to the final and beating everyone in their path. The Cops and Bodgers' technical consultant is Henk Altman. Henk is part of the remote-handling team at a futuristic nuclear-fusion lab in Oxford. The pressure vessel the fusion takes place in is such a hazardous environment that a �10million super-dexterous manipulator is needed to carry out maintenance inside. Men in White (Coats) Graham Young, Daren Chapman and Joe Ezuanyamike all work at Kingston University in Surrey. They live in their white lab coats. These bodging boffins love their job and often stay late to play on the flight simulator in their aerodynamic and automotive laboratories. At lunchtime they love to mess around with their remote-control cars. Watch out for this team, as they are full of crazy surprises. The Men in White's technical consultant is Kevin Hunt. Kevin works for BNFL, designing remote-controlled machines to dismantle nuclear power stations. He has spent more than forty years working on remote-handling equipment for the nuclear industry, for underwater operations and for the particle accelerator project at CERN in Switzerland. The expert This week's expert is Shaun Whitehead. Shaun was the chief engineer on the Beagle2 project, a British mission to Mars that is the ultimate in remote handling. It is a space laboratory remotely controlled from Earth that will carry out a variety of experiments. Its most ambitious feature is the ability to dig below the Martian surface and test for signs of life.

Backpack Car This week, the teams must race head-to-head in a three-stage race. In stage one, the vehicles are already assembled. When the whistle blows, the teams are allowed to push them out of the start zone but after that, they're not allowed to put their feet on the ground. The racecourse is about a mile long, with twists to test the manoeuvrability of the vehicles and a steep downhill slope at the end to test the brakes. The first vehicle across the line wins. In stage two, the teams have to disassemble the vehicles and put them into their backpacks. They then have to put on the rucksacks and run across an SAS-style assault course until they reach another assembly zone on the tarmac. Once there, they move onto stage three. They must re-assemble their vehicles and race them in a straight line, the first across the line wins. Ging Gang Goolies Be prepared, this team of Essex Scout leaders come with all sorts of skills and they have the badges to prove it. Bob Murphy, Brian Abbott and Tony Boughen enjoy activities in the great outdoors. Regularly hiking, orienteering and climbing, these boys certainly have the edge. So tighten your woggles and salute the Ging Gang Goolies as they are sure to travel great distances. The Scout leaders' technical consultant is Martin Dellow. He works for the largest kart manufacturer in the UK. Brought up in East London, he's been with local company Biz Karts for more than 20 years and knows his way around small, lightweight vehicles – perfect for this challenge. He used to race motorbikes on a professional level until an accident stopped his career. Apart from his interest in anything that goes 'vroom', he enjoys skiing. He's been known to skive off work if the snow is right. Good thing his MD is his skiing buddy... Muck Spreaders Pentti Christian, Richard Matthews 'Tricky' and Mike Sainsbury 'Chunk' are all young farmers from Harper Adams Agricultural College in Shropshire. They are all into 4x4 off-roading and clay-pigeon shooting but they mainly like getting their hands dirty around the farm. They will be sure to mow down the competition. The Muck Spreaders' technical consultant is Nick Bell. He is the Design Manager for Severn-Lamb, a Stratford-based engineering firm making vehicles and special effects for theme parks. Weird machines are his forte. Whether it's a train that looks like a dragon or exploding Wild West scenery for Disneyland, there's nothing that Nick hasn't done. He's a big friendly giant, a sharp engineer and a huge fan of Scrapheap. He owns his own machine shop (skills, man, skills) and apart from his predilection for weird machinery, he enjoys cooking and is the proud owner of two dogs, two cats and nine goats. Yes, nine goats. The expert In 2001, Vincent Ross took his place among Britain's most illustrious inventors for his PowerTrike wheelchair conversion kit, which won him the Tomorrow's World, Inventive Individual Award. The kit consists of a motor-driven wheel attached to a bicycle front-end that can turn any wheelchair into a fast and manoeuverable tricycle. Vincent is a toolmaker by training, a brilliant design engineer and a prolific inventor. He runs his own engineering business that does anything from racing-car conversions for disabled people to custom-made wheelchairs for sports teams. Vincent also used to be a member of the UK Paralympics basketball team.

