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back to article British steam car aims for landspeed record

A British steam car is in the final stages of preparation for an attempt on the land speed record, or at least the steam-powered version of it. In the early days of motoring, steam cars outpowered their petrol and electric-driven cousins. A Stanley Steamer was the world's fastest vehicle in 1906 with a top speed of 127 miles …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just a thought...

    If you weld up the safety pressure valves, leave the gas on, and sit on top of one of the boilers, given a bit of time for the pressure to rise, I'm sure you'd personally break 200mph without wheels. Or limbs come to think of it.

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  2. Adrian Jones

    I looked at the appeal page

    Expecting to find an ElReg logo prominently displayed.

    But nothing.

    Can't the hacks at Vulture Central scrape together anything to support our lads (and lasses)?

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    steam cars outpowered their petrol and electric-driven cousins

    In 1906, yes. But in 1899 the land speed record was held by an electric car. La Jamais Contente exceeded 100 kph.

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  4. Name

    Bit pointless

    There have been cars run in Britain using hydrogen peroxide fuelled rocket motors. Hydrogen peroxide passing over a catalyst produces superheated steam.

    Don't know what speeds have been achieved in Britain but such cars have achieved over 400 mph in the States.

    Are these not steam powered cars?

    Is this car going to set a record for steam powered cars with a boiler? Will there be a separate record for steam powered cars with a boiler and piston rather than turbine 'engines'?

    Can I set a landspeed record for a petrol powered car with a specific number plate? I think I already did.....

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  5. Dillon Pyron

    Speed

    I've been to 301 in a top fueler and 396 at Bonneville. The latter was scary. I wish them well, they have a real challenge ahead of them.

    There's also Black Rock if they can't make Bonny, although they'll have to do all the support work themselves, which is a major expense. If they don't make it this year, there's always next year.

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  6. Duncan

    Past and present techies unite :)

    How can you not want to support such a great cause? Especially for so little money! And you will be on the car when it (ofc it will - it is built by British engineers :P ) breaks the record and gets sent to Beaulieu....

    ... but El Reg... as has already been commented you look like a bunch of tight fisted ..... :o)

    Hope they do it, best of luck :)

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  7. GrahamT

    Title

    "The machine will be driven by Charles Burnett III, an ex-drag car racer, and Annette Getty," So which one is the stoker. I hope he/she can shovel fast.

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