BBC News | UK | Bluebird Electric attempts speed record

The grandson of record-breaker Sir Malcolm Campbell is to attempt to match his highest speed in an electric-powered version of the famous Bluebird car.

In June, Don Wales achieved 128mph in his car Bluebird Electric, beating the current record electric speed record, which he also holds, of 116 mph.

Mr Wales, 39, made the run at the famous Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, where his ancestor set three land-speed records in the 1920s.

It will also be the setting for his new record attempt on Saturday.

Sir Malcolm Campbell: Record-breaker

The photographer - nephew of Donald Campbell, who was killed in 1967 when his speedboat crashed on Coniston Water - is now hoping to equal his grandfather's petrol-driven record of 174 mph.

The father-of-two, his small team plus 35 volunteer helpers, have developed the engine at their base at RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire.

The 21-foot long and four-foot wide car weighs 800kgs. The chassis is made of steel tubes and the blue bodywork is fibreglass.

Powered by two aircraft batteries positioned above the rear wheels, it has 125hp and can out-accelerate most normal cars.


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