Leighviathan

Leighviathan
Participation Information
UK Series	2
Team Information
Team	Leigh City Technical College
Team Members	Robin Williams Tony Schofield Chris Malyon
From	Dartford
Other Entries	Leighbot (Series 1)
Robot Statistics
Weight	82.9kg
Dimensions	1.40m x 0.80m x 0.60m
Clearance	30mm
Top Speed	10mph
Power	2 x 12V Batteries
Weapons	Front Shovel & Rear Chainsaw
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"Chris and Robin from the Leigh City Technology College also had the help of their classmates in the building of Leighviathan. They decided to upgrade from their robot last year, Leighbot, to a much bigger, more powerful machine!"

— Philippa Forrester in Robot Wars Revealed

Leighviathan was robot that competed in Series 2 of Robot Wars and was the successor to the Series 1 competitor robot Leighbot. It was over 3kg over the Heavyweight limit at the time. Like the team's previous robot, Leighviathan progressed steadily through its Heat, even holding its ground against House Robot Dead Metal in the Tug of War, only being beaten by eventual heat winner Mace in the Heat Semi-Final.

Design

"Leighviathan was designed and built by students at the Leigh City Technology Centre (which entered Leighbot in the First Wars), and was based on a miniature JCB. The JCB-inspired design required the inclusion of a lot of motors and other mechanisms, which increased the robot's weight dramatically, and proved a frustrating and ongoing problem for the team during construction. Initially, they had wanted to include a moving front-mounted bucket/scoop, although in the end they had to settle for a fixed one."

— The Robot Wars Technical Manual on Leighviathan

Leighviathan in the pits

Leighviathan was an unusual box wedge shaped robot, that resembled a JCB digger. It had a Laser Guided Directional Finder modified from laser pens. Leighviathan weighed in way over the limit, and the team were forced to cut chunks off. The chassis was very heavy and sculpted to the shell. Its weapons were a shovel and 16' chainsaw, but they were both very inefficient and the chainsaw in particular bent easily. The robot had a five-wheel system, with a fifth wheel in the centre at the back of the robot, which could be raised and lowered to increase traction. This system allowed it to spin on the spot and gave high manoeuvrability. The robot had a unique laser-guided directional finder, modified from laser pens, to shine through smoke.

"The shell seemed very heavy and well built over the chassis which housed the 2 wheelchair motors which in turn drove the 4WD wheels. The speed controller was a simple wheelchair controller using 2 servos to control it."

— Oliver Steeples on Leighviathan

The insides of Leighviathan

Leighviathan's chainsaw mechanism is lowered in The Pits (Robot Wars Revealed, Episode 2)

Leighviathan had two layers of armour, with a thick mild steel inner body, and a stainless steel outer shell. The robot was actually over the heavyweight limit at the time. The RC equipment was taken from the team's original robot. Leighviathan was powered by two 12 volt batteries, with two 24 Volt wheelchair motors, geared on a 1:3 ratio to increase the speed. This gave it a top speed of 10mph, much faster than the team's previous entry, which had a top speed of just 3mph.

"Last year, our robot was Leighbot. We thought it was a bit too slow, so this one, we decided to gear up and make a bit faster!"

— Robin Williams in Robot Wars Revealed

Etymology

Its name was a pun on the word leviathan, a Biblical sea serpent, combined with Leigh City Technical College, where the team formed.

The Team

The Leighviathan team

Leighviathan was entered by The Leigh Robotics Club a team of students and staff from Leigh City Technical College. On screen, the team consisted of navigator Robin Williams, weapons operator Chris Maylon and mechanic/design consultant Ian Wright, but many other pupils and members of staff were also involved, donating parts and helping construction, along with some of the students parents. The College was one of the robot's main sponsors, along with Sir Geoffrey Leigh. Tony Schofield was the team co-ordinator and Chief Engineer, and was credited on the statistics board, despite not competing with the team, whilst Ian Wright was not credited.

Other people who helped build the robot included; Sam Parry and Johnathan Cooper, who are credited as "Support Crew and Engineers" on the team's website, David Williams of Shell, who worked throughout the robot's construction, particularly with control circuitry, Tom Williams of Warbreck Engineering, Bob Monk of Jacob White Packaging, Rob Woodcock of Controls Dynamic and Bob Marchant, who helped with some welding.

Robot History

Series 2

"Like Napalm the first time I saw Leighviathan they were weighing in and they were way over the limit and were arguing about which bits to cut off."

— Oliver Steeples on the robot being overweight

The team repair Leighviathan to get it ready to compete in the Gauntlet

Leighviathan took part in Heat B, but a series of problems almost forced the team to withdraw before they had even run the Gauntlet. First, the robot was overweight upon arrival, and had to be stripped back in the pits before competing. Just before it was due to run the Gauntlet, the radio gear caught alight due to incorrect wiring. The team were forced to change the receivers. The team replaced the burnt electronics, but the robot still wouldn't respond, as another team had the same frequency on their controls.

Derek Foxwell: "They've got the same frequency as the next competitor, if they're not ready when it's their turn to go, we have to take the radio away from them and they cannot repair their machine."

