Previous Attempts, 1998

Fri 1st May | Sat 2nd May | Thurs 21st May | Fri Sept 18th | Sat 19th Sept | Sun 20th Sept

ELVINGTON 21st May, 1998. New Land Speed Record

This is my long overdue account of our record breaking days at Elvington last May. With just three weeks to go to our arrival at Pendine (for our next attempt to both increase our new record and, weather and beach conditions allowing, a tilt at the international record of 215mph), Elvington and UK records seem an awful long time ago!

THURSDAY MAY 21st 1998

The day began with the realisation that the weather was not going to hamper our efforts. In a strange way that put an enormous amount of pressure and expectation on the team. This time we had to get it right.

We had identified achieving the UK record as part of our development plan for Bluebird and we were not going to be able to schedule for Pendine without significant success at Elvington.

Donald Wales
Donald Wales during a pre-run check
Although the signs were good following our runs earlier in May, the team, and our friends at the University of Sheffield in particular, were aware of minor electronic bugs that were hampering the car achieving its full potential - even on just 2 miles of track.

And early runs confirmed our fears. By mid morning on the 21st we had barely reached 70mph as an electronic tripping problem prevented Don from accelerating fully. By mid afternoon, we had coaxed the car up to the mid-nineties, but by this time we were really beginning to feel that we were going to be foiled again.

Much debate occurred between Don, myself, and the Sheffield crew as to how we could circumvent the problem. The solution was not going to be an easy one as it entailed substantial fettling of the electronics on the runway. With the day disappearing fast we had no choice but to allow Sheffield the time they needed and hope that it would work.

But true to form, Sheffield came up with the goods and following a final battery re-charge, Don was off again.

It was now close to 6pm and we knew that we had no more than 3 runs to get the record. Mike Jenkins and his runway crew pushed Bluebird right back to the grass verge at the end of the runway to give Bluebird the longest available track.

Bluebird Electric at Elvington
Bluebird Electric at Elvington.
With runway cleared and timekeepers on station, Don rolled away and we could all immediately see the difference. By 100 metres Don was already powering away with far more purpose than before and by the time he hit the first timing marker he was flying.

Dons arrival at the western end of the runway confirmed the run was good - but was it good enough? No tripping, only smooth and powerful acceleration.

With a quick turn around, Don was off again eastward and we could see Bluebird hurtling toward us. Don rushed passed us and just about managed to keep Bluebird on the tarmac. Very spectacular.

 

Time to celebrate
Time to celebrate!
With just a short pause the news we were waiting to hear came to us from the timekeepers. Bluebird had done it with an average of speed of 116.41mph. Don was the new holder of the UK record for electric vehicles.

We partied on into the small hours!

Significantly we had exceeded our expectations and improved the existing record by over 10mph. Other data taken during that run also indicated we had exceeded the expected top speed by a significant margin. Calculating from that gives hope of achieving good speeds on Pendine in September.

First job successfully completed. Now its on to Pendine and 4 miles to play with.

Martin Rees
Project Manager 21st May, 1998

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