logo
World's first 150mph car Blue Bird to return to Pendine Sands

World's first 150mph car Blue Bird to return to Pendine Sands

BBC News19-07-2025
In 1925, on a beach in south-west Wales, the automotive world was changed forever. A car dealer named Malcolm Campbell and his 350-horsepower Sunbeam car named Blue Bird, hoped to use the seven miles of Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire to break the 150mph (241km/h) barrier in a car for the first time. He had already set - and lost - the world land-speed record several times before, but in front of the world's media, he looked to smash through a target which nobody was sure was possible. But it was. Over two runs on 21 July 1925, he recorded an average speed of 150.766mph, catapulting him to international stardom. Now, 100 years later, Blue Bird will be back at Pendine to mark the historic achievement.
It will be wheeled on to the beach for a ceremonial start-up in front of Sir Malcolm's grandson, Don Wales. Mr Wales is just one part of Sir Malcolm's record breaking lineage. Donald Campbell, Sir Malcolm's son, was the only man to hold both the land and water-speed records at the same time, before he was killed at Coniston Water in the Lake District in 1967 in another record attempt. His daughter Gina broke the women's world water speed record. While Mr Wales, Donald Campbell's nephew, has previously held UK and world records for the fastest electric car, steam-powered car and quickest lawnmower on Earth.
Mr Wales said: "There's just something in our genes, I think it was Grandad's buccaneering Scottish ancestors. "We're all family people, but when the red mist of racing descends, nothing matters more than burying our right foot and seeing how fast our vehicles, talent and bravery can take us."Mr Wales said he thought his grandfather was unprepared for the fame the feat would bring him. "He went from an aside on the back pages to the main headline in every paper, he had congratulations from the King, and suddenly everyone wanted to be associated with him."
Pendine was the crucible of land speed records in the 1920s, with enough space for cars to accelerate to - and more importantly brake from - speeds which had become impossible to achieve on racetracks like Brooklands.Between 1924 and 1927 Sir Malcolm and his friend and rival, Wrexham engineer John Godfrey Parry Thomas tussled for top spot. Between them they raised the record from 140mph (225km/h) to 176mph (283km/h), before Parry Thomas was killed in his self-build car Babs."Grandad and Parry Thomas had very different approaches to the record," Mr Wales said. "Blue Bird was a sleek track-racing car which had been adapted for land-speed, while Babs was purpose-built for record attempts, with a single-minded focus on the sheer power which was needed to carry it over a mile as quickly as possible. "The contrast in styles was what kept the public fascinated."
Mr Wales drove Blue Bird on the anniversary 10 years ago, calling it "terrifying and wonderful in equal measure". But despite its power, Sir Malcolm knew the Blue Bird had "maxed out" and when 200mph was breached at the 23-mile Daytona Beach in Florida by Henry Segrave. Partly out of respect for Parry Jones - and because of the extra space at Daytona compared with Pendine - Sir Malcolm drove a later iteration of Blue Bird through the 300mph (483km/h) barrier for the first time. Today, the original Blue Bird is cared for at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire, though the car has not always had it as good.
It was rescued from a barn in the 1950s, before spending more than 30 years stationary at Beaulieu before a disastrous attempt to start it again in 1993.Its chief engineer at Beaulieu Ian Stanfield said: "It never should have happened, you never turn over a car which has been idle for 30-plus years, but the pressure was on to get her running."The inevitable happened: the engine seized, she sprung a con rod, and smashed the crank case as well as several valves and pistons."It took about 10 years to rebuild the engine, with the original Sunbeam factory in Wolverhampton bombed in World War Two, with "next-to-no budget" and begging and borrowing parts where they could. He worries if the expertise to keep Blue Bird running for another century exists. "I've been working here for 47 years, and some of my colleagues even longer. We need to find the money and the time to train up the next generation to work on the vehicles which we've been so privileged to care for, and pass on the baton."
However, Mr Wales is more confident about the future of the land-speed record."A hundred years ago nobody knew if 150mph would be possible. "Today there are two projects looking to exceed 1,000mph. "If there's the public interest and the desire from the industry to push forward again, there's no reason it couldn't happen in our lifetime."The biggest challenge is finding somewhere long enough to attempt it."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lucy Bronze sets England record during Euro 2025 final vs Spain with Harry Kane trailing in her wake
Lucy Bronze sets England record during Euro 2025 final vs Spain with Harry Kane trailing in her wake

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

Lucy Bronze sets England record during Euro 2025 final vs Spain with Harry Kane trailing in her wake

LUCY BRONZE broke an England record and moved further clear of Harry Kane in the Euro 2025 final. Bronze, 33, was named in the Lionesses starting XI today for the clash against Spain. 2 It meant that Chelsea 's right-back won her 140th cap for England. And it moved Bronze up to joint-fourth in the most capped players charts behind only Fara Williams, Jill Scott, Karen Carney and level with Alex Scott. Peter Shilton, who played 125 times for England, is the highest capped male player. Bronze 's appearance in the final was also her 36th at a major tournament for the Lionesses. That is the most of all-time across both the men's and women's teams. Kane is the highest man on the list with 29 matches played at World Cups and Euros. Bronze's outing against Spain is also her 16th at a Women's Euros. That sees her leapfrog ITV pundit Carney for most games played for the Lionesses at the tournament. Aside from winning the 2022 Euros and making the 2023 World Cup final with England, Bronze has had a glittering career at club level. She has lifted the Women's Super League four times with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. And she has won the Champions League five times during her spells with Lyon and Barcelona.

