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Early in 2011 my brother was invited by the BBC to take part in an experiment that involved his 1990 Reliant Robin - New Blue. New Blue is still adorned with stickers from the North Cape Challenge in 2008 and so still has numerous “3-wheelers.com” stickers all over her. The programme looked at the possibility of using a vehicle as a stylus to play music and that if bars were layed down on the road at varying distances from each other, they could play a tune if a vehicle passed over them at a set speed.
A 250 meter track consisting of about 2 tons of steel was created that was essentially a giant cattle grid. Along it, metal rods were placed at specific distances. The experiment required a three wheeler as the single front would act as a single stylus. If a normal 4-wheeler was used then both the front and back wheels would be on the track playing a tune.
Once the track was laid, both presenters jumped into New Blue and proceeded to get her up to 45mph before driving onto the track. Sure enough the sound from the wheels going over the grid played the tune “Here comes the bride”.
The episode was aired on 25th April 2011.
Elvis Payne,
April 2011
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