Shropshire Star

Racing car is the star at Ironbridge science show

A Formula 3 racing car owned by Wolverhampton University and raced by its students will take centre-stage at an special weekend at Ironbridge Gorge Museum.

Published
Science and technology on show at Ironbridge Gorge

The museum is building links with the university to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the region.

The joint initiative aims to bridge the gap between industry and education to encourage a new generation of engineers and scientists.

The weekend events will take place on March 9 and 10 at Enginuity in Coalbrookdale with the university running four interactive sessions throughout the weekend focused around engineering, racing and science.

Visitors will be able to have a go at changing a wheel on the F3 car, chatting to students who work on it as well as a professional race driver. They can also try their hand at ‘virtually’ driving a racing car on the university simulator.

Students will also be showcasing two Morgan cars, their Formula Student race car and a Renault race car.

The university’s wider STEM team will be unravelling the mystery of science by encouraging audience participation and interaction through physical demonstrations and showing science off through performance, theatre, illusions and mind tricks.

Karen Davies, development director at Ironbridge Gorge Museums, said: "Historically, the Ironbridge Gorge was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution and our aim through this partnership is to continue to build on local entrepreneur, Abraham Darby’s, amazing family legacy of innovation in the iron industry to hopefully inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs.”

Wolverhampton University's Dr Syed Hasan, called it "the perfect platform for us". The university has invested more than £100 million in new facilities in its science and engineering faculty

Sessions will be taking place between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm and 1.30 pm and 4.30 pm. Tickets cost £5 for children and full-time students and £7 for adults.