Beccles Soap Box Derby 2024:
A Fabulous Day of Racing, Innovation, and Community Spirit as PCE Automation Scoop Winners Trophy.
Today, Beccles was alive with excitement as the highly anticipated Beccles Soap Box Derby took over the town centre, delivering a day of thrilling races, incredible designs, and community unity.
In the style of the renowned Red Bull Soap Box Race, this year’s event may have featured a slightly more straightforward course, but the gentle jump and chicane at the end of the course provided more than enough challenge for the 25 competing teams.
Station Road was packed with spectators, young and old, as thousands turned out to cheer on their favourite soap boxes in what can only be described as a fabulous day for the town.
The variety of soap boxes on display was astounding. From sleek, finely-tuned race machines to quirky, imaginative creations that reflected the character of local businesses, each design added its own flavour to the event.
The turnout was incredible, with every age group coming together to enjoy the action, laugh at the more eccentric entries, and marvel at the engineering brilliance of others.
It wasn’t just about the racing – it was about community, creativity, and celebrating the best of Beccles.
The Beccles Soap Box Derby commenced at 11.30am with a shotgun being fired, signifying competitors to turn on their virtual ignitions.
After all, this was a race of pure muscle, intelligent steering and precision engineering, with Soap Boxes being powered without pedals, without engines and with only the forcer of a starting push from a ramp at the top of the course without power.
The culmination of the first Beccles Soap Box Derby reached its peak in a thrilling showdown between PCE Automation, local specialists in engineering and automation, and Harleston and District No: 924 Round Table.
The contest, fought over two rounds, was fiercely close, with both teams pushing their soap boxes – and themselves – to the limit.
PCE Automation, winner of the 2023 Kings Award for Enterprise in recognition of its excellence in innovation, emerged victorious, dominating the first round with their expertly designed soap box, crafted by a dedicated fabrication team under the leadership of Bryan Cook.
With over 60 years of experience at PCE, Cook’s design combined cutting-edge precision engineering with an intuitive understanding of speed mechanics.
The fabrication team, known for their skill and creativity, worked tirelessly to bring the design to life.
Their teamwork and attention to detail were evident in every inch of the soap box, from the sleek aerodynamics to the perfect balance of weight and speed.
Watch the PCE Automation Beccles Soap Box Derby Teaser Trailer HERE
Behind the scenes of the Beccles soap Box Derby Winning Build
As the second round approached, the tension grew. Harleston and District No: 924 Round Table came close to pulling off an upset, refining their design and giving PCE a run for their money.
The final leg was an exhilarating finish, with PCE Automation narrowly clinching the win. The precision engineering and flawless execution of their machine were simply unbeatable.
But the real excitement lies in what’s to come.
With their Beccles Soap Box Derby victory, PCE Automation has laid down the gauntlet for 2025.
The PCE Whacky Races team, emboldened by their success, have vowed to return next year with an even faster, more finely-tuned version of their winning soap box.
They’re already setting their sights on breaking new records, and their challenge will be sending shockwaves through the soap box racing community.
Contenders will need to step up their game if they hope to dethrone the reigning champions. It promises to be an unmissable showdown.
The Beccles Soap Box Derby proved to be more than just a race. It was a celebration of creativity, skill, and most importantly, community.
Organised with precision and care, the event drew people of all ages together, filling the town with cheers and excitement.
The energy was palpable, and the incredible turnout showed just how much this event means to the people of Beccles. With a day packed full of incredible designs and friendly competition, the 2024 Derby was undoubtedly one for the history books – and 2025 is already shaping up to be even more spectacular.
This article is brought to you by Lee Blanchflower and Blanc Creative.
We are a Norwich based business specialising in Commercial Photography, Creative Video Production and Podcast Production across Norfolk, Suffolk and the UK.
