AN ORIGINAL press photograph taken moments before a famous car crash on Pendine Sands is to be given pride of place at Carmarthenshire’s Museum of Speed.
The rare image of Italian motorist Signor Foresti taken in 1927 was offered for sale at the Carmarthen Antiques & Flea Market on Bank Holiday Monday by Fair organiser Robert Pugh.
He was thrilled when he realised that he had sold the image to a representative of the Museum and immediately refunded the purchase price, deciding he would donate the photograph to the Museum of Speed.
Signor Foresti was an Italian racing motorist who made an attempt to break the world land speed record on November 26, 1927 in his car Djelmo.
He was travelling at 150 miles an hour along Pendine Sands when the car skidded and somersaulted twice. The vehicle was wrecked, but miraculously Foresti emerged from the remains of his car with just a cut over his eye and an injured arm.
Speaking after the Fair Robert Pugh said: “I couldn’t be more pleased that the image was of interest to the Museum of Speed. I was delighted when I realised who had bought it and I simply had to give the money back. I’m now very much looking forward to visiting Pendine to see the image on display.”
The first person to use Pendine Sands for a world land speed record attempt was Malcolm Campbell. On September 25, 1924 he set a world land speed record of 146.16 mph in his Sunbeam 350HP car Blue Bird.
Between 1924 and 1927 two more record attempts were made by Campbell, and two by Welshman J. G. Parry-Thomas in his car Babs. The 150 mph barrier was decisively broken, and Campbell raised the record to 174.22 mph in February 1927. On March 3, 1927 Parry-Thomas attempted to beat Campbell’s record. On his final run while travelling at about 170 mph the car crashed and he was killed. It was later that same year that Foresti made his unsuccessful record attempt.
On the May 7 this year award winning actor Idris Elba broke the historic ‘Flying Mile’ record, originally set by Malcolm Campbell, in a Bentley Continental GT Speed. The star of the BBC One series Luther and The Wire hit speeds of 180.361mph.
The Carmarthen Antiques and Flea Market, which is held regularly throughout the year at the town’s Showground, is well known for the opportunities it offers visitors to buy rare and unusual items. As well as ceramics and antique furniture you can find vintage jewellery and clothing, gardening and agricultural tools, toys and military memorabilia as well as modern art on hundreds of stands indoors and out.
The December 28 Fair in which the Foresti image was sold was the event’s biggest Christmas Antiques and Flea Market to date. The organisers are now looking forward to another busy year of events in 2016. Eight fantastic Fairs are scheduled to take place with the first event being held on Sunday, February 21.
Fairs will also be held on Sunday April 10, Sunday May 22, Sunday June 19, July 31, September 11, October 30 and the December 27. All important dates for your diary!
Admission is £4 for adults with accompanied children admitted free of charge. Carmarthen Showground is on the A40, minutes from the town. SA33 5DR
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