Billy Cart

Plastic-Free School Holiday event at Enfield Library July 2021

A Billy-Cart, Billie-Cart or Billy Kart (the name depends on what part of Australia you grew up in) is one of the simplest forms of a homemade gravity powered vehicle built by children worldwide for over 100 years. It is less popular today due to safety concerns with a large number of vehicles on suburban roads and the availability of low-cost plastic ride-on toys.

However, this amazingly simple gravity-powered vehicle is more than just fun to ride and build, it introduces children to critical thinking, how to use different tools and materials. Once understanding the basic processes and construction methods, children can go on to make many different variations with what materials they can find or repurpose.

The following is only one of many designs that can be made.

Qty 2 – Wood 500mm x 90mm x 35mm – Front and back cross pieces for wheels
Qty 1 – Wood 700mm x 120mm x 15mm – Central Body
Qty 1 – Wood Ply 270mm x 200mm x 10mm – Seat
Qty 1 – 8mm Cotton Cord Rope 2.5M long – Steering Rode – any rope type will do
Qty 4 – Wheels – this can be any kind we cut wood ply wheel as it was a plastic-free event

Qty 4 – M8 x 75 PC4.7 Zinc Hex Coach Screw – Holds wheels, wheels hole diameter
Qty 2 – M8 x 75 Zinc Coach Bolts – Holds Seat and back cross piece together
Qty 2 – M8 Zinc Wing Nut – Holds Seat and back cross piece together
Qty 8 – M8 Zinc Flat Washer – 2 per wheel one on inside one on outside of each wheel
Qty 1 – M10 x 75 PC8.8 Zinc Hex – Front Steering Pin holds front cross piece and body together
Qty 2 – M10 Zinc Flat Washer – Place on bottom of Front Cross Piece and Top od Central Body
Qty 1 – M10 Zinc Wing Nut – For tensioning the steering so that it is firm and not too loose.
Qty 1 – M10 Zinc Hex Nut – Locks and holds steering wing nut in place to prevent loosening.