Fri 18th Aug | Sat 19th Aug | Sun 20th Aug | Latest | Pendine
(Please note, the latest events are first, to read about the day's progress please scroll down the page.)
We have had a good day with several good runs but Don and the team are disappointed that due to a number of factors we couldn't hit the target speed we set for this weekend. A new British record for the Kilometer has been set but we feel there is plenty more to come. We achieved 137mph which is a progress on our last run in June at Pendine. But we are back tomorrow to see what we can achieve to better this.
Martin Rees
Project Director
Its an hour after our last update and unfortunatly there is not much to report. Due to a minor technical problem the third run was aborted very soon after start off. We anticipate that Bluebird will be running again on the hour.
Bluebird's second run went without hitch with promising times for the half kilometre and one kilometre distances. But there is now a lull before the third run whilst the car's batteries are being recharged. The press photographers used this opportunity to take publicity photographs. The cloud cover is increasing and it is forecast to rain within a few hours. Both battery sets have been recharged during this down time allowing quick consecutive runs for the next attempt.
The 20 knot off shore wind was making white horses on the waves. Today the wind is south south east whereas yesterday the wind was only 10 knots and south south west. But the first run took place ahead of the original schedule for today and it appears that the condition of the beach is improving to assist Bluebird in acheiving higher speeds than yesterday. The media is there to witness it. But you heard it here first.
The Sandman's latest report on the condition of the beach is that the sand is smooth enough to run though still a little soft. Fortunately the sand is not as soft as yesterday so there is optimism that we shall see an increase over yesterday's speeds. A little excitement was created by the discovery of two unexploded devices on the beach which were quickly dealt with by the MOD Police. The south westerly wind is slightly stronger than yesterday's wind. We forecast that the beach party will go home with suntans.
In the workshop the tyre pressures are being checked, batteries re-charged and being made ready for fitting in the car and the motors are being fine-tuned. Where would our engineers be without their voltmeters?
We have just heard that we are going to go for the first attempt at 2:00pm local time. We will report news as soon as we have it!
The reason for our obsession with the weather is not that we are British. At the present time our obsession is because constant and heavy rain could be a risk to Bluebird. The biggest drawback is the fact that the sand remains wet. Yesterday the sand was the softest we have seen here at Pendine. We estimate that the speed of Bluebird was reduced by 20% due to a increase in the rolling resistance. The other concerns brought by heavy rain is Don's visibility is impaired (Bluebird does not have windshield wipers!) and also the car contains battery power of 600 Volts.
The good weather that greets us this morning should give us the news that the sand will be firmer for today's attempts. We should soon receive news on the condition of the sand as high tide was two hours ago.
Barrie White
Press-Ganged Assistant Web Master.
When everything seemed to be against us yesterday we have arrived at the Bluebird Electric HQ at Pendine to find clear blue skies. The forecasts predicted yesterday for today were dreadful and we can not believe our luck. At about 2:00pm local time yesterday we received a telephone calls from a journalist asking us if we had cancelled our plans in view of the fact that the tail end of Hurricane Alberta was due to hit west Wales... Where he got his information from I don't know!
The high tide is at 9:20am local time... the last tide left the sand rippled. Considering the previous tide had left the sand flat for our tests yesterday we can only wait to see what conditions we will have today.
The team is rested and are due to get going with their tasks early this morning. The car is ready to return to the beach as no work was needed on it last night. The mood here is optimistic of success.
Emyr Wyn Morris
Web Master.
Pendine, how to get there and where to stay.
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