Electric Bluebird Flies Again with Don Wales
November 17, 2010
Don Wales Holder of UK land Speed Record for an Electric Car | image copyright Ian Leslie / Medius
Don Wales holder of the UK Land Speed Record for an electric car, who is the nephew of Donald Campbell – another famous record breaker, announced earlier this that he will attempt to break his own electric record and exceed the outright record set by his grandfather, Sir Malcolm Campbell, in 1925 in the early spring of 2011.
Don Wales has clearly inherited the quest for speed. In May this year he twice broke the world land speed record for a lawnmower leaving it at 87.833mph. He also holds the world record for a steam powered car (148mph) as a member of Charles Burnett III’s British Steam car team at Edwards Airforce base in August 2009.
Speaking after successfully completing the RAC Brighton to London Future Car Challenge in a hybrid car, Wales said: “I have held the record for over ten years and it’s now looking very vulnerable. I want to set the UK record well beyond 150mph – the speed Sir Malcolm clocked in 1925. Ideally, I’d like to match his record of 1927 – 175mph.”
The attempt is part of the Campbell family celebration year of the centenary of Sir Malcolm Campbell first christening a car Bluebird at Brooklands in 1911.
Don Wales and the Bluebird Electric Team set the current record of 139mph in August 2000 on Pendine Sands, Wales. They will return to Pendine Sands in the spring of 2011 – the venue for Sir Malcolm’s successful land speed record attempts in the 1920s.
Wales also has plans to attempt a new world land speed record for a battery car and has his sights set on 500mph, and is currently evaluating several design options. He says: “At last the world is making real progress with electric vehicles as a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine. Ten years ago electric vehicles were unheard of in the news, and people couldn’t understand the importance of electric car technology. Now there’s a whole new generation of electric road cars in production. The UK is a world leader in automotive technology, particularly in the cutting edge and highly competitive field of motor sport, and Land speed record projects have a history of boosting technological developments which is why I’m planning a world beating battery car”.
Project Director Martin Rees said “Don’s ambition to be the fastest in the world is a goal we are all working hard to achieve and his recent speed record breaking exploits, and those we achieved in the electric Bluebird ten years ago, are testament to his undoubted dedication and commitment to excellence”. Rees added, “Taking the car back to Pendine next spring with improved drive and bodywork will be another chapter in the Campbell and Wales and Pendine story.”
Don Wales at Brooklands Museum, Surrey Collecting Bluebird for a new Land Speed Record in 2011 - 16th November 2010 Images Copyright Ian Leslie / Medius
• 25 September 1924 – 146.16 mph
• 21 July 1925 – 150.766mph
• 4 February 1927 – 174.88mph.
• He achieved 301.12mph in 1935 on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.
His son, Donald, continued the record breaking tradition and broke the 400mph barrier in a turbine powered Bluebird.
Don Wales holds a World Land Speed Record, two American National Records and eight UK records.
More images available from Rex Features
Compare Lens Results with the Flickriver Lens Explorer
November 8, 2010
We saw this on PetxPixel www.petapixel.com – A great Blog for photographers. Follow them on twitter.
flickrriver Lens Explorer
If you’re looking into buying a certain lens, you might be interested in seeing what kind of photography other people have done with that lens. Flickriver’s Lens Explorer page is a pretty easy way to quickly look through example photographs on Flickr that were captured with a specific lens. Just choose a brand and model, and begin browsing the river!
Synergy Aviation becomes first private air charter company to offer ” porridge in a pot ” to passengers
November 8, 2010
Porridge In A Pot (Photo by Medius / High Level)
Private aircraft charter company Synergy Aviation,based at Fairoaks Airport, Surrey, UK will be warming up passengers this autumn and winter with the addition of gourmet porridge to its breakfast menu. Synergy will be the first business aviation company to offer passengers organic porridge sourced from innovative food company, Grasshopper.
The award-winning porridge, which is currently available in Read more
Cement Lorry crashes into passing train Oxshott Surrey
November 8, 2010
Medius and it’s sister company were at the scene on the Cement Lorry incident that happend in Oxshott SUrrey on the 5th November 2010. A cement lorry crashed through a wall on a bridge and landed on a passing train.
The lorry and damaged train were removed over the weekend and line is is now running again and the bridge in undergoinf repairs.
Damaged Bridge at Oxshott Surrey
M25 services plan put in the picture by High Level Photography
June 27, 2010
Our sister company is in the news with it’s aerial photography of the proposed new Cobham Motorway Services Area site. Ian Leslie, director of High Level Photography, specialist Low altitude aerial photography. Normally useing specialst Vehicle that have mast that reach up to 25 metres / 84 feet. This time Ian, a pilot and local resident of Cobham, went up as he realised none of the local newspapers or online article had any photographs showing the impact the development would have.
Site of Cobham Motorway Services Area M25 Surrey (c) Ian Leslie High Level Photography
Read more information on this at High Level Photography’s site an the following detailed article on the Cobham Motorways Services M25 Site.