Taking the plunge

It's the biggest weekend of the year for Nelson's trolley enthusiasts – and for those who like to watch the spectacular results of their dicing with gravity. Charles Anderson reports.

During the past few months in the garages, driveways and car repair shops of Nelson, the constant clunking of hammers and the whirr of electric drills has been the soundtrack to productivity.

Those on the end of the tools have been busy tinkering away at aluminium and fibreglass shells and wire-spoke wheels to create an assortment of aerodynamic, gravity-propelled beasts.

From recycled beds with wooden brakes to highly sophisticated vintage car replicas, the contenders are adding the finishing touches to their vehicles for this Saturday's annual celebration of downhill racing – the South Canterbury Finance Nelson Trolley Derby.

A good old-fashioned trolley race down 350 metres of asphalt is enough to bring out the whole family.

Gordon Dacombe should know. He has been involved with the event almost every year since it was reinstated as a fixture on the Nelson summer calendar in 2002.

He should also know because when he was a child, building trolleys is what everyone did.

"I grew up always building them. It's one of those things that still has a bit of an adrenalin rush when you sit at the top of the hill and look down."

Mr Dacombe, a mechanic and car restorer, has built three trolleys for this year's event – two for his grandchildren and one that has been lying dormant for himself.

Last year, racing was abandoned because of rain, meaning his trolley, the Spirit of Burt Munro, did not have the chance to live up to its name. This year Mr Dacombe is confident.

"There is a group of us that like to relive our past glories. There is a friendly rivalry between us all. We all just have a laugh."

It might be an excuse to get out the old trolley blueprints, but race co-ordinator Andy Williams says this is reflective of the character of the event – something for everyone.

"It appeals to so many different aspects of the human psyche. You have got the physical skills with the welding and carpentry, then the softer skills with painting and upholstery, then also the idea that kids have to go out and find all the materials. For so many reasons, it just ticks all the boxes."

The derby has a long history. There are records of it during the 1940s, then again in the 1960s and the 1970s. There was a long sojourn before it sparked back into life.

Mr Williams says it was hard work for the first couple of years, while the budget was low, but now he is hopeful it will keep growing.

"It is a whole lot of fun to a whole lot of people. The atmosphere has a potential for risk, but it can be done in a controlled manner."

Not that it always goes to plan, as Mr Williams can attest. Some will remember last year's derby, when ambulance officers helped rescue a man who had fallen from a very small trolley. That was Mr Williams.

He has his brother to blame for the metal plates and pins that now reside in his shoulder and elbow.

He was convinced that it would be a good idea to take his five-year-old son's trolley for a spin down the track. The competition was off, so it was time to give it a go.

"I was going much too fast because my legs were too long to work the brakes. One side of the trolley dug in and all my momentum meant I travelled in a parabolic curve and landed on my shoulder and elbow.

"There are always lessons learned, but always in retrospect."

Event co-ordinator Antony Hodgson says that because of last year's rainout, there has been a real buildup of enthusiasm this time around. Eighty-six drivers and 71 trolleys will take to the track on Saturday.

"There are some amazing new entries coming in, but we don't want this to put off the backyard builders, and we want to see a few more entries from youngsters."

Among the prizes this year are awards for the best backyard design and the most imaginative design built with maximum child input. The day will also feature the "Running of the Balls", a fundraiser for child cancer.

Other lessons have been learned. The weather forecast is good, but a rain day is scheduled for Sunday, and organisers are confident they will be able to run the entire event.

The derby is, at its best, a learning experience for all the family.

• The 2010 SCF Nelson Trolley Derby is this Saturday from 10.30am to 4pm in Collingwood St, central Nelson. More information at derby.co.nz.

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