Philippa Forrester: "So how long have they got?"

Derek Foxwell: "Three minutes."

— Leightviathan is given a deadline

The robot was repaired in time to avoid elimination, and it was the fourth robot from this Heat to run the Gauntlet.

"It's just a case of getting that wall to fall in the right place, 'cause if it falls in front of the robot, we haven't got a chance of getting past it. If we can get it to fall back behind the robot, we should be able to get up onto the bridge. If we come up against that Sir Killalot, we haven't got a chance!"

— Robin Williams' plan before the Gauntlet, in a clip exclusive to Robot Wars Revealed

Leighviathan knocks over the barrels with its chainsaw

Leighviathan started by driving forwards, then turning towards the right-hand route. It corrected course, and drove for the middle route. As it reached the barrels, the spikes lifted it up a little, but Leighviathan continued, trying to push through the barrels, but it pushed one of the barrels into the edge of the see-saw, blocking its path. It reversed a little, then turned around, using its chainsaw to knock the barrels over.

"No steering problems, it would seem, using that petrol-driven chainsaw to smite the barrels out of the way!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Leighviathan uses the chainsaw to push past the barrels

Sir Killalot disposes of Leighviathan

It knocked over three barrels, but the one that had blocked it before did not fall over. It turned and tried pushing the barrel the other way with the chainsaw, but it could not push it over, due to the other barrels around it. Sir Killalot came over to the middle route as Leighviathan tried for another charge, and he hooked onto one of Leighviathan's wheels with his lance, lifting the whole robot into the air.

"Sir Killalot in for the death blow! On its side, going nowhere, what a nightmare! Have they enough? Oh, anxious moments. Sir Killalot simply lifted it up, like a leaf, and then slam!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Sir Killalot turns Leighviathan over

Sir Killalot held it up on top of some of the barrels that were still upright, dropping it on top of them. Sir Killalot then used his lance to tip Leighviathan over. Leighviathan had only covered 5.1m, though this was narrowly enough to beat Death Trak's distance of 4.8m, putting it through to the Trial stage.

Chris Maylon: "It [Sir Killalot's lance] got caught on the side of the wheel, and we just couldn't get out of it."

Robin Williams: "The House Robots are just too powerful!"

Philippa Forrester: "What do you think of that new House Robot then?"

Robin Williams: "It's a bit out of order on everyone else!"

— Uncut Post-Gauntlet interview, shown in Robot Wars Revealed

According to Chris Maylon in Robot Wars Revealed, Episode 2, the chainsaw cut out halfway through the Gauntlet run.

In this Heat, the Trial was Tug of War.

Philippa Forrester: "Now presumably you need a lot of traction in an event like this?"

Chris Maylon: "Yeah, that's what we've... we did have a jockey wheel on the back, but we've lifted it up to get more traction on the floor."

— Pre-Trial interview

Leighviathan holds Dead Metal off

As the Trial started, Leighviathan was the first to pull, but Dead Metal resisted. The two pulled against each other, each only managing to move the other a little, neither able to get a significant advantage. Leighviathan did manage to pull Dead Metal towards the middle, but Dead Metal pulled back against it. Leighviathan kept pulling, and managed to move Dead Metal a little more. Dead Metal managed to resist, but was pulled a little more by Leighviathan, then a little more. Each time, Dead Metal managed to pull against Leighviathan and resist the pulling after being pulled a little, but he could not get an advantage.

"Leigh-vo, heave-ho! And quite clearly, holding Dead Metal, gripping, pulling! And I think the Judges will stop this, yes! They've beaten Dead Metal! Taking the strain, surviving! Leighviathan through!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Leighviathan survives the Tug of War

Leighviathan had survived until the end, which put it through to the Arena Stage.

Philippa Forrester: "Dare I say that was actually quite boring to watch?"

Robin Williams: "It was, yeah. We were both pretty evenly matched."

— Pre-Trial interview, only shown in Robot Wars Revealed

In the arena stage of the heat, Leighviathan was drawn up against newcomer Mace.

Philippa Forrester: "Who's going to win, do you reckon?"

Robin Williams: "It's a shame that we have to go in there and fight each other now. Once you're through the walls, you get out and fight."

Philippa Forrester: "No, no, no, this isn't the attitude we're looking for! Robot Wars is about fighting and battle!"

Robin Williams: "Well, we'll get them while we're in there"

— Philippa laughs at Leighviathan's attitude

Mace gets beneath Leighviathan

The two competitors drove straight at each other, and met in the arena centre. Mace got its lifter under Leighviathan's front wedge and pushed it down the arena to the PPZ. Mace pushed Leighviathan against a House Robot, getting the lifter underneath Leighviathan's side.

"Leighviathan, the heavier and quicker of the two robots, using there that snowplough-shaped scoop at the front. But Mace in underneath, and pushing Leighviathan in towards the PPZ!"