Amphi Bike In the first intentionally wet challenge this year, the teams have to build motorbikes that can swim. The Amphibious Bikes have to complete a three-stage test involving driving on land and water before finally competing in a head-to-head amphibious slalom race. Rockin' Rabble Geoff Bunting, Trevor Cartwright and Philip Lodge are a team of Yorkshire Teddy Boys who intend to bring a touch of retro culture to the 'heap. They are Fifties fanatics and are ready for some rockin' and a rollin'. They've agreed to switch off their jukebox and stop living in the past to concentrate on stepping to Scrapheap success. The Rockin' Rabble's technical consultant is Mike Ryan, who came second in Bike magazine's Amphibious Motorbike Challenge and has built an amphibious Lamborghini that looks like the real thing until it hits the water. He's a real geezer, somebody who can make something out of nothing. He's going to fix floats to the left and right of an off-road Enduro motorbike, then add a propeller at the rear, which is driven by a chain from the rear wheel of the motorbike. The front wheel will sit in a specially made bow section to help it enter the water quickly. Double Deckers Jason Blossom, Jon Green and Owen Hunt are boys who work on the buses. They are based in a bus workshop in High Wycombe. They fix and maintain Carousel buses to rent out to companies around London. There is only one route for this team and there will be no scheduled stop until they have got to the end of the competition. The Double Deckers' technical consultant is Gordon Halley, a potato farmer from Scotland. He's won Bike magazine's Amphibious Motorbike Challenge twice and is an old competitor of Mike Ryan, the Rockin' Rabble's consultant. He's going to build one of the weirdest machines the 'heap has ever seen – an off-road trial bike stuck in a rowing boat. The drive will come from a paddle wheel made out of metal garden chairs and will be driven by a chain off the back wheel. In order to stabilise the whole thing, he's going to have two outriggers, which the driver can put on the ground by pressing pedals to the left and to the right of the motorbike. These outriggers also double up as rudders when he's in the water. Weird or what? The expert This week's expert is Richard Fincher. He was the Editor of Bike magazine when he came up with the idea to challenge his readers to build a swimming motorbike. He's been around bikes for donkey's years and has done plenty of TV presenting.

Ice Racer For the second of our quarter-finals, the bodgers must build fast vehicles that can race around an ice rink. As the space isn't vast, we have imposed some criteria on the teams to which their vehicles must conform. Their machines can't be more than five feet wide and seven feet long – and the engine capacity must not exceed one litre. Hot Property Ross Lindsay is an estate agent who works for Townends. Craig Smith and Scott House (no, really... Ed) are the company's financial advisors. They are a confident team, great negotiators and have promised to play fairly. Hot Property are as safe as houses and in it to win it! Hot Property's technical consultant is Mike 'Cookie' Cookson, a man who has a life-long obsession with anything powered by an engine. His real passion is motorcycle racing. He's done motocross, sidecar speedway and sidecar TT racing on the Isle of Man. He started his career as an agricultural engineer (always good preparation for Scrapheap) but nowadays he rebuilds passenger coaches and builds his own racing bikes. Cookie's plan is to build a Morgan-style trike with two driven wheels at the front and lots of sharp spikes in each wheel. Jet Pack Benjamin Jewell, his brother Toby and Jolyon Sanders are eccentric jet engine know-it-alls from Northants. They spend every spare minute of their time designing, building, testing and modifying these contraptions while trying not to set their garage on fire! The Jet Pack intend to thrust their stuff and launch into the final with a big bang. The Jet Pack's technical consultant is last year's Mud Monsters' expert, Richard Hopkins. There isn't much he can't do when it comes to off-roading. He has held almost every title for British off-road 4x4 events, including British Off-Road Champion and the British Hill Rally Champion. In between British tournaments, he competes internationally in endurance off-road events, including the Spanish and the Mexican Baja events and the gruelling Paris-Dakar. Richard's plan is a world first ... a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with skates on the front to steer with. The expert This week's expert is Graham Drury. About 20 years ago, Graham invented indoor ice speedway and has turned the annual event at Telford Ice Rink into a landmark in the international Speedway calendar. He is a charismatic guy who has spent years doing weird things on ice. He knows all the technical stuff about ice rinks and has loads of knowledge about wheels on ice. He also does an act called 'The Man in the Iron Mask' where he drives a motorbike around an ice rink – blindfolded, navigating through 10 people from the audience. He used to catch a bullet between his teeth but stopped doing it as he thought it was in bad taste. He's also a magistrate and has the nickname 'Judge'.

