British Steam Car

[Stan Back]

Dan Warner is a card-carrying FIAer or something.  Showed me the card.  Referee or inspector or something.  Just because you're an SCTA official doesn't exclude you from other organizations.

Stan

[roadster589]

Well we have 6 miles of race track set up. The team is on the line and getting ready to make there first attempts at the record it 66 degrees and no wind just heard on the fm that he getting in the car more to comein a bit

[John Noonan]

Well we have 6 miles of race track set up. The team is on the line and getting ready to make there first attempts at the record it 66 degrees and no wind just heard on the fm that he getting in the car more to comein a bit

Updates   ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 

[roadster589]

Mile speed 129.762 kilo speed 129.835 exit speed 134.164. They have 1 hour to turn aroundand do it again

[Stainless1]

sounds slower than the Steamin Demon... of course they had the advantage of doing it at a 3 run scta meet using the Stanley as the bar....

[Malcolm UK]

Did they get back in 1 hour and what was the result of the two runs?

We do not get word back home until Don Wales completes the days efforts at AFB (test driving or FODding).

Malcolm

[roadster589]

Sorry for delay they had a problem with one of the boilers and a valve and they opted to abort the return run in the mean time they where able to locate a tractor and a water truck to fill in some big holes so we can move the track back and give them an extra mile so they have a total of 7.2 miles. Back to work I go I will post more in the am when they try again .

[Malcolm UK]

Mike

Thanks for taking time amongst your main duties to report to the forum. 

Whilst I do not know Charles Burnett except by reputation I have worked with test driver Don Wales here in the UK during his electric attempts on beaches and airfield. 

I understand Don may get to attempt the kilo FIA record .... so keep everything safe for him (and Charles) as you have done for the drivers / riders at the shootout.  Its good to know the Inspiration/British Steam Car Project have involved experienced US people used to the conditions.

Malcolm

[roadster589]

Mile 129 kilo 127 exit 120 the team has started there turn around time when asked why they went slower then yesterday they said that they just want the record in there name then they will start trying to put the steam to it 30 min left on clock..................

[DiveEZ]

Mike

Sorry I couldn't make it there, but just getting back from SW makes it hard to take more time off. Keep the post coming.

[roadster589]

Return attempt failed not sure will post when I here more

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I got this from an interested bystander (not THAT one), and although it's a bit dated right now -- it'll fill in some background for you all:


"British Steam Car Team on Course for World Record Success

 

Edward’s Air Force Base, California: Wednesday 18th August


The British Steam Car Team have now successfully carried out 5 test runs in excess of 100mph ahead of its bid to break the century-old world land speed record for steam-powered vehicles. After numerous setbacks last week, the team were jubilent on Saturday having unofficailly beaten the Fred Marriott record. The teams own calibrated equipment measured the two way average at 137.14mph, and a 48min 52 second turn-around.
 

Today the British Steam Car Team will commence their attempts to achieve an official record  The current FIA record is 127mph previously set by American, Fred Marriott, driving a Stanley steam car in 1906.

 

Project Manager Matt Candy said:" it was an enourmous achievement on Saturday and one we hope to replicate now that the FIA timing officials have joined us today. The timing equipement is currently being set up across the 7mile lakebed. When we left England we knew we had a tough challenge ahead, but we had carried out all the testing we could. Since arriving in the UK the team has had to do a lot of preperations to the car with the effects of heat, altitude and the surface conditions. Compared to UK testing at Thorney, Portsmouth, the goal has been to make the car travel twelve times the distance, at double the speed and twice in within one hour. Saturday was a milestone for the team in achieving this goal".

 

The FIA is the sanctioning body and now recognizes a land speed record as the average speed of two passes made across the same measured distance in opposing directions within 60 minutes of each other. The time of the two runs is then averaged to obtain the official recorded speed.

 

The record runs will commence at 6am USA time (2pm UK time). We will keep you posted with the team news!"

 

[Stan Back]

God -- I thought Team Fercockta had an old record at El Mirage.  Over 100 years and Brits can't do it?  Maybe they should look thru the Chunnel and get some frogs on board for assistance.  All that travel -- it's hard to believe they didn't test better on the Isles.  (Malcolm -- I'm not trying to p*iss you off.)

How fast did that exploding steam thing go at El Mirage 20 years ago -- Rich Fox?  Kent?

Stan Back

[Freud]

This effort reminds me of Jesse Owens racing a horse from first base to second base.

He ran in the 1936 Olympics.

H*ll that was only 73 years ago and he didn't have a half million budget

Go for it, Steamer.

FREUD

[roadster589]

124 entry speed 128 mile and 133 exit speed eveything looks good so far return run should be around 9:20