— Jonathan Pearce in the early moments of the battle

Part of Leighviathan's armour comes loose

Mace held Leighviathan up, and pushed it up the arena to Dead Metal, dropping it on one of Dead Metal's arms. Mace drove away, and Dead Metal pushed Leighviathan away from the PPZ, causing it to fall off the arm. Leighviathan drove forwards, but drove into the PPZ, straight into Shunt. Shunt fired the axe, hitting the wedge, and Leighviathan tried to reverse away, but it backed into Dead Metal. Leighviathan found itself pinned between Matilda and Dead Metal, and Matilda brought her chainsaw down on Leighviathan's top, and Mace reversed into Leighviathan's other side with its flail. Matilda let Leighviathan go, but Leighviathan's chainsaw was caught around one of Dead Metal's top spikes, preventing it from getting away, and Mace drove into Leighviathan's side. Dead Metal drove around Leighviathan to try and get free of the chainsaw, but despite pulling against the chainsaw, bending it, the chain was still caught. Matilda drove at Leighviathan's side and lifted it up with her tusks, lifting the chain free of Dead Metal. As she did so, Leighviathan's top armour came loose.

"Leighviathan stuck in there! It was poor control and driving to get into the PPZ in the first place, and Judges will mark them down on that! Look at the chainsaw - being pushed, bent, put out of action! They've been scalped, Leighviathan!"

— Jonathan Pearce as Leighviatahn is stuck in with the House Robots

Mace attacking with its flail. Note Leighviathan's dislodged top armour

Whilst Dead Metal held Mace in his arms, Sir Killalot drove up the arena, blocking Leighviathan before it could drive away from the PPZ, so Leighviathan reversed into Matilda. Sir Killalot backed off, allowing Leighviathan to drive away from the PPZ. It drove into the arena centre, and Mace drove after it, ramming into its side. Mace turned around to use its flail on Leighviathan's side. However, the flail did no damage and quickly stopped. Mace drove away and turned around, and Leighviathan reversed at it. Mace tried to get its lifter under Leighviathan's back, but Leighviathan reversed into the side of the lifter, preventing Mace from getting it underneath properly. Leighviathan pushed against Mace, which reversed away. In the last few seconds, Leighviathan drove towards the arena centre, and Mace drove into the back of it. Mace started pushed Leighviathan down to the bottom PPZ, but time ran out.

"Leigviathan, struggling really to hold on. You can see the chainsaw has come off the chain {sic}. Mace pushes, it goes to the Judges! Very very tight!"

— Jonathan Pearce in the last few seconds of the battle

Cease was called, and the judges' decision that resulted went in favour of Mace, eliminating Leighviathan from the competition.

Robin Williams: "They sort of got hold of us, and I think we got the control a bit hot trying to get away from them."

Chris Maylon: "Chainsaw's a bit hot as well."

Robin Williams: "They hadly did any damage on us though, it was the House Robots that did the damage! The batteries are hot because they were distorted for such a large amount of time and these were drawing so much current from them. These {the motors} are steaming hot as well. The whole of the control circuit, through here, the batteries and the motors, are all completely steaming hot, 'cause we can't pull a House Robot and them {Mace} at the same time! It's just not powerful enough!"

— The team describe the battle, and insect the robot's insides after the battle, in a clip only shown in Robot Wars Revealed

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 0
• Losses: 1

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

Series Record

Series	Leighviathan Series Record
The First Wars	Entered with Leighbot
The Second Wars	Heat, Arena Semi-Final
The Third Wars	Did not enter
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

Leigh City Technology College students work on Leighviathan's components, in a clip from their video diary shown on Robot Wars Revealed

The rolling chassis is completed, in a clip from their video diary shown on Robot Wars Revealed

Leighviathan undergoes a driving test, in a clip from their video diary shown on Robot Wars Revealed

The 'race' between a partially-complete Leighviathan and Leighbot, in a clip from their video diary shown on Robot Wars Revealed

Trivia

• Like its predecessor, Leighbot, Leighviathan participated in Heat B of the main competition in its only appearance and was eliminated at the Arena Semi-Final stage.
• In Episode 2 of Robot Wars Revealed, which covered Heat B of Series 2, clips from the team's video diary were shown, including the robot's construction and testing in the school's workshops.
• Both Leighviathan and its predecessor Leighbot lost to a robot whose name began with M, reached the second round of the Semi-Finals and was entered by a team that contested four Main Series.
• The team were interviewed for the Robot Wars Technical Manual, and Leighviathan was one of the robots profiled.

"With hindsight, Tony Schofield of the Leighviathan team thinks that it would have been a good idea to build a lighter-weight chassis and heavier outer armour, illustrating the importance of achieving a workable compromise between the underlying stability of a robot and its structural durability. ... The construction proceeded with a certain haphazard charm from an initial thumbnail sketch, to a prototype that didn't work, through various improvements to a working model. In addition, during construction the team connected a battery the wrong way around, and blew the radio recievers."

— Excerpts from the Robot Wars Technical Manual about Leighviathan

• Team captain Chris Malyon intended to convert Leighviathan into an autonomous snowplough after it appeared on TV.

External Links

• The Leighviathan website (Archived)