Giant Darts Weird throwing machines are a Scrapheap must-have. A giant seven-foot dart is the latest projectile to get the Scrapheap treatment, joining the ostrich eggs, cabbages, golf balls and Minis of previous challenges. Take cover! Like pub darts, this test is all about accuracy. After building their machines and fashioning aluminium tubing into darts, the teams will take aim at three targets. The first two will be well within their machines' capabilities but worth fewer points. At the end of the range will be a third target worth more points. Each team will have three shots, but which target will they go for? Iron Maidens Suzanne Hawkes, Wendy Sadler and Angharad 'Harry' Thomas are all involved in Science and Engineering. Suzanne won The Young Women Engineer of the Year 2001 award. They are members of NOISE (New Outlook In Science and Engineering). Their role is to be mentors and role models to younger students and encourage them to take part in the industry. The Iron Maidens plan to outwit any other team. The Iron Maidens' technical consultant is Tod Todescini, a special effects supervisor familiar with realising the impossible and building strange mechanical contraptions. He also has an interest in weapons, so he's well set up for this challenge. Jousters Tom Parker, Dave 'Sparky' Parker and Dave 'Scotty' Allison are all Knights of the Black Phoenix. This involves jousting, archery and sword fighting. These North Yorkshire men are ready to put on their armour for a good scrap and are sure to scare their opponents and give any challenge their best shot. The Jousters' technical consultant is Paul Denney. He is no stranger to Scrapheap – he led Storm Force to victory in series four's 'Egg Shooter' trial. He wasn't quite so fortunate in last year's Car Flinger test. Paul's passion is medieval weaponry, so he's ideally suited to this challenge. The expert Joining our manic meddlers as this week's expert is Lieutenant Colonel Simon West from the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham. Simon is an artillery expert who is more than qualified to talk about projectiles and what fires them. TOP

Jet Racer This week's challenge is one of the most dangerous Scrapheap has ever seen. Our teams have to build two jet-powered dragsters to race on a section of the Santa Pod raceway. They each have three runs of the course and the quickest run will determine the winner. Destroyers James Ellis captains this Royal Navy team, with Adrian Eason-Bassett and Jason 'JJ' Swift standing firmly by his side. This three-man crew will ship out of HMS Sultan, Gosport and set sail to our sea of scrap. With their military precision, these navy boys will easily navigate their way through the competition. The Destroyers' technical consultant for this challenge is Bruce Simpson, a New Zealander who has flown over especially to take part in this challenge. Bruce is probably the most qualified person in the world to build a pulsejet from scratch (which is lucky, because that's what he's going to do – Ed). Bruce is currently researching pulsejets for clients in the aerospace and defence industries with the aim of producing a new generation of low-cost, high-speed pulsejet-powered UAVs (unmanned air vehicles). Ging Gang Goolies Be prepared, this team of Essex Scout leaders come with all sorts of skills and they have the badges to prove it. Bob Murphy, Brian Abbott and Tony Boughen enjoy activities in the great outdoors. Regularly hiking, orienteering and climbing, these boys certainly have the edge. So tighten your woggles and salute the Ging Gang Goolies as they are sure to travel great distances. The Ging Gang Goolies' technical consultant is Nick 'the safe' Haddock this time around. He is a locksmith by trade and has been opening and repairing safes for the past five years. Although jet engines like the ones in this challenge aren't built commercially, many are constructed by 'garage enthusiasts' like Nick. He is ideally placed to send the Goolies soaring into pole position. The expert This week's expert is record-breaker Richard Noble, who flew his Thrust II jet low over the Black Rock desert in 1983, setting a new land-speed record of 653mph. This record stood unchallenged for 13 years until October of 1997 when, in a record attempt masterminded by Richard, RAF fighter pilot Andy Green drove the Thrust SSC (Super Sonic Class) and did the unthinkable by breaking the sound barrier at Mach 1.002.