American Vermette victorious at Hardline Wales finals day
American Vermette victorious at Hardline Wales finals day

BBC News

time5 hours ago

  • BBC News

American Vermette victorious at Hardline Wales finals day

American Asa Vermette has won the 2025 Red Bull Hardline Wales event in who came second at Hardline Tasmania earlier this year, was competing in the Welsh event for the first 18-year-old becomes the youngest rider to win the Welsh competition. The Junior World Champion clocked a time of 2:24.477, improving on his qualifying time by 4.586 seconds."It's insane, I did exactly what I wanted to do all week," said Vermette. Shrewsbury's Charlie Hatton finished second following a stellar World Cup season, just 1.681 seconds behind the said: "I'm absolutely over the moon to be honest."The emotions here are so high. I don't think I've ever had such an adrenaline spike after finishing a ride."A podium at Hardline is always a good Sunday."Last year's champion Ronan Dunne finished in third place despite sustaining a puncture in the top section of the seeding run. "After winning Hardline last year, I definitely wanted to do it again, but it was nice to come away with a podium," said Dunne."Hats off to Charlie and Asa, they both ripped it."Course co-creator and Hardline pioneer Gee Atherton finished in the top 10, taking ninth place over Chilean Felipe Agurto. The 40-year-old becomes the oldest competitor in the competition's mountain bike internet sensation Matt Jones had difficultly in his run, but managed to make it down the mountain and finish the course. Jones was one of the only riders in attendance who does not race World Cups told BBC Sport Wales: "I just about completed it, I ended up crashing twice in one run, which honestly just shows how gnarly it was."I'm particularly unfit compared to these guys who are halfway through a World Cup season, but I made it happen." Ferguson makes Hardline Wales history Scottish rider Louise Ferguson made history on Saturday by becoming the first female rider to qualify for Sunday's final of Hardline the event's 11 years, a female rider has never completed the course in full - mainly due to the scale of the jumps and challenging Sunday she then became the first woman to do a full finals run and complete the course. The 29-year-old won Rider of the Week, which is given to athletes who have been the most supportive and helpful on the course throughout the week of practice."I'm just so buzzing, I love downhill but Hardline is next level," Ferguson told BBC Sport Wales."I feel really proud, just to put a run together."Welsh-based rider Kaos Seagrave completed his run, making it to the bottom despite a crash off the final jump. Although Seagrave crossed the finishing line, he was disqualified after riding outside the course parameters during the top section of his run."I pulled a bit off the jump," said Seagrave. "As soon as I pulled I knew it was going to go wrong."I got disqualified at the top, but still completed the run so I'm stoked."

Relax, your Land Rover is safe. Britain has a new most-stolen vehicle
Relax, your Land Rover is safe. Britain has a new most-stolen vehicle

