Brothers in Arms

Dick, Bobby and David Strawbridge (lieutenant colonel, major and captain respectively) are three brothers from Northern Ireland. They were blasted out of Scrapheap Challenge last year by the Chemical Brothers in target practice with their home-made cannons. The three soldiers, who have seen action in many of the world’s trouble spots, returned this year to defend their honour – and did so decisively against the Mothers of Invention in the last quarter final (bridging machine) and against the Techno Teachers in the second semi-final (giant mower). Have they learned anything from their previous forays into the wacky world of Scrapheap Challenge that will help them now?

Watch time-lapse videos of the Brothers in Arms in action.

To view the movies on this website, you may need to download a plug-in for your browser.

Go to the RealPlayer website to download RealPlayer.

^ top

NERDS

Jeff 'DP' Del Papa, George 'Geo' Homsy and William 'Crash' Yerazunis make up the NERDS – the 'New England Rubbish Deconstruction Society' – Scrapheap’s first international entry (they all hail from Massachusetts in the US of A). Check out the NERDS website for their 'Tactical Rules for Scrapheap Challenges' – their advice to prospective contestants.

The NERDS won the first quarter final against the Dipsticks, when they triumphed as latter-day James Bonds with their 'diver tow' mini-sub. They went on to win against the Beach Boys in the great steam-car race semi-final. Every challenge they've tackled has involved water – will that help them now to cross the lake and achieve victory?

Watch time-lapse videos of the NERDS in action.

To view the movies on this website, you may need to download a plug-in for your browser.

Go to the RealPlayer website to download RealPlayer.

^ top

Stephen Riley (NERDS) is a Vickers Aerospace senior project engineer. Born and raised in Cambridge, he also went to university there, studying mechanical engineering. After a stint with SK Bearings in Cambridge, making bearings for bridges, he moved on to Hayward Tyler in Luton. Here he was involved in the manufacture of water centrifugal pumps for power stations. Four years ago, he moved on to Vickers in Portsmouth, where he designs hydraulic pumps for civil and military aircraft. As well as renovating his house, he plays cricket for Liphook Cricket Club and indulges himself with golf and fishing. 'I've never done anything like Scrapheap,' he says, 'although some would say that every pump I've been involved with is a load of rubbish!'

Ian Macrae (Brothers in Arms) is production and service manager at Johnson Pump International in Crawley, West Sussex. Ian has always been practical-minded, fixing lawn mowers, bikes, cars and motorbikes ever since he can remember. He left school at 16 to take up a four-year apprenticeship with a local engineering firm that manufactured pumps, and he's been 'in pumps' ever since. As an apprentice, he gained his milling, turning, welding and fitting skills, and followed this up with a formal engineering qualification. He was a technical sales engineer for 10 years, when he learned the difference between theory and practice. Nowadays he has a more managerial role, but his practical skills are still in demand as he is responsible for a workshop and service team.

^ top

Trevor Benjamin started work as a research chemist in heavy organic chemicals, but by chance became involved in pumps with an elegant screw pump by Holman Compressors. Joined Godwin Pumps when they had an embryonic design of a heavy-duty civil engineering pump that eventually became a world bestseller. Briefly became director of an aircraft re-fuelling pump company before joining SLD Pumps Ltd, the UK's largest pump-hire company, as sales and technical director. He has recently retired.

Jerry Leonards, who has been in the fire service for 25 years, is now divisional officer and superintendent of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue training centre. He used to work in the commander training department, but now has a teaching supervisor role.