Bluebird Electric
Grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, Don Wales, is taking Bluebird Electric to Pendine Sands in August to grab some speed records.
You’d hope that anyone of any age would associate ‘Bluebird’ with ‘Campbell’, but as many of our schools don’t seem too keen on anything that may be even remotely considered part of Britain’s history, perhaps not.
So we’ll just throw in that Sir Malcolm Campbell drove a variety of Bluebird (or Blue Bird) cars to new land speed records on Pendine Sands in the 1920s and his son, Donald Campbell, matched his father’s achievements with world speed records on both land and water – the only man to have held land and water speed records at the same time. And he too used the Bluebird moniker for his record-breaking transport of choice.
Fast forward the best part of fifty years and it’s the grandson of Sir Malcolm – Don Wales – who’s plotting to take the Bluebird Electric to a new UK Land Speed Record, and planning to make a start on that quest at Pendine Sands (a location Top Gear fans will probably recognise – and was it Pendine Sands on the new Torchwood series last week?).
The date to watch out for is the weekend of 13/14 August when the 30-strong Bluebird team will descend on Pendine Sands in an effort to shake down the Bluebird Electric – testing different battery technologies and drive units – and in the process beat Don’s Grandad’s 1924 record of 146mph, grabbing the UK Electric Car Speed Record in the process.
The longer term plan for BlueBird Electric is to take a punt at the world electric speed record by setting a 500mph plus speed in 2013. But there’s a way to go before that.
In an little note at the end of the press release on the Bluebird Electric there’s a plea to businesses local to Pendine Sands to help out by taking some advertising. It’s an indication of how tough it now is to get funding to do world class stuff in the UK, so although it will probably help little we’re more than happy to repeat the plea:
The Bluebird Electric team is also keen to hear from local high quality food and beverage producers, crafts companies and businesses who wish to promote their products or services at the speed trials. Plenty of space is available for local companies to showcase the best of Welsh and British products.
Those interested should contact Martin Rees, Bluebird Electric Project Director, on T: 01646 687771 or T: 07940 275962.
So if you’re a local business – or any business who can help – give the Bluebird Electric Team a shout and send a bit of revenue their way.
They really will appreciate it.
Taweboy says
Don’t think the Torchwood location was Pendine Sands. The remote cottage they used was The Old Rectory which overlooks Rhossili Bay, so there’s a fair chance the bit near the end with the helicopter was filmed there.
Looks right, but everything sort of looks different on the telly!