Kia Soul Special Edition Package 2!
British team edge closer to breaking steam-powered world speed record

British team edge closer to breaking steam-powered world speed record

Kenneth Hall April 3rd, 2009 Kenneth Hall By Kenneth Hall Author April 3rd, 2009
  • Articles Contributed: 1031
  • Comments Posted: 0
  • Leaderboard Rank: N/A

December 31st, 1969 It seems the people of Britain have a healthy obsession with breaking world speed records - just last week we reported on a British engineer who had broken the world wind-powered car speed record. In this same spirit, another team of Brits are working on breaking a record that has not been broken for over 103 years - the world steam-powered record. Of course, allowing the record to stand for so long has dealt a harsh blow to the ego of the modern world, which is why the team at British Steam Car have taken it upon themselves to undertake this arduous task. If you were wondering, the 103-year old steam power record stands at an impressive 127mph. This was recorded by an American man, Fred Marriot, who claimed the record in 1906 at Daytona Beach. The British Steam Car team, on the other hand, is hoping to bring that record down a notch by posting a speed of around 170mph with steam alone as the propellant. Currently the 3-ton car is under testing, with tests starting off slow to hone the car's stability and handling characteristics. Driven by Don Wales, the car has reached around 80mph on its second speed run, and Wales commented that following the car's performance in these tests he now feels "more confident about breaking the record". So just how does a steam-powered car reach the supercar speeds of 170mph? Lightweight material such as carbon-fiber is propelled by 12 boilers being pumped with water at around 13 gallons per minute. This is sent through a 13in diameter turbine, which drives an epicyclical gear train with a 4:1 ratio for a wheel speed of 3,000rpm at 200mph. For more details check out our previous story by clicking here.British Steam Car first shake-down
The team have reached 80mph but the record stands at 127mph

The team have reached 80mph but the record stands at 127mph

Enlarge Photo

It seems the people of Britain have a healthy obsession with breaking world speed records - just last week we reported on a British engineer who had broken the world wind-powered car speed record. In this same spirit, another team of Brits are working on breaking a record that has not been broken for over 103 years - the world steam-powered record.

Of course, allowing the record to stand for so long has dealt a harsh blow to the ego of the modern world, which is why the team at British Steam Car have taken it upon themselves to undertake this arduous task.

If you were wondering, the 103-year old steam power record stands at an impressive 127mph. This was recorded by an American man, Fred Marriot, who claimed the record in 1906 at Daytona Beach.

The British Steam Car team, on the other hand, is hoping to bring that record down a notch by posting a speed of around 170mph with steam alone as the propellant. Currently the 3-ton car is under testing, with tests starting off slow to hone the car's stability and handling characteristics.

Driven by Don Wales, the car has reached around 80mph on its second speed run, and Wales commented that following the car's performance in these tests he now feels "more confident about breaking the record".

So just how does a steam-powered car reach the supercar speeds of 170mph? Lightweight material such as carbon-fiber is propelled by 12 boilers being pumped with water at around 13 gallons per minute. This is sent through a 13in diameter turbine, which drives an epicyclical gear train with a 4:1 ratio for a wheel speed of 3,000rpm at 200mph. For more details check out our previous story by clicking here.

British Steam Car first shake-down

Tags: Motorsports, Odds and ends

Posted in: News


Comments (5 total)

Meet the top commenters on the Leaderboard

  1. ma_Quantum avatar by Quantum #1, Posted: 4/3/2009

    i really don't see the use of it

  2. ma_I h8 China avatar by I h8 China #2, Posted: 4/3/2009

    It's like a giant kettle on wheels.

  3. ma_I h8 America avatar by I h8 America #3, Posted: 4/3/2009

    ^^^ better than what Caddilac or Lincoln build. Brits/Europeans are renowned for thier quality unlike the yanks.

  4. ma_www.mywheelsonwalls.com avatar by www.mywheelsonwalls.com #4, Posted: 4/4/2009

    Brits are renowned for the their quality? BL, Triumph, and Norton all of which were complete crap!! Whats left of the British auto industry is fantastic and competes head and shoulders against its past competitors as they, for the most part, are now owned by those competitors.

    Sidenote-My personal favorite was having tickets for the London eye on the Millenium only when I got there it was to be closed for its much hyped grand opening due to a "quality problem"....

    As for the above project its nothing more than what engineers do best and thats keeping busy expanding their own abiltiies!

  5. ma_mburleigh8 avatar by mburleigh8 #5, Posted: 4/5/2009

    I would kinda like to see a comeback of the steam power car, If someone can make a steam powerd car reach 127 mph back in 1906, and the way technology is now, you would think it would be almost easy to develop a good everyday steam power car for today.
    and forget the gas station.

Post a Comment

Post anonymously
Sign In |
will stay private
your 'posted by' name will link to the URL

More from MotorAuthority

More from High Gear Media