BABS, the racing car famous for breaking the land speed record at Pendine in April 1926, returned to the sands last Thursday (April 28) to mark her 90th anniversary.
Originally called the ‘Higham Special’ – after the estate of former owner Count Zborowski – the car was purchased by J.G. Parry-Thomas to make bids on the land speed record. Designer/driver Thomas improved the car and christened her “Babs”. In April 1926 J.G. Parry-Thomas successfully took the Land Speed Record at over 170 mph at Pendine Sands.
Driven by John Parry-Thomas, Babs reached a speed of 170.624 mph – smashing the records set by Malcolm Campbell at Pendine in 1925 and Henry Segrave at Southport in March 1926.
Tragically Parry-Thomas was killed the following year attempting to win back the title, taken again by Malcolm Campbell in his Blue Bird Sunbeam in February 1927, and Babs was buried in the dunes.
In 1969, the car was exhumed and brought back to life by automobile restorer Owen Wyn Owen, and to the delight of many is displayed each summer at Carmarthenshire County Council’s Museum of Speed at Pendine.
To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Parry-Thomas’s successful land speed record run of April 1926, Babs’ wheels took to Pendine’s sands last Thursday, (Apr 28).
Cllr Meryl Gravell, Executive Board Member for Regeneration, said: “We are very fortunate to be able to have Babs on display at the Pendine Museum of Speed every summer, and we’re thrilled that visitors will have the chance to see her run on the sands on the 90th anniversary of her successful land speed record.”
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