A MOWER man from Southport has this week seen history being made after a British team set the world land speed record - for lawnmowers!
Brian Radam, curator of the National Lawnmower Museum, on Shakespeare Street in Southport, was one of the people who witnessed the Project Runningblade team take the record for the fastest ever lawnmower at Pendine Sands in Wales, which in the early 20th century was frequently used for speed records.
“It was a fantastic achievement as the average ride on lawnmower has a top speed of 6mph, racing lawnmowers only reach approx 60mph,” he said.
“Although this is the fastest speed for a mower, it is not the quickest at cutting grass, this record is held by an American cutting one acre in one minute! It was a shame the attempt could not have been held at Southport Beach where in the 1920s several land speed records were attempted.”
Project Runningblade's machine, driven by Don Wales, nephew of Donald Campbell and grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, both land speed record holders, took the record by travelling across the sands at a two way average speed of 87.833mph, although no actual mowing was involved in the record-breaking runs.
“We are delighted to have set this new world record. It is a triumph of British engineering, and my thanks go to Countax for building this magnificent machine, to Beaulieu who have supported us so well from the outset, and to all our other sponsors who have helped us achieve this marvellous record,” said Stephen Vokins, Team Principal.
Project Runningblade is now on display in the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, near Southamption, beside a collection of legendary world land speed record cars including Donald Campbell's Bluebird.
Other famous lawnmowers are on display in Southport at the National Lawnmower Museum. For more information contact 01704 501336 or visit the museum's website at www.lawnmowerworld.co.uk
I STILL haven't quite got over the joys of being let loose on the test tracks at Millbrook and really getting stuck into some of 2010's most exciting cars.
