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"Well, we got two spikes that wind right back in and fire with some pretty hard force … it's a ghost train idea; flames, people screaming out the sides."
— Richard Manion describes Loco

Loco was a heavyweight robot which competed in Series 2 of Robot Wars. It managed to reach the Heat Final, but was beaten by Cassius. The team entered Series 3 with a different robot called Dundee.

Design[]

"It took six months to build, nearly driving the team loco! Powered by two wheelchair motors, a stainless steel shell with a twenty-four volt motorised spring-powered ram that has interchangeable spikes and blades, that's its main weapon. It may appear nippy, but its turning circle is sluggish."
— Jonathan Pearce introduces Loco
Loco

Loco in the Gauntlet

Loco was a barrel shaped robot, designed to resemble a ghost train, complete with pictures of screaming passengers on the side and a picture of a driver on the front. It was armed with a spring powered ram, with interchangeable attachments, which was powered by a 24V motor. The ram had interchangeable weapons that could be fitted to the front, either a blade or a couple of spikes. The blade reached down to the floor, and was intended to prevent opponents driving under the front ground clearance, whilst the spikes were intended to be used for taller opponents[1]. A scoop made of three curved metal strips was also fitted for the Football Trial. The robot had two-wheel drive, and was powered by 4 12 Volt and 2 6 Volt batteries with two wheelchair motors, giving it a good top speed of 10mph. The frame and shell were made from stainless steel.

Its shape theoretically worked as a rollover design, negating the need for a self-righting mechanism, but it proved unable to right itself when tipped over by Cassius. It also had a very high ground clearance at 40mm, which Cassius easily got underneath. Despite being 7kg under the weight limit, the robot had no baseplate.

The Team[]

Richard Manion: "I liked the idea of building a robot and it just developed from there."
Eric Manion: "There was no intention to actually go on Robot Wars when we first started. It was when we joined the Robot Wars Club and got the literature about it that we decided to give it a go."
— The Loco team on deciding to enter Robot Wars, interviewed in Tomorrow's World Magazine in 1998[2]
LocoNoShellandTeam

The team in the pits with Loco, without its shell, in a clip only shown in Robot Wars Revealed

Loco was built by a team of newcomers from Bristol. Richard Manion captained the team, and he was joined by his father Eric Manion, while David Iles completed the team. Richard Manion and David Iles were friends who went to St Katherine's School together, whilst Eric Manion was an electrician who worked at Southmead Hospital[3].

"Richard and David phone each other up after each programme and compare notes."
— Eric Manion, interviewed in Tomorrow's World Magazine in 1998[4]

The two children controlled the robot, with Richard driving the robot and David controlling the weapon, apart from the Football Trial where the weapon was not needed. The team returned for Series 3 with Dundee, where David Iles' spot on the team was filled by Charles Humphries, another friend of Richard Manion[5].

Qualification[]

Locoinsides

Loco without armour at the auditions

Loco attended the auditions for Series 2 in a largely complete state, unlike many other machines at the event. This allowed it to be selected for the Second Wars.

"I first saw Loco at the preview at which stage it looked surprisingly complete with internals and shell. Loco used wheelchair motors for power and had a spring powered ram for a weapon of which I cannot comment on it's effectiveness. The shell was made of stainless steel."
Oliver Steeples on Loco at the Series 2 auditions[6]

However, although Loco was able to qualify, the team found Loco needed lots of improvements, and they worked up to the filming of the series to get the robot ready.

"We thought we had it finished by the 19th of July when we first came up to London. But having come back from London, we've still had lots of work to do, and it's been quite a rush to get it finished in time for the filming this week."
— Eric Manion in a clip from the team's video diary, shown in Robot Wars Revealed[7]

Robot History[]

Series 2[]

"13-year olds, Richard Manion and David Iles then at the controls. Those ghoulish pictures, with imaginations like that, they should see a shrink!"
— Jonathan Pearce at the start of Loco's Gauntlet run

Loco competed in Heat H of the Second Wars. For the Gauntlet, the robot was equipped with the spikes.

