Babs Returns To Pendine For 90th Anniversary

Babs, the racing car famous for breaking the land speed record at Pendine in April 1926, will return to the sands tomorrow (Thursday, April 28) to mark her 90th anniversary. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Parry-Thomas’s successful land speed record run of April 1926, Babs’s wheels will take to the sands once again. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Spectators can watch her run on the beach at 2.30pm on Thursday before she goes on public view. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​