The challenge Picture the opulent and stylish atmosphere of Monaco with bright young things messing about in sleek, streamlined speedboats. Then completely forget that image and brace yourself for a scraptastic boat race on one of Surrey's finest lakes. Cops and Bodgers Andy Luchesa, Andy Stamp and Les Scott work for Hampshire Constabulary. The two Andys are police officers and Les, better known as 'Miss Marple', works as a scenes of crime officer. The Cops and Bodgers will have no problem solving our challenge and getting the best result. These cheeky coppers will be charging their way to the final and beating everyone in their path. This time around, the Cops are joined by technical consultant Stuart Edwards. He works for Bernard Olesinski, one of the leading boat designers in Britain. In his day job, he designs yachts that will set you back �2 million but when the sun sets on the Isle of Wight, he goes down to the harbour and tinkers with his own speedboat, a rigid inflatable with a massive engine in the back that yanks it up to 50mph if needed. Apart from boats, his passion is messing around with his Cobra motorbike, a black beauty that ended up in a ditch a few months ago when he got a bit too excited about the power output. If it's fast, it's Stuart's kind of thing. Jousters Tom Parker, Dave 'Sparky' Parker and Dave 'Scotty' Allison are three knights from Yorkshire. They enjoy jousting and sword fighting to wile away the time. Yikes! These North Yorkshire men are ready to put on their armour for a good scrap – let's hope it doesn't weigh them down in the water! The Jousters are joined by Adam Younger for this challenge. He is a softly spoken man who turns into a fanatic in the company of water and internal combustion engines. Living on the Isle of Wight, he's been around boats for as long as he can remember. Fifteen years ago, he started turning his hobby into a profession – and quite successfully so. He and his group of mates (who make up the K4+ racing team) have built and raced various boats, winning everything from national to European offshore powerboat championships. What's next? 'The world', Adam says, grinning a shy grin. The expert Steve Curtis is an old Scrapheap favourite. He was the outspoken and sparkly expert for the Whitewater Rider challenge in 2001. His day job is offshore powerboat racer and boat designer. He has won the World Offshore Powerboat Championship an unprecedented three times and is the current World and European Champion. He began his racing career on two wheels, becoming a schoolboy and junior motorbike champion. Outside the cockpit, he runs the family business, Cougar Marine, and day-to-day he is involved in building and designing race boats. His hobbies are skiing, motorbikes and his dog Guido.

The Challenge Is no sport safe from the heavy hands of our teams? For the second semi-final, our circus of mayhem visits on the serene sport of ice curling. But in another Scrapheap world first, the teams have to slide full-sized Minis down an ice rink. Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to present... car curling! Destroyers James Ellis captains this Royal Navy team, with Adrian Eason-Bassett and Jason 'JJ' Swift standing firmly by his side. This three-man crew will ship out of HMS Sultan, Gosport and set sail to our sea of scrap. Their military precision has already helped them sail through two of our challenges – but have they got what it takes to get to the final? For this all-important semi-final, our Destroyers are joined by Mark-Paul Buckingham, a materials engineer who loves snowboarding. In fact, he loves the white stuff so much, he's now set up his own business working with ski and snowboard materials and refining the hardware for the mountains. Cops and Bodgers Andy Luchesa, Andy Stamp and Les Scott work for Hampshire Constabulary. The two Andys are police officers and Les, better known as 'Miss Marple', works as a scenes of crime officer. The Cops and Bodgers will have no problem solving our challenge and getting the best result. These cheeky coppers have already disposed of bombs and built a speedboat – but can they take on the Destroyers and win a place in this year's final? This time, the Cops' technical consultant is Perry 'Winkle' Gosling, a fabricator-welder who builds massive moving machinery for theatres and rock concerts. The expert Dr Jane Blackford is an ice expert from Edinburgh University. She studies ice-friction and has worked out amazing new ways of looking at snow flakes under a microscope. Jane also looks at avalanches and winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Most notably, her team worked with the British Olympic curling squad, developing a special 'sweep-ergometer' that allowed the team to perfect a sweeping technique, earning them Olympic gold.

Tank For the spectacular, show-stopping series final, our bodgers have been asked to build a couple of spud-shooting battle tanks. Get ready for some serious target practice. Destroyers James Ellis captains this Royal Navy team, with Adrian Eason-Bassett and Jason 'JJ' Swift standing firmly by his side. This three-man crew will ship out of HMS Sultan, Gosport and set sail to our sea of scrap. This military team has made it through to the series final but can they make the grade and graduate to our grand final next week? Army Warrant Officer Paul Ramsey joins forces with our navy boys for the series final. As a Royal Engineer, his job is to keep the British army's tanks rolling. But can his expertise help to steer our Destroyers to victory? Hot Property Ross Lindsay is an estate agent who works for Townends. Craig Smith and Scott House are the company's financial advisors. They are a confident team, great negotiators and have promised to play fairly. Hot Property might be as safe as houses but can they win the series final and restore the reputation of estate-agent kind across the globe? Ray 'Mudge' Smith joins our estate agents for this all important challenge. He has restored about 50 tanks and other military vehicles (mostly rare British and American vehicles from WW2) since 1991. Mudge currently owns and organises War and Peace, the largest private vehicle show in the world. With his help, Hot Property are in with more than a fighting chance of reaching the grand final. The expert David Ansell is the expert for the series final. As a Lieutenant Colonel with the Army's own engineering team, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), he is used to carrying out tank repairs at a moment's notice. The British Army uses nearly four hundred Challenger tanks around the world. REME work alongside combat units to recover and repair equipment. This is the sharp end, where repairs are often carried out without the proper spares. Who could be better suited to judge this madcap Scrapheap challenge?