Telegraph

time5 hours ago

  • Telegraph

Relax, your Land Rover is safe. Britain has a new most-stolen vehicle

Range Rover owners can relax, but Hilux owners need to be on high alert. That's the message from the Government's latest car theft statistics, which show that the undesirable title of Britain's most stolen new car has shifted from Land Rover's flagship to the humble Toyota pickup truck. Analysis of official data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) conducted by insurance specialist QuestGates shows that Toyota Hilux thefts were up 549 per cent in 2024 compared with the previous year, with 584 going missing over the year. While overall UK vehicle thefts were down 4.5 per cent in 2024, the figure for cars younger than three years old rose by 6.6 per cent. In contrast, Land Rover models saw substantial decreases. Range Rover Evoque thefts in particular were down 77 per cent last year, helping to shift the brand out of the top 10. This reflects the success of recent security enhancements introduced by Land Rover after it was battered by bad publicity and customer complaints after a crime wave made some Range Rovers almost uninsurable, especially in cities. The £17m cost of security upgrades In an unprecedented move, Land Rover's parent company JLR invested £1m to fund proactive policing to tackle the organised crime groups targeting vehicles in the UK. It then spent £17m to update the security of its vehicles, including retrospectively upgrading the key systems on 300,000 cars to the latest technology, which uses scan-resistant wavebands and keyfobs which go into sleep mode if they are not moved. And it has worked. As a result, there are now no Land Rover models in the top 22 most stolen models for 2024 – and monthly theft figures for the Land Rover and Jaguar brands are at their lowest levels for five years. Philip Swift, technical director at QuestGates, said: 'JLR deserves huge credit for security upgrades which are apparently highly effective in deterring the professional criminals who target new cars. Fewer thefts mean fewer claims, lower costs and better outcomes for policyholders.' Toyota's Top Gear test But it seems as though the crooks have moved on to another rugged vehicle – the Toyota Hilux. The tough pickup was made famous for being seemingly indestructible in a 2003 series of Top Gear, yet while it might appear unbreakable, it seems the security systems are less sturdy and it is now highly sought after by thieves who are using electronic bypasses to take them without the key. The stolen 4x4 vehicles have a ready market in foreign countries where its ruggedness is prized, while the buyers are not worried by its stolen status. Richard Billyeald, chief research and operations officer at the insurance industry's Thatcham Research, said: 'Top destinations for stolen UK vehicles include the Democratic Republic of Congo, UAE, Cyprus, Jamaica and Georgia, driven by global shortages of car parts, high vehicle desirability and geopolitical disruption.' The Hilux theft craze has led to a wave of warnings from police forces across the country. Last summer, Bedfordshire Police urged owners to take extra precautions after 11 were stolen overnight from addresses in Luton over a few days. North Yorkshire Police and Nottinghamshire officers issued similar warnings and stepped up crime prevention patrols in rural locations, speaking to owners of Hiluxes to warn them of the risks. Like Land Rover, Toyota is fighting back. A spokesman said: 'Toyota GB has invested millions of pounds in a variety of solutions that help protect cars from theft. These include protective plates, immobilisers, blockers and trackers. 'We conducted a trial last year, at a cost of more than £10 million to Toyota, where selected customers were provided with a free tracking service. We are rolling out Tracker installation as an option for buyers of certain models, including Hilux, to help add a level of customer reassurance. Some of those customers were targeted by criminals and their cars were stolen. As a result of the installation of tracking devices, a 96 per cent recovery rate was achieved. 'Our anti-theft measures form part of a nationwide customer care offering. Owners can contact their local dealer to establish whether their model would benefit from additional security devices.' Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover are the only car makers currently engaging with the newly formed National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership, recognising their vehicles have vulnerabilities and giving significant funding to the police-led scheme to disrupt and target gangs involved in vehicle crime. But they are not the only brands with serious issues. Worrying trends While BMW has retained its second place in the 'most stolen' list of younger cars, owners will be worried to see the rise of Korean brand Kia, which moves from fifth to third place. Along with sister brand Hyundai, the South Korean company's cars have been plagued by thefts, with criminals apparently using a simple gadget bought on the internet to mimic the car's real key. Hyundai says its vehicles placed in the market after February 2024 have all received the latest hardware and software technology and should be safe, while it is 'actively working to offer a range of options to enhance the security of customers' vehicles' for earlier models. A police source told us that Ford's big-selling rival to the Hilux, called the Ranger, is also proving popular with thieves looking to export them – although their stronger security means they tend to be acquired through fraud rather than conventional methods. Regionally, thefts of vehicles less than three years old increased significantly in 2024 in Bedfordshire, Essex and Warwickshire, while Greater Manchester recorded a notable 20 per cent reduction. It seems that the electronic technology designed to keep our cars secure can offer crooks any easy way into them and the best way to prevent it is a switch to old-fashioned physical locks. A Bedfordshire Police spokesperson said: 'Where possible, park cars on driveways, in well-lit areas or where they are covered by CCTV. Extra security such as immobilisers or steering locks could also help deter thieves, along with lockable covers for diagnostic ports on newer models. And please keep keys in a secure location and as far from the vehicle as possible.' Top tips on how to protect your car Make sure your car is locked ...Even if you are in a place you think is safe, such as a rural location or your driveway. Cost: £0 Fit a steering wheel lock or other physical security device Look for products with a Sold Secure approval, as they will take thieves longer to remove. Cost: from £70 Where to keep your fob If your car has 'keyless' entry (you don't have to press buttons to unlock it), keep the fob as far away from the car as possible when it is parked to prevent high-tech relay theft using signal boosters. Also try to keep the keys in a Faraday bag or box to prevent them transmitting. Cost: £15 Tracking devices Consider a tracking device to help locate your vehicle if it's stolen. Professionally fitted and insurance approved trackers cost about £200 plus a monthly subscription. Cheaper alternatives are available but are unlikely to bring a discount on premiums. Cost: from £100 Have the car marked to help identification Old-fashioned window etching is effective, but modern 'DNA' swabbing applies an almost invisible paint to parts across the car. It can only be seen under UV light, while microscopic analysis will reveal a unique code. Cost: £59.50 ( When buying or selling Be especially careful when buying or selling a car to make sure you are not a victim of fraud or distraction theft. Insist on seeing ID and make sure payments are cleared before letting a car out of your sight. Cost: Free

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store