Author Topic: Bluebird Electric land speed trials at Pendine Sands POSTPONED  (Read 1530 times)

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The planned The planned Bluebird Electric land speed trials at Pendine Sands this weekend (2/3 July) postponed

Bluebird Electric, the car in which Don Wales (grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE) hoped to achieve a new land speed record this weekend has now been delayed.

Martin Rees, Bluebird Electric Project Director, says: "This is a huge disappointment for all parties concerned. We have been working incredibly hard to deliver a record-breaking car. However a vital bespoke component that was being manufactured will not now be delivered in time for this weekend's speed trials. As a team we can't compromise on safety, and do not want to settle for an inferior product. Whilst the delay of the component arriving only sets us back several days, the tidal conditions at Pendine coupled with the re-organising of timing keepers, staff, permits and the need for testing, has forced us to re-schedule for a later date. I very much hope everyone will understand our predicament and come and cheer us on in August, we have a provisional date of the 13th & 14th August to be confirmed"

"We're extremely sorry to be letting down the team's sponsors, the many volunteers who had promised to help and the members of the public who were expecting to watch the action”.

Wales, who is the nephew of Donald Campbell CBE and Grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, has been maintaining the Campbell record-breaking tradition since establishing the UK Land Speed Record for an electric car in 1998. In 2009 he set the current World Land Speed Record for a steam car of 148mph.

Pendine Sands was the site of Malcolm Campbell's early land speed records in the 1920s driving his Bluebird cars. Wales also names his record cars Bluebird and visited Pendine Sands in 2000 to set the current UK Land Speed Record for electric cars at 137mph.

The current Bluebird Electric is being used as a test and development vehicle to try different battery technologies and drive units as part of Wales' goal to set an electric record of more than 500mph in 2013. The speed trials at Pendine Sands are part of the development programme. However, timekeepers and race officials will be present and the team hopes to establish new UK land speed records for an electric car. During the trials Wales also hopes to best his grandfather’s 146 mph land speed record set with a combustion engine on the same beach in 1924.

The years 2011 and 2012 will see a series of events to celebrate the centenary of Malcolm Campbell painting his record cars and boats blue and naming them Bluebird – after he saw Maurice Maeterlinck's play The Blue Bird at the Haymarket Theatre, London. Don Wales and the Bluebird Electric team will be speaking at a number of events throughout the year with the climax to the year in June 2012 with a big celebration at the Haymarket Theatre including a display of past Bluebirds outside.

For the latest Bluebird Speed Records team news, please visit www.bluebirdspeedrecords.com

The team can also be followed on Twitter at @bluebirdspeed and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluebird-Speed-Records/174745655870142

Bluebird Electric, the car in which Don Wales (grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE) hoped to achieve a new land speed record this weekend has now been delayed.

Martin Rees, Bluebird Electric Project Director, says: "This is a huge disappointment for all parties concerned. We have been working incredibly hard to deliver a record-breaking car. However a vital bespoke component that was being manufactured will not now be delivered in time for this weekend's speed trials. As a team we can't compromise on safety, and do not want to settle for an inferior product. Whilst the delay of the component arriving only sets us back several days, the tidal conditions at Pendine coupled with the re-organising of timing keepers, staff, permits and the need for testing, has forced us to re-schedule for a later date. I very much hope everyone will understand our predicament and come and cheer us on in August, we have a provisional date of the 13th & 14th August to be confirmed"

"We're extremely sorry to be letting down the team's sponsors, the many volunteers who had promised to help and the members of the public who were expecting to watch the action”.

Wales, who is the nephew of Donald Campbell CBE and Grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, has been maintaining the Campbell record-breaking tradition since establishing the UK Land Speed Record for an electric car in 1998. In 2009 he set the current World Land Speed Record for a steam car of 148mph.

Pendine Sands was the site of Malcolm Campbell's early land speed records in the 1920s driving his Bluebird cars. Wales also names his record cars Bluebird and visited Pendine Sands in 2000 to set the current UK Land Speed Record for electric cars at 137mph.

The current Bluebird Electric is being used as a test and development vehicle to try different battery technologies and drive units as part of Wales' goal to set an electric record of more than 500mph in 2013. The speed trials at Pendine Sands are part of the development programme. However, timekeepers and race officials will be present and the team hopes to establish new UK land speed records for an electric car. During the trials Wales also hopes to best his grandfather’s 146 mph land speed record set with a combustion engine on the same beach in 1924.

The years 2011 and 2012 will see a series of events to celebrate the centenary of Malcolm Campbell painting his record cars and boats blue and naming them Bluebird – after he saw Maurice Maeterlinck's play The Blue Bird at the Haymarket Theatre, London. Don Wales and the Bluebird Electric team will be speaking at a number of events throughout the year with the climax to the year in June 2012 with a big celebration at the Haymarket Theatre including a display of past Bluebirds outside.

For the latest Bluebird Speed Records team news, please visit www.bluebirdspeedrecords.com

The team can also be followed on Twitter at @bluebirdspeed and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluebird-Speed-Records/174745655870142

Offline Malcolm UK

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Re: Bluebird Electric land speed trials at Pendine Sands POSTPONED
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2011, 08:29:54 AM »
Thanks for posting this Louise, as the news has not landed into my in box here in the UK.

Does leave an opportunity perhaps for the Ecotricity team to have a crack at the 2000 speeds set by Don.

Malcolm
Malcolm UK, Derby, England.