Dead metal loco pit

Loco is pitted in the Gauntlet

In the Gauntlet, Loco started by taking the left-hand route. It drove to the lane and waited for the Sentinel to turn around, then managed to get past the Sentinel after a quick boost of speed, but as it did so, Dead Metal was waiting to block Loco. The House Robot grabbed Loco in his pincers and pinned it against the Sentinel, then brought his circular saw down onto the top of Loco. Dead Metal reversed, but only to turn a little, so he could get his arms around Loco again and push it against the fence, before forcing it into the Pit of Oblivion.

"Ooh Dead Metal comes in! They are a little bit sluggish and slow, and Dead Metal all the way into the Pit of the Oblivion {sic}! And into the Pit of Oblivion they go! Have they covered enough ground though?"
— Jonathan Pearce as Dead Metal grabs Loco, then pushes it into the pit

Loco had still managed to cover 10.4 metres, which was enough to see it comfortably through, ultimately placing it third on the leader board.

Richard Manion: "We went reasonably slow to try and judge the digger, and then we tried to catch Dead Metal on one of its arms to try and swing it round, but we just sort of didn't time it right, it caught us and just pushed us in the pit."
Eric Manion: "Now we're through the first round, I think there's going to be less pressure on us now, so we can start to enjoy it a bit more!"
— The Loco team interviewed about passing the Gauntlet, in Robot Wars Revealed[8]

Next was the Trial stage, which in this Heat was Football. The team added a scoop to the front of Loco to control the ball.

Locogoal

Loco scores the first goal

Loco tried to get to the ball first, but Cassius was the fastest competitor to start, and reached the ball first, just ahead of Loco. However, as it hit the ball and knocked it away, Matilda blocked its path. Loco tried to drive around Matilda, but Matilda blocked it as it did so. Matilda reversed as Cassius tried to get to the ball, and she got her tusks under Cassius' front and lifted it up. This left the ball free for Loco to get to, and Loco pushed it straight past goalkeeper Sergeant Bash to push the ball over the line.

"This is good work in there immediately though, by Loco! Loco scores, they're through!"
— Jonathan Pearce as Loco scores

Loco was the first robot to score, sending it through to the Arena stage.

Eric Manion: "We knew Cassius was going to be the fastest one away, so we drove off, Richard drove off there, hoping that the ball would come clear or that the robots would get in a group and he'd be able to get through with the ball. Cassius came through and actually hit the ball first ... and the ball came clear, and..."
Richard Manion: "Just rolled it straight in!"
— The Loco team explain their tactics after getting through the Trial on Robot Wars Revealed[9]

In the Arena, it met fellow newcomer GroundHog, and was equipped with the spikes.

Philippa Forrester: "You're up against GroundHog."
Richard Manion: "Hmm, well at least we're not against Cassius!"
Philippa Forrester: "That's what they said!"
— Pre-battle interview, a clip only shown in Robot Wars Revealed[10]
Groundhog Loco

Loco in battle with GroundHog

Loco immediately charged down the arena at its opponent. As it did so, GroundHog turned, so Loco got at GroundHog's side, but despite getting its spikes around one of GroundHog's back legs, Loco did not use the spikes, and backed off. GroundHog turned around, and Loco got at the other side and pushed GroundHog, quickly managing to force it into Shunt in the PPZ.

"The gunfight in the Robot Wars Corral. "You must be plum loco to go into that arena!", the deadly shootout, under the sun!"
— Jonathan Pearce at the start of the battle
LocopushesGroundHogintoShunt

Loco pushes GroundHog into Shunt

Shunt landed a few axe blows to the top of GroundHog, and Loco turned away. Shunt stopped axing GroundHog and backed off, and GroundHog drove down the arena, still in the PPZ. Loco did not drive into the PPZ after it, and GroundHog drove into the arena wall, where it was unable to get away. Dead Metal came over and pulled it away from the wall, but it merely drove straight into Matilda. With GroundHog no longer able to drive, Matilda used her tusks to push it into the pit, sending Loco through to the Heat Final.

Craig Charles: "Did that go according to plan then?"
Richard Manion: "Yeah, we just wanted to attack, attack, attack!"
Craig Charles: "Well you were very aggressive! One more fight and you're through to the series Semi-Finals, are you feeling confident?"
Eric Manion: "No!"
— Post-battle interview

In the Heat Final, Loco was drawn against fifth seed Cassius, a team of Grand Finalists from the First Wars. The team changed the spikes for the blade, to try and prevent Cassius getting under the front.