In the first of the new series, Scrapheap takes to the dusty dunes of a Guildford sand quarry as a team of hot-blooded Lancashire fire fighters take on some nerdy off-road enthusiasts in a battle to build sand-racers that can climb precipitous inclines and dig their way out of the deepest dusty trench.

A brave-hearted bunch of Scottish boffins take on a rabble of right-on rickshaw riders in an epic Scrapheap battle. Following in the footsteps of Barnes Wallis, their mission, should they choose to accept it, is to manufacture machines that can pitch bouncing bombs across water to breach the Scrapheap dams.

This week, Geneva-based expats the Up 'n Atoms face up to the REME Rebels, an all-girl team of army-tank tinkerers in one of Scrapheap's most bizarre challenges to date. Our teams have just 10 hours to build a motorised bowling ball capable of toppling ten-foot skittles on a giant bowling alley.

The Challenge This week's challenge is to build off-road rescue machines capable of lifting a hampered hatchback from a water hazard before carrying it cross-country to the safety of stable ground. With steep slopes to get up and down, sticky bogs to get stuck in and soft, slippery sand to sink into, our teams will operating at the limit of their bodging capabilities. Rough Riders Ozzie Senior, Barry Eastaugh (Bazza) and Jason Lord are three Yorkshiremen who spend half of their lives 20 miles off the coast of Hull on a gas storage platform in the North Sea. Between them, they oversee and run the safety, maintenance and mechanical upkeep of the platform. They have a wealth of mechanical engineering experience ranging from heavy plant machinery to bike and car engines. Barry is a 'guru' of a welder and there's not a lot these boys have not had a go at. The Riders have big characters and enthusiasm to match. Ozzie is a karaoke king and has won many an Elvis impersonator competition (and he is also likely to burst into a song at any given moment). Barry is known for his year-round tan and Lycra shorts. The Rough Riders are guaranteed to rise to any challenge – and they'll probably do it singing! The Rough Riders' expert is Tim Dray. He started out as an agricultural engineer and soon fell in love with off-roading. He has built many an off-road vehicle and has spent a lot of time organising the Camel trophy. Since this period, he has been a consultant to Land Rover, building and designing their 4x4 courses. Bakewell Puddings Nick Marriott, Mark Elliott (Smell) and his nephew Andrew Charlesworth (Charlie) are from the Derbyshire town of Bakewell. All are into bikes and racing (Motor Cross and Enduro). Mark and Nick have been friends for 20 years and have been in the same Motor Cross team as well as in a punk band together. Mark started to teach Charlie to ride at the age of nine, so it's fair to say bikes are this team's thing. Mark Elliott is an engineer, Nick Marriott is an architect and Andrew Charlesworth is a Rolls Royce engine inspector. These guys are also outdoorsy, sporty, rugby-loving, mountain-climbing kind of people who participate in the annual Bakewell raft race and the odd cross-town wheelbarrow race. They thrive on a challenge with plenty of ingenuity and humour to keep us all entertained! The Bakewell Puddings' expert is Steve Matthews and he's been building commercial recovery vehicles for the past 20 years – mostly out of scrap! In the past, he's also renovated tanks. He doesn't like beer, so what does he do to relax? Well, he likes nothing better than a cup of tea and ... building more cars! The judge This week's judge is Simon Buck, the only British winner of the most hardcore of all 4x4 events – the Malaysian Rainforest Challenge. His motto is 'it's better to be a spectacular failure than a dismal success.' He's a gung-ho guy – enough to drive at 70mph through the Malaysian rainforest ... in the monsoon season ... at night. As you can imagine he spends a lot of time getting vehicles out of a tight spot!

