VIDEO: Record-setting British Steam Car in action
British Steam Car - Click above to watch the video after the break
So, you've been following the progress of the British Steam Car Challenge for the last few years – well, at least we've been following the team's progress that long – and it's all finally led up to a new world record. Fastest Steam Car in the World... it's got a nice ring to it, wouldn't you say?
As a matter of fact, the car handily earns its off-hand comparisons to a tea kettle, as you can clearly hear from the video pasted after the break. Though we don't get to witness the steam-powered streamliner streak past at its official record of 139.843 miles per hour, seeing the beast move under its own power is an impressive sight.
How does it work? 12 LPG-fueled boilers heat 10.5 gallons of water to 750-degrees F. Then, nearly 2 miles of plumbing inside the car takes that pressurized steam to a two-stage turbine spinning at a stratospheric 13,000 RPM. No wonder it makes such a racket!
[Source: Telegraph]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
wincros 7:20PM (8/27/2009)
When the average sporty sedan can exceed that speed, with passengers and luggage, and anyone with a little money can buy a 200 mph production car, one is tempted to say "who cares?"
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Steve Rezabek 8:34PM (8/27/2009)
This is about as interesting as the world record for the fastest tomato
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dan 11:52PM (8/27/2009)
Let me get this strait....super streamlined car with 12 boilers and a steam turbine JUST barely beat the stanleys Box with pistons......if i was you i would NOT be braging. Go hide in shame. Is this the best you can do? sheesh i guess the stanleys were WAY a head of there time. Like more than a 100 years.
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Jim 9:11AM (8/28/2009)
why is something which runs on fossil fuel (liquified *petroleum* gas) in Autobloggreen?
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Sean 2:02PM (8/28/2009)
Silly, because they're using LPG just to demonstrate proof-of-concept. The 2.0 version will be nuclear. :)
Alan 4:35PM (8/28/2009)
Brits have a thing for eccentric(and pointless) endeavours, I should know I am one (British that is). Here's another example of what farmers with too much time on their hands do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYY1XXQondw&feature=fvw
SKIP TO 1:40 FOR THE FUN
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