Philippa Forrester: "...earlier I asked you how would you feel if you got pitted against the boys on the Loco team, and now you've ended up in the final!"
Rex Garrod: "Yeah I know, but these children have learned a heck of a lot about engineering, and that's great! Why destroy it, it's pointless! I made things like this when for little ones, and poor little devils, it's the first thing they've done, and I'm not going to destroy it in any way!"
Philippa Forrester: "We've almost got a pacifist on Robot Wars!"
— Pre-battle interview with Team Cassius
CassiusramsLoco

Cassius rams Loco

The two competitors drove towards each other, but Cassius drove around Loco, only for Loco to turn and face Cassius before Cassius could attack. Cassius reversed, and Loco got at its side, trying to get its spring loaded ram under Cassius's side. Loco tried pushing Cassius, but Cassius drove off the ram.

"Dodging, spinning, dancing with Loco. Avoiding that spring-powered ram."
— Jonathan Pearce as Cassius drives around Loco
Cassius flips loco

Loco is turned over by Cassius

The two robots turned to face each other, and Cassius drove underneath Loco, but as it pushed, Loco fell off the side, back onto its wheels, and Cassius drove into the PPZ. Cassius quickly reversed out of the PPZ before the House Robots could attack, pushing past Loco. Loco tried to get the ram under the side again, and Cassius tried to get away, but drove straight into Shunt. Cassius managed to get away from the House Robot, and got at the side of Loco. Cassius turned off its kick-down device, and used its front edge to push Loco up the arena. Cassius stopped and reversed a little, and Loco turned to face it, but Cassius drove straight underneath it, and Loco rolled off its side and fell onto its back, leaving it immobile.

"Flipped up and over! Immobilised but no damage caused - Rex Garrod, as good as his word!"
— Jonathan Pearce after Cassius flipped Loco over
CassiusfightsDeadMetaltoprotectLoco

Cassius fights Dead Metal to protect Loco

The House Robots came out, with Dead Metal grabbing Loco and pushing it against the grinders in the top PPZ, however Cassius intervened to protect Loco, charging at Dead Metal, getting under its side and trying to lift it. Whilst Cassius was fighting Dead Metal, Matilda attacked Loco, using her chainsaw on it, but as Cassius took on Shunt, Matilda left Loco to get her tusks under Cassius. Loco was left at the top of the arena as Cassius fought the House Robots for the rest of the battle, with the House Robots eventually managing to push it into the pit.

Philippa Forrester: "Wow, what a battle to be involved in!"
Richard Manion: "Yeah, well we knew he was going to beat us!"
Philippa Forrester: "So what do you think of Rex then?"
David Iles: "Very funny. I reckon he'll win the lot!"
— Post-battle interview

Results[]

LOCO - RESULTS
Series 2
The Second Wars - UK Championship
Heat Final
Heat H, Gauntlet 10.4m (3rd) Qualified
Heat H, Trial (Football) Scored 1st Goal (1st) Qualified
Heat H, Semi-Final vs. GroundHog Won
Heat H, Final vs. Cassius (5) Lost

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 1
  • Losses: 1

NOTE: Loco's successful Gauntlet and Trial runs are not included

Series Record[]

Series Loco Series Record
The First Wars Did not enter
The Second Wars Heat Final
The Third Wars Entered with Dundee
The Fourth Wars Did not enter
The Fifth Wars Did not enter
The Sixth Wars Did not enter
The Seventh Wars Did not enter
Series 8 Did not enter
Series 9 Did not enter
Series 10 Did not enter

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • The team started building Loco after the last episode of the First Wars, before they had been given approval by the Robot Wars Club.
"We started building the robot after the last programme, Richard was really into it and a lot of his friends at school were. We didn't really have any intention of joining the programme or going onto the programme so we started building it before we had any other literature through."
— Eric Manion on Robot Wars Revealed[11]
  • In Episode 8 of Robot Wars Revealed, which covered Heat H of Series 2, clips from the team's video diary were shown, showing the construction of Loco.
  • Both Loco and Dundee, the team's other entry, were beaten by Cassius.

References[]

Navigation[]

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