cars, trucks, tractors and things that go
Welcome to our learning page about all things wheels!
Our first question for you; how many vehicles can you count and name on your working wheels gift? There are probably quite a few that you recognise!
You probably recognise this one... London's iconic red double-decker bus, which has become a great symbol of the city and of entire UK!
These buses were first introduced at the start of the 20th Century. At the time, several different companies owned the buses that operated in London, and they were all in competition with each other. Each bus was usually painted a colour depending on its route around the city. But in 1907 the London General Omnibus company decided to paint all their buses a vivid red - Pantone 485C Red - and use a number at the front of each bus to distinguish its route. This attracted lots of attention and the new red buses stood out from their rivals'. As a result, in 1933 when London Transport bought all the public buses, they decided to paint them all this fabulous red colour!
A bit of bus trivia for you - London buses are the same red colour as the logos of Royal Mail, the London Underground, Coca-Cola, Lego, McDonalds and lots more - it's a red to look out for!
The first ever 'fire engines' were horse drawn carriages with steam pumps that pushed out water. In the absence of sirens and flashing lights, Dalmatian dogs were used to run ahead of the horses and clear their path.
Nowadays though, fire engines are incredibly high-tech vehicles designed completely with their function in mind; they need to take firefighters to the scene as swiftly as possible and with the necessary tools to get access to and put out fire and help anyone that's been injured. That's why fire engines are large; they need to carry lots of people and lots of equipment. They're red and fitted with big loud sirens so people notice them and can clear out of their way. They usually have a built-in ladder that helps firefighters get to tricky places and gain height over fire, so they're in the best position to put them out (ladders are also very useful when rescuing cats from tall trees!). Lastly but very importantly, fire engines are normally fitted with a hose and pump to supply water (or sometimes foam). All these factors make it the perfect vehicle to support firefighters and help extinguish fires.
Can you design your own vehicle? Think about the functions you want your vehicle to perform and how it will be used and don't forget to think about the colour, too!
This here is the iconic Aston Martin DB5, which you may recognise from the James Bond films. This classic British car became known as 'the most famous car in the world' after its debut in the Bond film 'Goldfinger' in 1963. Since then, the car has become synonymous with the fictional British spy, who, like the car, is quintessentially British, suave and known for his good looks!
Can you write a story about a journey you took somewhere?
Have you seen this motor before? It's known as a Combine Harvester, which is a very clever machine designed to harvest cereal crops as efficiently as possible.
It got its name because it combines three different ways of harvesting grain; reaping, threshing and winnowing, meaning the grain is cut from the earth, the edible part is separated from the straw, and it's then cleaned - all at once!
Next time you eat cereal or bread, you can thank the combine harvester!
The electric car was one of the first forms of transport not to use human or horsepower. Although we tend to think of it as a fairly modern invention, the first electric car was in fact built in the 1830s, but it was overshadowed by the more popular petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles. In more recent times though, people are increasingly making the switch to electric vehicles, as they're much better for the environment and release less harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
Can you research and find five reasons why electric cars might be better than petrol or diesel cars?