The Challenge This week's challenge is to build jet-powered speed boats that are both agile and fast. The teams will be competing in a two-part Grand Prix – on jet boats! The race will start with a full-throttle dash up and down the lake and will be followed by the twists and turns of an off-shore obstacle course. Hairy Hogs Conn Kelly, Darrell Hanna and Alastair Nethercott are the Hairy Hogs from Northern Ireland. All members of the Provincewide Harley Owners Group, they are big blokes with bigger laughs who love their Harleys and spend much of their year touring around Europe on them. The Hogs are seriously hands-on and have had experience of most possible mechanical projects. They are rough 'n ready, rugby-playing, Guinness-loving men who are up for the challenge and in search of a 'good craic'. These guys are quietly confident they can't be beaten and should give even the most solid of Scrapheap teams a run for their money! Apparently, they're up for most things apart from a water challenge (ha!). Alan Pickard is the Hairy Hogs' expert as well as being one of the foremost jetskiers in the UK. He runs Jet Shed, the leading specialist workshop in this field in the UK. Previously seen on White Water Rider (series 4), he is a hands-on bodger and technician and previously held the speed record on a jetski – he is currently ranked number three in the UK. Team Ragbo Glynn Myers, Nick Mellor and Colin Bates all work at Smart Recycling, Glynn's plastics waste-recycling firm in Lancashire. Between them, they have worked on everything from factory equipment and heavy plant machinery to cars and bikes. This team are heavily into their bikes and two years ago Nick sold his house so he could buy a Triumph bike – he now lives in a caravan! There is a wide breadth of experience and knowledge in this team and the guys are confident they can deal with anything we throw at them! Glynn and Colin are larger than life in every respect, with 'Hippy Nicky' being slightly quieter – but he sees himself as their 'secret backbone'. Lots of northern humour, loads of energy and bags of banter – you won't be able to get a word in edgeways! Alex Wallis is Chief Engineer at Pursuit Dynamics and will be Team Ragbo's expert this week. His company specialises in pumps, fluid management and innovative marine propulsion systems using steam power. Alex is a mechanical engineer with a practical background, particularly in the bodging of various automotive matters and he's even built his own sail plane. The judge Michael McDowell works for Polaris UK as their technical man, on hand to answer any mechanical problems in the Polaris Jetski dealership chain. He also trains all sales outlets on the mechanical running and maintenance of Polaris Jetskis. He has been working for eight years in the field of maritime power units, impellers and jetskis. He also has an engineering background in motor mechanics, quad bikes, outboards and even pumps. When it comes to summarising what makes a good jetski, Michael can talk at length about all the key ingredients with consummate ease.

The Challenge This week our teams will have to earn their Scrapheap wings! Norfolk bikers, The Thirsty Knights, and Honda head honchos, The Fireblades, won't actually be leaving terra firma but they will be challenged to build cars that are powered and steered by a propeller! The Fireblades Steve Martindale (Smarty), Chris Barfe (Barfy) and George Wise (Big George) have known and drunk with each other for 10-15 years and work in different divisions at Honda UK. They have a broad span of interests ranging from motorcycle racing, classic cars and Raleigh Choppers to singing rock 'n' roll, Chelsea FC and running marathons! They are confident that between them there is not an engine around that they haven't worked on. These boys like power and speed and as long as it's fast, they don't care what they build! The Fireblades' expert is John Gifford, a Scrapheap veteran who appeared in series 5's Hovercraft. He is one of the UK's foremost hovercraft designers. He built his first hovercraft at the age of 16 and recently appeared in a Bond film as a hovercraft stunt driver. His firm, Griffon Hovercraft, builds vessels for coastguards and the military. The Thirsty Knights Frog Twissell, (yes, that's his real name) Pete Twissell and Carl Verlander (Roo) combine to bring you The Thirsty Knights. Frog is a paragliding Buddhist vegan who likes to play with fire, Pete is a pagan who says he has an empathy with machinery and is to nuts, cogs and engines what Dr Dolittle is to animals and Roo is a welder extraordinaire who claims he can tap dance whilst playing the flute! This team are quirky, alternative and very intelligent. Yet another team who love their bikes, they have owned, built, raced and maintained many over the years. Used to thinking laterally around a problem, they love designing the weird-and-wonderful. Their machine will be a creation in every sense of the word! Billy Brooks is The Thirsty Knights' expert and he's a mad inventor and microlight-flying maniac. Billy is also a Scrapheap veteran, appearing in series 2's Flying Machines as well as Scrapheap's US equivalent Junkyard Wars. His day job is as a microlight designer but by night he can be found living on his barge. The judge Judge Brendan O'Brien holds the world record for holding the most world records in aviation. His day job is a stunt flyer – you don't need a hobby with that on your CV. One of Brendan's future projects includes crossing Greenland on a propeller-powered microlight sled. As you do …